JAMAICA.
293
on Belvidere, is one of she best mansions we have seen, and is delightfully situated on an eminence, immediately above the cane grounds. It commands a fine view of the Bay, the shore of which is marked by a long line of cocoa nvit trees. This beautiful palm is the first tree that greets the eye of the voyager, on approaching the tropics, and from being introduced in all representa tions of tropical scenery, it appears when first seen, at once a novel and familiar object. 12th.—We came this morning to Bath, through Port Morant. Our route to the latter place was prin cipally by the sea side. This country is highly culti vated to the base of the nearest range of hills from the coast, which are cleared of their forest, and covered with deep rich verdure. Port Morant is situated on a very fine harbor. After leaving it we turned off into the interior, through a very beautiful country. The road is rocky and mountainous. Bath is so enveloped in its grove of cocoa nut, palmetto and bread-fruit trees, as to be invisible at a distance, though a site so marked indicates as certainly the presence of human habitations as a view of spires or chimneys in Europe. Bath is a beautiful little town and harmonises in every respect with the magnificent scenery in which it is embosomed. It consists of a single street of houses, placed at con venient distances apart, the road shaded on each side with trees, principally the palmetto and Tahitian apple, the dust of whose beautiful crimson blossoms almost covered the road. In the course of the morning we visited the Botanic Garden, which like the one in St. Andrews, has been formed for the reception of East ern tropical trees and plants. The Assembly has recently discontinued its annual grant, and in conse quence it is at present neglected, but still contains c c 3