Page:Narrative of a Voyage around the World - 1843.djvu/77

 1837.] touching merely for supplies. Rum is also too cheap and too great a temptation for the seamen. Supplies of poultry, fruit, bullocks, grain, &c, are, however, very reasonable, and of very superior quality; turkeys are said to attain an incredible weight; they still, however, justly maintain a very high reputation.

At the period of our visit, a young American had imported machinery for a cotton mill, and had also advanced funds to a family of Leon for the cultivation of the cotton plant on the island of Aserradores. But although the house on the island was in progress, and the machinery erected between Realejo and San Antonio, I much doubt the success of either speculation. Cotton thrives well in the interior, but not on Mangrove islands such as Aserradores, and the plan of the mill power I much question.

These people also are too indolent for the successful pursuit of anything which requires perseverance. They are attracted for the time by the novelty, and rave on the idea of the fortunes they are to make, but one unlucky accident overthrows all their hopes and stability.

The present village of Realejo (for the name of Town cannot be applied to such a collection of hovels) contains one main street about two hundred yards in length, with three or four cross openings, leading to the isolated cottages in the back lanes of huts.

With the exception of the houses occupied by the