205 



bMrd led the captain to mention a habit, 

 fometlmes pradifed among the negroes ia 

 the Weft Indies, which is not lefs diftin- 

 guiflied for its filthinefs and oeconomy. The 

 blacks, both men and women, are very fond 

 of rum, and fometlmes, when they can only 

 procure a fingle dram, the wife, as a mark of 

 tendernefs and attachment, fatisfies herfelf 

 by warming her mouth with it, and, affec- 

 tionately, employs that as a glafs for convey- 

 ing the rum to her hufband; who receives it, 

 from her, in due kindnefs, beak to beak, as 

 pigeons feed their young ; and thus, wiih ex- 

 traordinary oeconomy, the fingle dram is made 

 to ferve both man and wife ; and fometlmes 

 it is, even, faid to go through the mouths of 

 the whole family. ^ 



A day or two after we had entered Into 

 the latitude of the trade-wind, we had to crofs 

 the tropic ; which was an occafion of great 

 mirth and feflivlty. The uTual ceremonies 

 were performed— the ufual honors paid to 

 old Neptune, and all was holiday. The great 

 deity of the ocean, accompanied by his queen- 

 rib of the waters, afceiided from the deep, 



6 



