Carey's chickens. We now saw daily proofs of being near the end of our voyage, such as flying fish sporting about our ship, and so forth on one occasion, about twenty flew upon the deck, and were caught by the sailors; the cook understood how to dress them, and they made a fine breakfast for the ladies, who had not tasted fresh fish before, during the whole passage.

Three days after this, about noon, we saw Barbados on our lee bow, and made all sail to endeavour, if possible, to land before evening; for after a wearying voyage of thirty five days, with one unvaried scene of sky and wave continually before us, we felt the anxiety natural to landsmen, to tread once again on "terra firma."And now, gentle reader," adieu jusqu'au revoir."

CHAPTER IV.

THE LANDING.

"I land with luckless omens"

Dryden's Eneid.

"Into whatever city or town ye enter, inquire who in it is

66

I worthy, and there abide."

Matthew.

serve.

THE mere circumstance of being safely at the end of a long journey, and of having escaped the perils and dangers of the sea, creates in the mind a greater degree of pleasure in approaching Barbados, than the actual appearance of the island might in reality deThe scenery, being altogether unlike any thing we see in Europe, is novel, and novelty is always charming nevertheless, the approach to Barbados presents nothing to equal the grandeur and sublimity which mark out the beautiful little islands of St. Vincent and Grenada, as preeminent in the cluster to which they belong.

I do not from this, however, wish my readers to infer that it has no beauties; on the contrary, it has very many; only, to appreciate them duly, we must lay comparison aside :-but more of this hereafter.

It was five o'clock in the evening when our vessel made Carlisle Bay; and on entering it, was sur

rounded by about a dozen boats:-one from the Frigate, to inquire for letters and news;-one, as usual, from the Customs, for our papers :-and one from the Commercial Rooms, to learn our name and the length of our passage: the rest were chiefly canoes and fishing boats, manned by natives of divers kinds and colours, who brought fish, milk, yams, taniers, plantains, pomegranates, pine-apples, and other island luxuries to dispose of to the crew.

As this was the first time our captain had taken a vessel to Barbados, he made a signal for a pilot; and accordingly a black man, professing himself to be such, came on board. He was an African of ferocious aspect, and certainly not formed to create a very favorable opinion of his race in the minds of those who saw him.

He took possession of the vessel, with as much importance as if he had been a fine, rough, old English seaman bearing up Channel :

Vell, captain," said he, "so you have had a fine passage: I hope de ladies below are vell; if you "hab no jection I vill drink deir health." Accordingly he had a glass of grog given him, and then turned to work :-" What de debil are you at dere "in de fore top?-Com down dere; I vant to put "about; don't you see de vind blow?" and then turning to the man at the helm; "Vy you no teer teady? Got tam you, Sir,―vy you no teer teady, I say?"

On hearing these expressions, I said to a Negro, to

whom I was paying three halfpence for a pine-apple,

"Is that fellow free?" "No massa," was the reply; and on inquiry, I have since learnt that he belongs to a gentleman in the country, to whom he pays eight dollars a month, out of about five and twenty, which he contrives to earn by fishing and piloting, and lives like a prince on the rest. This was the first instance I saw of the hardships of slavery!

It was seven o'clock when we anchored, and eight before we were able to land: then, however, we were ready for that purpose; and the captain took us into the boat, and pulled off to the shore. I mean that little word us, to comprise a worthy Commissary, with his wife and child, the very egregious dandy before told of, and the humble author of this memoir :-my Father, and the rest of the passengers preferred landing the next morning.

Never do I recollect a more gloomy scene, than that which presented itself, when our boat pulled up alongside the Carenage, and we rested our weary feet on the dry land of Barbados.

Every thing was against us :-the night was dark, and the Negroes who received us on the strand were as dark as the night itself. Not a white face was to 'be seen; but a vast number of gloomy visages, black and mulatto, and mulatto and black, were grinning all around us. At last, a good-natured looking fellow, seeing that we were strangers, addressed the captain, and offered to take us to an hotel. We accepted the offer, for we had no other resource. I,

indeed, had letters of introduction to the principal persons in the island; but, even if I had known their residence, night was not the time to present them.

Our guide led us to the hotel kept by Betsy Austin, where we were at first graciously received :-good accommodations were shown us, and we agreed with the hostess to pay five dollars (17. 1s. 8d. sterling) a day, each person, for board and lodging, until we should have homes of our own.

Exorbitant as these terms were, we did not object to them; and Betsy was excessively civil and attentive, until she discovered that the gentleman, who with his wife and child formed part of our party, was an officer of the Commissariat. The fact of the matter is (as I have since learned), that Betsy had vowed vengeance against that Department, for patronising an hotel that was, in every respect, infinitely better and more respectable than her own.

And

thereby hangs a tale," with which my readers shall be made acquainted at some future period.

She, however, refused to entertain the Commissary any longer; and would not allow her minions to attend his lady with even the slightest refreshment: they were in a nice predicament, but

"A friend in need

"Is a friend indeed;"

and so it proved with your humble servant, who, with the assistance of a guide, conducted them to another tavern, which was the respectable one above mentioned thither we were accompanied by the