respects, were the objects around me. The moon shone with
her accustomed brilliancy, and exhibited every crag and tree upon
the land, changed and confounded in shape, but still plainly;
whilst the perfume, borne off upon the breeze, was odoriferous in
the highest degree. The sound of the waves, likewise, breaking
upon the rocks, and the occasional cry of seamen, as they
adjusted ropes and sails, together with the sight of several
vessels which took advantage of the night-wind and stood to sea,
with canvas glittering in the moonbeams, produced so delightful a
combination, as completely riveted me to my seat; nor was it
without much reluctance that I at length yielded to the drowsy
god, and descended to my cabin.

Next morning, the ship got under weigh at an early hour, but,
owing to the unsteadiness of the breeze, it was ten o'clock
before we made any satisfactory progress. As we approached the
bay which forms the harbour of Port Royal, a novel and pleasing
sight presented itself. The hills dying gradually away, gave
place to gentle slopes and green knolls, till, towards the
entrance, the coast became perfectly level. Pushing forward, we
soon found ourselves in a narrow channel between two projecting
headlands, beautifully ornamented with cocoa-nut trees, and so
near to each other, that I could with ease have thrown a biscuit
from the ship's deck upon either. At the extremity of these
necks, just where the bay begins its sweep, stand two well-built
forts, bristling with cannon; and at the opposite side may be
seen a third, ready to sink whatever hostile fleet should be
fortunate enough to force an entrance. But these were not the
most striking parts of the scene. The water in this strait is
remarkably clear, and exhibits with great distinctness the tops
and chimneys of houses at the bottom. It will be recollected,
that many years ago, an earthquake not only demolished great part
of the town of Port Royal, but likewise covered it with the sea;
by which means, the site of the harbour was completely changed,
and that which was formerly dry land, and a town, became part of
the entrance of the bay.

Having doubled the promontories, a rich and extensive prospect
meets the eye. You find yourself, as it were, in a large inland
lake, the banks of which are covered with plantations of sugar
cane, groves of cocoa-nut and plantain trees, and other woods
peculiar to these regions, beautifully interspersed with seats
an