Feb. 1832. 



FERNANDO NORONlKl. 



11 



columns. From the first impression, on viewing one of 

 these isolated masses, one is inclined to believe, that the 

 whole has been suddenly pushed up in a semi-fluid state. 

 At St. Helena, however, I ascertained that some pinnacles^ 

 of a nearly similar figure and constitution, had been formed 

 by the injection of melted rock among the yielding strata ; 

 which thus formed the model for these gigantic obelisks. 

 The whole island is covered with wood ;but from the dryness 

 of the climate there is no appearance of luxuriance. At some 

 elevation great masses of the columnar rock, shaded by 

 laurels, and ornamented by a tree covered by fine pink flowers 

 like those of a foxglove, but without a single leaf, gave a 

 pleasing effect to the nearer parts of the scenery. 



Bahia, or San Salvador. Brazil, Feb. 29th.— The 

 day has past delightfully. Delight itself, however, is a weak 

 term to express the feelings of a naturalist who, for the first 

 time, has been wandering by himself in a Brazilian forest. 

 Among the multitude of striking objects, the general luxu- 

 uriance of the vegetation bears away the victory. The ele- 

 gance of the grasses, the novelty of the parasitical plants, the 

 beauty of the flowers, the glossy green of the foliage, all 

 tend to this end. A most paradoxical mixture of sound and 

 silence pervades the shady parts of the wood. The noise 

 from the insects is so loud, that it may be heard even in a 

 vessel anchored several hundred yards from the shore ; yet 

 within the recesses of the forest a universal silence appears 

 to reign. To a person fond of natural history, such a day as 

 this, brings with it a deeper pleasure than he ever can hope 

 again to experience. After wandering about for some hours, 

 I returned to the landing-place ; but, before reaching it, I 

 was overtaken by a tropical storm. I tried to find shelter 

 under a tree which was so thick, that it would never have 

 been penetrated by common English rain ; but here, in a 

 couple of minutes, a little torrent flowed down the trunk. 

 It is to this violence of the rain we must attribute the ver- 

 dure at the bottom of the thickest woods : if the showers 

 were like those of a colder clime, the greater part would be 



