MADAME FEEEEIRA. 
35 
the coast, at the rate of one hundred billets for a 
dollar. 
This ladj, of Portuguese parents, was the widow of 
the late governor, who was previously judge. With 
the laudable intention of introducing improvements in 
the cultivation and management of her estates, on her 
return to Prince’s from a visit to Europe, she brought 
with her a numerous suite of white persons and their 
families, among whom fever soon however, made fearful 
ravages. Two remarkably handsome Spanish boys, 
like the finest conceptions of MuriUo, had, since their 
arrival, lost their father, mother, a brother and a sister. 
The European gardener, his wife and three daughters, 
as well as the young daughter of M. Fretus, Madame 
Ferreira’s factotum, were lying ill with the fever. The 
latter we saw lying on a couch, — a most interesting 
and picturesque object. 
This enterprising lady seemed most anxious to carry 
into effect numerous plans for the benefit of the island, 
and had commenced by erecting mills for sugar, oil, 
and for sawing timber. Abundance of seeds brought 
from Spain flourished among the rocks in the garden 
around her house, mingled with beautiful indigenous 
flowers. All her property in West Bay she was de- 
sirous of selling to the English Government, alleging 
the persecutions of the Governor of the island, who 
had involved her in many lawsuits on charges — 
whether just or unjust we could not ascertain — of 
being engaged in the slave trade. However this may 
D 2 
