J ACM EL IN HAYTI. 15 



change the direction of their flight as they momen- 

 tarily touch the surface, but I could not satisfy myself 

 whether this depended on a muscular effort of the 

 animal, or merely on the angle at which it happened 

 to strike the irregular surface of the little dancing 

 waves that surrounded us. 



About sunrise on the 2nd of April the anchor was 

 let go, and we found ourselves in the harbour of 

 Jacmel, the only port on the south side of the great 

 island of Hayti. The Royal Mail steamers call here 

 periodically to deliver letters and to receive a bag 

 which, after due fumigation and such other incanta- 

 tions as are deemed proper, is delivered at the end of 

 a long pole. The entire island being supposed to be 

 constantly subject to zymotic diseases, especially 

 small-pox which is the great scourge of the negro 

 race, no further communication with the shore is per- 

 mitted, and within less than two hours we were again 

 under way. The hills surrounding the harbour are 

 apparently covered with forest, the trees being of no 

 great size, but of the most brilliant green ; but I could 

 detect no dwellings of a superior class such as 

 Europeans would be sure to construct in picturesque 

 and healthy spots near a seaport. As we ran for 

 more than twenty miles very near the coast, I could 

 at first detect here and there small patches of cleared 

 ground with sheds or huts ; but beyond the distance of 

 a few miles these ceased, and no token of the presence 

 of man was discernible. 



Making large allowance for exaggeration, and having 

 had the opportunity of correcting some loose reports 

 by the more careful and accurate information after- 



