completely shutting out the entrance of the harbour. On the shores
around were seen numberless hamlets of every hue, the rich foliage of
the tropical trees and shrubs, giving a cheerful aspect to the
surrounding barren slopes, as did the bright green jalousies of most of
the residences, and the flowering trees which rose among them, to the
city. In every open space visible were seen slaves hurrying here and
there with heavy loads, seamen of all nations strolling along intermixed
with the far-famed volantes, brilliant with burnished metal, rolling in
and out of gateways, the steed which drew it, bestrode by a postillion,
six or eight feet from the body of the vehicle.

The brig was quickly surrounded by boats bringing off vegetables, fruit,
and fish, some of them containing those persevering personages ever
present in foreign ports, washerwomen and washermen, their laudable
object being to solicit the honour of cleansing the dirty linen of the
officers and crew.

Jack hoped to find some amusement on shore. Before, however, ordering
his gig to be got ready, he was engaged for some time, not in examining
the beauties of the harbour, but in casting searching glances around to
discover such rakish, wicked-looking craft as were likely to be engaged
in the slave-trade. He marked several of suspicious appearance.

"We must have some of these fellows, Bevan," he observed, "keep a bright
lookout on their movements; if we are off watch they will take the
opportunity, depend on it, to slip out of the harbour; I have no doubt
that the fellows cursed us in their hearts when they saw the little brig
enter the harbour."

Among the commercial cities of the western hemisphere, Havannah ranks
next to New York; the harbour is the best in the West Indies, and is
unequalled in beauty by any in the world. It is nearly three miles
long, and a mile and a half in width. While completely sheltered from
every wind by the surrounding heights, so great is the depth of water
that the largest ships can come close up to the quays.

The city stands on the western shore of the bay. The streets of the old
part within the walls are narrow and far from clean, but those of the
suburbs, which cover a much larger space than the city itself, are broad
and well laid out, many of them being handsome and tolerably free from
dirt. Besides the two strong fortresses at the entrance, batteries run
along both shores, while fortifications frown from all the