193 



reach the harbour. This delay afForded us a 

 good opportunity of viewing the ifland. We 

 flood near In, and could obferve, diftindly, 

 the objeds on fliore, I took my feat upon 

 deck, and with an anxious eye, aided by the 

 telefcope, minutely, examined every thing 

 we paffed. The mind, ever adive, generally 

 forms to Itfelf fome image of the things we 

 hear fpoken of, before any opportunity oc- 

 curs of feeing them. Often the pidure is » 

 very incorred: and extravagant ; but, upon 

 the prefent occafion, I was pleafed to find that 

 I had formed to myfelf a tolerably accurate 

 copy of the Weft Indies, from the defcrip- 

 tions I had heard and read. In particular the 

 appearance of the fields, and of the flaves, 

 labouring with the whip at their backs, had 

 been painted, very corredly, in my imagina- 

 tion ; for, I now faw them, in reality, what 

 my mind had long reprefented them. 



Our coaftlng view of the ifland was not 

 the moft favorable ; for a nakednefs, which 

 Barbadoes does not poITefs, appeared to pre- 

 vail : nor did the general verdure feem to 

 equal our expedation : houfes, huts^ wind- 

 VOL. I. o 



