522 



CHARLES DARWIN 



trees, interspersed with patches of cultivated ground, out 

 of which houses, convents, and chapels arise. It must be 

 remembered that within the tropics, the wild luxuriance of 

 nature is not lost even in the vicinity of large cities: for 

 the natural vegetation of the hedges and hill-sides over- 

 powers in picturesque effect the artificial labour of man. 

 Hence, there are only a few spots where the bright red 

 soil affords a strong contrast with the universal clothing 

 of green. From the edges of the plain there are distant 

 views either of the ocean, or of the great Bay with its 

 low-wooded shores, and on which numerous boats and canoes 

 show their white sails. Excepting from these points, the 

 scene is extremely limited; following the level pathways, 

 on each hand, only glimpses into the wooded valleys below 

 can be obtained. The houses I may add, and especially the 

 sacred edifices, are built in a peculiar and rather fantastic 

 style of architecture. They are all whitewashed; so that 

 when illumined by the brilliant sun of midday, and as seen 

 against the pale blue sky of the horizon, they stand out more 

 like shadows than real buildings. 



Such are the elements of the scenery, but it is a hopeless 

 attempt to paint the general effect. Learned naturalists de- 

 scribe these scenes of the tropics by naming a multitude of 

 objects, and mentioning some characteristic feature of each. 

 To a learned traveller this possibly may communicate some 

 definite ideas : but who else from seeing a plant in an herba- 

 rium can imagine its appearance when growing in its native 

 soil? Who from seeing choice plants in a hothouse, can 

 magnify some into the dimensions of forest trees, and crowd 

 others into an entangled jungle? Who when examining in 

 the cabinet of the entomologist the gay exotic butter- 

 flies, and singular cicadas, will associate with these lifeless 

 objects, the ceaseless harsh music of the latter, and the 

 lazy flight of the former,— the sure accompaniments of the 

 still, glowing noonday of the tropics? It is when the sun has 

 attained its greatest height, that such scenes should be 

 viewed : then the dense splendid foliage of the mango hides 

 the ground with its darkest shade, whilst the upper branches 

 are rendered from the profusion of light of the most bril- 

 liant green. In the temperate zones the case is different— the 



