cient, a little way up the harbour we come to the Apostle's
Battery; beyond which again is Fort Augusta. Altogether I think I never
saw a more strongly-defended place, excepting, of course, Gibraltar.

In due time we reached the wherry-wharf at Kingston, and landed. A
quarter of an hour's walk under the piazzas which line the streets in
the lower part of the town brought us to Mr Martin's store, whither we
were bound, and on inquiring for him, we were at once shown into his
office. The skipper introduced himself and me, explained his business,
which was soon done, and then we rose to leave.

As Mr Martin shook hands with us, he said,--

"Excuse me, gentlemen, but have you any engagements for to-day?"

The skipper replied that we had not, we were both strange to the place,
and we proposed chartering a carriage for a drive into the country, in
order that we might see a few of the far-famed beauties of the island.

"Then pray allow me to be your pilot," said our new friend. "I have
really nothing particular to attend to to-day, and I shall be very happy
to show you round. If you can spare so much time, I am going this
afternoon to visit a sugar-estate of mine a few miles out of town, stay
the night, and return to-morrow morning after breakfast, and I shall be
delighted to have the pleasure of your company."

Nothing could have suited us better; we accordingly accepted his
invitation, and forthwith set off to see what there was to be seen of
the town. In the course of our peregrinations we met and were
introduced to several of our host's friends, each of whom shook hands
with us as though he had known us all our lives, and forthwith gave us a
pressing invitation to his "place."

About four o'clock we returned to Mr Martin's store, where we found his
ketureen--a sort of gig--waiting, and also that of a Mr Finnie, another
sugar-planter who was going to make one of the party. The skipper
jumped in alongside of Mr Martin, I stowed myself away alongside his
friend, and away we dashed up the sandy streets and out of town in the
direction of the Blue Mountains.

We reached the estate, and the house upon it, just in time to escape a
violent thunder-storm, accompanied by such rain as I had never seen
before. It came down literally in _sheets_, completely obscuring
everything beyond a couple of dozen yards distant, and rattling upon the
thatched roof as though it would beat it in. It lasted about an hour,
ceasing as