Note 12 — Chapter XXIV · Useful occupations and labours.—Embellishments; a painful but natural sentiment.

Our next concern was to introduce, if possible, some shade and other improvements on the barren site of Tent House, and to render our occasional abode or visits there more secure. We began by planting in a quincunx all those sorts of trees that thrive best in the sun, such as lemon, pistachio, almond, mulberry, and lime-trees; lastly, some of a kind of orange-tree which attains to a prodigious size, and bears a fruit as large as the head of a child12, and weighs not less than twelve or fourteen pounds. The commoner sorts of nut-trees we placed along the shore in the most favourable situations. The better to conceal and fortify our tent, which inclosed all our stores, we formed on the accessible side, a hedge of wild orange and lemon-trees, which produce an abundant prickly foliage; and to add to the agreeableness of their appearance, we introduced here and there the pomegranate; nor did I omit to make a little arbour of the guava shrub, which is easily raised from slips, and bears a small fruit rather pleasant to the taste. We also took care to introduce at proper places a certain number of the largest sorts of trees, which in time would serve the double purpose of shading annual plants, and, with benches placed under them, of a kind of private cabinet. Should any accident or alarm compel us to retire to the fortress of Tent-House, a thing of the first importance would be to find there sufficient food for our cattle. For the greater security, I formed a plantation of the thorny fig-tree, of sufficient breadth to occupy the space between our fortress and the river, thus rendering it difficult for an enemy to approach.