Sucharetheelementsofthescenery，butitisahopelessattempttopaintthegeneraleffect。Learnednaturalistsdescribethesescenesofthetropicsbynamingamultitudeofobjects，andmentioningsomecharacteristicfeatureofeach。Toalearnedtravellerthispossiblymaycommunicatesomedefiniteideas：butwhoelsefromseeingaplantinanherbariumcanimagineitsappearancewhengrowinginitsnativesoil？Whofromseeingchoiceplantsinahothouse，canmagnifysomeintothedimensionsofforesttrees，andcrowdothersintoanentangledjungle？Whowhenexamininginthecabinetoftheentomologistthegayexoticbutterflies，andsingularcicadas，willassociatewiththeselifelessobjects，theceaselessharshmusicofthelatter，andthelazyflightoftheformer，——thesureaccompanimentsofthestill，glowingnoondayofthetropics？Itiswhenthesunhasattaineditsgreatestheight，thatsuchscenesshouldbeviewed：thenthedensesplendidfoliageofthemangohidesthegroundwithitsdarkestshade，whilsttheupperbranchesarerenderedfromtheprofusionoflightofthemostbrilliantgreen。Inthetemperatezonesthecaseisdifferent——thevegetationthereisnotsodarkorsorich，andhencetheraysofthedecliningsun，tingedofared，purple，orbrightyellowcolor，addmosttothebeautiesofthoseclimes。
Whenquietlywalkingalongtheshadypathways，andadmiringeachsuccessiveview，Iwishedtofindlanguagetoexpressmyideas。Epithetafterepithetwasfoundtooweaktoconveytothosewhohavenotvisitedtheintertropicalregions，thesensationofdelightwhichthemindexperiences。Ihavesaidthattheplantsinahothousefailtocommunicateajustideaofthevegetation，yetImustrecurtoit。Thelandisonegreatwild，untidy，luxurianthothouse，madebyNatureforherself，buttakenpossessionofbyman，whohasstuddeditwithgayhousesandformalgardens。Howgreatwouldbethedesireineveryadmirerofnaturetobehold，ifsuchwerepossible，thesceneryofanotherplanet！yettoeverypersoninEurope，itmaybetrulysaid，thatatthedistanceofonlyafewdegreesfromhisnativesoil，thegloriesofanotherworldareopenedtohim。InmylastwalkIstoppedagainandagaintogazeonthesebeauties，andendeavouredtofixinmymindforever，animpressionwhichatthetimeIknewsoonerorlatermustfail。
Theformoftheorange-tree，thecocoa-nut，thepalm，themango，thetree-fern，thebanana，willremainclearandseparate；butthethousandbeautieswhichunitetheseintooneperfectscenemustfadeaway：yettheywillleave，likeataleheardinchildhood，apicturefullofindistinct，butmostbeautifulfigures。
August6th——Intheafternoonwestoodouttosea，withtheintentionofmakingadirectcoursetotheCapedeVerdIslands。Unfavourablewinds，however，delayedus，andonthe12thweranintoPernambuco，——alargecityonthecoastofBrazil，inlatitude8degs。south。Weanchoredoutsidethereef；butinashorttimeapilotcameonboardandtookusintotheinnerharbour，wherewelayclosetothetown。
Pernambucoisbuiltonsomenarrowandlowsand-banks，whichareseparatedfromeachotherbyshoalchannelsofsaltwater。Thethreepartsofthetownareconnectedtogetherbytwolongbridgesbuiltonwoodenpiles。