xious about Walter--
indeed, how could they be otherwise? Oliver was much better in the
morning, though he was still suffering from the effects of the
sun-stroke, which might have proved fatal; and Mr Sedgwick will not
allow him to leave the house, or in any way to exert himself. Some of
the party go down constantly to the rock and look out for Walter; but
when each comes back he gives the same answer, "No boat in sight." Both
the gentlemen do their best to interest me in other matters, so as to
take off my thoughts from Walter. My uncle reminded me that I had not
been for some time to the plantation, which is at a considerable
distance from the house. He took Grace and me there this afternoon.

"There, young ladies," he observed, pointing to some of the tall stalks
with beautiful leaves surrounding them. "A month ago these were little
yellow seeds of maize. See how rapidly the germ within them has been
developed. See! already there are some ears which we will carry home to
cook; and in another month's time they will be ripe, and fit for making
into bread."

There was a large plantation of them. We cut off a number of the heads
which grew on the side of the stalk, several on one. Each head
consisted of a long piece of pith, to which the grain was thickly
attached, the whole sheathed in broad oblong leaves, which protect them
from injury, till the seed is perfectly hard and ripe. Here also was a
plantation of sugar-cane. They also were tall, graceful, reed-like
plants, and were nearly ripe.

Tanda was working in the plantation--or garden, shall I call it? My
uncle told him to bring home a quantity of the canes, and he began
cutting them at once. He cut off the tops, and left them and the root
on the ground. I thought I could have carried a number, but I found a
single cane heavy, so loaded was it with juice.

In another part of the ground there was a plantation of rice. It was on
the lowest level, where it could be well irrigated by a stream which ran
near. The rice grew on the top of each blade, the head alone being cut
off. The rice, before the husk is taken off, is called paddy, and
rice-fields are therefore generally called paddy fields.

Among other productions of the garden are several bushes which produce
the red pepper. They are covered with fruit of all sizes. Some of them
are small and green, and some which are fully grown and ripe are of a
bright pink colour. These are now fit for gat