4 



ST. JAGO CAPE DB VERB ISLANDS. Jan. 1832. 



and could not be approached. They avoided us^ like par- 

 tridges on a rainy day in September^ running with their 

 heads cocked up ; and if pursued^, they readily took to the 

 wing. 



The scenery of St. Domingo possesses a beauty totally 

 unexpected^ from the prevalent gloomy character of the rest 

 of the island. The village is situated at the bottom of a 

 valley, bounded by lofty and jagged walls of stratified lava. 

 The black rocks aiFord a most striking contrast with the 

 bright green vegetation, which follows the banks of a little 

 stream of clear water. It happened to be a grand feast-day, 

 and the village was full of people. On our return we over- 

 took a party of about twenty young black girls, dressed in 

 most excellent taste ; their black skins and snow-white linen 

 being set off by their coloured turbans and large shawls. As 

 soon as we approached near, they suddenly all turned round, 

 and covering the path with their shavvis, sung with great 

 energy a wild song, beating time with their hands upon their 

 legs. We threw them some vintems, which were received 

 with screams of laughter, and we left them redoubling the 

 noise of their song. 



It has already been remarked, that the atmosphere is 

 generally very hazy ; this appears chiefly due to an impal- 

 pable dust, which is constantly falling, even on vessels far 

 out at sea. The dust is of a brown colour, and under the 

 blowpipe easily fuses into a black enamel. It is produced, 

 as I believe, from the wear and tear of volcanic rocks, 

 and must come from the coast of Africa. One morning 

 the view was singularly clear; the distant mountains being 

 projected with the sharpest outline, on a heavy bank of 

 dark blue clouds. Judging from the appearance, and from 

 similar cases in England, I supposed that the air was satu- 

 rated with moisture. The fact, however, turned out quite 

 the contrary. The hygrometer gave a diff'erence of 29.6 

 degrees, between the temperature of the air, and the point 

 at which dew was precipitated. This difference was nearly 

 dou1)le that which I had observed on the previous mornings. 



