220 CAMPS IN THE CARIBBEES. 



the art of entertaining guests, though it is almost 

 superfluous to say this of any West Indian, either 

 adopted or to the manor born, and as soon as our feet 

 touched the soil of his preserve we felt the truth of 

 his assurance, that all was ours as well as his. 



I searched the shore for traces of the Caribs, but was 

 unrewarded save by a few shards of pottery ; however, 

 I was promised a guide for the morrow, who could pilot 

 me to a sepulchre of skulls. Alas ! that morrow did 

 not bring its promised pleasure, and those skulls may 

 yet linger for some other explorer, for aught I know 

 to the contrary. 



Close in sight, about two miles distant, rose the islet 

 of Battowia. It was little more than a huge rock 

 several hundred feet in height, and clad with vegeta- 

 tion on its western slope. In the eastern cliffs was 

 the cave which some of the Indians had occupied, and 

 which we desired to explore. After early coffee the 

 morning succeeding our arrival at Balliceaux, three 

 of us embarked in a " Moses-boat " for Battowia. 



The Moses-boat is a peculiarly strong boat built for 

 transporting sugar and other heavy freight through 

 the heavy surf of the eastern shore. In shape it is 

 something like the famous craft in which those " three 

 wise men of Gotham" departed on their sea-voyage. 

 It is very buoyant, and owes its great strength to 

 numerous knees and thick planking. Regarding its 

 name, whether it was named for Moses the great 

 "lawgiver," or for the man who built the first of the 

 kind, will forever remain a mystery. 



In the Moses-boat we embarked : the sea was 

 smooth, and we made the passage without mishap. 

 There were four of us " buckras," or white men, and 



