had pulled myself pretty well together after the
shock occasioned by the perusal of my father's letters, I felt that a
little change and amusement would be most acceptable under the
circumstances.

On the following morning, punctual to the moment, we presented ourselves
at the rendezvous; where we found, as had been promised, a couple of
excellent saddle-horses awaiting us in charge of a grinning, happy-
looking negro groom, who was mounted on a stout mule. Our guide, who
informed us that his name was Pompey, promptly took charge of our
valises, which he slung one on each side of his own saddle; we then
mounted, and without loss of time got under weigh for our destination.
The first six or seven miles of our journey was uninteresting enough,
but when we plunged into the mountain road and found ourselves environed
on each side by a thick growth of luxuriant tropical vegetation, the
foliage and flowers of which bore all and more than all the hues of the
rainbow, whilst gorgeous butterflies, gaudy insects, and birds of the
most brilliant plumage flitted hither and thither about us, with an
occasional opening in the dense growth revealing the most enchanting
little views of the distant harbour and sea, or perchance a passing
glimpse of some quiet vale, with its cane-fields, boiling-house, and
residential buildings, our journey became an enjoyable one indeed. We
reached our destination--an extensive and somewhat straggling one-
storied building, with large lofty rooms shrouded in semi-darkness by
the "jalousies" or Venetian shutters which are used to carefully exclude
every ray of sunlight--about noon; and received a most cordial and
hearty welcome from our host, a most hospitable Scotchman, and his
family, and here--not to unnecessarily spin out my yarn--we spent one of
the most pleasant and enjoyable weeks I had up to that time passed. The
family, in addition to our host and his charming wife, consisted of a
son and three daughters, who did everything that was possible to make
our visit pleasant, and they were a musical family throughout; so that
what with shooting, riding, visiting our somewhat distant neighbours,
and receiving visits in return, when singing and dancing became the
order of the evening, our short holiday passed all too quickly. These
most excellent people were the first, as they were the warmest, friends
I ever made in the island; and when, late in the afternoon of the eighth
day of our visit, Courten