ages in the landscapes
of Mayor's Natural History, had told me a great deal about gardening in
England, and how wild flowers and trees were transplanted and improved
by culture; how roses and other plants were nailed up the walls as I had
observed in the engraving, and how they were watered and kept; and as I
sat down looking at the flower, the thought occurred to me, Why should I
not take it with me, and keep it for myself? I can water it and take
care of it. I resolved that I would do so, for I already looked upon
the plant as a treasure. I took it up carefully with my American knife,
leaving sufficient mould about the roots, and then I proceeded to ascend
the hill; but before I had gone another hundred yards, I found at least
a dozen more of these plants in flower, all finer than the one I had dug
up, and three or four others very different from these, which were also
quite new to me. I was puzzled what to do; I put down the plants I had
dug up and continued my ascent, not having made up my mind. After half
an hour's climbing, I gained the summit, and could perceive the ocean on
the other side, and the other half of the island lying beneath me. It
was very grand from the height I stood on, but I observed little
difference between one side of the island and the other; all was rugged
barren rock as on my side, with the exception of the portion close to
me; this had brushwood in the ravine, which appeared to be a sort of
cleft through the island. All was silent and solitary; not a bird was
to be seen, and nothing that had life could I discover. I was about to
return, when I thought I might as well go down the ravine facing me for
a little way, and see what there was in it. I did so, and discovered
some other plants that I had not seen on my side of the island. There
were also some fern trees, and some twining plants running up them, and
I thought to myself, Why, these plants are what I saw in the picture of
the English cottages, or very like them. I wonder if they would run up
my cabin? And then all at once the idea came to me that I would plant
some of them round the cabin, and that I would make a garden of flowers,
and have plants of my own. The reader can hardly imagine the pleasure
that this idea gave me; I sat down to ruminate upon it, and felt quite
happy for the time. I now recollected, however, that the cabin was
built on the rock, and that plants would only grow in the earth. At
first this idea chi