198 STATISTICAL ACCOUNT OF THE 



brightness of the stars distinct at the very horizon — the planet 

 Venus casting a sensible shadow — the moon so luminous as to 

 read by — and the thousands of fire-flies hovering about the 

 shrubs, or shaken in sparkling showers from the boughs. 

 The faces of the negroes gladden — the sprawling groupes 

 begin to quench their pipes, to talk, to stir, to laugh, to sing 

 — they are proposing the dance, and will shortly surround our 

 contemplative repose, with the spectacle of graceful activity 

 and cheering enjoyment ; their postures are more lascivious 

 than would be thought decent in Europe. 



From the ferry a navigable canal is cut, which runs about 

 eight miles up the coast, parallel with the sea, where it is met 

 by another leading from Mahaicony Creek ; these canals af- 

 ford considerable advantage to the planters, both in drainage 

 and conveyance of produce and plantation stores, to and from 

 the different harbours or shipping places; though almost every 

 estate has a canal large enough for the reception of a boat, 

 yet there is a degree of danger sometimes attending their 

 getting in ; a contrary wind or rough sea are obstacles fre- 

 quently thrown in their way ; if this plan of inland carriage 

 was adopted throughout the colonies, it would be highly be- 

 neficial, and might be the means of preventing so many of 

 the colony schooners, that sail coastways, from being taken 

 by the piccaroon boats and privateers from the Orinoko, 

 which are fitted out in time of war. 



