64 THE GBUISE OF TEE ' GUBAQOA.' 



races and various festivities wMch were- described to us. 

 We met at his liouse the chief of the place, a very com- 

 mon-looking person, who did not open his mouth in our 

 presence. 



Mr. Williams appears to be thoroughly quahfied for his 

 position. He takes a proper and deep interest in the just 

 and equitable treatment of the natives, for which, as we 

 may easily conceive, he does not obtain the thanks of those 

 settlers whose only object is to make profit and capital out 

 of them.-^ No man, it is allowed, understands the native 

 character better than he does ; a knowledge which renders 

 him eminently qualified to assist and direct their develop- 

 ment. 



It was raining when the Commodore and myself left 

 Mr. Williams, but we took a short -walk on the shore until 

 Sir William thought it time to return on board. Our 

 attention was drawn to the traces of the damage done by 

 one of those terrible hurricanes to which the island is now 

 and then exposed. A small carriage-way on the edge of 

 the bay had been so completely covered over with black 

 sand that they had not yet had time to clear it. At a place 

 near the reef, and not far from our anchorage, were visible 

 the masts of a Hamburg bark, which had gone down at 

 anchor with all her crew during the same storm, in January 

 1865. In the hope of recovering the oil with which the 



' We are indebted to liis kindness for the communication of several 

 notices respecting the South American slave-traders. 



