peaks and crags and precipices imperfectly revealed through a morning
mist. It seems as though the darkness of night, unwilling to depart,
lingers still fondly around them. Their hollows and recesses are still
wrapt in gloom, when all else around is beaming with light. Within the
tropics the contrast thus afforded has a startling effect; but the
influence of the sun is not long to be resisted; the mist soon begins to
disperse; valley after valley opens its depths to the view; the outline
of each rocky peak becomes more and more defined against the deep blue
sky, and presently the whole scene appears before you clear and bright,
with every line sharply drawn, every patch of colour properly
discriminated, a splendid panorama of towering hills and waving forests.

Whilst I was gazing at this picture, the report of a fowling piece behind
me drew my attention, and on turning I was surprised to see the old
commandant out shooting likewise, and with him no less a person than
Caleb Balderston, as we had christened his faithful domestic. In their
company we returned to Pritie.

MUSTER OF THE PARTY.

Soon after breakfast our party began to muster, each man armed with a
long-condemned Tower musket. On one of them I was surprised to recognize
the name of a marine who had belonged to the Beagle in 1827. The powder
they used was of the coarsest kind, carried in small pieces of bamboo,
each containing a charge, and fitted in a case of skin, something like
our cartouch boxes. As a substitute for balls they used BOLTS OF STONE,
from two to three inches long. Besides a musket, each had a huge knife or
chopper, stuck in his belt. I was much struck with the simple contrivance
they had for shoes: a piece of the fan palm plaited together and tied
under the foot. The number of uses to which this tree is applied is