Notes on the West Indies, vol. 2 of 2

_Dutch method of punishing soldiers for drunkenness. An electrical eel. Visit of a wild-looking party of Indians. The lion-monkey, or schacomynghy. Singular instance of creole p...

_Sickness of the troops and medical officers at Mahaica. The author officiates as priest. Decease of Captain Heritage. Consultations with the colonial medical practitioners. The...

_Kind solicitude of the colonists towards the author. Apparent influence of the tides on fever. Illness and recovery of Mr. Blackader. Gratifying diminution of disease at Mahaic...

_Interesting situation of the troops. Reinforcement of medical officers from Martinique. Mr. Jordan attacked with fever. Pleasing anticipations of a return to England. Ravages o...

_Ludicrous scene of drilling a corps of negroes. Slavery contrasted with military discipline. Altered appearance of the yellow fever. Fatality of wounds and ulcers among Europea...

_Mr. Beete’s case of fever:—its coincidence with the spring-tides. Festivities on the Queen’s birth-day. Excessive dancing of the ladies. A Dutch lady’s supper. Foreign custom o...

_A wood-walk from Mr. Edmonstone’s. Hasty removal of an Indian family. Eccentric character of an aged Scotsman. Journey through the forest to the Sand-hill. Scenery—temperature—...

_The “Loo” estate, contrasted with the “Sand-hill.” A petit-maître in the forest. A wood-cutter’s cottage. A novel specimen of the labour of slaves. Improved scenery. Character...

_Journey from “Ooest Vriesland” to “the falls:”—the latter described. Memorandum of the excursion. Surprise of the slaves. Return of the party. Temperature at Ooest Vriesland. L...

_Demarara hospital reports approved at head-quarters. Fort Royal and its harbour. Mode of travelling between St. Pierre and Fort Royal. Military hospital, “La Charité.” Remarks...

_Martinique returns, not a just criterion, respecting disease. Account of Martinique—its scenery—temperature—female population. French vivacity not confined to Europe. Guadaloup...

_Supposed indications of peace. Visit to Mr. Dornford’s country residence. Père Edouard—his treatment of fever—his remarks on English practitioners. Birth-day ball. Contrast bet...

_Author embarks for Jamaica. Anticipation the only comfort at sea. The packet chased by a privateer. Ludicrous conduct of the passengers. View of Jamaica. Arrival at Port-Royal:...

_Visit to Spanish town. The road—scenery—traffic. Friendly attention of Dr. Lind. Spanish town and environs. Prevalence of Spanish costume. Villas and “pens.” English aspect of...

_Author embarks for St. Domingo. Interesting visit at Port-Royal. A midnight visit at sea. A distressing calm. The extreme of tropical temperature. The sloop chased by a private...

_Grief and disappointments of the author on arriving at St. Domingo. He prepares to proceed to Port au Prince. The Mole and its environs. Quarters and mess of the hospital staff...

_Voyage to Port au Prince. Inspection of convalescents. Peter Porcupine’s works. Unblushing confidence of French females. Remarks on the women of colour of Cape François and Por...

_A morning scene at Port au Prince. Dr. Jackson:—his friendly attention to the author:—his dwelling:—his mode of life:—his opinion concerning fever. New arrangements of the hosp...

_Temperature in different colonies. Example of the effect of heat upon the author. Influenza at St. Domingo. Remarks upon the site chosen for towns. Supply of water at Port au P...

_Situation and construction of Port au Prince:—government-house. Bathing in the French colonies. Superiority of the capital and of the females of colour at Martinique. Rude cust...

_Voyage to the Mole. Embarkation occurrences. Shameful system of plunder. The French women of colour. Singular liberality of John Bull. Audacity of the brigands:—expedition of t...

_Cases of yellow fever at sea. Action of the Pelican brig with a French privateer. Liberal accommodations of the naval hospital. Use of turtles for the sick. Sterile appearance...

I am too sensible, my friend, that in my noting communication regarding our late excursion, I was led into minutiæ, which might be more tedious than entertaining: but as my pen...

You will be surprised to hear of my having already made another river excursion; but I before mentioned to you that we had intended visiting the estate of Mynheer Roboloski, on...

The unhappy loss of our comrade, mentioned to you in my last letter, has been productive of much discussion on the subject of yellow fever. The governor is fond of reading medic...

I have been lately on a visit to the governor at New Amsterdam, and had there an opportunity of witnessing the Dutch mode of punishing soldiers for drunkenness; which is by maki...

After addressing my last letter to you, I was called from Berbische, somewhat suddenly, in consequence of a rapid increase of sickness among the troops in the colony of Demarara.

Again my residence is changed, and I have to address you from a new home. The same unhappy cause which removed me from Berbische to La Bourgade, called me thence to an important...

If I were to proceed only upon the knowledge I have of your feelings, I should avoid laying before you a history, which is more direful and afflicting than any arising from the...

I am exceedingly sorry not to be able to give you improved tidings concerning the health of the troops upon this station. They are still very sickly, and it is distressing to kn...

A considerable proportion of the officers’ mess, from the Lancaster barracks, have lately been to dine with Major Prauél, a pleasant inhabitant of this coast, whose plantation i...

An opportunity now offers of addressing you by a conveyance which holds out every probability of my letter reaching you in safety. The 93d and 99th regiments being draughted int...

The delayed departure of the officers whose regiments have been draughted, affords me an opportunity of addressing to you some additional notes by the same conveyance. They have...

You will perceive from this letter, that I have again changed my home. After I had separated the happy group of convalescents from the sick, and removed them to distant quarters...

Alas, my friend! the unwilling expectation is at length fulfilled, and I now lift my pen with a hand trembling and enfeebled, almost beyond the power of supporting even a feathe...

If I had not already endeavoured to do justice to the universal hospitality which prevails in these colonies, I might enumerate, in proof of it, the many instances of friendly a...

For some time past we have been anxiously looking for news from England. Papers are at length arrived, and we read, that instead of drawing nigh to a peace, we are only now ente...

How shall I tell you the high delight of this happy week! Need I say more, than that three letters have reached me from England, being the first that I have received since leavi...

With a becoming attention to the health and well-being of our new corps of Rangers, it has been deemed expedient to remove them from their encampment, and place them in barracks...

In tracing the date of this letter, I am reminded of the freezing season under which you are shivering in England; while the thermometer is here, at noon, about 83; and, from us...

I have lately had an opportunity of repeating my visit to the eccentric Bercheych. Having slept on my way at Mr. Graham’s, I rode from thence in the morning to take my breakfast...

You will comprehend the sentiment which associates your image with the sadness of the present hour. It is one of those periods when the sickened mind turns from all common objec...

We have again had abundant occasion to remark the fact regarding the coincidence between the returns of fever in this climate, and the periods of the spring-tides. Only a few da...

A considerable time has now passed since our arrival upon this coast, and, having remained so long without any interruption, we had almost believed that the many foes upon our b...

Although it is commonly remarked that gratitude is not a prominent virtue among the slaves, I may mention to you an additional fact, in proof that they are not destitute of this...

You will consider it as an additional smile bestowed upon me by fortune, when I tell you that I have been invited to another river excursion, and again had an opportunity of bec...

At Mr. Edmonstone’s tranquil and solitary home, we passed the hours of darkness in sound repose, undisturbed by the tormenting musquitoes, which we had found excessively annoyin...

The Loo is a plantation belonging to Mr. Haslin. The slaves were employed four hours in rowing to this estate from the Sand-hill. At the time we arrived, the manager was from ho...

The next morning we rose at three o’clock to prepare for our last day’s journey up the river. At a little before five we went into the boat, accompanied by Pezano, and attended...

Garden-Eden is an extensive sugar estate, belonging to Mr. T. Cuming, a rich planter of much merit, and of great influence in the colony. It is under the management of a Mr. Boy...

At my return from our late excursion the first object that attracted my attention, upon approaching the barracks of the hospital department, was a string of negroes singing out...

I might have told you in my last letter that the eighth inst., the day after our return from our river excursion, was the Stadtholder’s birth-day, and consequently a day of fest...

You will not be surprised to hear that, although we are removed from the busy metropolis of England, and all the gay scenes and adventures indicated in the _jeux d’esprit_, _bon...

On this day last year my foot first pressed the soil of South America; and when I take a retrospect of all that has passed; review the trials which I have had to sustain; and re...

The commandant having required me to wait the reply of the commander in chief, to a letter upon the subject of our recall from this station, I have availed myself of the interva...

The commandant received the reply of the commander in chief on the 25th ult., and I am directed to take my departure from the coast of Guiana by the earliest opportunity. This m...

The ship, which is to convey our surgical invalids, not having sailed, I gladly embrace the opportunity of offering you a word of kind adieu, before I take my departure. To-morr...

Pursuant to the instructions which I had received, as mentioned in my late letters from the coast of Guiana, I took the earliest opportunity of proceeding from Demarara to head-...

Sir Ralph Abercromby having taken up his quarters at Fort Royal, instead of St. Pierre, I have changed my home, in order to avail myself of the opportunity of laying before His...

Again I address you from the pleasant town of St. Pierre—the London of the windward colonies; whither I was glad to return as soon as circumstances would allow. Finding that we...

Many persons here are flattering themselves with the prospect of a speedy peace. The rumour has probably arisen from the circumstance of the commander in chief having given dire...

The whole of May, and the early part of the present month were dry and fine at Martinique; although, last year, at Demarara, we observed that the rainy period set in as early as...

Daily experience more and more confirms the observation, that the prominent features of character, seen among the European French, obtain likewise amidst the creole and other re...

We are waiting in daily and tiresome suspense the arrival of the packet, or some other vessel by which we may proceed to St. Domingo. For a long time past we have understood tha...

From the unsteady ocean, my pen eagerly announces to you that, after our tedious suspense, we are at length embarked on board the Roebuck packet, and proceeding on our passage t...

On the sixth inst. Mr. Jordan and myself went to visit Spanish Town, or St. Jago de la Vega, the metropolis of Jamaica. We hired an open chaise, and availed ourselves of the ear...

Having obtained the promise of a passage with Mr. Donaldson, it was announced to us on the 8th instant, that all would be ready for sailing on the morrow; and we left Kingston,...

It were futile, as unnecessary, to attempt describing the sensation I experienced on finding myself upon the island of St. Domingo. I had for a long time looked to this colony a...

My voyage from the Mole to this place was attended with the usual vexations and uncertainties of sea travelling. Wishing to proceed to Port au Prince, I thought myself fortunate...

At an early hour on the morning after my arrival at Port au Prince, I was roused by the sound of martial music, and upon looking out from my bed-room window was struck with a ge...

Seeing, by the map, that I am removed to a station many degrees more distant from the equator, you will not expect that I should find the heat greater at St. Domingo, than I had...

Having been at Port an Prince a sufficient time to make my usual promenade of the city and its environs, you will expect a more particular description of the place, than I have...

Since writing my last letter, I have had an opportunity of attending the Commander in Chief upon an expedition, which remained a secret at head-quarters, until the morning after...

You would not expect to hear, thus soon, that I had again changed my quarters; but it has been already my lot to be exposed to another sea voyage, from Port au Prince to the Mol...

As you assure me that every syllable respecting the prevailing disease of this climate is read with eager interest, I may mention two striking cases, which occurred upon our lat...

You tell me that you are anticipating the perusal of a summary account of the slaves, and state of slavery in the West Indies; but, with every desire to meet your wishes, I feel...

In complying with your wish that I should send you a letter exclusively upon the subject of the disease which has committed such afflicting ravages in our army, I shall confine...

I have to regret that in consequence of the greater part of the territory being occupied by the enemy, or, according to the more common term, the brigands, whose out-posts appro...