274 



PORT ROYAL. 



own as well as my dissatisfaction at risking the 

 loss of a passage in the steamer by unne- 

 cessary delays. In the real or affected agita- 

 tion of his eloquence, he abandoned the com- 

 mand of the rudder, and if we made any pro- 

 gress at all it was back to Kingston. " Dere 

 now, you all set of ugly black rogue who eber 

 see such rowing, — Vat, massa, tink all dis time 

 you no row boat better ? — Ee tink you jist vat 

 I tink you ebery one of you dam ugly black 

 rogue. I wish I come near enough you Caesar 

 to fum fum,you row shocking, sir.^^ For my part, 

 I certainly felt inclined to fum fum Ceesar, 

 when upon arriving at Port Royal, I found 

 that the steamer had left the harbour a good 

 half hour. It was very provoking, and there 

 was no remedy i so I had nothing to do but 

 moralize upon the disappointments of life, and 

 think of the odd mixture of mirth and melan- 

 choly tnat varied the physiognomy of the 

 black gentlemen whom I now desired to row 

 me and my baggage alongside the Gannet. 

 There is in the negro character so queer a com- 

 pound of archness, simplicity, and vanity, that 



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