OCR Text |
Show 34 ST. THOMAS AND TORTOLA. that the laborers of Tortola appeared to us to be · a condition of considerable case and comfort. Among the ve,.etablcs which they cultivate in i b . provision grounds, we observed the !~geon pea, shrub which grows here in great quantttJCs, and duces a nutritious pea for the table; also the It has been remarked, that a piece of ground vatcd with this root, will produce more food for than under any other cultivation whatever. It is singular circumstance that its juice i> a deadly but after this has been pressed out, the · substance which remains, is made into an thin bread, like the Scotch oat-cake in hut more agreeable to the palate. After regaling ourselves with a plentiful at J udgc Wigley's pleasant residence, on the top of lofty hill, we pursued our course through scenery uncommon beauty-in parts almost of a Swiss racter. From a mountain called Chateau Belair, obtain~d a view, at once, of almost all the islands the Virgin group, with their satellites or keys. arc very numerous, and mostly rise very boldly the sea. The principal of them arc St. John's, Thomas, Tortola, Jose Vandyk, Norman's, Peter's, Goodman's, Beef and Guana islands, latter remarkable for the Guana lizards) and Gorda or Spanish town. The scene was S'f. THOl\IAS A~D TUH.TOLr\. 35 aloe, called the century plant, abounds, and has a very picturesque appearance, and there arc many prodigious plants of the cactus tribe. Pink, purple, red, and yellow convolvoluses, arc seen creeping about in all directions; and the splendill "pride of Barbadoes" is common. The white jasmine occurs in the hedges, and a small tree called the Panc!tupan, bears profuse hunches of large white flowers of fragrant jasmine odor. The brown pelicans float about the coast in great munbers, and we were told that the neighboring low island of Ancgada, is frequented by the flamingo. At the distance of many hundred yards, when on the brow of a lofty hill, we distinctly saw a shark playing among the waves-an evidence of the remarkable clearness both of the air and water. Many of the hills are covered with luxuriant "guinea grass," and afford excellent pasture for cattle, sheep, and goats. A large proportion of these animals belong to the negroes. The cows are sleek and beautiful, and the milk excellent. Another day was spent in a boat excursion, to the ~·estern extremity of the island, in order to visit some of the estates under the care of our friend Isaac • Thomas, another of the principal attorneys. In the course of onr voyage, the sailors caught some fish, so curiously striped and spotted, as to receive the name of" lizard" fish; all{], on landing, we observed the shore strewn ll'ith handsome specilllcn -~ of the cchinus, or sea egg. We found the sugar plantations, under the care of our friend, in fai ,. order. He employs two hundred and fifty lt·ee negroes, and assured us that "I I I There are no roads, on this island, for ""''r'"""'-- ' only rocky and precipitous mountain paths, for neys on horseback or foot. The wild flowers are more beautiful here than in Santa Cruz. The LC Ia< not tlw slighcst colllplaint to make respect- D2 |