GUINEA-GRASS. 
253 
inen of that curious slender Palm called the Prickly- 
pole {Cocos Guineensis), and a pond was covered 
with the leaves and flowers of the beautiful Water- 
lily {Nymphcea ampla). My companion pointed out 
the estate called Shuttlewood, where the few bird- 
seeds w^ere thrown out, the fruit of which has proved 
an inestimable beneflt to the island. The owner of 
this estate had received a cage of Finches from 
Africa, and a bag of grass-seed had been put on 
board for their food. Soon after their arrival, how- 
ever, they died, and the few seeds that remained in 
the bag were thrown away. After a while it was 
noticed that the horses and cattle eagerly seized 
every opportunity of devouring the verdure that 
covered the bank where the bag had been shaken 
out. The grass was protected, and allowed to go to 
seed ; when it proved to be what is now known as 
Guinea-grass {Panicum jumentorum ) ; it is now cul- 
tivated all over the island, especially on the lowland 
plains of the south side, where it covers even the 
most rocky soil with its dense tussocks of juicy, 
nutritive, and ever-verdant pasturage. 
Near Mount Carey, one of the stations of the 
Baptist Missionary Society, there is a singular little 
grotto close by the road side, half concealed by the 
climbing plants and slender creepers that hang and 
trail over it, like that of the Mantuan swain, — 
« — antrum 
Silvestris raris sparsit labrusca racemis.” 
ViRG. Ed. V. 6. 
The contrast between its refreshing coolness and the 
burning heat of the dazzling white road I found 
