ning ashore, in
the land of napkins and cut glass, I saw before me still the ghosts of
hempen towels and of mugs with handles knocked off. Instead of tossing
on the sea, however, as I might have been, here was I in a bright
hall, surrounded by sparkling wit, and dining with the governor of the
island! "Aladdin," I cried, "where is your lamp? My fisherman's
lantern, which I got at Gloucester, has shown me better things than
your smoky old burner ever revealed."

The second day in port was spent in receiving visitors. Mrs. Roberts
and her children came first to "shake hands," they said, "with the
_Spray._" No one was now afraid to come on board except the poor old
woman, who still maintained that the _Spray_ had Antichrist in the
hold, if, indeed, he had not already gone ashore. The governor
entertained that evening, and kindly invited the "destroyer of the
world" to speak for himself. This he did, elaborating most effusively
on the dangers of the sea (which, after the manner of many of our
frailest mortals, he would have had smooth had he made it); also by
contrivances of light and darkness he exhibited on the wall pictures
of the places and countries visited on the voyage (nothing like the
countries, however, that he would have made), and of the people seen,
savage and other, frequently groaning, "Wicked world! Wicked world!"
When this was finished his Excellency the governor, speaking words of
thankfulness, distributed pieces of gold.

On the following day I accompanied his Excellency and family on a
visit to San Gabriel, which was up the country among the hills. The
good abbe of San Gabriel entertained us all royally at the convent,
and we remained his guests until the following day. As I was leaving
his place, the abbe said, "Captain, I embrace you, and of whatever
religion you may be, my wish is that you succeed in making your
voyage, and that our Saviour the Christ be always with you!" To this
good man's words I could only say, "My dear abbe, had all religionists
been so liberal there would have been less bloodshed in the world."

At Rodriguez one may now find every convenience for filling pure and
wholesome water in any quantity, Governor Roberts having built a
reservoir in the hills, above the village, and laid pipes to the
jetty, where, at the time of my visit, there were five and a half feet
at high tide. In former years well-water was used, and more or less
sickness occurred from it. Beef may be had in any