The West indies in 1837

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JAMAICA.

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pears like a beautiful palm in miniature, with its slen­ der trunk and crown of gigantic leaves. The Bath is j a plain stone building consisting of several bathing rooms. A few hundred yards beyond it the hot spring rises into a stone cistern, near which is a building in a ruinous state, formerly used as the residence of the poor patients. The water possesses a slightly sulphur­ ous smell and a temperature of 120° Fahrenheit. It is conveyed down to the principal bath in a stone chan­ nel, and is there mixed at pleasure with the water of the cold mountain stream. 13th.—We left Bath early this morning on our way ' to Manchineal. Our road was through a part of the j plaintain garden river valley, a level savanna of great I beauty and fertility. It is ten miles in length, and from i one to three in breadth, and comprehends the finest \ estates in the island. Both yesterday and this morn- j ing, in driving through the estates, we have noticed the \ negros generally at work in the field at half past five or j before sunrise, some of them running in great haste to 1 join the gangs. We remained during part of the day ; at Belle Castle, the residence of J O H N K I N G D O N , Bap- i tist Missionarj^ He accompanied us to a neighbour- \ ing plantation, to the proprietor of which, G E O R G E | C O D R I N G T O N , we had a letter of introduction. The i cultivation on this estate consists of arrowroot, and it ; is the first instance of that article, being grown and ma- j nufactured on a large scale, that has come under our ; notice in the West Indies. It is usually grown by the \ apprentices, the free settlers, or the maroons. The j experiment of employing a considerable capital and I superior skill upon its production and preparation, has \ in this instance been a profitable one. One of the ap- ' prentices -on this estate was pointed out as addicted to j


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