TRINIDAD: THEN AND NOW. 



251 



length come alongside the jetty which we had left on 

 the Monday or Tuesday night. 



In order to pay a meed of praise to the men 

 whom we have seen so cheerfully working in the boat 

 and who have so gently lifted us, whether lady or 

 gentleman, in their powerful arms, and landed us 

 safely on the sandy beach, accompany me back to 

 Mayaro. There watch them transferring the ship's 

 goods into their boats, sail for shore there to 

 land them, and when this is done, begin to load 

 their freight from shore ; then observe the mighty 

 efforts of eight or ten men to get their boats 

 afloat, for all this time it has, to a great extent 

 been resting on the sand, and when afloat they ad- 

 dress us " Come on, sir," and once more lifting us in 

 their huge arms gently place us on our seat, some- 

 times, as space is limited, on top of bags of cocoa ; 

 then another effort till the boat is truly afloat, then 

 the command "in bow" of the head boatman ; observe 

 if your heart is not in your mouth, the careful way 

 which he watches each curling racing wave as it 

 heads towards him, and then the word of command 

 " all together " and the bow is lifted high up 

 as she mounts over the crest of the huge break- 

 ers ; we need not be the least frightened, we are 

 dn the care of good trusty, heroic men, who know 

 what they are about, and with two or three more "all 

 togethers," high up and low down we go till we are 

 safely over the last roller and in smooth water 

 again, then up sadl and head for the ship. 



