After the Storm in St. Vincent, 2,7.5 
sufferings. Flour which had been ten dollars per barrel, 
rose suddenly to twenty-two dollars, and corn-meal and 
salt provisions in proportion. But by the seasonable 
arrival of several American vessels, and the promptness 
of our excellent Governor in immediately taking off the 
duties and throwing open the Ports, flour fell as low as 
seven and a half and eight dollars. We, on our part di- 
rected the Negroes to search all their provision grounds, 
and to secure every article of food they could find. We 
took the precaution of using first such as would not keep 
long, and drying or pounding the remainder to come in 
afterwards. During the succeeding fortnight we gave 
them three days a week, and allotted to the infirm and 
aged a portion of one of our own valleys, in which and 
in their own grounds, they were employed in planting 
sweet potatoes, Indian corn, peas and ochroes, which are 
ready in two or three months. When their own little 
stores began to fail, we bought 40 or 50 barrels of flour, 
6 puncheons of corn meal, and an increased number oi 
hogsheads of salt fish, which we served out to them every 
week in proportion to their respective wants, for which 
purpose I made an alphabetical list of the whole 700, and 
made enquiries of all the overseers and drivers as to 
those persons who stood most in need, affixing marks to 
their names in order to prevent imposition, which, not- 
withstanding all our vigilance, we found practised upon 
us in a variety of instances by those who needed not our 
assistance, some even having barrels of flour in their 
houses at the very time they made their application. 
In addition to these supplies, all the young people 
under 15, the children, the aged and the sick had 
each two mugs of chocolate, well sweetened with 
MM 3 
