342 ANNOYED BY LEECHES. ([Cuar. XVIII. 
as might be expected, all the fruits, natives of more 
northern latitudes, which we find in these islands, 
are far surpassed by the same kinds which grow in 
climates more congenial to their nature. The vine 
is largely cultivated, but it produces grapes of a 
very inferior quality. 
The mountainous portions of the country are for 
the most part in a state of nature, being covered 
with trees, and with brushwood; which in some 
places is so thick that I had to employ the Indians 
to cut a way through it with small billhooks which 
they kept for the purpose. In other parts, the tops 
of the tall trees form a mass so dense, that no ray 
ever shines through them. The ground on the 
sides of these mountains is always in a moist and 
slimy condition; and is the habitation of millions 
of leeches. In my first excursion to the mountains 
I observed the feet and legs of the Indians, who 
were cutting a path for me, covered with blood, 
and at first I fancied that they must have wounded 
themselves with the thorny shrubs which they were 
cutting. On inquiry, however, I found that it was 
the leeches that were doing the mischief, and in a 
very little time I had a good many specimens of 
their powers upon my own skin. There were two 
species, one a small linear one, and the other nearly 
round. Whenever the former fixed upon the In- 
dians, they invariably pulled it off, but they never 
interfered with the little round one. I found that 
the reason for this was, that the latter, if taken off 
by force, would leave a very painful wound; but 
