of three hundred islands in the group, most
of them mere barren coral rocks; and the largest, St. George's, is not
more than three miles long, and about a mile in width. The roads are cut
out of the soft coral, which hardens by exposure to the atmosphere, and
are perfect.

There are several very curious natural caves about five miles distant
from St. George's; and near one of them is still pointed out the
calabash tree under which the Irish poet, Tom Moore, is said to have
composed one of his sonnets to _Nea_, who afterwards became the wife of
Mr. Tucker, and left many descendants on the island. The venerable old
gentleman was living, in his ninetieth year, when I was last in St.
George's; and although the bride of his youth, and his rival the poet,
had been long mouldering in their graves, he was still so jealous of the
latter that he would not allow his great-grandchildren to keep a copy of
the poet's works in the house.

The only indigenous tree upon the islands, I believe, is the cedar; the
oleander, which now grows everywhere, having been introduced by Mr.
Tucker. Nearly all of the tropical fruits grow there, and many
indigenous to the temperate zone; but the staple products are potatoes
and onions, chiefly for the New York market, and arrow root. The waters
teem with fish of the most brilliantly beautiful colors. An ingenious
individual has succeeded in taming a number, by availing himself of a
natural cavity in the coral situated close to the shore and a few miles
distant from St. George's. The sea water, percolating through the coral,
supplies the basin. At a whistle the tame fish swim close to the edge
and feed from one's hand.

There is a naval station at "Ireland Island," and a floating dock
(which was built in England and towed out,) capable of taking in the
largest-sized man of war. The naval officers attached to the dock-yard,
and to the men of war, were always friendly and more than civil to
Confederates; being sometimes, indeed, too profuse in their hospitality.
Upon one occasion, Col. ---- a personal friend of mine, had obtained a
furlough, and permission to make a trip in the Lee, for the sake of his
health, broken by the hardships of a campaign in northern Virginia. The
purser, who was always ready for a "lark," and the Colonel, who was of
an inquiring turn of mind, paid a visit to the dock-yard. After an
inspection of it, they went on board several of the men of war in
harbor, receiving on board