AN EXCURSION. 
311 
June 8 th . — Early in the morning we landed, to take 
a ride a little way into the country with Dr. Pritchett 
and Mr. Lilly; we had two horses, and a beau- 
tiful little skittish mare, which without due consider- 
ation that we had no more equestrian experience than 
is becoming to sailors, played us various mad pranks. 
Captain AUen received a kick from one, and Dr, 
Pritchett’s horse seized Mr. Lilly by the knee, and 
dragged him off the mare to the ground, but neither 
was much hurt. The first part of our way was by a 
narrow and rocky, though romantic path ; crossing two or 
three little brooks, forming a succession of gentle 
cascades, and overhung with a rich variety of foliage. 
We were a quarter of an hour too late in starting, as 
a heavy shower came on, while we were in the valley, 
where we were obliged to take shelter under a large 
tree, until the dripping leaves obliged us, at a gallop, 
to seek more impervious protection from the torrent : 
this was fortunately met with in a gentleman's hovel, 'v&cj 
prettily situated, where we were detained some time. 
On resuming our journey, we very soon arrived at the 
summit of the ridge, where we found there had been 
no rain whatever, although we were afterwards in- 
formed at the town, that it had rained there heavily 
for four hours. 
Our road was now good, along a narrow ridge of 
rock, through numerous plantation of coffee, cas- 
sada, &c., many of which belong to Madame Ferreira. 
