216 
DOTTINGS ON THE ROADSIDE. [Chap. XIII.—B.P. 
manner peculiarly annoying, especially as we were 
both in unif orm, and a crowd of blacks rapidly as¬ 
sembled. Encouraged by the others, he now tried, 
by pushing against us, and violently gesticulating, to 
provoke a blow, and enable him to lodge a complaint 
before a magistrate, with the almost certain knowledge 
of what our fate would have been. However, both 
of us kept our temper, and steadily moving on, 
sought shelter in a friendly store, the owner of which 
lost no time in putting closed doors between us and 
the now numerous street mob. Passing through the 
back-door, we made the best of our way to the boat, 
the friendly store-keeper assuring us that he would find 
means to appease the blacks directly we were fairly 
off, whereas by staying worse might come of it both 
to him and to us. I suppose discretion is really the 
better part of valour; but our hurried departure on 
this occasion spoilt an excellent lunch at the “Hall” 
kept by the sister of that old friend of both Services, 
Mrs. Seacole, where we should probably have been 
regaled with the luxuries of Jamaica, including ring¬ 
tailed pigeon, mountain mullet, land crab, and other 
delicacies. 
Eeturning to Port Royal, I found the following in¬ 
vitation for “ de captain and de hofficers,” as a sort of 
farewell offering:— 
“New Street, Port Royal. 
“ Miss Josephine Johnson presents her compliments 
to the Captain of the 1 Gorgon,’ and hopes to have the 
pleasure of his company at a “Dignity” on Monday 
evening, at 8.30.” 
