Page:Journal of the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks.djvu/67

Rh Adam and Eve dwelt before the fall, for had it been so, the inhabitants here would never have been induced to put on clothes; so much are they resolved in every particular to follow exactly the paths of their forefathers."

Indeed, were the people here only tolerably industrious, there is scarcely any luxury which might not be produced that either Europe or the Indies afford, owing to the great difference of climate observable in ascending the hills. This we experienced on a visit to Dr. Heberden, who lives about two miles from the town; we left the thermometer when we set out at 74°, and found it there at 66°. The hills produce almost spontaneously vast quantities of walnuts, chestnuts, and apples, but in the town you find some few plants natives of both the Indies, whose flourishing state puts it out of all doubt, that were they taken any care of, they might have any quantity of them. Of such they have the banana (Musa sapientum, Linn.) in great abundance, the guava (Psidium pyriferum, Linn.) not uncommon, and the pine-apple (Bromelia Ananas, Linn.)—of this I saw some very healthy plants in the provision-garden, the mango (Mangifera indica, Linn.)—one plant also of this in the same garden bearing fruit every year, and the cinnamon (Laurus Cinnamomum, Linn.)—very healthy plants of which I saw on the top of Dr. Heberden's house at Funchiale, which had stood there through the winter without any kind of care having been taken of them. These, without mentioning any more, seem very sufficient to show that the tenderest plants might be cultivated here without any trouble; yet the indolence of the inhabitants is so great, that even that is too much for them. Indeed, the policy here is to hinder them as much as possible from growing anything themselves except what they find their account in taking in exchange for corn, though the people might with much less trouble and expense grow the corn themselves. What corn does grow here (it is not much) is of a most excellent quality, large-grained and very fine. Their meat also is very good, mutton, pork, and beef more especially, which was agreed by all of us to be very little inferior to our own, though we Englishmen value ourselves