ST. THOMASES. 



277 



steamer^ on the contrary, running away from 

 Jamaica and the yellow fever, I arrived at St. 

 Thomases, a distance of seven hundred miles, 

 in the space of seven days, during the greater 

 part of which time it blew half a gale of wind 

 right in our teeth. Steam for ever ! Notwith- 

 standing that the packet overstaid her time, 

 when we reached St. Thomases, she was gone. 

 Here then I am destined to experience another 

 delay and disappointment. A special magis- 

 trate from Jamaica, who was a passenger in 

 the Dee, and is bound like myself to England, 

 has taken with me a very convenient lodging, 

 and we have passed our time as well, that is 

 to say, as idly as possible. However much we 

 may differ in other respects, we both agree in 

 one, which is, that in a tropical climate, the 

 best thing to do is to do nothing, and there- 

 fore the dolce far niente^^ has become the 

 most seductive of all our occupations; and, 

 in fact, I am not yet well enough to do 

 more. 



The Danish town of St. Thomas is a pretty 

 Uttle bustling seaport, and in consequence of 



