Chap. L—B.S.] 
A HUMBLE PETITION. 
5 
Spanish America are ! When some months afterwards 
I paid another visit to Panama, he had so far recovered 
as to be able to wait at table again, and I heard the 
guests of the Aspinwall banter him occasionally about 
his lofty aspirations. u Gentlemen,” he said, on one 
of these occasions, “ I have relinquished my political 
career, and resumed my ordinary occupation; so please 
don’t tease.” 
In the square before the prison were crowds of 
coloured women, most of them shouting to the pri¬ 
soners who had been caught in the trap the night 
before. They had brought for them quantities of ci¬ 
gars, oranges, pine-apples, and other good things, which 
the good-natured Indian soldiers carried in to them. 
The prisoners seemed to be in the very best of spirits, 
and kept up a continual bantering with their outside 
friends, little thinking that at that moment it was 
seriously debated whether all of them should or should 
not be shot. 
Whilst wondering at the strange scene before me, a 
negro boy of about seventeen and belonging to the 
chain-gang, introduced himself as a native of Jamaica 
and a former pupil of one of the missionary schools 
there. In a most respectful yet insinuating manner 
he begged me to receive a a petition,” which, he as¬ 
sured me, he had written all himself. The document, 
which he desired me to keep, ran, spelling and all, as 
follows :— 
u March 11, 1866. 
“ My dear Gentlemen.—I have just take up My 
Pen in hand to Address you in these few Lines hoping 
