haveread，sufficientstressdoesnotappeartohavebeenlaidontheelasticityofthespine：sosuddenaspringcouldnotbetheresultofsimplemuscularcontraction，withouttheaidofsomemechanicalcontrivance。
OnseveraloccasionsIenjoyedsomeshortbutmostpleasantexcursionsintheneighbouringcountry。OnedayIwenttotheBotanicGarden，wheremanyplants，wellknownfortheirgreatutility，mightbeseengrowing。
Theleavesofthecamphor，pepper，cinnamon，andclovetreesweredelightfullyaromatic；andthebread-fruit，thejaca，andthemango，viedwitheachotherinthemagnificenceoftheirfoliage。ThelandscapeintheneighbourhoodofBahiaalmosttakesitscharacterfromthetwolattertrees。Beforeseeingthem，Ihadnoideathatanytreescouldcastsoblackashadeontheground。
BothofthembeartotheevergreenvegetationoftheseclimatesthesamekindofrelationwhichlaurelsandholliesinEnglanddotothelightergreenofthedeciduoustrees。Itmaybeobserved，thatthehouseswithinthetropicsaresurroundedbythemostbeautifulformsofvegetation，becausemanyofthemareatthesametimemostusefultoman。Whocandoubtthatthesequalitiesareunitedinthebanana，thecocoa-nut，themanykindsofpalm，theorange，andthebread-fruittree？
DuringthisdayIwasparticularlystruckwitharemarkofHumboldt’s，whooftenalludesto“thethinvapourwhich，withoutchangingthetransparencyoftheair，rendersitstintsmoreharmonious，andsoftensitseffects。”