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HIS METAMORPHOSIS.
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until the ship had discharged her cargo of interesting emigrants, and re-loaded with that necessary article “ lumber," (alias timber,) we took our departure, with many a favour of “ King Frost's" hanging about our vessel, in the shape of huge blocks of ice. A pretty fair wind soon carried us into warmer latitudes, and I used frequently to remark, how delighted that poor half-clothed man must be. “ Oh ! oh !" was the answer, “ that poor half-clothed man, as you call him, is a very respectable and dashing fellow, I do assure you, in his own country." I thought this assertion bordering upon the burlesque, but I made no reply, wisely remembering the old saying, “ Time will shew all things." At length, after encountering, as every other mortal must, calms as well as storms, one bright morning brought us to the shores of fair Antigua. This, as I have before remarked, was during the season of Christmas, the time for fun and dress among the negroes. The morning after we landed, I early shook off “ tired nature's sweet restorer, balmy sleep," and hurried over the duties of the toilet in order that I might look about me, and see what kind of bipeds I had fallen in with. I had not long left my apartment when I saw a very dashingdooking gentleman enter the back gate, and approach the door near which I was standing, admiring the bright sun and blue sky of this December morning. It certainly struck me as rather surprising, that a gentleman of his appearance should enter by that part of the house usually appropriated to the servants, but I supposed it was one of “ the customs" of the country. Not wishing to be in that disagreeable situation of having to introduce myself, I retired into an inner apartment ; but ere long I learnt, to my great surprise, that the “ exquisite," whose appearance caused my sudden departure, was no less a personage than the black cook from on board the ship. Christmas is also the season here, as in England, for roastbeef, plum-pudding, and plum-cake ; most of the negroes endeavour to get one of these articles, should they not be able to procure them all ; but if their pockets are too low G 3