CHAP, neatly oit, and produced fru it.and; vegetables of,many
1: XXV* » fpecies for our ufe. The houfes and bridges W*S§i &lfe-
all repaired, while the ftridte®: adheç-enjBe: ^ cleanlinefs
was recommended and enforced • among ^he,.:jy»Rrt;C; b y .
_thefe means not one fick perfa® .out o f fifty waft fidw to
he found, where floth, ftencb,aod ffifeafe, had' fo lately
fpread their deftru£tive i n fl uence,and % yvhiçh land
and fea-feurvy had given the moft fatal' afllftanc^dg O f
the above fcorbutic complaints, the : fprmeg :jçojyers the
body over with blotches,
* teeth and gumss >. |jj
I now enjoyed the greateft flow o f .he&lfh and fpirks*
while moft of my old ihip-mates were either dead or returned
to Europe ; not a fingfe officer at this time being
in rank above me, except only fuck as had been formerly
inured to the Weft India climate.-
But to return to my garden— this at prefent exhibited
* carrots, cabbages, onions, cucumbers, lettuces, .radifhes,
pepper, creffes,, &ic~ all thriving as well as in Europe}
befides forrel of two kinds, the common and-the red, this
laft grows upon a fhnib, and is excellent :for making jam
or marmalade. The jeffamine alfo was found ffiere of
different fpecies, that growing on a fmall tree being moft
admired; it is? o f a. pâle but beautiful fed «colour, and a
jnoft agreeable fmell ; the leaves are thic|e,. fhining, and
filled with a-milky juice. A fpecies I f I fenfitive fhruh
they caVl flam e -,floatne^ grew alfo here, as did the fleep-
ing plant, fo called from its leaves, which are fet in pairs*
clapping
dappiug cle^ together-from fun-fet to fun-rife, and appearing;
is i f the two were but one; but as fbon as the fun
is up^they.-»again open* and refume their double form.
The jateveTmehtfehed ffirabs were all difperfed through
my. hedges, befidos pomegranates and Indian rofes, which
blow dvery jd^ay pjwhile, a:few .elegant,red-lilies, which
al& grow wild in the; favahnaS,adorned the banks o f my
canals;/.the'teaves* q€nyhicb ;floy^efr.have a very bright
and begutifui^-efedSi poliffi. 1
■ Thus: ;fituatedj welwere vifited, amongft others, by a
Madame de Zt—e, in company with her brother, and a
Mt.i&hjad'tSi■ whO:!Wer#ilately-,i?riyedt from Holland; this
lady was fuppofed the finefb woman that even Europe
produ(^ii‘as' >-syell as the moft raocomplifhed. She fpoke
feverkl languages, and was a perfect miftrefs o f mufic and
rpaintang'V jfei danced elegantly, and rode vaftly well on
horfeback; fhe even .excelled in fliooting and fencing,
&c. In order to make her perfect miftrefs of all the fa-
fhionahle exercifes, I offered her my affiftance in teaching
her . to fwim, iwhich, however, with a fmile, fhe
thought proper to refufe. ,
: My foldiers, and even negroes, feemed now completely
happy, amongft whom the moft perfect harmony fub-
fifted; while I frequently^ indulged them with a merry
evening, and a grey-beard of rum.
One night, in the midft o f this feftiv jty ,. I fecretly ordered
the fentinel to fire his piece, and caufe a falfe
alarm, .as .if the enemy were on the eftate; when I had
the
CHAP.
XXV.