USA > Texas > Harris County > Houston > Texas and the Gulf of Mexico ; or, Yachting in the New World, volume 1 > Part 4
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are to be seen both black and white faces. The former direct, with the white inhabi- tants, the affairs of the island; and I am told, that among them, are one or two in- telligent men.
It will, indeed, be a work of time and difficulty to restore Jamaica to any thing like its former state of prosperity ; to cor- rect the abuses which have crept into its government, and to restore confidence among all classes. The state of things is, however, improving, and may it continue to do so. Lord Elgin is exerting himself to further these desirable ends; and the uni- versal popularity and esteem with which he is regarded, as well as the prospect of suc- cess, must cheer him, while devoting his ta- lents and energies in this formerly almost hopeless cause.
The Hospital stands at the East end of
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the town, near the river. The situation appeared to me to be ill chosen for the pur- poses of health. Great care, however, is taken of the sick, and large sums of money are granted in order to defray the expenses of their support, and the cost of medical aid.
The market of Spanish Town is well sup- plied with fish, and black crabs, which are really delicious, and with tolerable poultry, milk, fruits, vegetables, &c. I have compared the prices of some of the necessaries of life before the abolition of slavery, with what they are at present, and I find them now very much higher; in many cases, nearly two-thirds.
Turtle has not changed much in price ; we found it the cheapest food, as it is also the best, in Jamaica ; and we ate it in all shapes, cutlets, roasted, grilled, and made into soups, till we were quite tired of it.
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There is a fine range of hills, North, and North-West of the town. Among these, are the pens, or villas of the rich inhabi- tants, who go there occasionally to enjoy health and coolness. The country is most beautiful; and there are fine chalybeate springs in every direction. The road from Spanish Town to Port Henderson is excel- lent, but most disagreeably dusty. We could only go out after the sun was set, owing to the intense heat; and the twilight is so short in low latitudes, that it was ge- nerally dark long before we returned to the yacht. It was a favourite excursion of mine that of visiting Kingston after sunset, and by water. The view of the town from the sea is very fine.
The distance from Port Royal is about six miles, through what are called the Shal- lows. For a considerable part of the way,
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the passage is so narrow, in consequence of the mangroves, which literally grow out of the water, that there is scarcely room for the oars of the boatmen. The scene is singular and pretty, and after the scorching heat of the day, the cool evening air was delight- fully refreshing. Oysters adhere in great numbers to the mangroves.
Kingston stands in an amphitheatre of hills, and has full enjoyment both of the land and sea breeze. The shape of the ce- lebrated Blue Mountains is so varied and capricious, that one can hardly help fancy- ing it the result of one of those fearful earthquakes, with which these countries have so often been visited. The savan- nahs, or plains at the bottom of them, are charming. The mountains are in many parts covered with the thickest foliage; the prickly pear grows in great quantities, and
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there being but few paths, and those made in the Indian fashion, for single file, it is by no means safe to trust yourself in the fo- rests without a guide.
The houses at Kingston are much supe- rior to those at Spanish Town. The soil on which the former town is built is partly gravel, but, owing in great measure to the torrents of water which descend from the high country, it is surrounded by a vast ac- cumulation of mud. The effluvia arising from this, and from the oozy nature of the soil, is terrible.
The water, too, here is bad and un- wholesome ; in short, it is a dreadful place, and you can hardly go through the streets without being assailed by visions, or ideas of plague, pestilence, and sudden death.
We were in the habit of seeing occa-
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sionally here, a poor depressed, weary, young man, who had made up his mind that he should have the fever, and must inevitably die. I never saw any one so de- pressed by the idea of death; his very face had grown yellow by anticipation, and yet he was in good health, and manifested no other symptoms of decay .* Every day he brought us some fresh story of illness or fever ; and as his face was growing visibly longer, day by day, it must be, by this time, if alarm has not hurried him into the Port Royal burying-ground, a perfect sight to look upon.
The market is near the water side, and is
* I think our poor acquaintance must have been some one of the wandering ghosts of Admiral Hosier's ill-fated crew, who
From their oozy tombs below,
Through the hoary foam ascending,
Wander through the midnight gloom.
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well supplied, especially with vegetables, such as lettuces, cucumbers, French beans, artichokes, celery, peas, beans, &c., all brought from the mountains. I was told, that in the season, there are delicious strawberries, grapes, melons, mulberries, &c. The apples are excellent ; and so, I have no doubt, are all the other fruits, as the climate among the hills varies from ac- tual cold to temperate. A market-boat goes daily to Port Royal and back.
The birds at Jamaica are very various and beautiful. I must say, à propos of birds, that one of the most disagreeable sights I ever witnessed was a row of that horrid de- scription of vultures, called scavengers. They were resting on a wall, gorged with their disgusting meal, their eyes closed, and their heads sunk between their shoulders,
" And still for carrion carcases they crave."
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These unpleasant creatures are protected by the government, and there is a very heavy penalty incurred by killing one of them. They are very useful, devouring carrion and preventing the accumulation of offal. Were it not for the scavengers, pu- trid and other fevers, would be still more prevalent than they are at present. Our doctor was very anxious to shoot one, and we with difficulty dissuaded him.
It is strange, that in a climate like this, greater care is not taken to cleanse the streets, and to ventilate the apartments of the houses. I am told, that in the lodging- houses the rooms are so close and con- fined, that it is impossible to breathe in them freely. The overfilled church-yards being in the heart of the living population, is another great instance of imprudence. They have such dismal names too for VOL I. F
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some of their streets and houses, "Dead Man's Hole," for instance. Enough to kill
a
nervous person, directly he sets his
foot in it. The quarters of the soldiers have been removed from Kingston to a higher ground on the hills. Thus some ame- lioration in the lot of these poor fellows, " sent in this foul clime to languish,"
has been effected. The latter position is so much higher, that it has been found, al- ready, an improvement in their lot.
There is a tolerable theatre at Kingston, which, however, is not very well attended by the inhabitants, though occasionally an Italian Company comes from Havanna for a month or two. There are several houses in the town where sugar is refined, and which, I was told, were worth seeing, but I confess I did not feel very enterprising in this climate.
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Good rum is very high-priced, and the same quality which, in England, can be purchased at three shillings a gallon, cannot here be procured at less than nine. The reason of this is, that the rum is sent to England, where it undergoes some improving process, and that on its return to Jamaica, its price is increased to this large amount by colonial dues, charge of freight, &c. The rum of the country, before it takes a voyage to England, is execrable. I could not avoid hearing frequent com- plaints on this subject, from those charged, -to use an American phrase, - with li- quoring the ship's company, and the latter certainly did not seem to approve of the quality of the liquor.
But to return to Kingston. The moon had risen when we returned from our ex- cursion ; and as its brilliant disk rose
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over the distant blue mountains, reveal- ing their bold outlines, and shedding a subdued light over the tranquil sea, a more beautiful effect, or one more worthy of some great painter's hand, could scarcely be imagined ;
" How sweetly does the moonbeam smile To-night upon yon leafy Isle."
And yet, over this calm scene the angel of death was hovering ! Strange, that so lovely a land should be the stronghold of disease, the burial-place of the young, the healthy, and the gay! But so it is! To-day strong in health, and fresh in spirit; to-morrow, numbered among the dead.
In no country that I ever heard of, is su- perstition more rife than it is in Jamaica. Even Ireland, that land of fancy and wild imaginings, can boast but few national ghosts and interesting revenants com-
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pared with those which are said to flourish on this island. They have their duffies, a most unpleasant species of ghost, answering to the Irish banshee, who are said to wander about in numbers proportioned to the deaths which take place. In sickly seasons, it is said, they may be seen to any amount. Of course, in common with all rational ghosts that ever were heard of, they prefer the burial-ground as their place of resort. There, when darkness comes, they love to
" glide in paths that lead to graves."
By all accounts, they are fearful things those same duffies ! and, as national ghosts, have a decided claim to respect and consi- deration.
The burial-ground of Port Royal is just outside the town, and is a most congenial spot for their unholy revels. It is strewed
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with human bones of all sorts and dimen- sions. Here they are said to hover over the silent graves, dancing about in wild glee, and sometimes even venturing beyond the limits of the grave-yard, to pay nocturnal visits to their former friends. There are several cocoa trees in and about the burial- ground ; their tops wave about, not at all un- like the plumes of a hearse, and add greatly to the gloom of the place. The ghost of a certain merchant, who died some time ago in Jamaica, is said to mount nightly to the top of one or other of these cocoa trees, and after taking a deliberate survey of the coun- try, to descend and make his way into the town. At the time of his death, several persons owed him money to a considerable amount ; in particular, one rather influen- tial person, against whom he appears to en- tertain a bitter grudge. The duffy of the
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dead merchant frequently, in the dead of the night, "when all around are sleeping," enters the house of his quondam friend, and pummels his corpulent sides till he roars for mercy. I was seriously informed by a respectable lodging-house keeper, whose house had formerly been a hospital, that on moonlight nights, I might see troops of its former inhabitants, those who had died within the walls, walking leisurely up and down the verandah, and looking complacently in upon its present occu- pants.
No fear of these nightly visitors seemed to be felt by any one; on the contrary, they were evidently considered as a sort of domestic animal, whom, however, it would be injudicious to disturb.
It may be mentioned, that there are many superstitions peculiar to the negroes,
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upon whose fears and credulity it is easy, but very barbarous, to work.
The sea-breeze at Port Royal blows with considerable violence. On one occasion, I recollect a heavy decanter, full of wine, being literally blown off the table by the strength of the wind, as it blustered
through the Commodore's house. The
wind is considered here so healthy, and so reviving in its effects, that it is universally called " the doctor." I found his measures, however, rather too violent to be agreeable, and always fancied I felt the heat more, after he had ceased to blow upon me, or rather, in the intervals between his puffs. I found, also, that many people agreed with me, in disliking his diurnal visits.
The time was now fast drawing near, when we were to take our leave of our pleasant quarters. In spite, however, of
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tropical heat, musquitoes, and white ants, it required a great effort to make up our minds to bid adieu to our kind and hospitable host.
A few days before our departure, the Commodore, with several officers of the Imaum, Captain Bruce, &c., gave us the pleasure of their company at dinner on board the Dolphin. It was their farewell
visit. The principal event which marked the party was, that the Commodore's servant fell into the sea, while attempting to get into the barge. He rose immediately, and was speedily picked up; happily with the usual number of limbs, for he had a narrow escape from the sharks. Necessary busi- ness connected with the yacht had already detained us a considerable time ; new sails had to be fitted, and awnings repaired, be- sides many other arrangements, of which I
F II.
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do not know the nature. We had also to replace our two sailors who were left at Madeira. This we found no difficulty in doing ; the two new hands being men-of- war's men, and called " very smart." The Steward's Mate had also taken to drinking, and idling, and was discharged. He was the " tragedian," and made his appearance, during our stay, on the boards of the King- ston Theatre. A substitute for him was not easily procured; however, we suc- ceeded at last, and were declared in readi- ness for sea.
We were to weigh anchor at five o'clock in the morning, and consequently decided to sleep on board the last night. Adieus are always painful, whether addressed to place or people. I never leave a house, which in all probability I never shall see again, without a heavy heart, and the last minute
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always comes too soon. After bestowing our last words, and last good wishes on our host, we shook hands with the best and most warm-hearted of negresses, Sally Adams. This pattern for housekeepers to single gentlemen has filled the like office at Port Royal time out of mind, but only as an amateur. She is sick-nurse at the Hos- pital, and friend and assistant general to all who require her aid. It is handed down traditionally, that Sally Adams performed these kind offices in the time of Admiral Rodney ; and I am not at all sure that she does not entertain a personal recollection of the unfortunate Hosier.
Nancy, the negress, who had proved herself, in stormy weather, anything but an acquisition to our ship's company, we des- patched in a steamer to her native island, St. Thomas'. She was not a good specimen
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of her country. Though by no means want- ing in intellect, she possessed the worst qua- lity of the fool, -cunning. I have often, through my cabin-door, heard her boasting of her ingenuity in deceiving a former mis- tress, or rather owner, who, by her own account, treated her with the greatest kind- ness. " I made believe pain in side, no work, then missis come and nurse, and rub side, and do all work herself." I was not sorry when she left us. Her extreme ugli- ness really disfigured the ship.
At eight o'clock in the evening we took a final leave of our kind friends, and pre- pared ourselves for the noises, and rock- ings, which make one every moment men- tally acknowledge the truth of the saying, that, "a ship is a thing you never can be quiet in."
The Lightning man-of-war steamer left
NANCY.
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Port Royal for Hayti, with prisoners, at the time of our departure from Jamaica. After remaining a day or two at St. Domingo, she was expected to leave that island for Havanna, to which city we were also bound. I had indulged the hope of again having a consort to sail with us, as there is something to me very satisfactory in the idea of having a friend near, on the wide waters. I have been often told, that in case of danger, there is seldom any chance of their being of any use, yet the very sight of them is cheering.
Having been merely fastened to a buoy, we were soon under weigh the next morn- ing. Again, and most probably for the last time, I gazed on the beautiful scenery and luxuriant vegetation of this most lovely of the West India Islands. The Blue moun- tains, half hid among the clouds, and the
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dark hills rising from the sea, were glorious to witness. But we leave the harbour, and now
" the wind draws kindly aft, All hands are up the yards to square, And now the floating stu'n-sails waft Our little ship through waves and air."
Since we left Jamaica, sad changes have taken place. The excellent Bishop, who we left doing good, and " given to hospita- lity," has fallen a victim to the climate ; while Lady Elgin, the young, the beau- tiful, and the good, has also been laid low .*
If the remaining friends and relations of those, that are thus prematurely laid in the grave, can find a consolation in their be-
* Since writing the above, I see that the Assembly at Jamaica have voted eight hundred pounds, to be ex- pended in the erection of a tablet to the memory of the lamented Lady Elgin, as a mark of the respect in which she was universally held.
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reavement, it must be in the sympathy of the many who knew and appreciated the virtues of the dead; and in the belief, that in another world, the virtues of the de- parted have secured them, through faith in their Redeemer, an eternity of happiness and peace.
Rest, then, weary wanderer, here, Be still-for sacred ground is near ; Here 'neath a simple tablet lying, The lov'd in life, the blest when dying, Waits, in this dark and still abode, A summons to attend her God ! A peaceful halo fills the air, And tells that faith is sleeping there. The young, the highborn, sleeps below, For her, the tears of thousands flow. Then, wanderer through this world of care, Breathe o'er this spot a silent prayer ; Pray for the desolate and poor, Who ne'er were driven from her door, Pray that the rich who here abide May imitate so fair a guide :
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May they, like her, with open hand, Spread gladness through a grateful land , Winning, on earth, a people's love ; An angel's glorious lot above !
CHAPTER V.
CAPE CORRIENTES. SQUALLY. THE MISSISSIPPI. BELIZE.
CAT-FISH. AN ODD CHARACTER. RIFLE SHOOTING. RIVER SCENERY. THICK FOG.
He will lie, Sir, with such volubility that you would think truth were a fool.
SHAKSPEARE.
A strange fish ! Were I in England now, (as once I was,) and had but this fish painted, not a holiday fool there, but would give me a piece of silver.
SHAKSPEARE.
Nov. 22. A. M. Light airs and fine. Five o'clock received the pilot on board - passed Portuguese shoal -ten o'clock dis- charged pilot. - Ten P. M. Beautiful moon- light night, running six knots passed Port- land Point and Pedro Bluffs.
Nov. 26. This morning we made the Is- land of Cuba and as we supposed Cape
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San Antonio. The land was very low and rocky, with here and there a few pines - Our books of directions mentioned the great resemblance between Cape Corri- entes and Cape San Antonio, and also how often they were mistaken for one another .- As the weather was cloudy, and, owing to the currents, as we were not over sure of our exact position, we kept a good offing, and soon after dis- covered Cape San Antonio well to the westward ; the land we had first made being Cape Corrientes. We had also a proof of the accuracy of our charts ; the wrecks of two vessels being observable on the shore about three miles to the west of Cape Corrientes, where they had run up high and dry, fancying they were well past the westernmost point of Cuba. No sooner had we rounded Cape San Antonio,
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than we found our change of course en- tailed upon us a dead foul wind; we were also no longer under the shelter of the island. It was blowing very hard and the strong wind, in opposition to the current, produced a most unpleasant kind of sea. We were under single reefed mainsail and fore- stud-sail, and double reefed fore-trysail. Midnight - heavy squalls attended with thunder, rain and lightning. There are few things more provoking after having un- dergone discomfort and fear, and after having fancied oneself a perfect heroine, than to be told that it was a mere nothing, blowing rather fresh, &c., I often felt quite mortified at having my illusions destroyed in this rough manner.
Nov. 27. Double reefed fore-trysail - three sail in sight, in the afternoon mode- rate gales, midnight, squally. This was all
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disagreeable enough, so we called a coun- cil, or in Indian language, a Palaver, and determined to give up Havana for the pre- sent, and to bear up for New Orleans. The change was delightful; we had the wind with us, and skipped along beauti- fully, seven, eight, and nine knots an hour, a few double reefs, but nothing to signify.
Nov. 30. Fresh breezes and fine, sound- ed, no bottom, at thirty-five fathom. In the afternoon, double reefs again in mainsail.
Dec. 1. Sounded, forty-five fathom, mud, altered course and set square sail. Three o'clock p. M. received a pilot on board. Saw a lighthouse on starboard bow; at five o'clock we brought up off Belize in three fathom water, furled sails, cleared decks and set the watch.
And this was the Mississippi! The giant river of which I had heard so much! It
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really was very disappointing ; mud, and reeds, and floating logs, yellow fever, damp- ness and desolation ! I believe there are about two hundred souls in this wretched little village of Belize, at least fifty of them are pilots. They go very far out to sea, and their boats, though not handsome, are well built and safe. The chief officer of the customs, and the great man of the place, came on board immediately and was most kind in his offers of assistance ; he had shooting " first rate " for my husband, and a ball with a drum and tambour to enliven the ladies, i.e. my maid and my- self! By his account, game is very plen- tiful here at all seasons of the year - snipes in abundance, and thousands of wild ducks ; and a short way up the river, plenty of deer, quail, grey squirrel and woodcock ; fish, to our surprise, is rather
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a scarce commodity here : the sort most frequently caught is called the cat-fish, of which, by the bye, our new acquaint- ance told us rather a remarkable anec- dote. " Well sir," he began, " this is queer what I'm going to tell you, but it's a fact, that a friend of mine had a pointer dog marked with very particular spots, and this pointer had seven first-rate pups, all marked the same. Well sir, my friend he did'nt want the pups, so he just threw them slick into the Mississippi ; he was raised, my friend was, up north away, and he threw the pups in good two hundred miles from this, he did. Well sir, it might be a couple of days after this I was a fishing, and I caught as fine a cat-fish as ever you saw, and in its inside what might you think I found ? - just my friend's pointer pups, two of them was dead surely, but the
1
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rest was only a little hungry !- and that's a fact ! by - this and by that."
This singular personage was very proud of his skill in rifleshooting, and sent us evi- dences of his skill, in the shape of some deli- cious wild ducks shot that morning. He had come off conqueror in a well contested match with Alligator, the famous Indian chief, and, what was of much greater importance to him, he had likewise proved his superiority as a sportsman over an " English nobleman !" He forgot the name of this " distinguished individual," as he called him : by his account the " noble- man " was travelling for pleasure (a cir- cumstance in itself always sufficiently sur- prising to a Yankee mind) and finding him- self at Belize, challenged our informant to a rifle match. The peer boasted of being a first rate shot; he had won the
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Cup at Manchester, by his skill with the rifle, and in short " he would show the American what shooting was." "Well," said the narrator, " his Lordship dressed himself in a smart new bright green velvet hunting coat, with mother of pearl buttons as big as a dollar ; why I tell you, that coat was enough to have skeered all the ducks away from the river from this to eternity. Well, sir, he put on the coat, and then he stood up to fire, without a thought of keeping himself out of sight of the birds, and then away he popped, and a splendid gun he had too, quite first rate. Well sir, I shot twenty-two ducks out of twenty-three shots; a man with us shot ten out of twelve, while my Lord he never brought down a bird. I guess he was surprised a little, - I wish I did'nt obliviate his name, but I do - and that's a fact."
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Our friend was really very useful to us ; he was a good specimen of a genuine Yan- kee : kind-hearted and hospitable to a de- gree ; rather given to drawing the long- bow; but, as a sportsman, and a very good one, he must stand excused. His son was a very pleasant-mannered boy, a midship- man in the United States Navy. The two, together, supplied us plentifully with game, which we were not sorry to procure, as we intended sailing up the river to New Orleans, a mode of voyaging, which, with contrary winds, frequently occupies a con- siderable length of time; the distance is about one hundred and five miles.
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