Danish Mode of managing EmancipaUon. 443 



Nevertheless the mode adopted in getthig rid of the evil is 

 deserving of attention and imitation. The duty of labouring 

 does not cease with the means of compelling it. Slaves 

 emancipated by the Danish Government may spend the wages 

 they receive for their labour at their own discretion, and are 

 permitted to change masters at pleasure, but they cannot 

 quit their former employer till they have found a fresh one. 

 The rate of wages at St. Tliomas is pretty high, and the 

 black population, who form the largest contingent of the la- 

 bouring population, not only finds constant occupation, but 

 is remarkably well paid besides. The negroes on this island 

 are, however, very handy and quick, thanks to the constant 

 intercourse with foreign nations. Many of them speak 

 several languages fluently, and a German traveller who visits 

 the island for the first time is apt to be not a little surprised 

 at finding himself addressed in his mother-tongue by a 

 swarthy son of Africa. 



Om' departure was fixed for 1 st July. The various mail 

 steamers which had been expected from the different ports of 

 the West Indies and the eastern coast of Central America, 

 had all arrived. The fine and comfortable but old and slow 

 steamer Magdalena was to leave for Europe at noon. Suddenly 

 a sailing vessel came in like a Job's comforter, with the in- 

 telligence that the splendid new steamer Paramatta^ which 

 was about due with the mails from England, had on her first 

 voyage gone ashore on the Anegada shoal near the island of 

 Virgin Gorda, 60 nautical miles from St. Thomas, and with her 



