420 
TRAVELS IN 
not be exceeded by any of that celebrated family. 
It is a perennial plant, fending up many nearly' 
ereCt fie ms from the root or fource ; thefe divide 
themfelves into many afcendant (lender rods like 
branches, which are ornamented with double pin- 
nated leaves, of a mod delicate formation. The 
compound flowers, are of a pale, greenifli yellow, 
collected together in a fmall oblong head, upon a 
long (lender peduncle, the legumes are large, lu- 
nated and flat, placed in a fpiral or contorted man- 
ner, each containing feveral hard compreflfed feeds 
or little beans. 
The interior and by far the greater part of the 
ifland conflfts of high land ; the foil to appearance 
a heap of fea fand in fome places, with an admix- 
ture offeafhells; this foil, notwithftanding its faridy 
and fteril appearance, when diveflied of its natural 
vegetative attire, has, from what caufe I know not, 
a continual refource of fertility within itfelf: the 
furface of the earth, after being cleared of its origi- 
nal vegetable productions, expofed a few feafons 
to the fun, winds, and triturations of agriculture, 
appears fcarcely any thing but heaps of white fand, 
yet it produces Corn (Zea), Indigo, Batatas, Beans, 
Peas, Cotton, Tobacco, and almofl every fort or 
efculent vegetable, in a degree of luxuriancy very 
furprizing and unexpected, year after year, incef- 
fantly, without any addition of artificial manure or 
compoft : there is indeed a foundation of flrong 
adheflve clay, conflfling of ftrata of various colours, 
which I difcoyered by examining a well, lately dug 
in Mr. Rumfey’s yard; but lying at a great depth 
under the furface, the roots of fmall fhrubs and 
herbage, cannot reach near to it, or receive any 
benefit, unlefs we may iuppofe, that afcending 
fumes 
