CHAP. III. 
RESIDENCE OF THE LATE DR. THOM. 
71 
by my host as a museum and library. Detached buildings 
of this kind, but of various dimensions, are built in the 
gardens of most of the houses of any pretension, and are 
exceedingly pleasant and convenient, especially where the 
family is large. 
When walking in the garden with Dr. Thom on the follow¬ 
ing morning, I was delighted to see th Q 'Achimenes pida 
and the velvet-leaved Gresneria growing luxuriantly, while 
beautiful purple or claret-coloured ipomseas exhibited all 
the elegance of form for which flowers of the convolvulus 
kind are distinguished. I observed also the Stephanotis 
floribunda and two varieties of bright scarlet quamoclit, 
with the Tecoma jasminijlora , also in flower, and trailing 
luxuriantly over the trellis-work. Around the posts of the 
verandah the perfumed vanilla, and within the garden Poin- 
settias, dracsenas, and roses were mingled with the modest- 
looking Thunbergia, which is quite a weed here, the ground 
being in some parts literally covered with its different va¬ 
rieties. 
The residence of my friends was considered cool and 
healthy, and the mountain scenery on one side, and the fertile 
valley on the other, covered with numerous palms and 
tropical shrubs, rendered it exceedingly beautiful. Nothing 
could exceed in luxuriant growth the different species of the 
aloe tribe, especially the common American aloe which grew 
along the banks, by the side of the road, or on the adjacent 
plain. Many of the old flower-stalks, upwards of twenty 
feet high, were still standing, while younger stems, in every 
stage of growth, from the scarcely apparent stalk to those 
bearing freshly opened flowers, presented themselves in dif¬ 
ferent directions. 
In the pleasant hours which on different occasions it was 
my privilege to spend with Dr. Thom and his family, I found 
him always an agreeable and intelligent companion, not 
