we don't much mind giving the long odds of the cock-pit in five pounds to a crown. The brown next to us, who seems so fit to run for that curious prize, "a man's life," we think, as a friend said the other day, when we met Mr. Widdicomb, "you have seen before ;" and so, as you know all we do, how do you mean to—

Now they're off!

Egad! so they are-and devoutly wishing long Mr. Codrington could put his head in his pocket, or that pretty parasols had never been invented, we draw in our breath, and draw out our glass to learn what's in front.

The Hero wins for a hundred !

JAUNTING IN JAMAICA-AS IT USED TO BE.

[Now that the railroad is the mode of annihilating space, both in the Eastern and Western Indies, the following sketch of a ride in the Island of Jamaica, twenty years ago, may not be without worth in the way of an historical record. It is from the pen of an esteemed correspondent.]

To speak of Jamaica as it was near forty years ago, is, as life runs in the tropics, reverting to past generations, and drawing a picture in ancient history. Since that time-albeit the sun burns with its wonted ardour, the rains fall with their usual vehemence, the sea-breeze rises in the morning, and rustles with the same exhilirating freshness through the trees, and ruffles the blue expanse of the ocean, as it did thousands of years ago; and the hills frown now, like then, in their dark shadows, or in scorched ridges-still, where all things teem with life, life is teeming with death; animal, and with it human existence, like the local vegetation, without a winter and without repose, is born, and perishes in rapid velocity. Above all, the white man comes in from Europe, full of activity, enterprise, and hope, and in a few years has returned to his father land, sometimes with wealth, more often with a broken constitution, and with fearful recollections of the number of his friends, of his acquaintances, of youth, beauty, talent, principle, cunning, misfortune, and success, all promiscuously swept away. In less than half a century, the very elements of social life are changed to him, and a second generation is already fast verging to dissolution.

Yet in the genial climates of the sun it is pleasant living: existence has a primævality about it, which during the dreaminess of repose, the dolce far niente, hangs like a mist about the mind; and fancied glimpses into Eden, with its golden suns and purple shades, its celestial voices in the verdant foliage, whispering on and on towards distant vistas, while a real brook, or a rushing cascade in the distance, aids the musing brain to picture a sleeping Eve, an angelic form reposing in the moss-clad grot, while around her bed sports the "flush of life," in animal

forms full of grace and beauty, and the serpent glides past unmindful of mischief-images like these crowd upon the mind with the greater vivacity of colouring, because half realities of the voluptuousness of being are constantly encountered, and the many wants of the north press not with their hourly necessities upon our nature. Disease itself, with all its destructiveness, gnaws not for months and years to devour its victims by inches; but it comes silent and sudden, and the departed are gone as if to sleep. Hence, the white man returned from a tropical climate nearly always carries charmed recollections in his memory, perhaps not the less smiling because they depict the period of his youthful hopes, and the land where he was not subservient or equal to the mass of population, but a master, possessing the indisputable prerogative of his colour, and the consciousness that it conferred upon him powers greater than the law pretended to grant.

Holding an influential military situation in Jamaica, I traversed the island in every direction through nearly two thousand miles of road in the course of a single year. In this service I had opportunities of exploring its most romantic sites and sylvan scenes, which, as the central nucleus of its mountain system is the most elevated of all the West Indian islands, offers the probability of being also the grandest. But in those days no Doctor Syntax in search of the picturesque, no enthusiast with the pencil, had traversed the country: sugar and rum, coffee and dollars, were the universal themes of study; and a Maroon war, or threatened French invasion, short-lived episodes, which served only to enliven with anecdote the scenes of high living and hard drinking which were then the ruling fashion.

The militia reviews being in those days matters considered of importance, the governor and commander of the forces was in the habit of visiting the different places on the island, where the corps of infantry and troops of horse had their appointed places of assembling; and at the same time he had to notice the Maroons, and inspect more particularly the regiments of the line at their stations and the batteries along the coast. On one occasion, when, as usual, the officers of the staff were to attend his Excellency near St. Ann's Bay, on the north side of the island, it was a duty imposed on me to reconnoitre the different mountain roads leading from that direction to Kingston; and for this purpose I had set out some days in advance, with a view of ascending the passes of the Hope river, forming in themselves one of the most romantic rides that can be imagined. Leaving Kingston by the Uppark camp military station, the road leads round the western termination of the rocky Long mountain, and then turning directly east is seen the noble sugar plantation of the Hope estate, on the left, with Pappeen and Ripleys on the right, both sides fenced in with prickly pear, and numerous clumps of cocoa-nut trees, an occasional acacia, or a few chordea sebastianas, glowing with scarlet clusters of flowers; and further inwards, ancient and enormous cotton trees (Adansonias); while the north face, or what is called the back of the Long mountain, replete with thorny plants, displays its cavernous limestone. Higher up, to the left, are sloping grassy hills, with a park-like aspect, which they derive from large solitary trees, among which the tamarind is conspicuous; but in front, right before the traveller, who, unmindful of the heat, inhales the

sea-borne trade-wind, there is a profound yawning space, formed by the glen of the Hope river, with cultivated mountains beyond, and the narrow gap where the waters tumble and roar over rocks, till they reach the flats at the sea side.

To him who was long a resident on the island, the view all round remains hallowed in recollection; for memory's eye rests on many a humble roof, albeit often dignified by the title of castle. It sees them embosomed in citron and orange trees; there are avenues of mangos, and clusters of papaws overtopping the waving plumes of bamboo; and far off is the lofty mountain palm, standing in columnar majesty high above the rest. But to proceed: we now come to a more enclosed series of pictures; the road turns suddenly towards the hills, and foreground rocks overhang it with broad shadows; the ascent is steeper still; yon house, somewhat below the level towards the river, with all around overgrown plantation and wild vegetation, is already a ruin; the rain pours into the deserted chambers; all around the piazza, and through the rotten boards of the piazza itself, the nettle of Europe luxuriates; the floor crumbles under the visitor's feet in a side room a boudoir encloses an ancient piano-forte, on a shelf above it lie quantities of old music, some having fallen on the floor by the rushing in of the rain upon the heap of paper; the rest of the house without furniture. How came this? Surely here resided one, in those days of far higher education, mental activity, and spirit, than are usually seen among the gentle but indolent beauties of the pallid rose? Oh! yes; there once was living secluded here one full of grace and beauty: this was her room; here she was remembered, long after her departure; when from a blessing to the slave, she rose high in station as she was in merit, and died Duchess of Chandos. So said one who had known her in his earlier years, as we musingly withdrew, closing a door that had never been bolted from within.

Onwards the road becomes still more narrow, and hangs over the valley below; a gig can just get on, but one axle is ever grazing the vertical rock on the other side. The eye falls upon the summits of lofty trees entirely beneath it; there, at a projecting angle of the rock, is the spot where, some time ago, a kittereen (the local name for a gig having a top and side curtains) was recklessly driven, and thrown, with horse and driver, over the precipice into the summit of a tall tree, where it hung: the madman was saved; but the fate of the poor animal could not be averted, which broke through and was killed. Negroes were sent with ropes to angle for the vehicle from above, while others went up the valley, and climbing the tree to where the disconsolate whip was imprisoned, helped him out of his fearful plight.

Occasionally one-arched bridges span smaller torrents hastening to join the Hope. Near them there are ever groups of sable females washing, and among them, some with a bandana handkerchief knotted on the right hip for all clothing, display, while beating and turning their linen upon stones, that beautiful freshness of early maturity only to be found in the tropics, and certainly conspicuous in the serpentine form of many a youthful black nymph. It was at one of these our chief one day stopped to ask if a gentleman, who had a cool retreat in the vicinity, was at home; several duennas not explaining the matter to

H

"Masssa" satisfactorily, as it would appear to a young naiad present, she had to give her opinion, and stood up from her stooping work. The water she had been splashing abundantly in the frizzly mop of her hair ran down so fast that she could not open her mouth to speak; wherefore, it being necessary to wipe her face, she took her bandana and wiped it accordingly. All the elder women shouted with laughter; she looked abashed; the general turning round, said, "Did you ever see anything more beautifully graceful?" I thought the act an innocent inadvertence; but he said it was the innate art of her sex. True, no classic figure of antiquity could equal the lambent symmetry of her form!

"

Beyond this the valley opens, and the botanic garden, anciently the property of Mr. Wallen, appears between two glens, perched on a bright green hill, which interposes to their junction. It is a lovely and a healthy spot, where the air is ever bracing and fresh, and shade is obtained under a multitude of tropical trees, collected from both hemispheres. The road continues to ascend far above it; the opposite slope of the mountain, clothed in the darkest variety of greens, comes nearer and nearer; below, deep in the vale, beneath the densest foliage, the river may be heard occasionally prattling over pebbles, and again the loud laughter of the genii of the stream, bathing and sporting in the shaded waters, the presiding spirit white, or more often pale yellow, and all around brown and black. Now the climate begins to change, the traveller sniffs the breeze of the mountain, clouds cap the summits; and at Cold-spring" stands the solitary specimen of English oak, which I never passed without taking off my hat! Here are other European-imported plants, and abundance of nettles; but the Euphorbia Lunecia, first observed here by Mr. Wallen, and a beautiful creeper, a Solanum, with sky-blue flowers in bunches, very like the lilac, named Brownriggia by Dr. Brown the discoverer, are both natives of the locality, and would be ornamental in England, with but slight protection. Cold-spring forms a pass across the vertex of the mountain-range traversing the island. An opinion was long entertained that here was a silver mine; but in the days under review mineralogy was but little understood, and new coffee plantations were the mines which absorbed the silver, and even the gold of cane-fields. It was within a hundred yards of the summit, that I once encountered a northwester. During the whole ascent from the south the sky was serene and the sun hot; here I suddenly perceived before me a cloud rise up above the crest, and come toppling over in rolling, tumbling, round, wool-like masses, with so threatening an aspect that my Spanish grey took fright, and instantly wheeling round, endeavoured to scamper down. Before he was pulled up, the cloud had enveloped us in a dense chilly mist, like an operation of magic; and from thence onwards by Dallas castle to a friend's coffee-mountain there was a complete storm of wind and rain.

During my stay, the business and amusements of the time passed rapidly off in the midst of slave labour, and among masters who, in their common intercourse with fellow-men, showed all the generous cordiality of the best feelings, and with such rare exceptions towards the black, ununless in the tone of command, and the occasional mistaken view of duty, that it was the state of the law which deserved entire blame, and often bitter

scorn. It was the law which generated at home, out of pure humanity, feelings of that easy kind of virtue, which preaches the labours of love where it has no contrary interest, and is not ashamed to enlist in its cause misstatement and exaggeration. Already at that period a more truth-seeking middle course was scouted by both parties: no wonder that the interested rejected conclusions drawn from many a false picture, and then went into an opposite and culpable extreme of opinion.

In the mountains, though with the thermometer at 75°, walking the steep paths of coffee plantations is no pleasure; riding over to neighbours within reach of signals, but accessible only through miles of round-about roads, leads only to drinking sangaree more than is beneficial books, chess, and backgammon kill time indeed; and rifle practice at some vulture or solitary eagle seen perched upon a decayed mahogany tree, pluming his prey within doubtful distance of the ball, may be for a moment exciting; or flying shots at bald-pate pigeons, or at a clamorous flight of parrots, high in air, may cause a bet; but more constant amusement is sought in the pursuit of cray-fish, beneath the stones in the purling rivulet below, and to the naturalist in searching for birds, insects, and plants. In such occupations, the hour of joining the general's staff approached: to go the day before, was to increase with

presence the probable superabundance of visitors at all the plantations in the vicinity of the rendezvous, and it was asserted that by startingat a proper hour it might be easily ridden before the review would commence. But when the morning arrived, the distance round to St. Ann's Bay by mountain paths was found to be so considerable, that to arrive in time became impossible; and, as all present were obliged to be there, the dilemma was for some time thought to be insurmountable. Our host, demurring a moment about uniform coats, asked if we would venture to ride down the river, promising that there was only three quarters of a mile of it a little steep. He had gone down himself once, when pressed for time, but that was not in his regimentals; and there were, to be sure, sundry plunges, where the horses would be above the back under water; but it was all clear, the sun was hot, and we would soon be dry again. With these blessings before us, we mounted, and immediately came to two or three steep places in the coffee grounds, which, with the horses sitting on their hams, and their fore feet stretched somewhat before them, we slid down at angles of not less than 45°, successively rounding occasional bushes to the cross roads, and then commencing again another slide. Although my own horse had never, so far as I knew, performed this feat, he seemed to be quite accustomed to it; and in this manner we soon reached the river course, where it was a perfect roaring torrent, with the banks on each side precipices. In went the leader, and presently we all floundered through the eddying waters, generally as high as the riders' knees, with large rolling stones under the horses' feet; at times thrown forward over ledges of rock, above four feet high, by the force of the cascade, plunging beneath into deep holes, and swimming for a moment to reach footing out of the pool, and re-commence similar adventures. When we could look back, it was amusing to see the last of us, with a succession of cascades towering in foaming steps high above him, with the sun flickering upon the eddying and leaping falls; while he would cry out, from amid the roaring waves,