houses, and nice inhabitants. The square is magnificent; but the church is not so pretty as the one at Trinidad. The methodist chapel is, however, superb, and always filled with a large and devout congregation; the votaries of this pains-taking sect are very numerous in St. Kitts, and "thereby hangs a tale," which, for ought I know, may be more humorous than true, nevertheless it was given me as gospel.

"A master of a small schooner," said the narrator, "who was in the habit of trading to the island, pro"fessed himself to be a methodist, and made a point "of attending the chapel with the greatest appear"ance of devotion. One day, on the eve of his 'departure, he expressed great anxiety for the sect, "and earnestly entreated permission to be allowed to

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preach a sermon in the chapel that evening. Leave "was granted by the minister; and, accordingly, as "soon as the congregation had assembled, he entered "the pulpit, and having girded his loins, took up his parable. He delivered extempore two-thirds of a very fine sermon that quite exceeded the expecta“tion of the audience; but having arrived at a part " where it became necessary to hint the contribution

of a certain sum for charitable purposes, he found “himself at a loss, and stopping dead short, ex

claimed,-- O, by Jove! you are all in h-1, and I "advise ye to follow my example and get out of it as "fast as you can.' So saying he leaped over his pulpit, which was not very high, and made his "exit from the chapel, leaving his hearers in the ut"most wonder and astonishment.

"From thence he took his way to the beach

He leaped into his boat,

'As she lay upon the strand.'

"and getting on board his little schooner, set sail for "the green shores of some other island, and has "never since dared to make his appearance here."

We have here a fine garrison called Brimstone Hill, well fortified; also a good government-house and a good Governor, who dwells therein, yclept Colonel Maxwell, who by his mild administration makes well for the colony. After the Governor, the persons who, of course, hold the highest place in my estimation, are the ladies. Of these we have enough, and I beg their pardon, I was near saying, to spare, but that would be impossible. Dear fascinating creatures, how I adore them!-really you are a great deal too strict in your ideas of fidelity to one object; all that is very well after one is married, though we do now and then see an exception; but to a young fellow scarcely out of his teens, and who has, moreover, the honor of fighting for his majesty, in a scarlet coat with a golden epaulette, to him, I say, more liberty may be allowed, or at least more love.

There is a pretty girl in England, called Fanny, to whom I write every month; but is that any reason

Although this anecdote has been since related to me again, by another person, who attributes the prank to the captain of a mail-boat, who was by rank a lieutenant in the navy, I am hardly inclined to credit it; at all events, if it be true, the perpetrator of the prank deserves the highest censure.-Author.

why there should not be another in St. Kitts to whom I may also occasionally say a tender word. Are young officers only sent to this confounded hot country to do their duty, and be as cold as a stone? No, no; I am one of those who agree with the French maxim, that "Quand on n'a pas ce que l'on aime, il faut aimer ce que l'on a"-and I am continually singing Moore's poetical version of the same sentiment:

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"Oh! 'tis sweet to think that, where'er we rove,

"We are sure to find something blissful and dear;
"And that, when we're far from the lips we love,
"We have but to make love to the lips we are near!
"The heart like a tendril accustom'd to cling,

"Let it grow where it will, cannot flourish alone,
"But will lean to the nearest and loveliest thing

"It can twine with itself, and make closely its own."

Add to this the powerful attraction of the creole ladies, above all in the dance. La danse est quelque chose qui plaît à tous sans les ennuyer. In the dance they enjoy themselves, and fascinate their partners at the same time. Perhaps you may tell me, in your laconic way, that this is killing two

birds with one stone.

After the white fair ones, the brown dark ones do attract my notice, of whom there is a numerous and beautiful collection in this island. Their charms have persuaded one or two of my countrymen to join them in the holy state of wedlock; which they seem to have a great notion is the best patent lock ever invented, and by no means so easy to force as a mere liaison d'amour: there are others, however, who differ in opinion; but as I have never heard their argu

ments, I will not pretend to give le pourquoi et le parceque. Generally speaking, the colored inhabitants of St. Kitts possess greater privileges than those of the other islands, with only one exception, and I think this a credit to the colony.

The other day I took a fancy to a gig; and, having purchased and paid for it, by a bill on Greenwood and Cox, which, by the way, brings my finances to rather a low ebb, I may now be seen daily taking my jaunt into the country. I have been nearly all round the island, for the roads are excellent, and one may really travel with some pleasure. I saw a few more towns, villages, and churches, all pretty in their appearance, but met with nothing very uncommon.

The only curiosities of the island are a few large salt ponds, the aforementioned miserable Mount Misery, which has once been volcanic, and a very remarkable piece of ground among the mountains, fertile, productive, and a complete level. In this island, independent of the many luxuriant tropical fruits and vegetables, the inhabitants have been able, in some parts, to cultivate English productions, and these thrive more than anywhere in this curious mountain level.

I cannot stay to tell you any more, for the messdrums are beating, and you know what an aversion I have to procrastination, in temporal as well as in spiritual affairs. I can pardon a man for not being in at the death of a hare or pheasant; but I pity the poor fellow who does not arrive in time for the eating; there is something very disagreeable in that. Adieu, yours truly,

L

CHAPTER XXXIX.

MISCELLANIES.

"When they have joined their pericranies,
"Out skips a book of miscellanies."

Swift.

It is now time to return to St. Vincent, from whence my readers have been led by the correspondence of my friends, and by my own description of the smaller islands attached to Antigua and St. Kitts. Yet the most interesting circumstances connected with this island have been already detailed, and it now only remains to me to mention one or two facts of minor importance.

St. Vincent is divided into five parishes, Charlotte parish, St. George's, St. Andrew's, St. Patrick's, and St. David's; and, independent of the sugar, rum, and molasses, which it exports, there are also small quantities of cotton, coffee, cocoa, arrowroot, and ginger shipped annually for the United Kingdom.

Besides the capital and Calliaqua there are other towns in the island. Layou, or Rutland town, Barrowaille, or Prince's town, Chatteaubelair, or Richmond town, with one or two more better deserving the nomenclature of villages.

A table of the exact distance to the principal places of note in the island, from the market-place in Kingstown, though not interesting to the generality