254- 



hole Is cut through the ^kIn, near to the hock^ 

 and a long lharp-pointed ftick, being intro- 

 duced, is forced up the whole length of the 

 thigh, and the fide, to tear or break down 

 the cellular membrane. This being done, the 

 ftick is withdrawn, and one negro puts his 

 mouth to the hole and blows in air, while 

 another beats, with a cane, upon every part 

 of the fkin ; which beating and blowing, are 

 continued until the carcafe founds Hke a 

 drum, and the whole furface is inflated like 

 a full-blown bladder — the animal being dif- 

 tended to nearly twice its former fize. The 

 fkin is then taken off, and the meat diftri- 

 buted to the purchafers for immediate ufe. 



Leaving our comrades, Weir, and Ma- 

 fter, on board, Cleghorn and myfelf requently 

 make excurfions on fhore, and ftroll about 

 the town and the fields, by way of ex- 

 ercife, and o£ gratifying the (trong curiofity 

 which we feel to fee and know all that ap- 

 pertains to the change we have made. In 

 thefe ramblings, we often furprize the Weft 

 Indians, by, what they term, the dangerous 

 extent of our walks j and they affure us that, a 



