H 4 liAM4iiiS IN t’isNTHAjj AMkliiyA J 
tance. At 4 p.m. it was in full view, and the wreck of a large 
vessel lying on a surf-covered reef demonstrated the dangerous 
character of the approaches to the harbour for sailing vessels dur- 
ing stormy weather. At 6 p. m. we had passed the entrance and 
were snugly at anchor iu the harbour. The deck of the steamer 
was soon crowded with Captains (all are Captains here) from va- 
rious parts of the island, who had business with the Captain of 
the Arran. I was introduced to one who politely informed me 
that he ''kept a shop.’’ Two or three Captains of American ves- 
sels lying in the harbour also boarded us. 1 was informed that 
these gentlemen, otherwise ycleped "Yankee Traders” bring 
down cargoes consisting of groceries, hardware, crocker}^ glass, 
cotton and woollen goods, silks, and other articles of house- 
hold economy, which they barter for the cocoanuts grown on the 
Island, in some instances staying for several months, doing a good 
retail trade with the Islanders. Capt. Brown of the Arran hav- 
ing invited us to a seat in his boat, we next morning paid a visit 
to the shore, landing at a place called " The Grolf” in the midst 
of a handsome grove of cocoanuts, in fact wherever we had land- 
ed, it must have been the same, for the Island is truly an Island 
of Cocoanuts. We were introduced to one of the principal trad- 
ers and entered his establishment, on one side of which were dis- 
played his wares, and the other formed his " till,” by which 
must be understood that the currency of the Island for the most 
part of consists of cocoanuts, and a portion of the building had 
to be set aside for their storage. The value of these at the time 
of our visit was from ft25 to #30 per thousand. 
I had made preparation for collecting, and in the short time 
available filled my vasculum, with numerous Herbarium speci- 
mens. The Flora of the Island, as was to be expected, resem- 
bled in general characters that of Jamaica. A few provision 
grounds were to be seen here and there between the splendid co- 
coanut groves which are par-excellence the mainstay of the Is- 
land. Fortunately for the growers, the many enemies to which 
this tree is subject in other lands, appear there to be almost en- 
tirely absent. The trees everywhere, although subjected to the 
apparently universal drought prevalent for the past few years in 
all the Caribbean Islands, were the picture of health and laden 
with nuts, the size of which in general did not appear to be larger 
than those grown in Jamaica, but they were decidedly heavier 
for their size. Many trees were bearing enormous crops, some 
of which were estimated to produce at one picking nearly a muler 
cart load of ripe nuts. 
No " borer” nor beetle is present I was informed, but on the 
northside the trees appear to sufier slightly from a fungus which 
