that a woman would walk in with a load for him, and return on the same
day with another, for a shilling. With such material of labour wisely
directed, whites and blacks might live and prosper together; but even
the poor negro will not work when he is regarded only as a machine to
bring grist to his master's mill.

FOOTNOTES:

[13] Euripides.

CHAPTER XIV.

Visit to Port Royal--Dockyard--Town--Church--Fort Augusta--The eyrie
in the mountains--Ride to Newcastle--Society in Jamaica--Religious
bodies--Liberty and authority.

A new fort was being built at the mouth of the harbour. New batteries
were being armed on the sandbanks at Port Royal. Colonel J---- had to
inspect what was going on, and he allowed me to go with him. We were to
lunch with the commodore of the station at the Port Royal dockyard. I
could then see the town--or what was left of it, for the story went that
half of it had been swallowed up by an earthquake. We ran out in a
steam launch from Kingston, passing under the sterns of the Spanish
frigates. I was told that there were always one or more Spanish ships of
war stationed there, but no one knew anything about them except
generally that they were on the look-out for Cuban conspirators. There
was no exchange of courtesies between their officers and ours, nor even
official communication beyond what was formally necessary. I thought it
strange, but it was no business of mine. My surprise, however, was
admitted to be natural. As the launch drew little water, we had no
occasion to follow the circuitous channel, but went straight over the
shoals. We passed close by Gallows Point, where the Johnny crows used to
pick the pirates' bones. In the mangrove swamp adjoining, it was said
that there was an old Spanish cemetery; but the swamp was poisonous, and
no one had ever seen it. At the dockyard pier the commodore was waiting
for us. I found that he was an old acquaintance whom I had met ten years
before at the Cape. He was a brisk, smart officer, quiet and sailor-like
in his manners, but with plenty of talent and cultivation. He showed us
his stores and his machinery, large engines, and engineers to work them,
ready for any work which might be wanted, but apparently with none to
do. We went over the hospital, airy and clean, with scarcely a single
occupant, so healthy has now been made a spot which was once a nest of
yellow fever. Naval stores soon become antiquated; and parts of the
great