The forehead only was depressed, almost annihilating the facial angle, and swelling the back part of the head out of all proportion.

The early Spanish settlers complained of this savage custom, as subjecting them to much inconvenience.

In the course of their HUMANE experiments, they ascertained that, owing to the thickening of the back part of the cranium caused by this process, the broadsword of the strongest cavalier could not cleave the skull at a single blow, but would often snap off in the middle without serious damage to the owner of the cranium! When I passed along the shores of the island of St.Vincent, in 1810, I was particularly struck with the wild and uncultivated appearance of the northern section, a huge mountain, or combination of mountains, rudely precipitous, covered with luxuriant vegetation even to the summit, but containing deep chasms or gorges, down which sparkling streams were rushing, forming numerous waterfalls, and all constituting a wild, picturesque, and attractive landscape.
When I passed St.Vincent in the Lapwing, in October, 1812, a mighty change had taken place.

Every trace of vegetation had vanished from this part of the island; not a tree or a shrub remained.

The rivers were dried up, and even the deep and dark chasms and gorges no longer existed.