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are crowding to the shore. Our pilot sings out, "let go the anchor," the wheels are reversed, and we are warping around to the dock, which is crowded with natives as black as Erebus. Our plank is soon out, and our steamer belches forth her cargo of Californians, who, in profusion of beard and hideousness of aspect, would, no doubt, have compared favorably with those earlier adventurers under Columbus, who had the honor of landing here in advance of us. We found the inhabitants extremely attentive, particularly those who had goods to sell, and they were principally Jews. We were followed by these insinuating individuals, and kindly informed that by going a half mile we could buy anything we wanted. We were at a loss to know whether we were really in want, but were very kindly informed that we were in want of everything. Oh! Chatham street, how thou hast been defamed! Certainly, Kingston instead of Chatham street, is the Jewdom of the world.

I had a note of introduction from Mr. Moreau, whom I met at Gorgona, to his family at Kingston. I am not prepared to say that I was in a presentable condition. As near as memory serves me, I had on a gay colored "poncho," a slouched hat and long boots, saying nothing about the whiskers and moustache. I found an accomplished daughter, who was a good English scholar and fine pianist, and a mother who spoke nothing but French. My stay was short, but under other circumstances I should have wished a prolongation.

Many of the passengers visited General Santa Anna, whose villa was one mile from Kingston. He was living in great splendor, and was found extremely affable, speaking the English language fluently. Kingston is a town of considerable extent, the streets running at right angles, well-shaded; numerous churches and schools; the buildings generally of brick, built low to prevent disasters from hurricanes. The inhabitants are generally instructed in the rudiments of an English education, and are quite intelligent, but all complain of poverty. The island produces fruit in abundance, it hardly commands a price, excepting on the arrival of a steamer, when it is higher than in almost any market in the world. The natives have taken valuable lessons from the Jews, and appear to have acquired their peculiar business habits with the greatest facility. One of them

had a quantity of shells, for which he demanded $25, but imme diately fell $20, and I think would have taken two.

During the afternoon the Cherokee came in and commenced coaling up. This delicate duty is performed by the colored girls of the place, and the modus operandi is as novel as it is laborious. Some fifty girls are engaged, each with a vessel resembling a half barrel, holding sixty pounds of coal; this, when filled, is placed upon the head and carried up the gang-plank to the deck. As laborious as this duty may seem, it is performed with the greatest alacrity, accompanied by songs, dancing, and peals of laughter. (See Plate). The belle of the party, luxuriating in the name of "Flouncy," is seen on the deck, dressed in a pink muslin, flounced almost to the waist. She is in the act of taking one of those extraordinary steps for which the colored population are justly celebrated. The mate seems to have taken in charge a small specimen of humanity who pertinaciously insists upon coming on board to sell parrots. He is now receiving a "dose of sprouts," and will go off, no doubt, with a pair of stogys vividly impressed upon his imagination. A colored gentleman is seen laying against the wheel house counting the tubs as they are borne along by the "Bloomer "-clad girls; near him stands an individual who looks very like a returning Californian. A party of ladies and gentlemen are promenading the upper deck. Cocoa-nut trees with fruit are seen, with a range of mountains in the background. Boats with fruit, cactus, shells, parrots, &c., are being rowed about to tempt the passengers.

Chapter Thirty-fourth.

OUR WHEELS REVOLVE

THE NATIVES OF THE ISLAND EXTINCT-THE WRONGS THEY HAVR SUFFERED THE ISLAND ONCE A PARADISE-SAN DOMINGO, HER MOUNTAINS-CUBA— A SHOWER BATH GRATIS-" SAIL HO!"-CAYCUS ISLAND AND PASSAGE-TURTLE FOR DINNER-A SERMON-GALLANT CONDUCT OF OUR STEAMER-WE SHIP A SEA-A SPANISH VESSEL IN DISTRESS-OUR TILLER CHAINS GIVE WAY-A KNIFE AND FORK IN SEARCH OF MINCE PIES GULF STREAM-WATER-SPOUTS-" LIGHT SHIP "-SANDY HOOK-ANXIETY-SIGHT OF NEW YORK-FEELINGS AND CONDITION OF THE PASSENGERS -A SAD FATE-AGROUND-A NEW PILOT-AGAIN UNDER WEIGH-NEAR THE DOCKA DEATH-MAN OVERBOARD-MAKE FAST-AT HOME-ONE WORD TO THOSE ABOUT TO

EMBARK.

JAN. 30th. WE finish taking in provisions, coal, and water, and at 1 P.M., let go our hawser, our wheels revolve, and we are again under weigh, heading out to sea. We take a hearty dinner while yet in the bay, but there is a tremendous sea outside, and many will be obliged to pay tribute to Neptune. This is a delightful island, but it is changed from the paradise Columbus found it. Of the once happy, but now grossly abused natives, I saw but two, and am told they are almost extinct. What a sad commentary upon the law that "might makes right." What tenure could have been more perfect than that by which the native held this island. It was bequeathed to their forefathers by the Creator, and transmitted from father to son; but a stranger visited them, and they mistook him for a messenger from the Great Spirit, a visitor from the clouds. They worshipped the stranger, invited him to their groves and pleasure grounds, and gave him bread and wine. But alas! they have embraced the viper. The stranger taking advantage of the confidence they, in their simplicity, reposed, smites them with a ruthless hand, and hunts them down like wild beasts, until the last son, goaded to desperation, severs the cord of life and goes to meet the spirit of his fathers on the great "hunting ground." The nation sinks into oblivion, while that of their ruthless invader is emblazoned

upon every tablet, and the leader in this act of infamy sleeps in triumph under an imposing cenotaph. Why does the sympathy of nations sleep while there still exists a remnant of this truly noble, but down-trodden people. As we reach the ocean we take a more easterly course, and are brought in full view of the lighthouse, which is on the extreme point of the island; we pass this point at 9 P.M., when we take a more northerly course, and stand directly for Cuba and the Caycus passage, designing to make, also, the western point of Hispaniola. We have a severe gale, but our steamer rides it out most gallantly.

31st. (Morning). We are in sight of Hispaniola, Hayti, or San Domingo, by all of which names it has been known at different times; her mountains looming up several thousand feet above the horizon. The sea is calm, our run pleasant; Cuba now appears off our larboard bow, about forty miles distant. It is indicated by heavy clouds, at the base of which, or just above the horizon, is seen the dark outline of her mountains. The mountains within the tropics are universally capped with clouds, which, in floating over, are caught by the peaks, and there waste away, the diminution supplied by the condensation of vapor, or the addition of other clouds. During the evening, a heavy sea broke against the side of the steamer, bursting our port fastening, and shooting a column of water eight inches in diameter, directly into the berth of my room-mate. It will readily be imagined that he awoke. We have just passed point St. Nicholas, the northwest point of St. Domingo, and point Mayxi, the most easterly point of Cuba.

Feb. 1st. A ship is seen, "hull down," off our larboard quarter; no land in sight, a heavy sea, and we are standing directly for the Caycus Islands, which we shall make about sun

set.

2nd. We have made the Caycus passage, left the Caribbean Sea, and are now in the Atlantic, heading north by west, making a direct course for New York. We cross the tropic of Cancer at a quarter to 9 A.M. We have now nothing to do but promenade, sit in our state-rooms, and read, eat, sleep, and think of home. We have about 300 passengers on board. We have live sheep, poultry in abundance, and some twenty huge turtles, weighing from two to three hundred pounds each, some of each falling

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daily victims to our voracious appetites. One little turtle which looked as though he had been taken from his native island, much against his will, was thrust into a barrel, and there compelled to lay on his back. As I passed, I thought he eyed me with solicitation, and I requested one of the firemen to turn him over. This he did, much to the poor creature's apparent satis faction. I relieved his pangs for the moment, and shall probably help devour him for dinner. Mr. Foster and myself had supplied ourselves liberally with oranges, pine-apples, limes, "forbidden fruit," bananas, &c., and spent much of our time in feasting. According to observation at 12 M., we were 920 miles from New York; we have made, in twenty-four hours, 214 miles, and are now under a full press of canvas.

3rd. (Sunday). We have a sermon by an English clergyman, from Kingston. By observation at 12 M., we had made 234 miles in twenty-four hours. We have a strong wind, and very heavy sea; boxes and barrels are running foot races on deck, it rains in torrents, hatches are closed down, but our ship rides gallantly. She rises manfully from the strife, shakes off the spray, and again leaps upon her antagonist.

4th. Stormy unpleasant day. We are now off the coast of the Carolinas, in the gulf-stream. The wind blows cold off the land, reminding us of winter. Three days ago we were picking oranges and limes, the themometer at 105°. Oh! anthracite coal! I most earnestly implore thy protection. While at dinner, we shipped a sea, which burst through the windows, putting out the lights, carrying every dish from the table, and saturating the entire company. The captain who, with a party of ladies, was sitting at the head of the table, claimed the most liberal instalment. At half past 2 P.M., a vessel appears, and bears down for us, running before the wind. She proves a Spanish bark; her rudder has been carried away, a spar is lashed on in its place, by which they are trying to manage her. She has up a foresail and spanker, and hoists a signal of distress. It is blowing a gale, raining in torrents, and the sea running mountain high. Our quarter boats could not live an instant, rendering it impossible to assist them. As they passed near us, we saw two men on the foretop-gallant yard. At 6 P.M., our tiller chains gave way, the steamer is thrown around into the troughs,