COCOA PLANTATIONS. 



139 



of the unfortunate man who had fallen in 

 this horrible manner. The cowardly con- 

 duct of these youths in deserting their 

 friends, was severely and justly censured 

 by the villagers. — The river had increased 

 considerably during the night, which dou- 

 bled the difficulty of our voyage. Passed 

 several cocoa plantations, which appear to 

 be in a flourishing state, the soil being par- 

 ticularly rich; but capital and labourers 

 seem much wanted. They are generally 

 close to the water's edge, in low, moist 

 grounds, and are grown under the shade of 

 large forest trees, which are left to protect 

 them from the rays of the sun. The form 

 of the tree is that of an old standard apple- 

 tree. The fruit grows dispersedly on short 

 stalks over the stem and main branches; 

 and in the month of April, when I saw it, 

 was of a reddish-purple colour. After cut- 

 ting the fleshy rind, which is half an inch 

 thick, you reach a whitish pulp, of the 



