48 



morning. However, about noon the weather cleared 

 up, and allowed us to verify, with our own eyes, 

 that we had reached " the Land of Springs," with- 

 out having been invited by any Piccaroon vessel to 

 " walk the plank" instead of the deck ; which is 

 a compliment very generally paid by those gentry, 

 after they have taken the trouble of laying a plank 

 over the side of a captured ship, in order that the 

 passengers and the crew may walk overboard with- 

 out any inconvenience. 



We arrived at the east end of the island, passed 

 Pedro Point and Starvegut Bay, and arrived 

 before Black River Bay (our destined harbour) 

 soon after two o'clock ; but here we were obliged 

 to come to a stand still : the channel is very 

 dangerous, extremely narrow, and full of sunken 

 rocks ; so that it can only be entered by a vessel 

 drawing so much water as ours with a particular 

 wind, and when there is not any apprehension of 

 a sudden squall. We were, therefore, obliged to 

 drop anchor, and are now riding within a couple 

 of miles of the shore, but with as utter an inca- 

 pability of reaching it as if we were still at 

 Gravesend. The north side of the island is said to 

 be extremely beautiful and romantic; but the south, 

 which we coasted to-day, is low, barren, and with- 

 out any recommendation whatever. As yet I can 

 only look at Jamaica as one does on a man who 

 comes to pay money, and whom we are extremely 

 well pleased to see, however little the fellow's ap- 

 pearance may be in his favour. 



