The West indies in 1837

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JAMAICA.

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side of the road were covered with parasites, the abundance and variety of which is a peculiar feature of tropical vegetation. Some twine about the trunks of trees, like cords of all thicknesses, from cable to thread ; others hang in green festoons, and some足 times they are so densely woven together as to form a curtain, excluding the interior from view. We drove to St. Ann's Bay in the evening. The little town on the Bay is beautifully situated, but so surrounded by sea swamp as to be very unhealthy. Thi; neighbouring heights afford a pleap.ant and safe retre;it for the more wealthy inhabitants. Near the coast are many fine sugar estates. 23rd. In the course of the morning we paid a visit to the workhouse and jail, which are contiguous pre足 mises, separated only by a party-wall. We were shown over them, in the supervisor's absence, by his dijputy. In the jail there were three prisoners in chains, and with their feet in shackles, waiting their trial. We wi;re told they had attempted to escape ; the wall ^vas sufficiently high, but it appeared the door was liable to be left open, so that they are compelled thus to suffer because the turnkey is careless. In the work足 house there were two prisoners in the solitary cells. One was a female apprentice, sentenced to that punish足 ment and to the treadmill twice a day, for deficiency of work. She was evidently ill, and had been so, we were informed, from the time of her coming in, so that the second part of the sentence could not be carried into effect. In the women's sleeping room was a woman suffering from an injury sustained on the treadmill. She was in chains. A boy in the men's ward was ill from the same cause. The deputy told us that an old woman, now at work with the penal gang, had this


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