in the morning, under the promise of bringing it back next day; a promise which he failed to perform, and which rendered the lady so indignant, that, although he afterwards came to visit her himself, bringing some fowls and palm-wine as a peace-offering, she persisted in rejecting all compromise.  This produced a violent quarrel, which ended in their parting in high wrath, the husband threatening to return in the night and inflict some dreadful vengeance upon her for it, but he did not dare to carry his threats into execution.

I regret that my circumstances do not permit me to investigate the general aspect and natural history of this island, as it abounds with many interesting subjects which would well repay the trouble of inquiry.  It is to be hoped that Government will ere long send out some intelligent naturalist for the purpose.  The general appearance of the island is rocky and volcanic; on the north-eastern extremity, where our settlement is situated, one mountain, named Clarence Peak, rises to the elevation of 10,655 feet above the level of the sea, the easiest ascent to which is from its eastern side, being only interrupted by a few valleys of no great depth, while the western side exhibits a series of chasms and precipices, the sides of which from the sea appear almost perpendicular.  The southern part of the island, although the least populous, is very picturesquely mountainous, being broken into several peaks, each supposed to be from one to three thousand feet in elevation, with numerous streams and beautiful cataracts descending in various parts and directions.  In consequence of the hilly nature of the country admitting of no lodgment of water, we have reason to believe that few marshes exist throughout the island, a circumstance which must contribute greatly to its salubrity.

The soil of that part of the country with which we are best acquainted, is of a red argillaceous nature, generally forming a stratum of nine or ten feet in thickness, lying over one of sandstone, in which are imbedded fragments of lava; the latter stratum, at Point William, appears to decline to the east, at an angle of ten or twelve degrees.

The whole of the island is most luxuriantly wooded, even to within three or four hundred feet of its highest peaks, while some cleared spots, particularly in the north-east part, which is the most populous and cultivated, affords evidences of its great fertility.  There is an immense variety of timber, comprising some of the finest trees in the world.  I have already mentioned the Indian-rubber tree as indigenous here.  The island also produces a species of black pepper, and we have reason to believe that cloves and nutmegs are to be met with.  Yams are cultivated in abundance; they are remarkably fine and large, and constitute the principal food of the natives.  Of this root they prepare a food called foo-foo, made by beating a quantity of well boiled ones together for a long time in a wooden mortar, which forms it into a highly