INDIAN GARDENS. 
333 
to their former owners. ‘ When, ten years after the 
discovery of the island, the intolerable tyranny of 
the Spaniards had driven the inhabitants from what 
Columbus had described as ‘‘ the painted gardens of 
the plain,” the homes of the Vega Real, and de- 
populated them, the natives fled in numbers to the 
glens and fastnesses of this adjoining district. The 
limestone rocks, which pierce the summits of the 
mountains, abound with caverns in which the bones 
of the unfortunate fugitives who preferred death to 
servitude, are still found accompanied by the remains 
of their domestic dog. It was in the hottest month 
of the year (July, 1831) that I visited this delightful 
valley. The rains which come with the vertical sun, 
and prevail all through the solstitial season, had that 
year been unusually late. They had as yet fallen 
only in gentle showers, and the constant sea wind 
that blows refreshingly between the mountains had 
scarcely heaped on the summits those white accumu- 
lations which were to fertilise the fields with season- 
able moisture. But the air was agreeably cool, and 
all through the unprecedented drought of the year, 
the grass in these sheltered vales was fresh, and the 
ground overspread with flowers, and the crops of 
corn and pulse were affected by none of those heated 
blasts which had destroyed the hopes of the husband- 
man elsewhere. We found the nights beautiful : 
the stars shone with exceeding brilliance. Nothing 
could surpass the magnificence of the green parks 
of palm and heavy-laden fruit-trees of curious foliage 
in the villages. There were vestiges, — fragments 
of earthen vessels, stone hatchets, and chased or- 
