CHAP. III.

MONDAY, June 23d. The men began shipping the turtle at break of day; and soon after, Captain Drake waited on me for orders. I gave him letters to Mr. Green, at Kingston; and letters for Messrs. Perry and Co., and for my uncle; and also letters. from my dear wife and myself, to our friends in Gloucestershire. Put those in your pocket," said I;" and let us look over the list I have made out for supplies required from Kingston." We conned it over; and after making a few additions, he put this paper in his pocket also. The list embraced all sorts of lumber; that is, squared timber for building, planks, boards, shingles, &c.; then followed other items: - two canoes; a marble muller and slab, to grind our cacao into chocolate; a coffee roaster; glass cut in squares for the windows; Spanish whiting, and linseed oil, to make putty. Then, one ram and six ewes; basket cage of live pigeons; some plants of grafted fruit in tubs, bespoke by Diego in April; also a further supply of plaintain suckers; kernels of the Avocado pear, and of the Barbadoes palm, and some other vegetable propagants. As many bricks as could conveniently be stowed under the cargo were to be brought. A memorandum was added, instructing Captain Drake to obtain a free negro mason or bricklayer, if possible, to settle among us; such a person being much wanted; and to purchase

four healthy young lads, to assist us in our various operations. A large clock to stand in the hall was added to the list. I estimated the cost of this cargo at 1200 dollars; and calculating on the turtle as averaging 8 dollars å piece, I took credit on their account for 800 dollars, and gave Captain Drake 50 doubloons, which were equivalent to 800 more, so as to secure the supplies required. At sunrise our colours were hoisted; and at nine o'clock the gallant Porghee sailed out of harbour, through the northern passage - the same through which she had entered-with a fine breeze from the east.

The carpenters had now completed the house on the N.E. of the mansion, of the same size with the storehouse on the opposite side, but considerably larger than the houses of Diego and Xavier. In the absence of the Bermudians, who had gone with Drake, Purdy's wife remained with her friends at the plank-house; and Mira, Martin's wife, with her parents Diego and Rota. Diego's family was now moved, pro tempore, into the new house, while the carpenters were employed in stripping off the canvass sides and covering from the old ones, which they began to replace with boards and shingles; and after this was accomplished, Xavier's residence had a similar refit. Meanwhile the women were set to various occupations; none being permitted to beidle. The palm leaves were worked into hats, the stems into brooms and baskets; besides, there was washing, and sewing, and cooking, and the grinding of maize, when nothing else could be found to do. Diego caught fish, and brought home

cocoa nuts, and gave out provisions, and looked to the plantations; and reported every evening on the state of affairs. Of all these matters I and my dear helpmate kept our registers, and our accounts likewise. And sometimes, in a leisure hour, we strolled out together along the beach, or through the trees, with one of our favourite numbers of the Spectator in my hand; (and how often did we thank, over and over again, in our minds, my Eliza's kind father, for having given to her the few loose numbers he had preserved of that invaluable weekly paper!) We dwelt particularly on the parts where Mr. Addison points out so movingly to the reader, the poet John Milton's description of the sweet innocence, and therefore perfect felicity, of our first parents in the garden of Eden, with no other human society than themselves. We read over and over again these passages, comparing them with our own extraordinary lot; and feeling happy, most happy, in this our almost solitude, having God and ourselves! yet, with a few round us, who shared our peace, and all the good his providence had so bountifully bestowed.

Thus we went on, and by the 7th of July the two huts or houses were boarded and shingled; and Diego and Xavier took possession of their respective dwellings again. I now told Allwood, and Manus his son, that they might occupy the new house for a time, if they pleased; but as it was my intention to give them both land, on which they were to build for themselves, I thought it might not be worth while to move them from the plankhouse, as the women of their family washed for the

settlers. Allwood said he would do as I pleased; but he wished to know what land he might have. I told him four acres for himself and four for his son, in separate allotments; and that each must build a house on his lot, but large, or small, as he liked; only the grounds belonging to it must be fenced round with hurdles, to keep their stock within their own bounds; and that no tree, except ing such as might be in the way of their enclosures, should be cut down without my leave. I then proposed placing them on the opposite bay, which was gladly accepted. The next day Allwood and Manus accompanied me in the canoe, rowed by Diego and Xavier: the former my privy counsellor. After a little consideration, I marked out the site of their respective houses, on two contiguous allotments of land, part of the ground that had been lately cleared and cultivated. The father and son were highly pleased, and immediately set about erecting a temporary shed for themselves. After which we returned; and on the following morning, they, being furnished with tools and provisions, and the loan of the schooner's small boat, left behind purposely for our use, set off to their tasks, to return in the evening. In this way, they took with them whatever they stood in need of day by day, until they completed their work, which was duly noted down in our day-book.

Xavier and Derrick were now employed in putting a coat of paint on the storehouse at the cave's mouth, and on all the buildings at our plantation, excepting the mansion, which was to remain in its present state for some time. The goats and poultry

were let out every morning, and brought back to the pen in the evening: the latter were very numerous, and very noisy; particularly the Guinea hens, whose loud shrill note was scarcely bearable, Rota contined to be a treasure to us; and, by her example and my dear wife's instruction, Anna had become highly useful, and gradually became intelligent and completely civilized. Rota, like a true Spaniard, was a great observer of forms; always showing great respect for her mistress, whom she never failed to address as "La Señora: " · Anna copied her in this, as in all other matters, with surprising exactness; and we thought it prudent not to check this feeling in our dependents.

Day after day, week after week, we went on with these every-day avocations; observing, as formerly described, the sabbath; and without any thing particular occurring until Wednesday, the 16th of July, when we had the pleasure to see the schooner enter the harbour from the northward; which welcome appearance was greeted by hoisting our colours. At two o'clock she came to an anchor, and in a few minutes after, we had the happiness to receive letters from England. -- After shaking hands with Captain Drake, and congratulating him on his return, I put a few questions to him respecting the success of his voyage, which he answered without any circumlocution,- a quality much to be esteemed at all times, but more especially when the mind of the questioner is anxious to proceed to other matters. My Eliza, after desiring Rota to get Captain Drake some dinner, had already gone into her room with her dear letters from Awbury