Six months in the West-Indies, in 1825

Page 140

126

BARBADOS.

the store of the master. That they have time to cultivate their patches of land is clear from the fact that they always are cultivated; either yams, Indian corn, plantains, or even canes, are to be seen growing round every hut. The hut is a cottage thatched with palmbranches and divided into two rooms; one is the chamber of the parents, the other the common hall, with a table, chairs, and a broad bench with back to it for the children to sleep on at night. Some huts are larger and smarter than this. Jack something or other, the driver on the Society's estate, has two large four post beds, looking glasses and framed pictures. Jack is a goodnatured fellow, offered me some wine, and hath begotten twelve children or more. I resided a month or five weeks in Barbados in great comfort, except that I caught a fever, and was laid up in ordinary for a fortnight thereupon, but bleeding and spunging put off the evil day, and I was well enough to go to Lady Warde's last ball; an instance of prudence which I do not recommend for general imitation. The Bishop was kind enough to take me with him on his visitation of the northern part of his diocese, and we set sail in the Eden again on Tuesday evening the 17th of May.


Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.