... ,. ^ \ f**rr" - - Cr- tt - l:H- * A < ^-^H^r tf^in*^, I \ -- [ | =ps |v . ^ ; MJ'i A WINTER WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA; GENERAL OBSERVATIONS UPON MODES OF TRAVELLING, MANNERS AND CUSTOMS, CLIMATES AND PRODUCTIONS, WITH A PARTICULAR DESCRIPTION OF ST. CROIX, TRINIDAD DE CUBA, HAVANA, KEY WEST, AND ST. AUGUSTINE, AS PLACES OF RESORT FOR NORTHERN INVALIDS, BY AN INVALID. NEW-YORK : PUBLISHED BY WILEY AND PUTNAM. 161 Broadway. 1839. Entered according to an Act of Congress, in the year 1839, by WILEY & PUTNAM, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Southern District of New-York. J. P. Wright, Printer, 18 New Street, N. Y. 1610 OS Si INDEX. PACK PREFACE. ........ v CHAPTER I. Of Climate in general. . . .13 II. Author's Own Case 25 III. The Voyage 29 IV. Bassin, or Christianstadt, St. Croix. . 35 V. West End, or Frederickstadt. . . 49 VI. Santa Cruz in general. . . .62 VII. Voyage to Trinidad de Cuba. . . 72 VIII. Trinidad de Cuba 75 IX. Voyage to Batabanno and Havana. . 106 X. Havana 110 XI. Key West 115 XII. Voyage to St. Augustine. . . . 137 XIII. St. Augustine 142 XIV. Return Home 159 XV. General Observations upon the West Indies and Florida. . . . .168 XVI. Preparations for going South. . . 190 PREFACE. THE great and constantly increasing number of pulmonary complaints in the United States, is happily beginning to excite the attention which the importance of the subject demands. The bills of mortality abundantly prove, that about one-fourth of the deaths in these States is caused by diseases of the lungs, in one shape or other, and the fairest and the best of the youth of our land are every day cut down around us, in the full flush of youthful hopes and ardent antici- pations ; discouraged by the almost equally unsuccessful application of patent quack-nos- trums and scientific medical skill, the friends and relatives of these unfortunate victims of premature decline, have generally abandoned ull hope of relief from the earliest appearance of this terrible disease ; and, in many cases, they have been left to pine away by its slow and sure operation, with the consoling reflection that they were past all hope, and had nothing to VI PREFACE. do but wait patiently for death to end their mis- eries. For a time, it was supposed that much might be hoped from a winter residence in the southern States ; and many a poor patient has been sent to Charleston or Savannah, St. Au- gustine or Pensacola, Mobile or New-Orleans, or some other equally unfit and improper place, to add to his other afflictions, that of dying in a strange land, without the consolation of his friends to stand around him in his last moments, or shed a tear over his untimely grave. So lit- tle benefit was found to result from a visit to the southern States, that many came to the conclu- tion that no change of climate could be of any avail, and refused to separate themselves from their friends in their days of desolation and de- spair : choosing, rather, to meet their unhappy fate at home, than to try so forlorn a hope as that afforded by going south. The enterprise of our people had found out every nook and corner of every State in the Union where money could be made, and well ascertained the nature of the trade and commerce of every place ; but, upon the nice and important question of the fit. ness of a climate for invalids, very little know, ledge was obtained, partly because the attention of the healthy was never turned to the subject, but more because no healthy man can be a com' PREFACE. VU petent judge of such matters ; and invalids were unable to make the proper investigations, or to publish them when made. It is only within the last few years, that the idea has become preva- lent, even among physicians, that the southern States of this Union are the most unfit place on earth for invalids, and that the whole winter season there, is not unlike November and April in the north, which every-body knows, or ought to know, are the worst months in the year. So great is the ignorance upon this subject, that it is believed more than five hundred from the northern and middle States are sent on a useless pilgrimage annually : the same patient scarcely ever going more than once,, having learned by experience that it was merely changing from bad to worse. Within a few years past, many eminent physicians have been urging their patients to go to the West Indies, and many have pursued the advice with decided advantage ; but the unwillingness of Americans to leave their own country, connected with their ignorance of the West India climate, have deterred thousands from going there who would otherwise have gone, with the certainty of bene- fit, if not of perfect restoration to health. The author of this little volume, after iiaving suffered the effects of northern winters for seve- V1I1 PREFACE. ral years, and having tried the southern States with no advantage, was induced, by the strong recommendation of his physician, and the in- creased severity of his disease, in the early part of the winter of 1838-39, to visit the island of St. Croix, which was supposed to be the best of the West Indies for climate, partly, perhaps, for want of sufficient acquaintance with other places. After spending several weeks at St. Croix, and being greatly improved in health, for the purpose of being able to judge for himself between different places of resort, he visited Trinidad de Cuba ; passed from thence, through the island of Cuba, to Havana ; from thence to Key West, the only tolerable place in the United States ; and from thence to St. Augus- tine ; stopping long enough at each place to form an accurate conclusion, and, in the mean time, collecting all the information he could as to other places. The information thus obtained is so useful to himself, that he deems it his duty to publish it for the benefit of the community ; and, to insure the attention which the import- ance of the subject demands, it has been thought better to make a small volume by itself, than to put it in any public journal, which would be merely read, thrown aside, and forgotten. In order to enable the reader to judge for himself, PREFACE. IX it has been thought proper to give him an ac* count of the author's own case, and some others that fell under his immediate observation ; a detailed description of the situation, climate, and other material circumstances of St. Croix; the same as to Trinidad de Cuba, Havana, Key West, and St. Augustine ; with observations upon other places, and the reasons of the healthiness or unhealthiness of each particular place. The invalid, knowing his own symp- toms, will then be able to decide at once which is the best place for himself, and act accord- ingly. By possessing the information herein contained, before leaving home, the author could have saved himself at least three hundred dol- lars in expenses, besides adding greatly to his comforts, during a single winter. He cannot doubt, therefore, that the work will prove ac- ceptable to the public, particularly to that un- fortunate class for \\hose benefit it is princi- pally intended. They will get hero the dispas- sionate judgment of one M r ho had no interest to lead him to prefer one place to another, and who has been willing to give as well the unfa- vourable as the favourable circumstances of each particular place. The following chapters contain a very concise statement of the results of my observation, and X PREFACE. information, during my tour ; and, so far as regards the principal question that concerns in- valids, desiring to visit the West Indies, or either of the other places therein mentioned, to wit, the salubrity of different climates, and accom- modations for invalids, may be relied upon, as in all respects correct. As regards the matters of general information, and interest, not having the time nor feeling the disposition to acquire very precise intelligence, and without pretend, ing to look into books for aid, I have merely in- terspersed the work with such matters as fur- nished the principal topics of conversation, at the places through which I passed, and, there- fore, am unable to vouch for their accuracy in every particular ; but, believing that they would relieve the reader from the monotonous tone of mere descriptions of climates, &c. &c., I have given them according to my best information; and I have generally distinguished between mat- ters within my own knowledge, and those de- rived from others. I might have gone into detail, and made a larger volume ; but, as my object is not to make others read, but to convey useful intelligence, conciseness has been my principal aim ; and, it is humbly hoped, that the reader will not deem the brevity of the work a demerit. I might, by bestowing a little more PREFACE. XI attention upon the subject, have swelled the work, by giving a more scientific and historical account of the places before-mentioned, but am very far from aspiring to the reputation of an erudite author, or from claiming any literary merit for this production. Knowing that thou- sands were in want of the information herein contained, and that, from peculiar sensitiveness, and attentive observation, I have been enabled to judge of all the places in question with great accuracy, and to present at one view more use- ful knowledge upon the subject, than has ever before been published, I have been induced to write, and offer to the public, this little volume, hoping that it may be instrumental in restoring to health, those who are unfortunately afflicted with complaints similar to my own ; may, in some degree, aid physicians, in advising their patients what place to prefer for their particu- lar complaints ; and, on the whole, may prove interesting and acceptable to the general read- er. If these expectations are realized, I shall be amply satisfied ; if not, it will not be the first well intended effort that has failed of accom- plishing its object. A WINTER WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. CHAPTER I. Of Climate in General. NOTHING is more talked of or less under- stood than the healthiness of climates. When- ever it becomes difficult to remove disease, and the friends of the patient become alarmed, or the physician gets sick of experiments, a change of climate is resorted to, as a kind of patent panacea for all maladies ; by means whereof the patient, if not helped in any other way, is at least helped out of the way of his friends and physician. In cities they are sent to the country; in the country, to the city; inland, they are sent to the sea-shore ; on the coast, to the interior ; from the mountains to the plains, and from the plains to the moun- 2 14 A WINTER IN THE tains ; from warm weather to cold, and from cold to warm ; from dry to moist, and from moist to dry: in short, any thing for a change, from good to better, or from bad to worse. There is nothing more difficult to define, ac- cording to the common use of the term, than a good climate. It means a place where the well are robust and hardy, or where few vio- lent diseases are known, or where the yellow fever does not rage, or where not more than half the people have the fever and ague : in fine, almost any place that has any resources, and where lands or lots will sell in market. For however people may express themselves as to the salubrity of places in their vicinity, they never acknowledge their own place to be unhealthy as long as any body has life enough left to deny it. Let any one deny this who has travelled through our western country if he can. Let him refresh his recol- lection as to the number of places that have been resolutely pronounced healthy by one half, while the other half their inhabitants were sick. St. Louis has been declared healthier than Boston, Cincinnati than Albany, Utica than New- York, and, to cap the climax of false- WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 15 hood, New Orleans has been claimed to be healthier than any northern city. The inhabitants of Kentucky and Virginia have removed to Upper Missouri ; those of New England and New- York to Ohio, Illinois, Michilimackinac, and Green Bay ; those of the western States to the New England sea- board ; and those of the northern and middle States to Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Louis- iana, and Texas ; and all on account of their health. This has arisen in part from the restlessness of those afflicted with chronic complaints, but mostly from the temporary benefit experienced by almost every one by the mere change of climate and scene, through the influence of the nerves, without regard to the effects of a continued residence in the par- ticular climate. Because the immediate ef- fect is agreeable, it is hastily concluded that the newly tried climate is good, and every sacrifice is made to remove to it: with what results let the thousand disappointed wander- ers after health answer. Having once made the experiment without success, the unfortu- nate patient concludes that nothing can help him, and, without further expense or trouble, settles down into a calm state of despondency, 16 A WINTER IN THE and drags out the residue of a miserable ex- istence. Instead of vainly asking opinions as to climate, let us, in the first place, carefully consider what are the causes of a fine and what of a bad climate, and where they are found ; and, secondly, what cases of disease are most affected by climate. 1. The causes of a good climate are few and simple: an even temperature, warm or cool / an atmosphere at once dry and pure. Those of a bad climate, extreme heat or cold, variableness, humidity and impurity of atmosphere. In proportion as the former or latter preponderate, the climate will be good or bad as a general thing. Now, apply this principle to our own country. New England has dryness of atmosphere in general, because the soil is dry, and the growth of vegetation not rank. To the sound in constitution, there- fore, it is a good climate. But it is subject not only to severe cold for a great part of the time, but also at times to extreme heat, and, what is worse than either, to the most sudden transitions from one to the other. Therefore, though a great proportion of the healthy may keep so, when disease has once got foothold in the system, it is almost impossible to get WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 17 rid of it. The cold wind of an hour will blow away the improvement of a week : and even in the summer, when the feeble patient will almost suffocate with heat in the middle of the day, he finds perspiration suddenly checked at night, and requires three, blankets covering to sleep warm. In the western part of New- York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri, the same evils prevail ; in some places perhaps not to so great an extent ; but here there is an additional evil of greater magnitude. The soil is rich and moist ; the growth of vegetation rank ; and, what is worse yet, there are plenty of fresh lakes, ponds, swamps, sluggish rivers, &c. &c. on almost every side ; and there are no sea breezes to give even a temporary purity to the atmos- phere. However well located a particular place may be, therefore, as to causes in its immediate vicinity, its inhabitants must breathe the great moving mass of air that has passed over hundreds of miles of land imbued with moisture and covered with decaying vegetable matter, from which a most noxious malaria is constantly arising. Because, in particular places certain malaria has pro- duced a particular disease only within a short 18 A WINTER IN THE distance of the place where it originated, it has been inferred that effluvia from marshes, swamps, moist soil, &c., could not affect the salubrity of the atmosphere, except in its im- mediate vicinity ; and the idea that the inju- rious effects may extend hundreds of miles, has been treated as visionary and absurd, but is none the less true. If a damp floor will affect a whole house, will not a soil of many feet in depth, saturated with water, and ex- posed to the rays of the sun, extend its va- pours miles in height ? It must be so ; or clouds and rain would never be. If an un- wholesome vapour is constantly arising miles in height from the whole surface of a country hundreds of miles in extent, will it not move in a mass in the shape of wind, for hundreds of miles, without becoming much diluted by the mixture of other air, as the warm water of the Gulf Stream makes its way northward without being cooled by the surrounding wa- ters? And if this effluvia does not every where produce specific diseases, is it any more strange that it should affect the general health and constitution of mankind, than that the water of one river should affect the quality of the fishes that live in it, differently from that WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 19 of others? Two rivers may each have what is called pure water, and still the shad of one be superior to those of the other. If fishes are affected by the water they breathe, must not we be equally affected by our element of respiration, and is not the general liability to diseases in proportion to the humidity and impurity of the atmosphere ? To-be-sure, the effects are not immediately felt by the robust and hardy, except in particular sections, and the country is therefore, in common parlance, called healthy; but as often as the system becomes prostrated by some sudden attack of disease, the slow recovery in some, and the remaining chronic diseases in other cases, plainly demonstrate the badness of the cli- mate. In New England a person has a fever, and in two weeks is entirely well again. In the western country it takes six or eight weeks to get up at all, and then, in more than half the cases, the patient is not entire- ly well in a year, and in many cases finds permanent chronic disease remaining after all that can be done. It is therefore madness to keep a patient here at least during the fall, winter, and spring months ; and even the summer is bad enough. The mountainous 20 A WINTER IN THE regions of the southern States furnish a pretty good summer residence for invalids : but in the winter, the whole of our southern States are similar to, or worse than November and April in New-York, subject to dampness, cold, and sudden changes, making, on the whole, about as bad a place as could be ima- gined for invalids. The cold is not quite as severe ; but as the preparation for it is not as good, it is as much realized as at the north. When it is considered that these States are situated to the north of the Tropic, and that consequently the wind must be almost con- stantly blowing from the cold regions of the north during winter, sweeping nearly a whole continent, and bearing onward its accumu- lated vapours, is it at all surprising that inva- lids should fare worse here than almost any where else ? The southern people are open- ing their eyes upon this subject; and notwith- standing the general idea at the north, that there is no consumption at the south, nume- rous patients afflicted, or at least threatened with that complaint, are now sent from thence to the West Indies, or to the south of Europe, annually. It is only between the Tropics that the requisite uniformity of temperature can be WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 21 found. The West India Islands are the most accessible to us on account of proximity, and are, in many other respects, the best resort on earth for those afflicted with chronic diseases. They have the pure ocean on the north and east, from whence the wind always blows, and it is only necessary to avoid immediate local causes of disease to have as healthy a climate as the earth can afford. Let those who are enamoured with the idea of southern Europe read the journal of Lord Byron, or any body else who has kept one there, and they will be satisfied. They will soon per- ceive that rain, mud, hail, sleet, and snow, are not so pleasant things as to compensate for going three thousand miles, especially when we have enough of them at home to be had gratis. Clark on Climates and Diseases gives a particular description of all the places of re- sort in southern Europe, and shows them all far inferior to Madeira as resorts for invalids ; and from his description of the latter, it will be seen that in winter cold is a serious evil there. The thermometer falls at times as low as fifty degrees, and rainy days are frequent. At page 160-1, he cites the opinion of Dr. Hei- 22 A WINTER IN THE neken, who resided at Madeira on account of a pulmonary complaint, that the summer there is far more favourable than the winter, and that pulmonary invalids had better spend the winter in the West Indies, and the summer in Madeira. At page 164, (note,) Dr. Clark says, that he intended to have given some account of the climate of the West Indies, believing that they would atford a better winter resort than any he had described, but that he had been unable to obtain sufficient information to satisfy himself upon the subject. The fear of yellow fever in the West Indies, which has deterred many from going there, is altogether unfounded. In summer or winter, with ordinary care, there is no danger. The cases of yellow fever generally occur on board vessels, and about particular ports, which are known from local causes to be unhealthy, sum- mer and winter. An invalid will of course keep away from such places, and be safe. If he does riot, it is his own fault. In all other places there are no fevers without great expo- sure to the heat of the sun, and the cure is easy in case of an attack much easier than similar attacks at the north. After reading O the following chapters, the reader can judge WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 23 for himself as to the correctness of these observations. 2. There is scarcely any disease but what is more or less affected by climate ; but it is only chronic affections that afford an oppor- tunity for benefit by a change. In fevers, acute inflammations, and such like violent diseases, of course the patient must combat the enemy wherever he meets with the at- tack, as he cannot get away ; but in almost all cases of sub-inflammation of the lungs, bronchial tubes, stomach, liver, or any part of the mucus membrane, producing catarrh, asth- ma, stricture of the chest, coughs, dyspepsia, &c. <fec., and particularly in all cases threat- ening consumption, the most decided advan- tage is gained by a good climate, where, in- stead of burning with heat and sweltering O with perspiration at one hour, and shivering with cold and wrapped in an overcoat the next, with perspiration entirely obstructed, the patient can at all times freely expose him- self to the air without the burthen of heavy clothing, and can keep up a uniform action upon the surface, thereby promoting a healthy action of the mucus membrane and all the secretory organs of the system. To almost 24 A WINTER IN THE every such patient, the relief afforded in a single week is enough to compensate for a voyage to the West Indies and back again. In cases of confirmed tubercular consumption, however, it is worse than useless to send the patient to a strange land for the sake of a climate which can do him no good. WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 25 CHAPTER II. My Own Case. IN January, 1831, at the age of 23, I was at- tacked with an inflammation upon the lungs, so violently as to require copious bleeding, &c., <fcc. After the disease had subsided, to the great surprise of my physician as well as myself, the first particle of food on the return of appetite produced extreme distress at the stomach, flatulency, violent eructations, and other distressing symptoms of dyspepsia. The whole nervous system became irritated in the highest degree, and after having been confined in my room till May, as the warm weather came on, I was able to get to Sara- toga Springs, where the waters were tried with trifling advantage ; and from thence to the sea-shore, where greater benefit was per- ceived, insomuch, that travelling, instead of fatiguing too much, began to afford relief. In the fall, the advance of cold weather seemed to obstruct all the functions of the system, and apprehensive for the result, and 3 26 A WINTER IN THE anxious to do something, it was resolved to try the relaxing effect of a southern climate. The worst symptoms somewhat abated on going south, but others appearing at New- Orleans, resulting from the climate, a Missis- sippi steamboat was a natural resort ; and before the first of December I was at St. Louis. To my great disappointment, that place was found to be about as cold, and, if possible, more damp and chilly than west- ern New- York. Despairing of any relief from climate, I returned home by way of Ohio, and arrived there in the severest winter weather, somewhat improved by all these journeys, voyages, and changes of climate together. Severe dyspepsia, however, re- mained, and no hope of recovery was per- ceived unless time should afford relief. In the fall of 1834, severe symptoms of catarrh appeared, and, for the first time, the lungs began to show symptoms of revolt. Severe attacks of stricture across the chest, with a violent cough, occurred occasionally at intervals of two or three weeks. In November, 1836, in the hope of obtain- ing benefit from a residence on the sea-shore, I removed to the city of New- York. But WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 27 before the winter had fairly commenced, the strong, bracing, cold sea air, together with the gas from coal fires, gave me a severe attack of bronchitis, which rendered respira- tion distressing beyond description. Think- ing the sea air and coal fires the immediate causes of difficulty, I returned to the coun- try, where, instead of being relieved, every symptom was aggravated to such a degree as to render it impossible to go south, which now plainly appeared to be the only availa- ble remedy. On returning to the city in the spring, however, the air from the ocean appeared very favourable ; and during the summer, the improvement was so great that I was enabled to endure the mild winter of 1837-8 in New- York with but slight difficulty; During the hot summer of 1 838, the worst symptoms of catarrh, asthma, and dyspepsia made a combined attack upon the system. The nerves became very irritable ; pains be- came severe and constant ; and every thing seemed to indicate a fatal termination of my miseries. The first cool wind in September brought back the stricture across the chest with a severity before unknown. Instead of 28 A WINTER IN THE coming occasionally, and only at night, it now became constant day and night. Down to the first of December I had three attacks, each lasting about a week ; during xvhich there was scarcely a moment's cessation of the severest distress, or an hour that would admit of a reclining posture. The cough was terrible, the expectoration copious, and there was no reasonable ground to believe that I could survive the winter. At the earnest solicitation of my physician, as a last experiment it was resolved to visit St. Croix, which was then much resorted to by inva- lids from New- York, and was considered the best place for them in the West Indies, or indeed anywhere else. The expense, to be sure, was double what it would have been to Key West ; but it was now too strong a case to think of that. Accordingly, with hasty preparation and drooping spirits, I bid adieu to New- York, and embarked upon a winter's ocean, with every thing to apprehend and but little reasonably to hope. At least, such was my own impressions. The sequel will show how agreeably I was disappointed. WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 29 CHAPTER III. The Voyage. MANY are deterred from going to any place beyond seas by fear of sea-sickness ; and hence seek out the best place they can find in their own country as a resort during win- ter. Hundreds, no doubt, visit our southern States every winter r who are fully aware of the superiority of the West India climate, because they have not the moral courage to endure a few days at sea, when all who have tried it acknowledge the benefits after it is over, whatever may be their opinion while the distress remains. I have been to sea sev- eral times ; with one exception, have always been sick as long as the sea has been rough ; and although while at sea I have always de- termined never to go again, have uniformly thought the reverse as soon as it was over. And why ? Because conscious of the great benefit to health derived from it. On the fourth of December, in the severest of winter weather, with a constitution sulfer- 3* 30 A WINTER IN THE ing under the combined influence of catarrh, asthma and dyspepsia, all aggravated by the severities of a northern winter, with great pain of body and depression of spirits border- ing on despair, I abandoned my foothold on terra Jirma, and committed myself to the mercy of the winds and the waves. My own case was bad enough ; but a worse one was before my eyes, and it did not become me to complain. A fellow-passenger, a man in the prime of life, and but six weeks be- fore perfectly healthy, was brought on board, being unable to walk ; and accompanied by his mother, took his leave of his brothers, while the tears of all falling thick and fast, plainly indicated their belief that it was a final separation. He had an attack of he- morrhage at the lungs, and was then under the full influence of a hectic fever, and pro- bably could not have survived two weeks at New- York. After four days of fair wind, but rough sea, during which I was unable to leave my berth, I crawled, for I was unable to walk, to the. deck, and stretched myself at full length in a sun-shine as cheering as the smiles of friendship. We had now passed WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 31 the Gulf Stream, and saw no more of cold weather. My improvement, in spite of con- tinued sea-sickness, was truly surprising far beyond my most ardent anticipations. The pains about the spine and chest, the stricture of the lungs, catarrhal and asth- matic symptoms, all subsided ; and long be- fore eating anything I could walk the deck without pain, and respire the pure air with perfect ease. The winds became light, as well as adverse, and kept us fourteen days in making from lat. 28 to 23, about three hundred miles. During this time sea-sickness subsided, appetite returned, and well did I im- prove it, insomuch that it was difficult to make passengers believe the story of my sufferings at home. My fellow-invalid also improved enough to enable him to walk the deck, though his symptoms remained bad. We filially got a strong trade -wind from the south-east, which brought us up before St. Thomas on Christmas morning. A merry Christmas in- deed, to find ourselves alongside the pictu- resque landscape of St. Thomas, after a dreary voyage of three weeks, with the monotonous roar of the ocean for our only music. The city of St. Thomas is situated on the 32 A WINTER IN THE south side of the island of that name, 18 20' north latitude, at the head of a fine harbour, running up about three miles from the ocean, to the foot of a ridge of round-topped hills, shooting up as regularly as though they had been forced up by some volcanic eruption. A smaller range of hills bounds the harbour on either side, making the distance to the town, when viewed from a vessel lying at its mouth, appear less than half a mile. The buildings, painted with various colours, rising gradually one above another upon three separate eleva- tions, with the deep green leaves of cocoa-nut and palm trees interspersed among them, to- gether with the majestic elevation in the rear, presented a landscape picturesque and beauti- ful beyond description. My impressions of the place were of course decidedly favourable, and would have remained so had I not gone on shore and seen the town as it really is. The streets are narrow ; the free circulation of air is obstructed on either side ; and the sun beats down with overpowering heat, ren- dering it an unhealthy as well as unpleasant place. The first information we got about the place, was that many of the inhabitants were down with fevers, and that there were three WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 33 cases in the family of one of our fellow-passen- gers from New- York. This was of course satis- factory evidence that St. Thomas was no place for invalids ; and the fact that old inhabitants afterwards visited St. Croix for their health, and that sea-captains generally complained that their men always got sick there, confirmed me in the opinion. At night we made sail for St. Croix, about forty miles to the south-east, and the next morning, December 26th, found our- selves in the harbour of Bassin, or Christian- stadt. A word of advice to invalids about passages shall conclude this chapter. I have observed that whenever most passengers go, the price is highest, because it becomes an object for the proprietors of vessels to combine to keep it up. As for a few years past many have gone to St. Croix, I found that packet ships asked one hundred dollars, and brigs, &c. seventy-five to eighty, for a passage of only fifteen hundred miles, which is usually performed in twelve or fifteen, and sometimes in eight or ten days ; whereas very good transient vessels were glad to take forty or fifty dollars to any of the West India islands. Many passengers suppose that they will be much more comfortable if they go 34 A WINTER IN THE in the vessel that charges highest. This is a mistake. Those vessels are generally filled to overflowing, which renders them extremely uncomfortable in case of bad weather; and besides, when there are so many, it becomes almost impossible to get the requisite attention from stewards, &c. &c. Secure a passage in a good, strong, fast-sailing vessel, where there are few passengers ; and, above all, keep clear of a lower cabin when there is an upper one, and the sufferings of a voyage will be greatly diminished. There is a bad air in lower cabins, especially in sugar vessels, that renders them almost intolerable. I preferred sleeping on the floor, for want of a better place above, the three last nights of the voyage. These may seem trifles to some, but not to those who have been or expect to go to sea. If any should doubt the correctness of these remarks, let them try it, as I have, and they will then be satisfied. WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 35 CHAPTER IV, Bassin, or Christianstadt. THE view of the town from the harbour is picturesque, but not as beautiful as that of St. Thomas. It is situated near the north end of the island, at the foot of a range of hills seve- ral hundred feet high, which extends along the whole north-westerly shore. A consider- able elevation projects out from the main range, forming the easterly boundary of the harbour ; but on the southerly side, the eleva- tion is gradual, aifording a fine view of several sugar plantations. The rich cane-fields on the right, the deep foliage of the cocoa-nut and palm trees in the distance, the windmills of the sugar-houses crowning the summits of several beautiful hills, with the town in front, and the lofty mountains in the rear, rising with all the stem and rugged majesty of Na- ture's wildness, altogether presented a scene variegated and delightful in the extreme to one who had but just escaped from the ice- bound regions of the north. Highly delight- 36 A WINTER IN THE ed as I was, there was one thing which struck me unfavourably before going on shore, to wit : the great humidity of the atmosphere. Every thing appeared dripping with moisture, and the physician from the town soon in- formed us, that it was what they call the sick- ly season, but that it was about over; that some were now sick with fevers, and others with fever and ague. This was rather un- pleasant news to one who shuddered at the idea of a damp climate. I had seen several persons well acquainted with the island, and had read some published descriptions of it, but never heard of this humidity of atmosphere, or one word about fever and ague abounding there. However, we all went ashore, re- solved to make the best of it. The signs of moisture now became more and more appar- ent, two or three showers happened while we were getting on shore, with bright sun-shine intervening between each; The moisture of the ground, the mouldering appearance of the brick and stone walls, and the decaying state of the wooden buildings, all eloquently be- spoke the dampness of the climate. I could think of nothing but the idea of visiting a city a week after the flood. However moist, the WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 37 atmosphere was warm, bland, and of even tem- perature, inducing a very comfortable and se- dentary feeling. Sea-sickness for the last three days of the voyage had caused a tempo- rary suspension of appetite, which returned with double force, and the first meal showed conclusively that the climate was favourable to digestion ; and for several days, fearless of dyspepsia, and all its consequences, I ate more at a meal than I could have with safety eaten in a whole week at New-York. There was not a sign of cough, asthma, or catarrh, and scarcely any of dyspepsia, remaining. So rapid was the improvement, almost all my clothing soon became too small, and after a few days, every body would smile, when any- thing was said about my being an invalid. During the summer of 1838, which was cer- tainly hot enough, I had not a moment of such health as I now enjoyed. So great was the contrast between present comfort and past misery, that I walked forth in perfect ecstacy, as though I had suddenly passed "from death unto life" But what of the place ? It con- tains about three thousand inhabitants, less than three hundred of whom are whites, the residue of every shade from jet black to light 4 38 A WINTER IN THE yellow, perhaps one quarter of them slaves, the rest free, and without any apparent differ- ence in manners, customs, dress, circum- stances, or feelings, between them. Of course, it is seldom that a white man, and much more seldom that a white lady, is met in the street. The houses are built with basements for store-rooms, <fcc., &c., level with the street, and one story above to reside in, with a gal- lery, as it is here called, or kind of piazza, the whole length in front. There are no side- walks to the streets, and no pavements, the soil making a hard, clean surface in spite of rain. To one accustomed to view the throng of exquisitely dressed ladies and gentlemen, constantly rushing along the sidewalks of Broadway, and hear the deafening rattle of carriages and carts, to find himself all at once in a city where he sees only a crowd of bare- foot, half naked negroes, straying carelessly along the middle of the street, like so many cattle, without a cart or carriage in motion, or a sound heard except the gabble of the negroes, the contrast is at once striking, novel, and amusing. In general, all move, and speak too, as deliberately as if Time had WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 39 folded up his wings. But there is now and then an exception. For instance : occasion- ally, a strapping bare-foot negro would run through the street at the rate of seven knots, with a hucket of water or a bundle of wood on his head, balanced as well as though he were standing perfectly still. During the ten days I remained there, it rained, on an average, four or five times a day. The showers were short, and as a scorching sun generally intervened, it was never safe to go out for a moment without an umbrella. It was generally considered, and I have no doubt correctly too, that exposure either to the sun or rain was dangerous even to the inhabitants, and productive of certain injury to strangers or invalids. The night air was also damp and injurious ; and a current of air at any time was studiously avoided by everybody. The ladies of the place had generally a pale, aguish countenance, and the children were extremely subject to croup, &c., &c. : a sure indication of the humidity of the atmosphere. The heat in the day- time was generally oppressive, the thermome- ter ranging from 82 to 86 in the shade ; and as it was unsafe to go out in the evening t 40 A WINTER IN THE there was but a little time for exercise, to wit, about two hours in the morning, and two more towards evening. This was generally improved in riding : the roads here being the finest in the world. No such thing as mud or dust is ever known ; and the rolling of the carriage-wheels upon the hard smooth surface, makes music for the ear, and gives a pleasure to riding unknown anywhere else. Every invalid of course avails himself of such a fine, healthful recrea- tion; as a horse and gig may be hired for thirty dollars per month, kept, harnessed, and brought to the door whenever wanted, and a saddle-horse for half that sum. The scenery along the way is delightful beyond description. At one moment you wind around between two ranges of lofty hills, and the next, rich level fields of cane break upon your view, with the white walls of a sugar-works and mansion-house upon the summit of a hill in the distance, and a wind-mill above the whole, swinging its long arms like a mighty giant, inviting some val- orous Don Quixote to mortal combat. On the way-side are clusters of lime trees, with ripe yellow fruit, contrasting finely with the deep WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 41 green foliage ; and the whole is adorned by rows of palm trees, or mountain cabbage, as they are here called, on each side, standing as straight and true as so many architectural columns of the most skilful workmanship and finest proportions. The rides about this place are considered by many more romantic and variegated than those about West End, or any other part of the island. It will be perceived, that however benefi- cial the climate may prove, with proper care on the part of invalids, still, without the greatest caution, there is constant danger in so many particulars, that the requisite care is burdensome and sometimes tedious. The heat is much of the time oppressive, and al- ways relaxing, and but little exercise can be endured without great fatigue. Notwith- standing all these inconveniences, however, during the ten days passed here, I continued rapidly to improve ; and, therefore, speaking in general terms, ought to say that it was a good climate for me at least. It was so, compared with any I had' ever before known. The bad, however, must be stated as well as the good, so that invalid^ may judge for them- selves. 4" 42 A WHNTTER IN THE There were only six or eight invalids at this place, including my fellow-passengers most of the Americans, on the whole, preferring West End, a village about fifteen miles distant. This is the capital of the island ; the government-house and public offices are of course here. There is nothing splendid in any of the public edifices, and contrary to my expectations, the gardens were indifferent, and almost destitute of fruit. Scarcely a hundred oranges could be found upon the trees in all the city and suburbs. There are several churches a Lutheran, Catholic, and Episcopalian. The Lutheran is the national religion of the Danes ; but a mild system of toleration is adopted as to other sects. The English language is spoken here by all the inhabitants, except some of the Danish soldiers. There are almost as many English and American inhabitants as Danes, and the latter are generally more civil and polite to visiters than the former. On the birth-day of his Danish majesty, a ball is always given at the government-house, to which the American visiters are invited, and every disposition appears to be manifested to make WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 43 the place a pleasant resort for invalids. There are two boarding-houses here, but they are not well supported, on account of the general preference for West End. The inhabitants of the place are very much sur- prised at this strange perversion of taste in the Americans, in preferring a place,, accord- ing to their accounts, the very worst on earth. They are almost indignant at any one who attempts to speak favourably of West End, and use every effort to prevent others going there, telling strangers on their arrival that the other place is without accommoda- tions, &c. I was told on my arrival, that it was impossible to get lodgings at West End, but, to my surprise, found plenty of room there after twenty more passengers had arrived. If invalids wish to avoid dif- ficulty, they had better form their own opin- ions upon several little local matters, but not by any means express them, as r in a small community, every thing affecting the inter- ests of the inhabitants is told from one end of the island to the other in an incredibly short time. One accustomed to the style of furnishing in the boarding-houses of our cities, may at 44 A WINTER IN THE first be somewhat surprised at the appear- ance of a boarding-house in St. Croix. A house white- washed outside, with a single covering of boards, washed or painted with- in, without ceiling overhead, except the roof, with old shutters, and no blinds or glass to the windows, with decaying boards for floors, without carpets or other covering, and furni- ture of the simplest and cheapest kind, a ta- ble, some chairs, and a calico-covered sofa, in the dining room, a bed, chair, and wash- stand, in sleeping rooms, might not at first seem exactly what he would wish, and lead him to suspect that he had not found the best place. But after becoming better ac- quainted, and finding all other places about the same, he will soon become perfectly satis- fied, and in a short time feel disposed to laugh at the extravagant superfluity of fine furniture at the north. At New- York I had boarded for five dollars per week, at a house rented at twelve hundred dollars a year, and furnished at an expense of several thousands ; here I paid ten dollars per week at a house which could be bought, lot and all, for twelve hundred dollars, and containing altogether ' O o scarcely three hundred dollars' worth of fur- WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 45 niture. The reason of the high price of board is not the expense of provisions, for they are generally low, nor of servants, for slaves are bought at from one to three hun- dred dollars, and hired for from two to four dollars per month ; but because there are no boarders to be had for one half of the year, and the loss must be made up on the other. A family wishing to spend the winter here, and live economically, would do well to bring out such articles of furniture as they might want, take apartments, and keep house for themselves. They can then live exactly to suit them, which will not always be the case at a boarding-house. Five to ten dollars per month will hire a comfortable house, and there are plenty to be had. A good living may be procured at small expense. The meats of the island are pretty good, and the fish are fine beyond comparison, and almost beyond de- scription. Plantains and bananas are at once healthy and palatable, and the sweet potato is far better than any we ever get at the north. The oranges of St. Croix, though not abun- dant, are unsurpassed in excellence. The above mentioned articles, with plenty of good bread, which can always be had, constitute 46 A WINTER IN THE not only a wholesome but luxurious diet. Let no one be deterred from eating freely of these, because the same or similar things have pro- duced injurious effects at the north. The ef- fect is quite different when eaten here. At New- York I could only eat hard bread, and a little roast or broiled meat, without vegetables or fruit, and of those but a small quantity, without severe indigestion and asthma. Here I could eat to the extent of my appetite of meats, vegetables, and fruit, with perfect impu- nity. There are many other things which may be acceptable to others, though not to me. The yam and casaba root are used as a substitute for the common potato, but I like the plantain better; the forbidden fruit and shattuck for oranges: they resemble the orange in colour, are much larger, but are bitter to the taste, and to me unpalatable. The messi- ple, or apple of Venus, is liked by many ; the mango, by some ; and the belle apple, when just ripe enough, by almost every body. Muskmelons are plenty, and rather better than at the north, but are not a healthy fruit anywhere. These are a few of the novelties, at least in winter, which the northern invalid has gained WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 47 by the exchange of climate. The living, how- ever, at boarding-houses, does not generally suit Americans. Danish flour, a little musty, is sometimes preferred to American, because, forsooth, there is twelve and a half per cent, difference in the price, i. e. the amount of du- ties. Danish butter and lard are perseverirfgly pronounced better than American for the same reason ; and because we ignorant Yankees dif- fer with them in taste, and will not eat butter resembling goose-oil and molasses, when set upon the table, we are finely punished by having it plentifully poured into all gravies, worked into all sorts of cake and almost every thing else. No allusion is had to any particu- lar house, my intention being merely to men- tion an evil which is quite common. There are some exceptions. Much of the cake baked at St. Croix, and which looks very finely too, is a compound of old flour, bad lard, and worse butter, well sweetened, stuck together, and half baked. Fresh butter is made upon the island, which many like because of its scarcity ; but almost every one abandons the use of butter altogether after a few days ; and if they could keep it out of the cake and gravies, would be satisfied withal. American butter might be 48 A WINTER IN THE brought here very sweet, but there is no mar- ket for it, and therefore it does not come. This particular detail of living is given to en- able invalids to judge for themselves whether to come prepared to keep house or rely upon boarding-houses. On this subject my remarks are founded upon observations at West End, as well as at Bassin, and met the concurrence of many boarders at both places. With these evils enough of good was mixed, however, to en- sure a pretty good living at any of the board- ing-houses, i. e. after a little experience in se- lecting. The oranges, sweet potatoes, &c. &c. could not be spoiled, but were sometimes not found in sufficient quantity to supply the demand. WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 49 CHAPTER V. West End, or Frederickstadt. AFTER becoming pretty well acquainted with the particulars of Bassin, it was natural to pay a visit at least to West End, the general resort of Americans. On leaving Bassin, which is situate nearly on a level with the ocean, and passing over the plantations situate under the lee of the hills, and still elevated several hun- dred feet from the shore, it was immediately observed from the appearance of every thing-, that it was impossible the frequent showers we had lately had in town could have reached here. The air was pure, dry, and elastic, beyond any thing before observed. Gentle breezes found their way through all the val- leys, and over all the plains, banishing exces- sive perspiration, increasing the strength and enlivening the spirits, and giving a brisk mo- tion to the windmills stationed on almost every hill-top, like so many valorous defenders of the high places ; the heavy rich growth of cane was gently waving in the breeze, with a 5 50 A WINTER IN THE slight rustling murmur ; beautiful rows of or- namental trees bordered the splendid road we were passing; the warbling of birds was heard among their branches ; small fleecy clouds were floating in the heavens, alternately vary- ing every view, from the brightest sunshine to the deepest shade ; and every thing combined to impress me with the idea of passing through some enchanted land of the wildest romance, rather than any reality of the earth. After a ride of two hours and a half through scenes constantly varying, but everywhere beautiful, with a range of cultivated conical hills on the right, and a view of the ocean over miles of cane fields and groves of palm trees on the left, the village of West End suddenly burst upon the view. One of those slight momen- tary showers which are common here, was hanging over the village, throwing all the colours of the rainbow over a scene which is always surpassingly beautiful. The effect was at once beautiful and sublime beyond de- scription. The imagination of Mahomet could not supply its equal with which to adorn his Paradise. This village is situate on open ground, gra- dually rising from the shore, not hemmed in WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 51 by hills, like Bassin, but with plenty in per- spective, to give grandeur as well as beauty to the scenery, and is bounded on every side, ex- cept the shore, with highly cultivated sugar plantations. The streets are wider than those of Bassin, and the buildings less compact, in a better state of preservation, and more in Ameri- can taste. There are also more gardens and shrubbery about town ; and, what is observa- ble at the first view, neither the buildings nor the soil show such strong indications of fre- quent rains. As near as I can judge, there are about one thousand inhabitants in the village, nearly half whites. The amount of mercan- tile business is as much or more than that of Bassin, and the number of vessels in the har- bour about the same. Like almost every other American, I at once fell into the notion that this place was far superior to the other, and determined to change my quarters. From five or six weeks' residence here, visiting Bassin occasionally, and making particular inquiries of others, I was confirmed in the opinion that there was not half as much rain, dampness of atmosphere, or actual sickness, here as there. Almost every body who left here in fair weather, found it rainy or damp there, and 52 A WINTER IN THE those who left it wet there, found it dry here. The account of the weather above given, there- fore, is not accurate in application to West End or the island in general. The frequency of showers, however, was a general subject of complaint even here. Although there were some days when it did not rain at all, still two or three showers a-day were very common, and sometimes there were ten or a dozen, with bright sunshine intervening. These showers generally last but a few moments, and extend but little distance; it being no uncommon occurrence for one estate to get plenty of rain while the next is parching with drought. This frequency of rain, together with the rank growth of vegetation, would make a very un- healthy climate were it not for the nature of the soil, (which does not retain the water, the elevation of the land keeping it always dry,) and the fine cultivation of almost every acre of ground, except some of the steepest and roughest hills. The rain washes away every impurity. There is no low land or stagnant water ; and there is scarcely any sickness, ex- cept from direct exposure to rain, night air, or sunshine. With proper care, therefore, it is a good climate for invalids from the north who WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 53 need only evenness of temperature and elasti- city of atmosphere. With all the beneficial effects I experienced, however, it was difficult to become reconciled to the idea of closing windows the moment the sun set or a shower arose, of keeping close in the evening and through all the middle of the day. An attack of catarrh and asthma at night was sure to follow exposure to the evening air; and on several occasions, during the month of Janu- ary, my old difficulties came upon me with sufficient severity to cause restless nights, with a severe turn of asthma and cough towards morning. In spite of all this, however, my general health kept improving, and my weight increased seven or eight pounds in a month. Many others found themselves daily increasing in weight and substance, as well as in health and spirits, and there was a general expression in favour of the climate : some, however, con- sidered it very bad. In regard to the moisture and frequent showers, it is fair to state, that so rainy a winter had not been known there for several years, if the statements of the in- habitants are to be relied upon. As to medical attendance; the very best can 5* 54 A WINTER IN THE be procured at St. Croixj several eminent physicians residing there, one of whom, Dr. Steadman, of West End, had a hemorrhage at the lungs at the age of eighteen, came there for his health, and now looks hardy and ro- bust at the age of about sixty. The charges for medical attendance are moderate. There were six boarding-houses here, en- tertaining in all about seventy American boarders, about one half of whom were inva- lids, and the residue their husbands, wives, or companions : of course, every house was filled to overflowing. The board of the whole at ten dollars per week amounts to two thou- sand eight hundred dollars per month, and in six months, to nearly twenty thousand dollars: a considerable little revenue for a small village. The inhabitants may well feel disposed to encourage American visiters to come here, and try to please them when they get here. Rent is very low, and keeping boarders must be profitable. One establish- ment, which cost only three thousand dollars, kept seventeen boarders. There are plenty of small houses, suitable for single private fami- lies, to be had at about eight dollars per month ; WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 55 and although it might cost some trouble, I can but think many would prefer keeping house to boarding, if they could come from home well prepared. Besides the objections to boarding before mentioned, there are some others, more apparent here than at Bassin. The great number of invalids makes it seem more like a hospital than a boarding-house, and nervous people are not at all benefitted by having so many patients before their eyes, hearing the stories of their sufferings, and sympathising in their despair. A person, how- ever, who is not alarmed at beholding hard cases of disease, will find some, if not all, of these boarding-houses very comfortable, in res- pect of rooms, settees, &c. &c. Another objection that weighs with some,, is that ten or fifteen Americans, especially from the same city, cannot spend six months together in the same house, and with nothing else to do, without getting up some petty mis- chief-making scheme or other, or without some of them attempting to show their supe- riority over others, either in point of wealth, standing, etiquette, or extravagance, in such manner as seriously to annoy any one who 56 A WINTER IN THE has too much sense to participate in such con- temptible efforts. A sly, cunning, knowing, sort of a fool, that tells all news, and knows everybody's business in advance, and always gets it wrong ; a jesting fellow, always dealing in inuendoes and putting everybody to the trouble of deciding whether jesting, or in earnest ; a dandy clerk, with a salary of three hundred a year, strutting in ruffles, and ridi- culing every body behind his notions of fash- ionable dress ; or what is worse than either, one of Nature's little great men, eternally in- sinuating that nobody can be anything who does not come up to him, in eating and drink- ing according to fashion, or amount of expen- ditures, when perhaps his creditors at home are wondering why he does not pay his debts ; or some other equally disgusting and unen- durable bore, is almost sure to be found at a public boarding-house, and to be a greater cause of annoyance than any one can imagine before he has tried it. T^o set off against evils of this sort, however, almost every place affords an acquaintance with some who are at once talented, intelligent, and polite, and whose valuable society would be lost, or at WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 57 least but partially enjoyed by one who should avoid a boarding-house. These are small matters, but it is better to consider them in advance, as they are sure to be thought of at some time. Of the invalids here, three died during the months of December and January, being hopeless cases of consumption, from their first start from home ; two or three other cases of far-gone consumption derived but little advantage from the climate. Some five or six others were much improved, and their sufferings much alleviated, without any very encouraging appearance of ultimate recovery ; five or six had every appearance of perfect health, after severe attacks of hemorrhage at the lungs at the north ; and four or five cases of asthma were now, as they had before been, entirely relieved, while remaining in a tropical climate, but had found the disease return on going north heretofore, and no doubt will find the same result again. The effect of the change of climate upon persons afflicted with catarrh, asthma, and bronchitis, is at the same time so certain and beneficial, that those who have been thus afflicted for any considerable 58 A WINTER IN THE length of time, had better abandon the north at once, and keep themselves between the tropics, where they can enjoy a good degree of health and comfort, in lieu of a life of severe affliction, and premature death, in the damp, chilly regions of their own country. It is hard to quit all, and go, but harder still, to stay and suffer. It was probably not the fault of the cli- mate in some cases which prevented the im- provement of invalids ; but merely their own carelessness and imprudence, in ex- posing themselves to the evening air, dining out, staying late, and eating extravagantly, drinking champagne, &c., &c. Some who were almost daily expectorating blood, in- dulged themselves in such imprudent experi- ments. The ordinary hour of dining with the Danes is 5 o'clock, p. M., consequently, no one dines out without making an evening affair of it. It may seem strange that an in- valid should think of such a thing ; but feel- ing so much better here than at home, and the strong desire to do something to break in o o upon the dull monotony of the life he is liv- ing, naturally lead him to venture upon WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 59 indulgences he would never think of at home. The first three or four weeks at West End passes off pretty comfortable. Picking up shells upon the shore amuses for a while ; riding affords a recreation not quite so soon worn out. Two hours' ride, in two or three different directions, carries one over the best roads and through some of the finest sceneiy on earth. In a carriage, you may ride three or four miles along a clear little creek, wind- ing about between hills from 500 to 1000 feet high, rising precipitately on each side, and still covered with cane to the very summit ; with clusters of limes, oranges, shattucks, and forbidden fruit, scattered along the banks of the stream and margin of the way, almost within reach ; with a thick growth of wild and fragrant flowers scattered beneath ; or on horseback, you may ascend at once the loftiest summits, Mount Washington and Signal Hill, nearly a thousand feet high, with not only roads, but rows of ornamental trees across them, and look down upon the whole island, spread out below, like a beau- tiful and highly cultivated garden. Scenes 60 A WINTER IN THE like these are delightful, but the novelty soon wears away, and it seems dull and mo- notonous to be always riding over the same ground. Dullness was a very genuine com- plaint, especially among those who were well, much more so than it would be under similar circumstances at the north ; because here the climate predisposes to a kind of mental indolence, which renders it almost impossible to read. The attention and mem- ory both fail, and the book is soon thrown aside for something more exciting, if it can be found. As to the climate, however, al- though some dislike it, a majority of the visi- ters considered it decidedly the most favour- able for invalids of any within their know- ledge. As to myself, however, my health growing worse along the latter part of January, I determined to make the trial of some others during the winter, if an oppor- tunity should offer ; and, accordingly, en- gaged a passage for Trinidad de Cuba, early in February. I have now given all the material circumstances of my residence at the two villages, and a brief general description of the island will close my re- WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 61 marks upon St. Croix, and enable every reader to see the whole before him, precisely as he will find it if he ever goes there : the good and the bad, fairly and faithfully de- tailed, without fear, favour, affection, or the hope of reward. Those interested may give a more flattering account, but I can only give it just as I found it. 62 A WINTER IN THE CHAPTER VI. Santa Cruz in General. ST. CROIX is an island, about eighteen miles long, situated in latitude 17 45' north, lon- gitude - west of Greenwich. It is al- most exclusively devoted to the cultivation of sugar-cane, and the manufacture of sugar, molasses, and rum. In a good season it pro- duces from fifty to sixty thousand hogsheads of muscovado sugar of the best quality. It is generally calculated that the molasses and rum will pay all the contingent expenses of the estates ; leaving the sugar for clear in- come, which at seventy-five dollars the hogs- head, for which it is generally sold there, in a good season, amounts to three millions seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars. This great revenue is produced by the care- ful cultivation of almost every inch of the soil, the estates generally consisting of but one hundred and fifty to three hundred acres each ; and nearly one hundred negroes being employed upon each one hundred and fifty WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 63 acres. The soil is dry and sweet, producing the best cane, and consequently the best su- gar known. I had heard much of filthiness in the manufacture of sugar and molasses, but the first view of a St. Croix sugar-works contradicted it. The kettles, the vats in which the sugar is cooled, the hogsheads in which it is drained, and even the molasses vats under them, are so perfectly neat and clean, that no one who has seen them can feel any squeamishness in eating St. Croix sugar, or molasses either. To look at a vat- full, a foot deep, just chrystalizing over the surface, and perfectly transparent to the bot- tom, would satisfy the most scrupulous upon this point. There is about twenty-five thou- sand black, and three thousand white popu- lation. Of course, it is seldom a white man is seen in riding through the island. Many of the blacks are free, and the slaves, by the protection afforded them by the Dan- ish laws, are about as well satisfied with slavery as they would be with freedom. No slave can be taken from the island without security for his or her return ; masters can- not inflict punishment without the interven- tion of public authority ; no slave can be 64 A WINTER IN THE sold against his or her consent, except with the estate ; and cheap and easy provisions are made for emancipation. Such is the ex- pectation of a general abolition, that the prices of slaves are only about one fourth as high as in the United States. In the vil- lage of Christianstadt, a large proportion of the retail trade, and nearly all the mechan- ical labour, is in the hands of the free blacks and mulattoes ; and the politeness, in- telligence, and ability of some of these, would surprise those who think their race by Nature unfit for freedom. Many of them have good countenances, are well behaved, and appear to evince as much discretion and judgment as whites under similar circumstances. Some of them hold commissions in the militia ser- vice ; one has been promoted to the distin- guished situation of Governor's aid-de-camp ; and instead of considering the race as on a level with brutes, many of the white inhabit- ants deem them nearly, if not quite, on a level with themselves. I listened for a whole evening to a very warm discussion of the question, whether a lady would be justified in refusing to dance with a negro or mu- WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 65 latto at a ball ; and the negative was not wanting in supporters. It is almost surprising, that so small a num- ber of proprietors should have had the public spirit and perseverance to make such costly fine roads, not only as public highways whenever needed, but should also have made a good private road around almost every es- tate ; beautifully ornamenting both with palm and cocoa-nut trees, which cut the whole into squares, and add much to the beauty of the scenery. On each estate there are generally a fine mansion, a sugar-house, windmill, and plenty of negro-houses, all sit- uate upon an eminence and interspersed with fruit and ornamental trees. Little attention is given, however, to the cultivation of fruits, and, in many places, not an orange will be seen for miles. Sugar-cane seems to have engrossed the whole attention of the inhabi- tants, and crowded out almost every thing else. The fact, that sugar-houses are worked by wind-mills, is good evidence that there are plenty of breezes. They almost always blow from north-east to south-east ; and such is the evenness of temperature, that the ther- 66 A WINTER IN THE raometer varies but about four degrees from calm to breeze, and vice versa. The varia- tion is seldom greater between night and day, and there is, on an average, less than ten degrees difference between winter and sum- mer ; during the former ranging from 82 to 86, and the latter from 88 to 93 or 94. The inhabitants have their fevers in the winter season only, and never very severely. It is a very common thing to hear one ob- serve, "such a one got the fever the other day, but he is up again." American visiters. in some instances, had a slight attack, but very seldom. On the whole, therefore, it must be pronounced a very good climate, not- withstanding the frequency of showers, and other evils before mentioned. Upon careful examination, I concluded that the fever and ague scarcely ever occurred, except in situa- tions about level with the sea, where little creeks from the ocean set up into the land, with a rank growth of vegetation along the shore, as at and about Bassin ; and that stran- gers were not subject to it, even there, with- out unnecessary exposure. Near Bassin is an estate called Richmond, beautifully situated, where invalids have oc- WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 67 casionally been entertained. The mansion- house is finely situated on a gentle elevation of ground, at a distance of forty or fifty rods from the street, with a fine private road adorned with columns of Thibet trees, leading to it ; is surrounded by a fine growth of fruit, and other ornamental trees, furnishing several shady walks ; commands a fine view of the harbour, and the ocean, on one side, and the mountains on the other ; and on the whole, has a very fascinating appearance to stran- gers. Learning that an American family was stopping there, I called for the purpose of procuring accommodations, in what I con- sidered the most beautiful situation in the vicinity of Bassin ; but could not obtain the situation, on account of the sickness of its proprietor. He was under the influence of a severe attack of ague, and his countenance was as pallid and woe-begone as any I ever witnessed, in the worst fever and ague re- gions in Illinois and Ohio. It occurred to me, at the time, that his disease must be ow- ing to the moisture caused by the rank growth of plants and trees about his house, and a little creek near it, along which was a growth of trees with foliage of that deep 68 A WINTER IN THE green that indicates richness and dampness of soil. Upon inquiry, I ascertained that al- most every family of Americans that have stopped at the house, have been visited with similar attacks, and in some cases with severe fevers. In the winter of 1836-7, Mr. Blake, of Boston, took lodgings there, with his wife and several children, every one of whom had fevers, or fever and ague. This is enough to show the great importance of se- lecting a dry situation. Humidity should be avoided as the invalid's worst enemy, not excepting cold. With a knowledge of all these particulars,, invalids and their friends can judge upon the propriety of their visiting St. Croix. The difficulty of getting accommodations in some, and of foreign languages in others, of the West India islands, has in a great measure prevented a fair trial of other places ; and this being best known, and most accessible, has very naturally been preferred, and whatever may be the advantages of other places,, will, no doubt, by many, continue to be preferred to all others. The currency of St. Croix consists of bank notes and base coin, with as much gold and WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 69 silver as they can get. The standard of value is pieces of weight, of sixty-four cents each, without any coin to represent it; sti- vers seventy-five to the dollar, made of pew- ter, or something like that, and old bits of five stivers each, of the same coin. This does not much concern an American, except to have none of their money on leaving, as it is good no where else. But one thing is worthy of the traveller's attention, i. e. the kind of money he brings from home. A Spanish doubloon passes for no more than a patriot, whereas there is generally a dollar difference at New- York. There is generally a gain on the latter of twenty-five to fifty cents, on coming here, whereas on Spanish there is a loss of seventy-five, or thereabouts, as they pass here for only sixteen dollars, and generally cost sixteen seventy-five in New- York, and are always worth seventeen at Havana. One word as to passports, and I shall have done with St. Croix. The Danish authorities require no passport from Americans on their arrival ; but only that passengers should call at the police office, and report themselves. There is no necessity therefore for a passport, from 70 A WINTER IN THE our Government, or from the Danish consul in our country. I understood the Danish consul at New- York gave several passports at two dollars and a half each, telling passengers that it would be necessary to have one, or would preclude the necessity of paying for one on leaving the island ; but they were of no use whatever, because not required. On leaving the island, however, a passport must be taken out here, for which the fee' is nine dollars sixty-four cents, to the United States, two dol- lars and a half to St. Thomas, and four dollars to Porto Rico. This is a contrivance to raise money, and as it is imposed upon their own citizens, as well as foreigners, we cannot so much complain. It is, however, at once un- just towards the Americans, and impolitic in the Santa Crucians. Eight or nine hundred dollars was extorted from us this year, whereas, Danish subjects may freely come to, go through, and depart from our country, without passport, or paying fees. The Go- vernment will probably find it for their inter- est, if not to dispense with the passport, at least to reduce the fee. Although not ne- cessary, it is always advisable for every Ameri- can, on leaving his country, to obtain a pass- WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 71 port from the Secretary of State, and in going to most countries it is necessary to have it pre- sented to and endorsed by a consul, in our coun- try, of the country to be visited. In case, there- fore, of concluding to go to other countries, the passport from home saves some trouble, as I have dearly learned by being without one. It is not very consoling to an American, to be told he cannot go where he pleases, and frus- trated in all his plans. 72 \ WINTER IN THE CHAPTER VII. Voyago to Trinidad de Cuba. IT is worthy of remark, as showing the great ignorance that prevails as to this as well as many other places in the West Indies, that my friends expressed the greatest surprise at my thinking of going to such a sickly place. Several assured me that the yellow fever pre- vailed there at all seasons; that the inhabit- ants were nearly barbarous ; that there was great danger of robbery ; and that it would be impossible to get a comfortable living, or to get away by land except by mounting a mule, as no horses could be had there. As the cap- tain I was going with was an old trader to that place, information was easily obtained from him which quieted all such apprehen- sions ; and on the evening of the sixth of February I was again upon the waters, stretching my way before a whole-sail trade- wind at the rate of nine knots an hour. In three days we passed along the south side of Porto Rico and St. Domingo, with the high WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 73 lands of one or the other constantly in sight to the very southwesterly extremity of the latter, where the trade-winds demurred to going any further, and left us becalmed for three or four days, with as bright a sky and pure an at- mosphere as mortal ever beheld or breathed. The trades are broken by the high promon- tory at the S. W. extremity of St. Domingo and the elevated lands of Jamaica, nearly south, a distance of only about eighty miles ; and consequently the places to the westward are not, like St. Croix and all the Windward Islands, regularly visited by the plentiful sup- ply of moisture brought by a wind regularly sweeping two thousand miles of ocean, and always attracted to the first land it meets in the shape of copious and frequent showers. The generally moist appearance of the land to the windward, and the extreme drought to the leeward, no less than the striking change * O O in the air as soon as the trade-winds ceased, confirmed me strongly in this opinion. Here the atmosphere was so pure that we could distinctly see Jamaica and Cuba at the same time, where they are nearly one hundred miles apart. A land-breeze from the Cuba shore carried us to Trinidad on the tenth 7 74 A WINTER IN THE day of the voyage. The whole distance is about one thousand miles ; and the passage was only sixteen dollars in a good brig, with good accommodations. It was decidedly the pleasantest, as well as the cheapest passage, I had ever made. Although sea-sick part of the time, my health greatly improved during the voyage, the symptoms of asthma and ca- tarrh which had been gradually returning upon me during the latter part of January, having entirely vanished ; and when the blue mountains of Trinidad, piled to the very skies in the rear of the city as a barrier against north winds, showed by their with- ered herbage and dry sand-banks along their base, the entire absence of humidity, and the exhilarating mountain breeze restored energy to the body and sprightliness to the mind, I could not but rejoice at the fortu- nate exchange of places ; and instead of go- ing ashore with the feelings of a stranger in a strange land, mine were much more like those of an exile returning to his home after a banishment for years to some cold, inhos- pitable region. WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 75 CHAPTER VIII. Trinidad do Cuba. THE city of Trinidad is situate in the pro- vince of the same name, on the south side of the island of Cuba, at lat. about 21 42' N. The site of the town is a rising ground, near the foot of a lofty range of mountains running east and west, about four miles from the port of Casilda, through which all its commercial business is transacted, it being the only port of entry in the province. There is a good harbor, and many vessels, principally American, go there for sugars and molasses, generally disposing of their outward cargoes elsewhere. In the year 1838, about one hundred American vessels cleared from that port a larger number than those of all other nations together. The export of sugar and molasses is about one and a half to two millions of dollars annu- ally, besides a considerable amount of coffee, tobacco, segars, wild honey, and beeswax. It will be perceived, therefore, that the com- 76 A WINTER IN THE mercial importance of the place is considera- ble ; and still there is not a single vessel regularly trading there from New- York, or scarcely a New- York merchant who has any considerable trade with the place. Portland, Boston, Philadelphia, and Charleston, nearly engross the trade. Casilda has about five hundred, and Trinidad about ten thousand inhabitants, about one half of whom are slaves. It is the seat of government of the province ; has considerable internal trade ; and on the whole is a pretty, thriving, stirring place for a Spanish city; but dull enough compared with what it would be in the hands of Americans. ' In the United' States it would be a strange thing to see a city of ten thou- sand inhabitants carrying on a large commer- cial business through a port four miles distant, and transporting all their merchandize upon ox-carts, when a railroad would accomplish the same thing at one quarter the expense. But here, it is enough that a thing has been done in a particular manner. It must con- tinue to be done in the same manner. It does no good to suggest improvements. The answer always is, " We get along very well WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 77 as things are. We are not fond of experi- ments," &c. &c. The Trinidad river, a clear, chrystal little stream, comes down from the mountains, run- ning along by the westerly side of the city and furnishing a plentiful supply of fine wa- ter. It is so perfectly clear, as to need no filtering, and is as fine water to drink as abounds anywhere, not excepting the pure streams from the Green Mountains in Ver- mont. It is- dipped up, put in jugs, swung across mules and horses, and thus carried constantly to all parts of the city. This keeps the street leading to it continually thronged with water-carriers there being more slaves and beasts thus employed than would be re- quired to construct, in six months, water- works that would conduct a supply to every house in the city. But this would savour too much of improvement. They are very well satisfied as it is, and what do they want more? Before going to the city I remained a day or two at Casilda. The land for a mile along the beach is low and sandy, and the shore is bordered by a growth of bushes, under which the tide ebbs and flows. These circum- 7* 78 A WINTER IN THE stances, together with the fact that several seamen on board vessels in the harbour were down with fevers, led me to suspect the place unhealthy. But on examination and inquiry, I learned to my entire satisfac- tion, that notwithstanding these appearances, even the port of Casilda, which is far less fa- vourably situate than Trinidad, was as healthy as any in the West Indies. The water circulates freely through the bushes ; the shore is dry ; and as to the fevers, in every instance they had occurred on board vessels just arrived from St. Jago de Cuba, Kingston, Jamaica, or St. Thomas. Masters of vessels who had traded there for twenty years, assured me that they never had a man sicken while lying in that port, but that they scarcely ever went to either of the above named places, but some of their men had severe attacks of fever. As many of the vessels trading here were in the habit of discharging their outward cargoes at one of those places, and coming directly here for homeward freights, the frequent cases of fever imported from thence had given rise to such rumours as those I heard at St. Croix, about yellow fever prevailing here. So ter- WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 79 rible is the horror of this disease, especially at the north, where it is little known, that there are thousands who could not be per- suaded to go to a place where it was ru- moured to prevail, on any consideration ; supposing death would be almost inevi- table. Whereas, it is nothing more or less than a severe attack of bilious fever ; and with prompt treatment, is cured nine cases out of ten. Two of the men on board the vessel I came in, which had been lying some time at St. Thomas, had attacks on the pas- sage ; and for want of a physician, I bled, gave emeticks, and cured them. The inhab- itants of Casilda, one and all, declared that the place was entirely healthy. Two or three days after my arrival, in company with a fellow-passenger, I took a catrina (as it is here called,) and rode to town. It was nothing more nor less, in plain English, than a horse and gig, with a negro boy mounted on the horse as a substitute for reins. This mode of riding did not suit us exactly, the negro not understanding a word of English, nor we of Spanish, leaving us en- tirely at his mercy, as to where and how he should go. My companion expressed some 80 A WINTER IN THE concern at another thing, to wit : that the horse was such a perfect phantom of an ani- mal, and the negro so small, that if we should happen to lean back in our seats, the whole concern would be thrown over our heads in a backward somerset. Our fears were soon quieted, for away we went upon a full gal- lop, over stones a foot high, and holes as deep, for four miles, all the way up hill, and arrived in perfect safety. As to the animal, he had been gallopped up and down that sandy road, in the hot sun, so long, that he showed no symptoms of fatigue, and appeared no more capable of perspiration than the dry sand he travelled over. There are a great many of these catrinas constantly running up and down for passengers, at seventy-five cents a trip, each way, for two or one. A stage also goes once or twice a day, each way, at fifty cents a passenger. The road is wide enough for several tracks, so as to admit of full speed in spite of the ox-carts strung along the way. As we ascended towards the city, with its neat picturesque view before us, and the exhilarating mountain breeze absorbing o 3 perspiration and neutralizing the effect of a noon-day sun, I could not help thinking of, WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 81 and feeling too, the favourable contrast be- tween this place and St. Croix, in almost every particular that concerns an invalid. Strike out the good roads, English language, and boarding-houses of St. Croix, and there would be nothing left that would bear any comparison with Trinidad. On entering the city, my first favourable impressions were strongly confirmed. The streets are regular, well paved, and clean ; the houses generally of stone, whitewashed outside, tiled roofs, one story high, with brick or stone floors laid on the ground, and the wood-work inside of red cedar : built in this manner, they are cheap, cool, comfortable, and almost everlasting. As there was not a single person in the place I had ever seen, and there were no American boarding-houses, I felt some apprehension about comfortable quar- ters. I had, however, a letter of introduction from the Vice-Consul at St. Croix to the Con- sul at Trinidad, whomsoever he might be, and the master of the vessel had introduced me to the consignee ; and with these aids I went on, without further concern. The Consul received me very politely, and invited me to dine with him, and, if I could not do 82 A WINTER IN THE better, to take board at the same place he did, finding a room elsewhere, and furnishing it for myself. He had done so himself, and for- merly ate at a Spanish tavern, of which there were plenty, supplying two meals at one dol- lar per day, but he found the living too bad to be continued, and had now, together with three or four other American boarders, hired a neigh- bour to give them their meals in the best room of a cigar manufactory. I mention these circumstances to show that style of living was here but little thought of. Many of the first business men in the place have their tables set in the stores or shops, always taking care, however, to have something good to eat upon them, which is not always the case at the Spanish taverns, where the table is set on speculation at fifty cents a meal. After dining with the consul, I was soon made acquainted with all the Americans in the place, about fifteen in number, also with several Spanish merchants and planters, who spoke English. Mr. Lynn, a merchant, formerly of Charleston, S. C., ordered my baggage sent to his house, and very politely invited me to take my meals with him while I remained in town, refusing i O ' however, to receive any compensation what- WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 83 ever. His wife was a Spanish lady, and of course the mode of living was Spanish ; but I must say it suited me as well as any I had ever found : a cup of coffee, without milk, in the morning ; breakfast, with coffee and milk, at 9 o'clock A. M. ; dinner at 3 p. M., with sweet- meats for dessert, followed by coffee and cigars ; and a cup of chocolate, &c., in the evening. The market supplies plenty of good beef, pork, fowls, wild birds, &c. &c., with plenty of good vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, plantains, bananas, cabbages, turnips, radishes, &c. &c. Indian corn flourishes at all times of the year, and there is always plenty of green corn in the market. The domestic rice is very good, and is much used. There are generally or- anges in the market, but not in abundance; pine-apples in their season, &c. &c. The river water is extremely good, and, on the whole, no one can wish a better living than can here be had ; but a tavern is not the place to look for it. Whenever invalids have been here, they have generally stopped with some of the few American families ; and many have, no doubt, been deterred from coming from an apprehension of being a burthen to those who were not prepared to entertain boarders, and 84 A WINTER IN THE were unwilling to receive any compensation from those who were taken in, because they had nowhere else to go. As to climate, no place can offer greater advantages to invalids than this. For nine months in the year no such thing as rain is ever known, except, perhaps, sprinkles of two or three minutes, and those like angels' visits, " few and far between." Hence the dryness of soil, which admits of laying the floors on the ground. At first I could not believe it possi- ble for the air of the room to be dry, but dur- ing a fortnight found no more appearance of moisture in the air, than if the floor had been ten feet from the ground, and made of two thicknesses of kiln-dried plank. At first I kept myself in during the evening, supposing the night air might be like that of St. Croix, but soon found it entirely harmless. Indeed, the evening was much pleasanter than the day time, for it was always warm enough, and never too warm. The entire absence of moisture in the atmosphere gives a clearness to the sky and a brilliancy to the moon-light, beyond anything I ever witnessed else- where. It is a common practice here to sit in the evening uncovered in the open air, a WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 85 thing that would very properly have been looked upon as madness at St. Croix. At times, however, the north wind prevails with sufficient force to make the evenings un- pleasant, and, as a general rule, delicate inva- lids had better not expose themselves to the evening air, except in the mildest weather. The mountains, though near enough to pre- vent excessive heat, are too far distant to cause sudden transitions of temperature. The absence of moisture in the atmosphere may not prove beneficial to all classes of invalids ; but as the evaporation from the ocean, in some degree, obviates the deficiency of rain, it is believed that very few cases would suffer from the dryness of the air. In affections of the mucus membranes, with copious expecto- ration, this climate will prove highly benefi- cial. The absence of humidity is one of the most essential requisites of a good climate. I fully concur in the following remarks from Clark on Climate and Diseases, p. 121 : " Of all the physical qualities of the air, humidity is the most injurious to human life ; and, therefore, in selecting situations for building, particular regard should be had to the circumstances which are calculated to 86 A WINTER IN THE obviate humidity either in the soil or atmos- phere. Diyness, with a free circulation of air and a full exposure to the sun, are the material things to be attended to in choosing a residence. A person may, I believe, sleep with perfect safety in the centre of the Pon- tine marshes, by having his room kept well heated by a fire during the night." In the day time, although the sun shines very bright, there is always breeze enough coming down from the mountains to prevent the heat being oppressive, and, occasionally, dry floating clouds cast a pleasant shade over the land. I could endure five times the exercise during the day that I could at St. Croix, and with less fatigue. Umbrellas were of course out of fashion here, the showers being none, and the sun's rays in winter at least harmless. It was a long time before I could trust myself abroad without my umbrella when clouds were in sight, which was very often ; but finding- they never leaked like those of St. Croix, I soon went where I pleased, without overcoat, cloak, thick boots, or umbrella, and "saw the sun set, sure he would rise to-morrow." Twice it sprinkled enough just to lay the dust, and that was all the rain during more than two WEST 13\ 7 DIES AND FLORIDA. 87 weeks. In July, August, and September, the rainy season, as it is called, showers are fre- quent, the ground is more moist, and fevers are somewhat prevalent, but there is no great danger, without unnecessary exposure to the sun. As to heat, it is not an evil much to be apprehended, for it was remarked by the in- habitants, and I believe very correctly, that there was no time in the year when one could not be cool enough in the shade, or warm enough in the sunshine. The thermometer generally ranges from 75 to 80 during the day in winter, and from 80 to 85 in the summer. There are none of those extremes of heat which we experience at the north ; and if at any time it should be found too warm within two hours' ride up the moun- tains, woollen clothing by day, and thick blankets at night, are necessary protections against the cold. The winds are variable, generally blowing from all points of the com- pass during every twenty-four hours, with a gentle land breeze from the north at morn- ing and evening. This is very pleasant ; but at times north winds prevail for two or three days in succession, making the Spaniards shiver, and put on cloaks at morning and eve- OO A WINTER IN THE ning. They are nothing, however, like what are called northers at Havana, Matanzas, and all- along the north side of the island, there being sixty to seventy miles of high moun- tainous land to break their force and mode- rate their temperature. About the 25th of February, I witnessed some of the coldest weather that had happened, as I was in- formed, in several years ; and although the air felt cool enough to be a little unpleasant at morning and evening, it did not affect me as unfavourably as the worst weather in Janu- ary did at St. Croix, for I had not a single breath of asthma, nor an appearance of cough, while I remained there. I ate heartily, slept soundly, and increased in flesh and strength during the whole time, and never passed a fortnight as pleasantly in a strange place before. The kindness and politeness of my country- men and their Spanish friends, no doubt con- tributed greatly to my happiness ; but the sur- passing excellence of the climate was more important than every thing else. There was but a single cause of uneasiness during the whole time, and that was the refusal of the governor to give me a passport for Havana 3 or WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 89 let me go in any way, except to embark in the same vessel that brought me. As in that case I should be carried into Philadelphia in March, the very worst month in the whole year, it did not please me much. Several of my friends interceded, but with no effect, the governor insisting that his instructions were absolute, to let no one pass without a passport certified by a Spanish consul in the country where it was obtained, specifying the object in visiting the island. As I had only a Dan- ish passport, not certified at all, he thought it impossible to oblige me without disobeying his instructions. Finally, Count Brunet, a nobleman more by nature and feeling than on account of his Spanish titles, or his income of a hundred thousand dollars a year, called personally upon his excellency the Governor, and persuaded him to make my case an ex- ception, on the ground that there was no Spanish consul at St. Croix by whom a pass- port could be certified,, and I was not immedi- ately from my own country. This had the desired effect ; but still it must appear to be done through some other influence. So I only had to go through the form of getting a communication from our consul to the go- 90 A WINTER IN THE rernor, stating the case, and getting the same interpreted, when I was once more free to go where I pleased. I mention this for two pur- poses. First, to apprise others of the import- ance of having their passports regular when going to a foreign country ; and secondly, as a public acknowledgment of my obligations to Count Brtmet. How different was his con- duct from what thousands of our citizens, who think their wealth and distinction exempt them from such acts of courtesy, would have been under like circumstances. This is not an isolated case ; but, on the contrary, seldom does an American visit Trinidad without in some way or other finding occasion to acknow- ledge his obligations to the same distinguished individual. It is the more striking, from the fact, that another distinguished individual of the same place, with not only sufficient wealth to build him the best house in the island, but also to purchase a pitiful title from the government of Spain, although an Ameri- can by birth, sets himself above his country- men, and never, or seldom, takes the trouble to ascertain whether they are in want of his aid or not. On the day of my arrival, a famous mur- WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 91 derer had been executed upon the garotid, a sort of machine to choke criminals to death without suspending them in the air. The culprit sits down in a chair, puts his head back against a support prepared for it, a ne- gro then puts on a kind of neck-yoke, fetches it up snug to the throat, and when the ap- pointed hour arrives, turns a screw behind, which produces instantaneous death. From the great excitement produced by this execu- tion, it was apparent that capital crimes were not very frequent. No one expressed any sympathy for the culprit ; but, on the contra- ry, many regretted that so great a villain should escape with so little punishment. Ac- cording to his own confession, he had com- mitted twenty-eight murders ; and instead of showing any signs of penitence, regretted, in his last moments, that he had not an oppor- tunity to commit more. He said that all the tortures that could be inflicted upon him could not equal those which he had inflicted upon others ; that he had always expected to- be executed at last, and meant now to meet his fate with fortitude. When the fatal. hour arrived, he sat composedly down, got up, said" the seat was too low, had it raised,, and sat 92 A WINTER IN THE down again with perfect composure. After the execution the head was cut off, carried away in a sack, and the body taken away on a cart. The head was afterwards put on a pole, in a kind of cage, by the way-side, as a terror to evil-doers. Such exhibitions make a lasting impression upon the public mind, and, when not too frequent, produce a salu- tary effect ; but when too often repeated, in- stead of deterring from crime, only tend to make men cruel and ferocious. On my arrival, I anticipated much pleasure in riding over the elevated mountains in the vicinity of the city ; but soon found the task not quite so pleasant. I at first made the experiment of aseending what appeared to be a small hill, just in the rear of the city, and some miles from the foot of the mountain. Although a mere trifle compared with its neighbors, it was more than five hundred feet high, and two or three hours' ride was neces- sary to visit its summit and return again-. The ascent was by a rugged path, winding about among the rocks, so steep in many places that an inexperienced animal could not have made his way ; but the little pony I rode went up as nimbly as a cat, and showed WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 93 no signs of fatigue. Near the summit I ob- served arch-ways, or caves, under strata of limestone, apparently worn as by the wash- ing of the sea ; and found, on examination, incontestible evidence that the same had once formed the shore of the ocean. The arch- ways had been worn by the beating of the surges ; and the gravelly shore, with marine shells scattered along beneath, left no room for doubt as to the fact, that these mighty masses of rocks had been thrown up to their present elevation by volcanic eruptions, or other convulsions of Nature. Leaving the caves, I proceeded onward to the summit, and gazed in silent admiration upon the beauty and grandeur of the surrounding scenes. On the east, the rich cane-fields were spread out in the distance ; on the north, a beautiful river wound along between the hills hundreds of feet below ; in the rear, lofty mountains rose majestically to the clouds ; and on the south, the city, the harbour, the shipping, and the vast expanse of blue waters, presented a scene of mingled beauty and sublimity. However highly pleased with this experi- ment, it was enough to convince me of the utter impracticability of ascending the moun- 94 A WINTER IN THE tains, without going prepared to camp out over-night, which would not be very pleasant in the winter-season. Many of the higher ridges are almost inaccessible ; but along the valleys between them, several hundred feet above the level of the ocean, there are tolera- ble roads. The country is settled, and abounds with fine coffee estates. Mr. Carrot, a wealthy merchant, and plant- er, invited three or four Americans to visit his estate, situate in the great valley of Trini- dad, about fifteen miles to the eastward of the city ; and, mounted on horseback, with his clerk for a conductor, at about 4 o'clock, p. M., we pushed off into the country. A ride of about three miles over a sandy soil, covered with wild bushes, and a poor road, winding along just where it could be made easiest, or rather, just where the first travellers chose to go, (for that is the way it was made,) we arrived at the first sugar estate I had seen in Trinidad, the soil near the city not being of a suitable quality. For twelve miles through the great valley of the province, we found almost one continuous growth of cane, with the road generally run- ning along the boundaries of estates, with no WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 95 fences between : several estates together with the road itself, however, being fenced into large enclosures, with gates here and there, and a negro standing by to open and shut them. There were plenty of palm and cocoa-nut trees, of natural growth, about the country, but very few set out in regular columns, like those of St. Croix. The estate of Mr. C. was situate on the east bank of the Manati river, which runs through the valley, emptying into the ocean about fifteen miles to the windward, or easterly of the city. The stream was now low and clear, but its high arid torn banks showed plainly that in the rainy season, instead of a slumbering infant, it was a raging monster, tearing everything be- fore it in its resistless progress. A splendid mansion was standing on the bank, several feet above high water mark, giving it a command- ing: view of the surrounding scenery. With- o o - out observing it much by moonlight, however, we all felt more inclined for supper than any- thing else, and accordingly entered the man- sion, which had been closed, but which the clerk was sent to open for our accommoda- tion. All the rooms and supplies the house afforded were made free to us, and we fared 96 A WINTER IN THE sumptuously and slept soundly. The next morning, at daylight, we took a view of as rich a scene as was ever spread out by nature and art combined. The deep rich green of the cane on every side ; the palm trees wildly spread over the whole ; the fine mansions of the planters and the smoke of those Yankee improvements, the steam en- gines, with which the cane is now ground ; with a beautiful river winding its way quietly along the centre ; while on the north, east, and west, majestic mountains, with cragged peaks, towered aloft to the very skies, con- spired to form a scene of surpassing beauty, as well as grandeur and sublimity. From this extended view, we entered the garden to witness not lesser beauties, but beauties on a smaller scale. It abounded in all the West India fruits and flowers, and was laid out in American style, Mrs. C. be- ing an American lady. In addition to all that was tasty and elegant, a part of it was devoted to the production of the useful, as well as elegant vegetables of the north : toma- toes, cabbages, turnips, radishes, onions, beets, carrots, &c., &c. To find oneself in a rich beautiful garden like this, with a bright WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 97 sun and clear sky to heighten its beauty, and then reflect, that at the same moment the in- habitants of New- York were gathered round a coal fire, or, wrapped in overcoats and cloaks, hastening, half frozen through the streets, too fast to recognize their friends, was enough of itself to compensate for a voyage to the West Indies, with all its horrors of sea- sickness. From the garden we went to the sugar- works, which were on a scale rather larger than those of St. Croix. The estate con- sisted of two thousand acres of land, and was worked by two hundred slaves. Slavery appeared here rather more severe than at St. Croix, for some of the slaves had chains around their necks, and the marks of the lash upon their backs. Windmills were not re- lied upon for grinding cane, as at St. Croix ; and the mills upon this estate were propelled by oxen, of which eighty pair were kept for this and other purposes. Clayed sugar only was manufactured here, whereas nothing but muscovado was made at St. Croix. Instead of putting it in hogsheads to drain, it is put in earthern jars, called purging pans, taper- ing to a point, with a small hole in the bot- 9 98 A WINTER IN THE torn. After the molasses has drained out, in part, a layer of clay is put over the surface, which purges the sugar of impurities, and divides it into different qualities: first, a layer of very fine white, then a layer of good, and at the bottom a residue of inferior brown sugar. The molasses is caught from these pans, and conducted to a reservoir, from whence it is pumped up when wanted. Three thousand purging pans were used at this establishment: and in sugar and molas- ses, the estate produced about seventy-five thousand dollars per annum. The neigh- bouring estates were about as large, and many of them were worked by steam engines to great advantage. The use of them will soon become general. The Spaniards, how- ever, are slow to adopt improvements. All the cedar boards for building are sawed by hand, no one daring to try the experiment of a steam saw-mill. All the sugar and molas- ses from this great valley are first carried to the river on ox-carts, then taken down the river, and along the coast, to Casilda, in lighters. When the wind blows from the north, the lighters cannot get up the river on account of shoal water, and thus vessels are WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 99 sometimes detained a month before getting a cargo. A railroad of twenty miles would take the whole to the port with the greatest speed, going through the city, and thus furnishing a communication between the city and Casilda. But that would be too much of a Yankee notion to suit the Spaniards. They are so much opposed to improvements, that when Mr. C. improved the road along his estate by making it straight where it hud been crooked, they tried to get the old road restored, alleging that it was shorter than the new one. After passing the day very pleasantly, in the evening we mounted our horses and went to town again, without overcoat or even wool- len clothing. I could here ride fifteen miles in the evening with perfect impunity. Asth- ma and cough for a week afterwards would have been sure to follow in any other climate I have ever found. On the 22d of February, the birth-day of Washington, about fifteen Americans, with four or five distinguished Spanish gentlemen as invited guests, partook of a sumptuous public dinner provided for the occasion. In a foreign land it was highly gratifying to meet even a small party of our countrymen, 100 A WINTER IN THE with the flag of our country floating above, and our hearts beating with patriotism with- in, assembled to pay a tribute of respect, not to a king or tyrant, but to the memory of an individual with no title but that of " Father of his Country." We were all doubly grati- fied to find that the band of music employed for the occasion could regale us with "Hail Columbia," and other national airs. The day was delightful, as were all the clays I passed at Trinidad, and every thing passed off finely. Several spirited volunteer toasts were drank t among which were the following : "The Great Man whose birth we cele- brate His body moulders in the dust, but his spirit is abroad in the world, and its impulse will be felt to the end of time." "America, the Light-House of the World May its rays penetrate the darkest regions. and conduct the most benighted nations to the grand harbour of republicanism." "The American Flag It is found waving in every port on earth, and respected wher- ever found." "Americans abroad May they always find friends, and always deserve them." " The State of Virginia The birth-place WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 101 of Washington, Jefferson, and Madison, three most illustrious men of an illustrious age." " The United States of America, a Con- stellation of Bright Stars of various aspects, but equal lustre May they rival those of heaven in perpetuity as they do in brilliancy/' More might be given, but these are suffi- cient to show the prevailing feeling. It was amusing to witness the surprise of some igno- rant Spaniards that so great a parade should be made about any body but "the king." The time for my departure was draw- ing near, and never did I leave a place with so much regret. My health had constantly improved, and although I had experienced some of the severest weather that had happened for several years, there had been scarcely an hour when I could say it was too cold. From observa- tion and experience^ as well as from the natural causes above detailed, I cannot en- tertain a doubt that it is a better place for invalids than I have ever seen or read of. In point of climate, it is as far superior to St. Croix v as good champaigne is to bad cider. Good medical attendance can always be pro- cured, at moderate charges. There are seve- 9* 102 A WINTER IN THE ral good physicians, one of whom, Dr. Can- taro, was educated in our country, and of course speaks English, as well as Spanish. The usual charge is one dollar a visit in the city. But like all other places, it has its faults ; and it was often remarked, that though the climate was as good as could be, there was scarcely any thing but. that to make a residence there desirable. The Creoles of the place are a lazy, idle class of men, who are content to have nothing, except what comes without exertion, and are opposed to all kinds of improvements and innovations. No pains are taken to cultivate fruit, &c. &c., but if any- thing grows, it is pretty much spontaneous. There are no boarding-houses, except Span- ish taverns, which would not suit Americans, and not a Spaniard can be found who would deviate from the beaten tract for any hire. The roads out of the city are rather bad, though passable ; and though there are plenty of horses and carriages to be let, the hire is high, being two dollars a day for a saddle horse, and about five for a catrina, or horse and gig. If some American would under- take to open a house for invalids, he would do well ; and besides, it would obviate more WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 103 than half the objections to their going there. Horses are cheap, and he could keep enough for his own boarding-house ; rent is cheap also ; and on the whole, notwithstanding the / / ^ high price of flour, there being ten dollars the barrel duty, I have no doubt, good board can be supplied at ten dollars per week, and a profit made at that. Indeed, an invalid can hire his own room, and take his meals at a tavern, at about the same rate, but his living will not be as good. The best way is for several to combine, hire a house and servants, and live in their own way ; taking with them such articles of furniture, &c. &c. as they may need, upon which no duties will be asked. A carriage cannot be brought however with- out a high duty ; horses can be bought cheap, say from thirty to one hundred dollars, and the keeping is only about two dollars and a quarter per week ; on the whole, it is my choice in preference to all other places. The Spanish language is something of an objection, but not very serious, where there are- thirty or forty inhabitants who speak English * to some it may be an advantage, for they can learn the language when they would otherwise have done nothing at alL As to the fear of robbery 104 A WINTER IN THE and jealousy of the Spaniards, there is nothing in it. They are dark complexioned, but not a whit the worse for that. When I first went there, my apprehensions were great; I looked at every body and every thing with a suspi- cious eye, and never went out without being armed. But after ascertaining how much more strictly the laws are enforced, than in our own country ; wandering about among a pop- ulation of ten thousand for a fortnight without observing an assault and battery, row, or riot, or even so much as a drunken man, along the streets ; learning that crimes were more rare than any where in our country : and what was more than all, finding every Spaniard evincing five times the kindness and politeness to an American, that we would generally extend to a Spaniard, I must confess that my apprehen- sions were altogether unfounded. Travellers in the country, generally, go armed, not for fear of robbers, but to keep the slaves in awe : a very prudent precaution, where they are so much more numerous than the whites. In one week, I felt as safe as though I had a body- guard constantly in attendance.. Every one who has tried it, will say the same thing. But still, we do not Like the Spanish Government. WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 105 If Cuba belonged to our Government, its pop- ulation would double in two years, and quadruple in less than five, for no place on earth enjoys a finer climate than some parts of it, or greater natural resources, 106 A WINTER IN THE CHAPTER IX. Voyage, &c., to Batabanno and Havana. A STEAMBOAT runs from St. Ja^o de Cuba to O Batabanno, opposite Havana, and back again, once a month, touching at all the principal intermediate places. The passage from Trin- idad to Batabanno is twenty dollars ; but being out of time, I took a Spanish packet- schooner, a regular coaster also, sailed on the sixth of March, and arrived at the port of des- tination after a pleasant passage of two days. It was the first time I had ever embarked on board a foreign vessel ; and it seemed odd enough to find a schooner of one hundred tons manned with a full crew of ten men ; whereas an American ship of seven hundred tons would be managed by the same number, and such a schooner by four men. No won- der our vessels can underbid all the world in carrying freight, with such a great saving of labor. The change of climate, though not of temperature, was perceptible immediately on going ashore the ground being low and WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 107 swampy, and the atmosphere humid and ap- parently unwholesome. It is, in truth, so bad, that the village of Batabanno is loca- ted three miles from the coast, on dry land, but still only a few feet above the level of the swamp. Mules and horses were soon provi- ded to take the passengers and baggage, a dis- tance of about twelve miles, to the railroad leading to Havana. After leaving the swamp, we found a rich level soil, with abundance of oranges and other fruits ; but every thing in- dicated a great superabundance of moisture. Water was every where found by digging four feet, and the rank growth of vegetation plainly indicated the frequency of rain. Our ride, however, was pleasant in the extreme. Even the wild forests abounded with oranges, as beautiful, but not as sweet, as the cultiva- ted fruit. We passed several beautiful coffee estates in full bloom, surpassing in beauty any other plantations I had ever seen. It takes the coifee tree three years to produce the first crop. The leaves are bright green, resembling in colour those of the orange, but the trees are not allowed to grow over about three or four feet high, the tops being cut off from time to time to keep them on a proper 108 A WINTER IN THE level. This uniformity of height, the regu- larity of the rows, the beautiful white blos- soms, and the heavy growth of plantains towering above for the purpose of shade, give a coffee estate a remarkably fine appearance. Many of them are adorned also with fine ornamental gardens and ele- gant buildings. In a few hours I was at the railroad depot, thirty miles from Havana, and felt once more like being at home. I had not heard a word of English for several days, and it did me good, in the absence of our language, to come in contact with an improvement that might well be called our own, for this very work has been planned and constructed so far by American skill, the superintendents, engi- neers, &c., &c., being all Americans. A branch of this road is to be continued to Ba- tabanno, which will make a communication by steam, from Havana to Trinidad, at about twenty-five dollars expense. There is only an ascent and descent of about one hundred feet in crossing the island, and the general appearance of the soil and surface of the country is not unlike western New- York in the summer season. The country along the WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 109 railroad is principally devoted to the culture of vegetables for the Havana market, and ap- pears much like the vicinity of one of our own cities. Every thing looked rich and productive ; the soil and atmosphere were both damp, and, as I was wafted along at fif- teen miles per hour, I could hardly resist the impression that I was passing through a part of my own State. However rich this coun- try, it did not require a moment's observation to see that it was an unfit place for invalids. Before arriving at Havana, the cold had in- creased to such an extent as to make it necessary to shut the windows of the cars, whereas, but two hours before, every one was complaining of the heat. On arriving, the first business was to put on woollen clothing, and thick boots ; which fairly prepared me to sally forth and see the city. 10 110 A WINTER IN THE CHAPTER X. Havana. HERE were invalids in abundance, shivering o with cold on the 10th of March, and without exception, as far as my limited observation extended, complaining of the climate. From inhabitants and visitors, I could hear of nothing but northers, which had been blow- ing nearly half the time, as they said, during the winter. The general moisture of the high upland soil in the vicinity, as well as the mud-puddles along the streets of the city, showed that there had been abundance of rain here, while it was entirely dry at Trini- dad. Besides this, a damp, clammy atmos- phere, a cold cloudy sky, with a vinegar as- pect, confirmed me entirely in the opinion before formed from information, that the northerly side of Cuba, open to the full sweep of winds from the United States, and the At- lantic on the north, was at best an ill-chosen resort for invalids, compared with those above WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. Ill described. The city is finely situated on high ground, with one of the best protected, and, in other respects, best harbours in the world. It is strongly fortified, entrenched, and walled, presenting the general appear- ance of a European city. The antique and venerable looking churches, convents, prisons, forts, &c., give to this city an ap- pearance of age and respectability unequal- led by any other in America. The streets, however, are very narrow, simply wide enough for two carriages to pass, without sidewalks, and crowded with carriages and carts, besides multitudes on foot, of every shape, colour, and variety of the human species, from the most potent Spanish na- bob to the most miserable mulattoes and slaves. The buildings are generally built of stone and mortar, from two to four stories high. The streets are generally filthy ; and, with a little lime-gas from the walls and effluvia from the streets, the atmosphere appeared to me much better cal- culated to produce yellow fever than to restore diseased lungs, or otherwise produce benefit to any class of invalids. The floors 112 A WINTER IN THE are also made of a sort of composition of lime-cement, which, together with the mois- ture gathered from a damp atmosphere by heavy stone-walls, make the apartments not very pleasant to feeble invalids. The popu- lation is about one hundred and eighty thou- sand ; nearly half of which, however, is with- out the walls, by far the pleasantest part of the city. There are several fine public squares, supplied with water-fountains ; and without the walls is a beautiful public prome- nade, at the further extremity of which is sit- uated a splendid botanic garden and the gov- ernor's palace. This garden is thrown open to the public on Sunday ; and thither all the beauty and fashion of the city, with almost every thing else, resort to enjoy the beauties of the scene. I visited it on the day after my arrival, when the north wind had ceased blowing, the clouds had mostly dispersed, giv- ing to the whole city a much more favourable aspect than it had the day before. But still, as regards a residence for invalids, my opin- ion was unchanged. In addition to the dis- advantage of the rains and northers, it is almost twice as expensive living there as at WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 113 St. Croix, Trinidad, or almost any other place in the West Indies. Board costs fifteen to twenty-five dollars per week, which, together with the thousand incidental expenses of a great city, makes more than most invalids are willing and able to pay-. There were inva- lids here from Matanzas, which is situated about forty miles to the north-east, and, from their account, without going there, I was en- tirely satisfied it was. not essentially different from Havana in point of fitness for invalids. In the country, however, fifteen or twenty miles from either place, the climate is better than at either city ; and several invalids have passed winters with tolerable satisfaction and consid- erable advantage. Rains and north winds, however, are, and must be, a subject of com- plaint anywhere on the north side of the island, and to some extent on the south, ex- cept where the centre is high and moun- tainous, as about Trinidad, and further east- erly. As the winds generally prevail from the north, it must, in the nature of things, be certain that the first land will condense the vapour and receive the largest quantity of rain. Without a full opportunity for investi- 10* 114 A WINTER IN THE gation, my opinion was formed 'in the short space of two days, upon a basis so perfectly satisfactory to myself, that, without further delay or trouble, I at once embarked for Key West, fully convinced that it must at least be as good, and probably a better place, than Havana, WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 115 CHAPTER XL Key West. THE Key West fishing-smacks supply the Havana market with fish, and, sailing directly from thence homeward, afford frequent oppor- tunities to pass from one place to the other, a distance of about eighty miles, at the extra- vagant price of ten dollars for one night on board a small vessel. At about sundown on the 12th of March I embarked on board one of them, and found myself passing the frown- ing battlements of the Moro Castle and the light-house, at the mouth of the harbour, about dark. As soon as the vessel got under-way, the captain, a hard-looking, cross-eyed man, but who had previously conducted with great propriety, all at once appeared to be much excited, swearing most furiously, as well as profanely, at every thing about him, and par- ticularly at one of his men who was in a berth below, as quiet as a lamb. Upon being asked what the man had done, he said he had turned against him, and accused him of mur- 116 A WINTER IN THE der and piracy, when he never had been guilty of either, although he always thought he should be a pirate to revenge himself upon mankind for their villainy ; and that he would murder him by splitting his brains out with an axe, and throwing him overboard as soon as he got into the blue water. He said mankind were just bad enough to deserve to be mur- dered, and that he believed that God had made murderers and pirates for evil, as he had rattlesnakes to bite, and that he loved all he had made ; that he feared no punishment from God or man, &c. &c. Such language as this, without any apparent cause for it, naturally excited surprise, mingled with no small degree of apprehension, and brought to mind the stories I had often heard about Key West wreckers being pirates, or about as bad. Alone as I was, in the midst of a crew headed by such a captain, suspicion was equivalent to confirmation, and when once in possession of the mind, banished every other considera- tion. At the very moment it was setting in with a strong current, I observed that we were sailing under Spanish colours, whereas the captain had told me his was an American vessel. Upon inquiring what the Spanish WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 117 flag meant, the captain said it was a Spanish vessel, and he was a Spaniard, but that he sailed under just such colours as suited him best. This was decisive that they were indeed pirates, and for once in my life I was hor- ribly alarmed at the idea that I was the can- didate for being thrown into the blue water as soon as we got to sea. It seemed as though there was a secret joy in every one's countenance at having caught me; and I wondered how I could have trusted myself on board such a vessel without inquiring its character. I tried to get my pistols from my trunk, but could not do so without being observed, which would only make matters worse. I then took care to mention inciden- tally, that, having a good opportunity, I had bought a bill on New- York, which left me so destitute of money that I might be compelled to borrow. For an hour or two fear reigned triumphant ; but as soon as it subsided suffi- ciently to give place to recollection, it oc- curred to me, that, instead of coming on board without knowing any thing of the ves- sel, an acquaintance at Havana had informed me that he came over in the same, and ad- vised me to go in her. Tjlhis, together with 118 A WINTER IN THE the fact that I was not killed, soon relieved me from apprehension, and the next morning I was safely landed at Key West, where I learned that the captain was only a hard drinker and hard swearer, and that all the smacks went to Havana under Spanish colours to save port charges. I mention this, not only as an amusing instance of unfounded fear, but also to show the great importance to travel- lers of being fully satisfied as to the character of a vessel in all respects, before embarking. Suspicions of this kind are no very pleasant visiters any where, particularly at sea. Key West is a little island, four or five miles long, varying from half a mile to a mile in width, situate in latitude 24 25' north, about seventy miles west of the south- ern extremity of the peninsula of East Flori- da. It is composed of a formation of coral lime-stone and sea-shells, beat up by the surges of the ocean, the ground generally being scarcely six feet above ordinary high water mark, and the lowest in many places inundated by every flow of the tide. There are also several ponds in the interior, con- taining a small quantity of fresh water. The Gulf Stream flows along six or seven miles WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 119 to the south, with a reef running along its northern boundary, to the north of which there is a large extent of very shoal water, interspersed with several other keys, similar to this in all respects except dimensions, for near- ly a hundred miles westerly of the main land. There are several passages through the reel for large vessels, and the harbour is excel- lent. Its position, commanding the com- merce of the Gulf of Mexico, early attracted the attention of our Government as a suit- able place for a military and naval depot. Commodore Porter made it his head-quarters while cruising for pirates with the West In- dian squadron, and military barracks on a somewhat extensive scale were commenced, but have since been abandoned, and are now going to ruin. By the carelessness of the first settlers, and the exposed situation of Commodore Porter's men, the climate of the place acquired a bad character, and many now represent it as a place very subject to yellow fever and fever and ague : but the experience of upwards of five hundred in- habitants for several years, with great free- dom from fevers of all kinds, and with but rarely a case of ague, even by the intern- 120 A WINTER IN THE perate, has not only repelled the charge, but brought it into high estimation as a place of extraordinary salubrity. Commodore Porter, in a communication to the Government, said that his men contracted their fevers in the haunts of the pirates in the West Indies, and not at Key West ; but the lady with whom I boarded says it is not so; but still, that it was far from being the fault of the climate. She said they had no provision for catching rain-water ; that the men drank water ob- tained by digging little holes in the ground, which was often very bad ; and besides, that they had not sufficient protection either from the sun or the winds, and that under similar circumstances any body would now have the yellow fever there. The great number of reefs and shoals in the neighbourhood, where so many vessels are constantly passing, renders this a natural place of resort for wreckers, who, with small vessels, lie about the shoals, some solely for the purpose of relieving vessels that get aground, and others not only for that purpose, but also employed in fishing for the Havana market. To encourage a business so important to commerce, a prize-court has been estab- WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 121 lished here to settle questions of salvage, &c. &c., which adds considerable to the impor- tance of the place, and in time of war, would bring to it a still more important class of business. A mail is regularly established from hence to New- York and St. Marks, twice a month, a matter of no small importance, not only to the inhabitants, but also -to strangers and temporary sojourners for health or other- wise. There are about forty small vessels, wreckers and fishermen, resorting here, which, together with the wrecked crews and passen- gers brought in, add considerable to the busi- ness of the place. There are extensive salt works in successful operation, from five to eight hundred inhabitants, about one hundred neat looking houses, fourteen stores, several ware-houses, a tavern, a court-house, besides a meeting-house being built; a small episcopal society now hold their meetings at the court- house. Besides the tavern, there is one other boarding-house, and arrangements are making to open one or two more. The inhabitants will, no doubt, find accommodations for all who go there. As to amusements, there are two billiard tables and a nine-pin alley. The 11 122 A WINTER IN THE price of board varies from seven to ten and a half dollars per week. There are two phy- sicians here, of good reputation, and their charges are not very high. As to living, the first meal there, after leaving the West Indies, shows the falling off, in full relief. Fresh beef and mutton they have none, fowls sometimes, but scarce, an abun- dance of fine turtle, fish plenty, and of good quality, sometimes vegetables and fruits from the Havana, and sometimes none, there being no regular preparations for getting them. Where I stopped, however, every effort was made to obtain as good a supply of provisions as could be had, without incurring expense beyond what would be warranted by the reve- nue. The soil of the island will not produce even garden vegetables, to any considerable extent, even with the most careful cultivation. Many of the inhabitants remarked that one acre of good soil would be of incalculable benefit to the place. There are a few cocoa- nut trees, a few lime bushes, and some small orange trees, which last, however, do not bear. By putting on dirt, and by dint of watering from day to day, some few gardens produce a few peas, beans, corn, &c. &c., with some or- WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 123 namental flowers, &c. <fec. As a general re- mark, however, it is true that the soil is barren and unproductive; and yet Com. Porter, in the same communication above mentioned, says : " The soil is rich, producing in abundance all the West Indian plants and fruits, except cof- fee and cane." I mention this, to show how little dependence can be placed upon state- ments from any source, when relative terms are used. The above is entitled to as much credit as a thousand remarks from equally res- pectable sources, about good climates, and still nobody that ever saw Key West can be charitable enough to believe it true in any sense. It is something like a statement made by a resident there, when showing his house and lot for sale ; he pointed out the garden as he called it, a surface of lime-stone, with one or two inches of shell soil scattered over it, and a few small weeds scattered about at res- pectable distances apart, and said it was very rich, and would bear any thing that should be planted upon it. The village is located at the north-wester- ly corner of the island, scarcely five feet above the level of ordinary high water mark ; and the streets, like all other parts of it, have a lime- 124 A WINTER IN THE stone foundation, just covered with a sandy looking soil, composed in fact however of nothing but shells. The aspect of things is not improved at all, to say the least, by a lit- tle pond right in the centre of the city, cov- ering several acres with salt water, varying in depth from a mud bottom to two or three feet, according to the ebb and flow of the tides. A thin sheet of water like this, to say nothing of the muddy bottom, exposed to the effects of a tropical sun, sends up an evaporation that must affect the air injuriously, though not to as great an extent as though it were fresh water. A few thousand dollars expense, how- ever, would soon obviate this difficulty by filling up the pond, and making a public square in its place. There is a tolerable road leading across the west end of the island to the south beach, a distance of about one mile, and another road runs along the beach on the north side, towards the east. There are seve- ral other foot and horse paths through the bushes, in different directions. These are all the chances for riding on the island. There are no horses or carriages to let, and it is expensive keeping animals of any kind on hay and oats, Although some wild cattle do WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 125 live there without feeding, working horses and milch cows must be fed on hay and grain ; and do not thrive very well. All the island, except in the immediate vicinity of the city, is covered by a dense growth of trees and bushes, from the smallest shrubbery to trees of one foot or more in diameter, a hun- dred years of age : wood is therefore abundant, and probably always will be. The trees furnish to the mosquitoes a fine protection from the sun and winds ; whereby invalids and others are supplied with external irritation, without expense of blister plasters. Indeed, internal or rather mental irritation is in many in- stances produced to an extremely uncomfort- able, if not to a dangerous degree ; insomuch that no one can walk through the shade in the day time, or any where in the evening, without great discomposure of temper. Add to this a slight inconvenience from a small in- sect called sand flies, which abound almost every where, and a pretty accurate idea may be formed of the comforts of the place in calm weather : but when the wind blows, which is pretty generally, they are driven back into the bushes for protection, and do not much an- il* 126 A WINTER IN THE noy those who keep in the village, which is generally the windward side of the island. As to climate, I found the temperature about like that of Havana, cool enough to require woollen clothing constantly, and not to admit of my dispensing with thick double-soled boots. In the middle of the day they would feel rather heavy, but in the evening and morning were hardly an adequate protection from the cold. During the two weeks I remained there the weath- er was pleasant, with the exception of two occasions, when it rained for a short time. The atmosphere, however, was humid ; and the large amount of water suspended in the air, produced at sun-set a sky tinged with hues of red and yellow, which some considered an evidence of dryness. This appearance, and the scarcity of rain, natu- rally leads those unacquainted with the sub- ject to an erroneous conclusion in regard to the climate of Key West. The reason of the small quantity of rain is not the ab- sence of moisture, for the evaporation must be great, but the small quantity and little elevation of the land, which is not suffi- cient to attract and condense the vapours. WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 127 As a further evidence of the bad quality of the air, in some respects at least, I ob- served that, after stopping a short time at this place 3 the skin became extremely ten- der, insomuch that it would be fractured by a touch that would scarcely be felt any- where else. This tenderness of the skin was often remarked by others, especially fishermen, and others who had been much in the open air and sun-shine. I cannot discover how the sun could be the only cause, as sun-shine of double power pro- duced no such effect at Trinidad ; and was therefore compelled to ascribe it to the combined influence of sun-shine and a hu- mid atmosphere. The wind blew fresh almost constantly, particularly in the evening and morning, and generally from the north ; and cold enough, not only to obstruct perspiration, but also to produce considerable sensation upon the surface. I immediately perceived an unfavourable change in my health ; was obliged to curtail my eating, one half, from approaches of dyspepsia ; to keep in eve- nings, and sleep under two blankets ; and \vas then subject to expectoration and some 128 A WINTER IN THE slight attack of asthma at night. On leav- ing, I weighed seven pounds less than on my arrival there. All these things together pretty much demonstrated that the climate was not as good as that of Trinidad, or even St. Croix, for me at least ; but still there is no doubt that it is far better than any other within the limits of the United States. Whatever the thermometer may show, the sensations of invalids sufficiently indicate that its temperature is too cold. The coldest weather had passed before my arrival ; and yet, on several occasions, we found it com- fortable to have a lire at morning and even- ing. When a warm climate is resorted to as a remedy, there is no use of going half-way. Wherever it is cold enough to obstruct per- spiration, the principal advantage is lost. It is unwise, indeed, to leave one's home, and go fifteen hundred miles, merely to get a mild climate ; when, by going a little further, and at about the same expense, one entirely free from objection may be found. Persons who have come here directly from the frozen re- gions of the north, find the contrast so great and themselves so much relieved, that many WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 129 are satisfied and remain here with some tem- porary relief, when by going further south an entire cure would be effected. The great extent of shoal water, and the small eleva- tion of the place above its surface, also make the atmosphere moist, compared with many places in the West Indies ; though not as much so as many other places in our coun- try, and but little, if any, more so than that of St. Croix. But the difference of tempera- ture makes it worse ; and besides, as rains are here very seldom, and at St. Croix very frequent, the former ought to have a much drier atmosphere than the latter; and un- doubtedly would have but for the land-winds from the northward, and the shoals in its vicinity. For those- who are merely predis- posed to affections of the lungs, &c. &c., without actual disease, this climate may be warm enough, and in comparison with any other place in our country, must be pro- nounced a good climate, notwithstanding all the objections above-mentioned. From De- cember to June, 1838, there fell only T Yoths of an inch of rain, and the average range of the thermometer, per month, was only 11. The thermometer stood as follows in 1838 : 130 A WINTER IN THE Highest. Lowest. Average. January, 79 62 74 28" February, 80 54 72 15 March, 81 62 74 50 April, 81 63 77 31 May, 85 64 81 14 From thence to October, inclusive, from 75 to 88 ; November, 83 to 66 ; December, 82 to 54. Notwithstanding my own im- pression, that the climate of Key West is too cold, it is but fair to state that it is less objec- tionable in this respect than that of Madeira, where the thermometer sometimes falls as low as 50 ; but the effect of cold upon the human system may be worse at the former than the latter place, owing to winds, hu- midity, &c. I found here several invalids, two from Pensacola, one of whom found his health somewhat improved, but a lady with a cough showed little or no intimation of improve- ment. A gentleman from New- York who had been given up by his physician as a hopeless case of consumption, had been to Texas, expecting to find that a suitable cli- mate for invalids ; but not feeling exactly satisfied with mud, fog, rain, sleet, and snow, WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 131 had returned to Key West, and improved rapidly ever since his arrival. Two others from the north with bad coughs, and one with a complication of chronic diseases, had found very great benefit from the climate, and all appeared to think it the best in the United States, if not in the world. But there was not a single case of entire recovery among the whole. The monotony of living on so small an island, is, with some, a serious objection to going there ; but this is in a great measure obviated, so far as regards making the trial ; for, if dissatisfied with it, there are frequent opportunities for Havana, and from thence to any part of Cuba, or indeed almost any where else. A very good class of brigs run from New- York to St. Marks twice a month, touch- ing at Key West. The passage is only forty dollars, and, with ten dollars added from here to Havana, it is the cheapest way of getting there : the Havana packets usually charging seventy-five dollars. Many think they would prefer Key West to other places on account of the mail and the supposed fre- quency of communication with New- York; 132 A WINTER IN THE but after learning that there are times when no vessel arrives from New- York or any other of our cities for a month, and that at almost any West India port arrivals from our country are five times as frequent, they find the argument on the other side of the ques- tion, and that the little communication with other places, except Havana, is one of the principal objections to residing at Key West. Let no one trust to the mail, if he wishes to get his letters promptly, but, on the contrary, have them sent by the way of Havana, where- by the evil may be partly obviated. After all that can be said, however, the smallness of the island, the want of roads and means of riding, and the dull monotony of so small a place, are, and always must be, serious objec- tions to the place as a resort for invalids. The society of the place is better than could be expected from its circumstances and situ- ation, and is at least far from meriting the unfavourable remarks often made concerning it. The inhabitants have been represented by some as a set of wreckers and reckless men, without law or order, morals or civility. These severe aspersions have arisen partly WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 133 from the fact that several outrageous mur- ders have been committed there, and the of- fenders allowed to escape punishment, not so much for want of the proper disposition on the part of the inhabitants as for want of the proper laws, officers, and tribunals, to arrest and try for crimes. This evil is now reme- died to a considerable extent, and will no doubt soon be entirely removed. The great amount of capital invested by the citizens in wrecking vessels, and the ri- valry among them in being first to discover and relieve vessels in distress, together with the pleasure manifested at obtaining a prize for salvage, have caused strangers to suspect that they rejoiced at the misfortunes of others, and might in some instances have used means O to cause the very distress they were paid for relieving. Whether there is any thing in this suspicion or not, when wreckers themselves publicly remark, as I heard some of them, that there were plenty of vessels in New Orleans that could be hired to go ashore and be wrecked for five hundred dollars, they cannot blame the suspicious for drawing the most unfavourable inferences as to the con- 12 134 A WINTER IN THE duct of the persons engaged in the business. As to their being glad to get chances to bring in wrecks, they are not the only class who live upon the misfortunes of others ; and where their services are wanted, and are promptly rendered, they are entitled to no- thing the less credit, because, like others, they are pleased with the prospect of promo- ting their own interests. Without attempting to justify the conduct of all, it may safely be said that Key West numbers among its in- habitants as large a proportion of fair, up- right, and honourable business men as any other place in our country. There is a dis- trict judge, district attorney, and collector, besides several other gentlemen of high re- spectability, intelligence, education, and re- finement ; and, as a general thing, the society is exceedingly good for a small place, devo- ted exclusively to business, and isolated from the rest of the world as this is. Here I had the satisfaction of witnessing some of Uncle Sam's naval and military ope- rations against the Indians of Florida. Some three or four revenue cutters, with midship- men for captains, and a hundred redoubtable WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 135 men on board, came into the harbour from time to time, and most heroically lay at an- chor for several days together, doing nothing except drinking grog, and talking of some grand exploit, at some time or other, in get- ting sight of an Indian, who, of course, ne- ver failed to be killed ; but, as the Indians have a way of running after they are dead, they of course never could find their game. When they got tired of the dulness of Key West, they would weigh anchor and go over to Havana, to supply themselves with the luxuries of a great city. Good heavens ! if this is the way the Indian war is carried on, and these are the men that manage it, no wonder at the disgrace of our arms in being put at defiance for four or five years by a handful of Indians. A hundred such men would flee in dismay from ten well-armed Indians ; but they never will go near enough to try it as long as there are other places to go to. Why do not our Government send a force sufficient to put an end to this pitiful war at once ? Or, if they will not do that, let them offer for each Indian the half what every one heretofore killed or taken has cost ; 136 A WINTER IN THE and in six months there would not be an Indian left. It is past endurance, that a nation strong enough to compete with the mightiest nations should thus suffer it- self to be balked by a tribe of savages. But enough of Indian wars and revenue cutter navies, and midshipman captains. WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 137 CHAPTER XII. Voyage to St. Augustine. NOT liking to return to New- York by sea at the early season my engagements required, it had been my design, from the time of leaving St. Croix, to proceed via Charleston, Baltimore, &c. ; but on arriving here, it was ascertained that the Charleston packet, which formerly brought the mail twice a week, had been discontinued, and that there was no rea- sonable expectation of a chance to go north at all without embarking at once for New- York, and that, too, just when the vessel from St. Marks should happen to come, without knowing within a fortnight when to expect it. Several other invalids also desired to go back by degrees ; and besides, we all thought it would be well to take a look at St. Augustine, if possible. Accordingly, after labouring almost incessantly for two weeks, I got up a company of eight passengers for St. Augustine, and chartered a fishing-smack from the good old town of Mystic, Connecti- 12* 138 A WINTER IN THE cut, to take us there. The vessel was a sloop, of about forty tons burthen, which had been wrecking and fishing during the winter, and was now returning homeward, with eight or nine fishermen, &c. &c., as steerage passen- gers, besides our company, which consisted of six gentlemen and two ladies. The cabin was large for a small vessel, had a state-room for the ladies, and berths for all, except one of us. The odd one, the captain, and several others, who were crowded out of the steerage by our baggage, made a berth of the floor. With this small craft, thus crowded with pas- sengers, on the 25th of March we put to sea for a voyage of six hundred miles, along as dangerous a coast as can be found in our country. However, the wind was fine, and away we went, all in good cheer, glad to make any change to get rid of the dulness of Key West. The sea was so smooth during the day, that no one was sick, and all retired to rest with the consoling idea that we were going through with all smooth water. About midnight, however, the wind blew a gale dead ahead, and being also against the rapid current of the Gulf Stream, rolled up a heavy sea, which soon turned the stoutest stomachs WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 139 in the cabin. The vessel shipped every sea, which not only prevented any from going on deck, but also produced a flood-tide in the cabin. By-and-by the fall broke, down came the boom, and of course the mainsail, leaving us to roll at the mercy of the waves, and doubling all the horrors of our sea-sickness, making some wish themselves back again, alarming others, and displeasing all. What a family we were, out to sea in a smack, with the wind blowing a gale, and a tremendous sea rolling right over us at every swell ! So much for travelling, for this was part of it, and so I bore it patiently. A storm-sail was soon rigged, and, with our vessel under light sail, away we steered before the wind, to make the nearest harbour. The wind abating, we soon turned round again, and attempted to make headway, but all in vain ; and, after tossing about all day, at night we made a harbour and anchored, which gave us all a fine night's rest. The next morning we got under-way again, with the wind fresh, and nearly ahead, which made another rather unpleasant day for us. The day before, many were alarmed at the prospect of destruction from the water ; 140 A WINTER IN THE to-day a quite different, equally terrible, and more exciting cause of apprehension was dis- covered. While all was quiet on deck, except now and then a complaint at the slowness of our progress, the ladies came from the cabin, crying " fire ! fire ! " and at the same moment a smoke was seen issuing from the hatchway. This set every one in motion as suddenly as though they had been a regularly organized fire company, and in less than ten minutes, the enemy was subdued, and the direful con- sequences averted. This may seem an inci- dent scarcely worth mentioning ; but whatever it may seem to others, it was no trifle for a dozen or fifteen persons at sea, to find their little vessel on fire within, and beset with a heavy sea without. Towards evening the wind became fair and gentle, and, without further peril or alarm, on the 29th of March, we found ourselves off St. Augustine light- house. Just at this time, the wind increased to almost a gale, and when as near as it was safe to go towards the shore, we had to put about for want of a pilot: no more attention having been paid to our signal by the lazy pilots of the place, than if we had been a crew of pirates, whom they desired to get aground. WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 141 By sending a boat forward and sounding the way, we found the passage over the bar, and entered the harbour without pilotage, and of course without charge. The stupid pilots were surprised to see us come in, supposing we would wait there till it suited their conve- nience to come after us. The pilots of St. Augustine are not alone in this fault. When there is no competition, they think a vessel dare not attempt to run in without them, and often keep one with a great number of passen- gers, all anxious to get on shore, from twelve to twenty-four hours lying to, with a rough sea, in full view of their port, while the pilot who ought to be on board is drinking grog, or worse employed, on shore. There ought to be the severest penalty imposed on any pilot, who should neglect to board a vessel with all convenient speed whenever the proper sig- nal is given. 142 A WINTER IN THE CHAPTER XIII. St. Augustine. ALTHOUGH previously satisfied from the lati- tude and description of St. Augustine, that it could not be compared favourably with either of the before described places as a resort for invalids, still, as many entertain a different opinion, I determined to examine into every material circumstance with sufficient particu- larity to be able to give a full, fair, just, and impartial account of it. It numbers about two thousand inhabitants : is situate at lati- tude 29 56' north, within half a mile of the open sea, upon the highest land in the vicinity, being a kind of high bank formed of sand and shells, with a light, dry, sandy, dusty soil, for surface. The entrance to the harbour is nar- row and crooked, insomuch that no one wind is fair to take a vessel in or out. The streets are regular, but narrow, many of them being scarce twelve feet wide ; without sidewalks or pave- ments ; with from two to four inches of loose rolling sand on the surface. The situation is WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 143 bleak, the winds generally prevail from the north-eastward, directly from the ocean, often with sufficient force to drift the sand along the streets, like snow at the north, making it unpleasant, if not dangerous, to face a strong wind with open eyes. About half a mile from the wharf, the ground descends to a marsh, where the water sets in several feet deep at high tide, along a kind of creek several rods wide ; beyond that is another strip of land, about forty rods wide, similar to the first, ex- cept lower, which is generally improved, but not thickly built upon ; then follows another marsh, and a kind of creek, called Matanza's river, where the tide flows ; and then the main land of the peninsula, on a level of about eight or ten feet below the city ; a barren sandy soil, with one or two sand roads through it to the interior, Jacksonville, Picolata, &c. &c., and covered with a thick growth of bush- es and a few scattering yellow pines. The soil about the city in its natural state bears some wild grass, but not enough to form a turf over the sand, or keep it in its place. Above the town is the old Spanish fort, built at great expense, but now going to decay, and used only as a prison. Towards the lower 144 A WINTER IN THE end of the city the Government have bar- racks for our troops, where I found one com- pany stationed, amounting to about forty men. There is a large, fine garden attached to the establishment, surrounded with a fine row of young sour orange trees. Almost every house in the city has a large garden, bordered in the like manner, and many of them are en- tirely covered with sweet orange trees, to the exclusion of every thing else. Others are de- voted to the culture of the mulberry tree, an article at present in high demand, and from which half the inhabitants of St. Augustine expect to make a fortune. The other half are sure to make one by their orange groves, i. e. if they are not mistaken in their calcu- lations. They appear to flourish well, have several years' growth, and some of the largest have begun to blossom, but not an orange is to be seen. The cold winter of 1835 killed all their trees, and compelled them to begin asrain. If the frost does not come too hard o again, they will have fruit in two or three years. It is said, with how much truth I do not know personally, but have never heard it disputed, that the oranges of St. Augustine were preferred to those of Havana in the WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 145 New-York market, and that every season was productive. Not finding many large dead trees, or stumps of them, however, led me to suspect that fortunes never were made here by raising oranges, and very probably never will be. The raising and selling young trees, either orange or mulberry, however, is a very profitable business as long as there are plenty of purchasers ; but if the supply happens to exceed the demand, the speculation will turn out like a great many others of modern times. Many suppose the climate must be very fine and free from cold, because oranges can be produced here ; but when it is considered that they will endure, without injury, the temper- ature of 12 below freezing, it is not at all surprising that good fires and thick overcoats should be very necessary articles in an orange- growing country. When the trees were killed here, the thermometer fell to 22 below freez- ing, or, in other words, 8 above zero. This was cold enough to make ice to skate upon. On the 27th of March, only two days before my arrival, it fell to freezing within eight miles of the city, and nearly as low in town. It was not my intention to have devoted as much attention to this place till convinced 13 146 A WINTER IN THE by the conversations of my fellow-passengers from Key West, and the invalids and inhabi- tants here, with what determined tenacity many still adhere to the idea that there is no occasion for invalids going out of the United States to find a climate suitable to relieve them from the terrible diseases contracted in the severe climate of the north. I was hardly credited at Key West when I assured them that the south side of Cuba was much warmer and pleasanter than that place ; that the haze in the sky at morning and eve- ning, and the moisture of the sand along the streets in the morning, were evidences of a humid, though not a rainy atmosphere. Be- cause it did not rain often, it was declared very dry ; because at Havana they have northers and rains, it was declared as good as Cuba ; and because it was much warmer than any other place in our country, it was declared warm enough. It was, in truth, however, so good, that, susceptible as I was to the effects of a bad climate, and particularly cold, my time there had been passed with a great de- gree of comfort ; and on our passage, in dis- cussing our preferences for the respective places we had visited, I had a strong argu* WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 147 ment in my favour from the fact that every one of them, though improved, was still labouring under his old difficulties, whereas, during the whole passage, I had no appearance of catarrh, cough, or asthma, and scarcely any of dyspep- sia : a sure indication that my improvement had been greater than theirs. On coming on shore I felt, and looked too, like a well man, and was highly pleased to think of getting so far north without a return of the old difficul- ties. The very first night, however, the cold began to produce its effect. All were glad to sit, with shut doors and windows, around a good blazing fire, and, in spite of all precau- tions, the exciting stimulus of the cold air produced first pain in the head and spine, then an oppression upon the chest, then dyspepsia, catarrh, and asthma : by the third night it was impossible to draw a clear breath, and all the symptoms of my old difficulties appeared to be returning with redoubled force. There were several very pleasant days. i. e. when the sky was clear; but then, although the ther- mometer stood in the middle of the day at about 70 in the shade, and although perspira- tion was readily produced by walking in the sun, still, such was the force of the north wind, 148 that the moment I found myself in the shade, or in any current of air, the perspiration was suddenly checked, and the sensation of cold apparently as great as k would be with the thermometer at 40 at the north. Although others did not feel the cold so much, still the fact that they all sat around a good large fire at morning and evening, was some evi- dence that they did not feel comfortable with- out it. The dining-room r as well as sitting- room, had to be heated up by fire to make it comfortable, and this down to the 10th of April, in an orange-growing country, and a supposed suitable resort for invalids. Comment is un- necessary. The thing speaks for itself. It is not only absurd, but almost wicked, to send a sick man here for his health, when it is just as easy to send him to a better place. Eveiy one at all sensitive knows how unpleasant it is at the north in the spring and fall, when it is so warm in the middle of the day that no atten- tion is paid to fires at morning and evening, rainy days, &c., to stand or sit about, half shivering, but still scarcely cold enough to admit of fire without being too warm. Just so it is, and must be here much of the time during the winter, for it is only when coldest WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 149 that fires are made. More than half of the time I remained here it was cold and cloudy, with a severe north-east wind. This wind is nothing like those of the West Indies, which, though often fresh, are warm and bland; but, on the contrary, is as sour, cold, and piercing, as half-frozen vinegar. Situate on the borders of the temperate, so near the torrid zone, it is natural enough to expect a great proportion of cold north wind, with now and then a veiy warm breeze from the south, thus making the climate exceedingly variable. There were one or two days, however, when the winds slackened, the sky became bright, and the at- mosphere became dry enough to affect respi- ration unfavourably. As the country in its vicinity is mostly composed of dry sand, it is probable the westerly winds prove injurious to lung complaints from their dryness, and the northerly and easterly winds must be injuri- ous from their cold, sharp, cutting severity. The south-east winds are the most favourable, but are seldom and of short duration. A cloak is quite as necessary an article to safety and comfort here as at New- York, for the general temperature being higher, makes the cold more perceptible and more dangerous. 13* 150 A WINTER IN THE The above objections to this place were so well known to me before, that I supposed others must know them also, and that not more than four or five invalids would be found here ; but, so far from such being the fact, more than twenty were here on my ar- rival, eight or ten had returned, and thirteen had died within the last four months. The death of invalids of itself proves nothing against a climate ; but when so large a pro- portion have died here, while at St. Croix, not by any means the best climate that can be found, out of a larger number of the most dangerous cases, the deaths during the same- time have been only six or seven ; this, in my estimation, "serves to thicken with the other proofs" against the claimed superiority of climate. Many, no doubt, came here far gone with consumption ; so did those who died at St. Croix : but several of those who can never hope to recover, instead of being cut off at once, are so much relieved as to prolong their lives, and give nature a fair chance of effecting a cure. I found here one gentleman from Boston, of great intelligence and respectability, who had travelled much, and, on the whole, preferred this place for WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 151 himself to any other. His was an affection of the lungs, though not a bad case. He looked pretty well, but did not pretend to go out at night nor in the morning without his cloak on and his neck well bundled up. He had been to St. Croix, but did not like the climate, because too warm, producing debility. Several of his family had the fever while there, which no doubt influenced his judg- ment against the climate, as having the asth- ma did mine against that of this place. Another gentleman who had spent the winter of 1836-7 at St. Croix, thought that climate bad and this worse. His daughter died at St. Croix, which no doubt had its influence in forming his opinion of it. He was convinced that he was no better here than he should be at home, in Rochester, New- York. His was an affection of the throat and bronchial tubes. A young man from western New-York, with a consumption, as he thought, had found himself some better than at the north, but he complained of the climate as being too cold. Another that fell under my observation was in the last stages of consumption, and will soon add another to the list of deaths this sea- son. There are some persons residing here 152 A WINTER IN THE who at first came out for their health, and have entirely recovered. Some of my fellow- passengers from Key West thought the cold was not very objectionable, and the one who had no cough talked of coming here to reside. On the whole, I have no doubt, that, in cases of mere predisposition to disease, benefit has been, and may sometimes be, derived from a winter residence here, but that those who are really suffering from the effects of cold might about as well stay at home. Very good medi- cal attendance can be procured here, but the charges are high, being about five dollars for a first visit to a stranger, and probably nearly as much for each succeeding visit. There is no dispute about the general salubrity of the place. It is small and dull, without amusements, and without any horses or carriages to let, or other means of enabling strangers to ride, and it is difficult to disco- ver that it excels Key West in any thing except greater extent of territory, a pros- pect of speculating in Florida lands, and the more frequent opportunity of sending and receiving communications by mail. The mail goes to and from Savannah twice a week, and arrives there in about four WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 153 days. The expense of board is about the same as at Key West ; the living- not as good as might be had at that place, but houses and furnishing better. Fine oysters abound here, however, as a substitute for the turtle of Key West. There are two large and commodious hotels, capable of entertaining forty or fifty persons each.. The Florida House, kept by Mr. Thomp- son, is a large, commodious, and well reg- ulated establishment, considering the cir- cumstances of the place ; and, although somewhat expensive, good fires were gene- rally provided, to obviate the severity of the- weather. It costs five dollars to go to Jack- sonville in a bad stage. Steamboats ran pret- ty regularly from the St. John's river to Savan- nah, but none from here anywhere north. A packet schooner runs regularly from here to Charleston, at ten dollars passage, but owing to north-east winds, it is some- times impossible to get out of the harbour for a month at a time. I was detained in that manner for ten days, during which pe- riod I wrote this description, in a room without fire, with a cloak on, and feet cold in spite of thick boots : suffering from asth- 154 A WINTER IN THE ma, fearing worse further north, still burning with impatience on account of the delay. If this ought to detract any thing from the weight due to the opinions above expressed, make the necessary deduction : but as to all the facts, they are just as true as they would be, if I were ever so much pleased with the place, and owned large tracts of Florida lands, like some who have given different accounts. If any one doubts, I have but one answer : let him try it. The following table shows the general state of the weather for one year previous to April, 1839: 1838. Highest. Lowest. Rainy Days. April, 73 54 3 May, 78 61 2 June, 79 71 18 July, 89 70 4 August, 86 76 ' 12 September, 86 64 12 October, 85 52 8 November, 85 46 3 December, 80 24 Frost. 4 1833. January, 78 42 4 February, 79 46 6 WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 155 1839* Highest. Lowest. Rainy Days. March, 86 36 Frost. 3 10th April, 70 56 2 It will thus be seen that the summer months alone are far from too low a tem- perature for invalids, and that it would be more wise to send them at that season than any other. They would avoid the extreme variations of the north from 90 to 40, which always must be injurious at any season or place. But the marshes in the vicinity harbour too many mosquitoes in summer to allow one a moment's quiet : so I was informed by a family who had resided there a year, and which rather sur- prised me, as it seemed from the state of the weather in April, that mosquitoes would freeze in summer. These marshes, too, in warm weather, must produce a bad effect upon the atmosphere. At the time of writing the above, I sup- posed the wind was coming about, so as to take me along to some place, if no bet- ter, at least free from pretensions to a fine climate. Nothing can be worse than to find oneself imprisoned in this little village ; kept a whole week or more with a cold, 156 A WINTER IN THE piercing wind drifting the sand along the streets, and into his eyes, with sometimes a chance at a fire morning and evening, and sometimes a chance to wrap up in a cloak and shiver without any ; and many times too cold to keep warm by walking in the sun-shine ; with numbers of misera- ble patients hovering about the fire, telling stories of distress, while others are busily engaged in extolling the climate. It is al- together unendurable to hear it. Why, a man that would not feel too cold here, would stand a six years' residence in Green- land, or send an invalid to the Great Dismal Swamp for health. The truth is, a man in health can judge no better of the fitness of a climate for invalids than a blind man of colours. He has no sense by which to judge of it. His is the feel- ing of the well man, but not of the sick. I have been healthy, and now I am sick ; and know the above remark is correct. No getting away, blow blow blow, north-east winds are sovereigns here, forci- bly restraining the free will of every-body, and keeping every thing at a stand except the tavern-bill, which runs against all winds WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 157 and weather. Here are forty passengers, besides a vessel, detained for ten days by the persevering obstinacy of the tyrant wind, while its music roars along the shore, to regale us by night as well as by day, and keep us in constant recollection of the cause of detention. Oh, for a steamboat, that happiest invention of man, that goes in spite of wind and tide ! Talk of dan- ger ! Why, rather than be detained in this manner, I would take passage on board a balloon, or a thunder cloud. Any thing to get along. These north-easters are what used to be called "orange winds," because, when a cargo of fruit was put on board, it was often ten days before it was possible to get out of the harbour, during which time the whole would decay, and thereby make a market for another cargo. This is another impediment to making fortunes by growing oranges at St. Augustine. Instead of riding for amusement, as at St. Croix, the invalids here appear to have taken a great fancy to cutting and trimming orange sticks for canes. Having nothing else to do, many of them work as indus- 14 158 A WINTER IN THE triously at this as so many mechanics toil- ing for their daily wages. To see a dozen men sitting along the sunny side of the house, all engaged in whittling, forcibly re- minded me of the remark of Mrs. Trol- lope, "that the Americans were a whittling nation." Every one intends to carry home canes enough to present one to each of his friends, as an everlasting memorial of the far-off and never-to-be-forgotten city of St. Augustine, where orange trees will grow in spite of frost, except once in four or five years, when it comes too hard. WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 159 CHAPTER XIV. Return to New-York. AT length, after twelve days severe north- east wind, to the great joy of the passengers, and misfortune of landlords, on the 10th of April the smoke from the chimney- tops was observed to incline to the northward ; and about four o'clock, p. M., we got out of the harbour, and stretched our way for Charleston with a fair breeze. On board was a lady who had just buried her husband, who had vainly resorted to the climate of St. Augus- tine for relief from a pulmonary complaint, and now, with a little child, the only rem- nant of her family, was making her way to the north, lamenting her fate, and regretting the vain experiment of such a change of cli- mate. A circumstance like this, as usual, impressed me with a deep tone of melan- choly ; but it made but little impression upon the inhabitants of the place, to whom such occurrences seemed to be familiar. Before leaving, the weather had become warmer, my 160 A WINTER IN THE difficulties had somewhat subsided, and but for the idea of being forcibly detained, the last few days would have passed with a tolerable degree of comfort. On ar- riving at Charleston the weather was fine, the air moist, but bland, not unlike that of St. Croix in January ; and, on the whole, my health appeared about as good as at the time of leaving Key West. From inquiry, I learned that the weather for ten days previ- ous had been much better at Charleston than at St. Augustine ; but, as a general remark, it is true that Charleston has a worse climate for invalids than St. Augustine. Although a fine city, and in many respects a pleasant place, it is surrounded by low grounds, mud and marshes, and but for the purifying influ- ence of the salt water, which freely ebbs and flows there, would be a very unhealthy place. There is generally but little sickness, how- ever, except some cases of yellow fever in summer, which proves fatal to strangers, and sometimes to inhabitants. Unlike most cities, it is healthier than the country in its vicinity ; and in very warm weather, it is said, an in- habitant cannot go out of town without tak- ing a fever. Very good packets carry pas- WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 161 senders from Charleston to New- York for twenty to twenty-five dollar^ generally mak- ing the passage in from four to- eight days ; and many persons travelling north were in doubt whether to go- by sea or land : I con- cluded to try the latter. Another question to be settled was between taking a steamboat direct for Norfolk, doubling Cape Hatteras, at twenty-five dollars passage, and going by steamboat to Wilmington, North Carolina, and thence to Norfolk via the Wilmington and Halifax, and Portsmouth and Roanoke railroads. Here was a difference of opinion ; but as the former, going only once a week, did not start as soon by one day, I preferred the latter route, which is a daily mail line ; and after a fine night's rest found myself at Wilmington the next morning at about seven o'clock, a distance of one hundred and fifty miles. The town is situate on a sand-bank, in the vicinity of low rice lands and swamps ; but, like all other places, is healthy, if the inhabitants are to be believed. From the steamboat the change to a railroad car was o rather pleasant ; but, before getting through eighty miles of swampy land, every one wished himself upon the blue waters, where 14* 162 A WINTER IN THE a pure atmosphere balanced a thousand evils. When from this we changed to the slow mo- tion of a stage-coach, along a similar swamp, night and day, for eighty miles further, some- times almost literally going out of sight of land, and expecting every moment to be upset either upon land or water, no one felt disposed to find fault with a railroad through any country, as it ensured speed, if nothing else. At Welden, North Carolina, we took the Portsmouth and Roanoke railroad, and got through in thirty-six hours from Wil- mington, a distance of three hundred miles. Almost the whole country appeared one con- tinuous swamp, with clay bottom, sandy soil, and a growth of pitch-pine trees, entirely in- capable of the production of any thing but turpentine, tar, and fever and ague. Here and there a spot of high ground was cleared and inhabited, exhibiting now and then a few fruit trees in blossom, contrasting finely with the gloomy monotony of pitch-pine forests. Nobody, however, would live here who had ever seen any other country ; but, in the consoling belief that the country is as healthy as any in the world, many have lived there till they have become proof WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 163 against ague, and without, apparently, being at all dissatisfied with their condition. At about midnight, in company with a fellow- traveller, I walked on while the horses were being changed, and, perceiving a bright pine fire at a distance, upon a little elevation above the surrounding country, with some waggons around it, went up to see what might be there. Two or thre^ men were sleeping, without covering, upon the damp earth, as quietly as though they had been reposing *upon beds of down. They were awakened by our approach, and we fell into conversation. They had covered waggons, and were going down to the coast to buy loads of herring to peddle out on their re- turn. I asked one of them why he did not get under the cover of his waggon to sleep. He replied it was not long enough, and be- sides that it was healthier to lie in the open air. "I understand," said he, "the people at the north sleep in the house all the time, and that it makes them sickly." Half mankind are just about as good philosophers upon this subject as these waggoners, vainly im- agining that any thing is healthy which can be lived through. As the coach came up, I 164 A WINTER IN THE ironically remarked to my companion that I had an idea of taking lodgings with the wag- goners ; whereupon, taking me in earnest, one and all exclaimed, "you are welcome, stran- ger." This trifling interview seemed impor- tant enough for a midnight scene in a North Carolina swamp, and gave a better idea of the character and manners of the lower class of people there than could be obtained by read- ing for a week. If these swamps extend for a hundred or more rniles in width through South Carolina and Georgia, also, as well as part of Florida, as I have no doubt they do, no wonder the north winds bear along an unwholesome air even as far south as Key West. It is impossible that any place less than a thousand miles to the leeward should enjoy a good climate. From Portsmouth a fine boat, starting at evening, took us to Baltimore by nine o'clock the next mornins:. But although a number o o of passengers were extremely anxious to take the first train of cars to Philadelphia, and got their baggage alongside the street where they passed, they would not stop to take us in, under the pretence that they had not time. As the railroad, steamboat, and all, are in the WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 165 hands of one company, they knew they were sure of our money the next trip, and little did they care for the rest. I had exposed my health by riding through the swamps in the night to save a day, and here lost it again for want of that spirit of accommodation that is always sure to prevail, except where charter- ed monopolies have the power in their own hands. If passengers knew they were liable thus to lose the time attempted to be saved in going from Charleston to New- York by land, a packet would be preferred in a majority of cases. The expense is not half as much, the trouble less, and the usual passage but a day or two longer. After passing a day very pleasantly in Baltimore, at night I was off for New- York, where, by the force of steam, I arrived the next day at 4 p. M. The inland passage from Charleston costs about fifty dol- lars, and by sea about twenty. Persons returning from the West Indies in the spring, especially invalids, will find it pleasanter to land at Charleston, and make the residue in- land, instead of venturing on the northern ' O coast in bad weather ; but, after the first of May, in spite of sea-sickness, the sea-passage is far preferable to the inland. 166 A WINTER IN THE I had returned home with fear and trem- bling, in the expectation of a return of my old complaints, in a worse degree than at St. Au- gustine ; but happily, the result was far other- wise, the cold being felt but little more here than there ; and after contrasting my present health with what it was at leaving, my im- provement was found to have been much greater than I had yet been aware of. Every one who met me expressed their surprise at the change, and pronounced the cure com- plete. But in this they are mistaken. The first wind of winter will drive me south again ; and it would be presumptuous to at- tempt to avoid it. In four and a half months, during which time the most that could have been expected at the north would have been the mainte- nance of a miserable existence, by means of heavy clothing and hot fires, with constant confinement, I made six voyages at sea, four by steamboats, two hundred and thirty miles by railroads, and eighty in stage coaches, which, altogether, amounted to forty-six hun- dred miles by sea and land, without suffering, except from sea-sickness, and at an expense of only about five hundred dollars for the WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 167 whole time. By going to one place, and there remaining during the winter, the ex- penses of an invalid need not exceed three hundred dollars : a mere trifle, compared with the advantages almost sure to be gained even by those who do not thereby regain their health. By this remark, however, I do not mean to encourage the idea of sending abroad patients with confirmed consumption. It is much better they should remain at home. 168 A WINTER IN THE CHAPTER XV. General Observations. As Key West and St. Augustine are the only places claimed to be favourable for invalids in the United States, except some prospective towns in the vicinity of each, and as each of these are far inferior to a hundred places in the West Indies, it becomes unnecessary to discuss the merits of several other places which were formerly much resorted to, but which now send their quota of invalids to other and more favourable situations. During my tour I have met with invalids from Bos- ton, New-Bedford, Providence, New-Haven, New- York, Albany, Fonda, Utica, Rochester, Buffalo, Philadelphia, Indiana, Ohio, Balti- more, Charleston, Savannah, Macon, Pensa- cola, Tallahasse, (Fa.,) New-Orleans, and Tex- as, and more than five to one of the whole number fully agree with me in the opinion, that, with some few exceptions, arising from the nature or state of the disease, any point in the United States is, by its geographical po- WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 169 sition, too cold to furnish the desired relief, and that Key West is the only place that can plausibly claim to be an exception to the general rule. As some may still feel disposed to prefer the latter rather than depart from their own country, and others, though prefer- ring the West Indies, may, from some cause, desire to visit places there other than those above described, I will proceed to detail such information as I have been able to obtain in regard to places which, though not much re- sorted to, are undoubtedly similar in many respects to those above described. Porto Rico, a large Spanish island, situate only one to three degrees to the westward of St. Oroix, has a rich soil, producing sugar- cane in great abundance and with little la- bour, with a large proportion of wild, uncul- tivated land, covered with a heavy growth of timber. Large fortunes have been, and no doubt may still be, made there by purchasing wild land and commencing sugar estates. The best soil produces from three to four hogsheads of sugar to the acre, besides the usual proportion of molasses, whereas at St. Croix two hogsheads to the acre is considered a good crop. From the appearance of the 15 170 A WINTER IN THE high lands which I saw, in passing along the southerly coast, it seemed to me that the cli- mate, in some parts of it at least, must be healthy ; but, generally among those best ac- quainted with the island, the climate is pro- nounced bad. One of the boarding-houses at St. Croix is kept by a lady who owns an estate in Porto Rico, but will not reside upon it on account of its unhealthiness. A gentle- man now residing at Key West for his health informed me. however, that he spent part of a winter at Porto Rico very pleasantly, and had found no fault with the climate. This, to- gether with its situation and appearance, con- vinced me that the south-westerly part of it must enjoy a fine climate. To the northward and eastward, too many rains are attracted to it in the same manner as at St. Croix, and the soil being rich, new, and deep, no doubt re- tains sufficient moisture to produce fevers ; and, as this part is generally most settled, the general reputation of unhealthiness has fol- lowed as a matter-of-course. A person able to enjoy himself in travelling would probably travel there without injury, and perhaps with benefit to his health ; but the modes of con- veyance and other accommodations for tra- WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 171 vellers would not be likely to suit an Ameri- can, and Cuba, Jamaica, or the Spanish Main, would present a far more interesting field for the observations of the traveller. The Windward Islands, as they are called at St. Thomas and St. Croix, were considered by many well worth the expense of a visit, though I never heard one of them spoken of as a favourable resort for invalids, and from the description of them, contained in Halliday's West Indies, it appears that most, if not all, of them are unhealthy. An English steamboat runs from one to the other, and from thence to Jamaica, touching at St. Thomas, making regular trips, and carrying a mail, but the fare is too high to suit Americans, who are in the habit of going by steam for from one to two dollars the hundred miles. From St. Thomas to Jamaica, a distance of about five hundred miles, it is sixty dollars, besides one dollar and fifty cents per day for meals, and for other places in proportion. A fellow-passenger from St. Croix to Trinidad, had visited Mar- tinico, St. Vincent, Barbadoes, Nevis, Trini- dad, and several other islands ; and, although highly pleased with the situation and beauti- ful scenery of several, particularly those 172 A WINTER IN THE belonging to the British, he agreed with me in preferring the climate of Trinidad de Cuba to any he had ever known. He found no per- ceptible improvement of his health, till after about two weeks' residence at the latter place, when it became so great, that, contrary to his previous intention of returning to Philadelphia in the same vessel, he concluded to remain for a month or two longer, and was enjoying the luxury of a fine climate, with continued bene- fit, at the time of my departure. The Spanish Main, situate in a favourable latitude, with ample extent of territory, and choice of elevation from the plains on a level with the ocean, to the loftiest mountains, must afford many excellent locations in point of salubrity of climate. An invalid disposed to travelling could scarcely find a country in the tropical regions holding out greater at- tractions, but he must have the requisite amount of health left, to endure fatigue and such fore as he meets with, there being no boarding-house to fix up dainties for the deli- cate, or any other suitable provision for the accommodation of the feeble. Some of those at St. Croix made an excursion thither, and were much pleased with the tour. There are WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 173 frequent opportunities thither from St. Tho- mas, and very good vessels are constantly sail- ing to and from New- York, and Laguira, and Porto Cabello. Jamaica is a large British island, situate in a favourable latitude, with abundance of high, dry, and some very mountainous situations ; and from all the information I can obtain, with- out a single cause of unhealthiness of climate. Still, while every one agrees in pronouncing it a very beautiful country, presenting many attractions, I have never heard it recommended as a resort for invalids, but, on the contrary, almost every one, in general terms, pronounces it unhealthy. The city of Kingston, from its peculiar situation, is subject to yellow fever at all seasons of the year, and, as that is the principal port of entry, all strangers going there naturally take their impressions of the place from the prevalent opinion of the resi- dents of the city, without particularly inquir- ing into the distinguishing circumstances between town and country. It is impossible for me to believe, however, that there are no favourable locations for invalids in Jamaica. Mountains and clear rivers are highly favourable circumstances to the salubrity of 15* 174 A WINTER IN THE climate any where, particularly in a tropi- cal latitude. The variation in elevation is great enough to give ample choice of temper- ature, from perpetual summer heat, to the temperature of fall and spring, in New Eng- land. In the higher regions, the apple flour- ishes well, and it must there be cool enough for any body ; and no one will dispute that the lower ones are hot enough. Consumptions sometimes occur here, probably among the mountains ; and two years ago, one of the in- valids at St. Croix was a consumptive patient from Jamaica. Circumstances like this have no doubt contributed to the generally unfa- vourable reputation of the climate. Those disposed to travel might do well at least to give it a fair examination. If dissatis- fied, it is easy to get away ; but the expenses of travelling and living there are greater than any where in Cuba, except Havana. Those who are anxious to witness the practical ope- ration of the aboliton of slavery, will find an additional inducement to visit the island. I have heard many speak of it as highly disas- trous to the interests of the country. Property of all hinds has fallen ; in fine, business has almost come to a stand, it being impossible to WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 175 procure labourers to carry on the plantations. The daily wages of negroes is only twenty- five cents besides their board, which, in point of economy, would be better than to have them slaves; but the difficulty is, they will never work more than three days at a time. Seventy-five cents makes them rich, and they are obliged to take the next three days to spend the money. It is said, with how much accu- racy I am unable to say, that in a warm cli- mate, where the actual necessities of life can be so easily procured, the natural improvi- dence and indolence of the negro race ren- ders it impossible to induce them to work, and that the recently freed slaves are gene- rally an insolent, indolent, and, in all respects, worthless class of people. Exceptions .no doubt there are, but this is the general charac- ter. I have heard no one who had ever been there express a contrary opinion. The island of Cuba has so many cities and towns besides those I have visited, that a few general remarks in relation to several of them, and the island in general, can scarcely fail of proving acceptable to the reader. It is about seven hundred miles long, extending from south-east to north-west, contains from seven 176 A WINTER IN THE hundred thousand to a million inhabitants, has a luxuriant soil, healthy climate, and is by far the most important of all the West Indies. Formerly the Government was committed to men unworthy of so important a trust, under whose administration crimes became preva- lent, and went unpunished, bribery furnish- ing a good defence to all accusations, and purchasing exemption from all penalties. About ten years since, the Government of Spain appointed one Tacon Captain-Gen- eral, with full powers over all the pro- vinces and provincial Governors of the island. Under his vigorous administration a code of laws was established and enforced ; pirates and robbers had their heads taken off and suspended in a kind of cage along the streets, as a warning to evil-doers ; thieves, blacklegs, and swindlers, were put in prison, and set to work in improving the cities ; and it soon became unsafe to attempt to carry on lawsuits by bribery and perjury. Although lie has ceased to be Captain-General, the com- munity are still enjoying the blessings of his laws and regulations ; and, in no country per- haps on earth, is there a greater regard paid to the laws, or fewer crimes committed. WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 177 Before Tacon was Captain-General, the planters and other wealthy men took their own time to pay such debts as were owing to poorer persons, or, rather, did not pay them at all. It was in vain to sue, for the expenses of litigation were such, that a poor man could never enforce a claim against a wealthy debt- or. Tacon adopted a new plan of enforcing the claims of the poor against the rich. When complaint was made in behalf of the former against the latter, instead of sending a writ, the Governor would send to the defendant a requisition to appear before him at an ap- pointed hour. When he arrived he would ask him if he owed such a person. The an- swer would be "yes, but it is not convenient to pay it now ; I will pay it in six months." The Governor would then pay the debt himself, and tell the defendant to recollect the Captain- General was his creditor, and the day of pay- ment must be remembered. Creditors, of course, were well pleased with this new mode of enforcing claims; and defendants, however displeased, were obliged to pay their debts, or contend with an opponent more powerful than themselves. There is a standing army of about eighteen 178 A WINTER IN THE thousand men stationed in the different cities, all paid, fed, and clothed at the expense of the Government, almost exclusively for the pur- pose of maintaining public order and insuring public tranquillity. Every soldier is a police- man, whose especial duty it is to prevent af- frays, riots, &c. &c., and arrest and secure all disturbers of the public peace. If a citizen or stranger is, from any cause, apprehensive of an attack in going through the city at night, a soldier, or more if necessary, will go with him and protect him from all harm. I was pleased with the fine appearance of the troops. They are mostly young men, exclusively Spaniards, well fed and neatly clad, always having a clean suit every morning, and not a man of them ever gets drunk. Our army might, in several particulars, take lessons from these Spanish troops with decided advantage. All articles imported pay a duty of about thirty per cent., and American flour is charged with the enormous duty of ten dollars per bar- rel. The duty on salt also is about as exorbi- tant. Instead of laying light duties on articles of necessity, they put on the more ; because, being articles of prime necessity, there is no danger that the duty will prevent the impor- WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 179 tation. Aliens are permitted to own real estate, without becoming naturalized, and without extraordinary taxes. Many of our citizens are owning plantations there, and de- riving from them a great income. Sugar estates are extremely profitable, generally yielding from forty to fifty per cent, per an- num on the money invested ; but it takes three or four years, with a large capital, to get fairly under-way, and but few have the requisite amount of money to get success- fully in operation. In the province of Fer- nandina, adjoining Trinidad on the west, there is plenty of sugar-land in market on the following terms, to wit : First two years, gratis ; next eight years, forty-five dollars to the one hundred acres, annual rent ; after that, seventy-five dollars the one hundred acres for ever. This exemption from rent for the first two years, is given to encourage the commencement of sugar estates. The land is described as of an excellent quality, surpassing that of Trinidad. Last year, the exports from the province were only about one-tenth ; this year, nearly one-fourth ; and in a few years, will no doubt equal, if not ex- ceed, those of Trinidad. St. Furgos is the 180 A WINTER IN THE capital and only port of entry, and is situate on the southerly side of the island, about forty miles to the west of Trinidad. From the appearance of the country in passing^ and its vicinity to Trinidad, I have no doubt the climate is good. It has not, however, such a barrier of mountains on the north to protect it from the cold winds. Cardinas, a town about twenty miles east- erly of Matanzas, on the north side of the island, has lately been made a port of entry, and has plenty of unimproved good cane lands in its vicinity, to be had at about the same terms as those of Fernandina. A rail- road is to be constructed from thence to the cane-growing regions in the interior, which will make it a place of considerable import- ance. These facilities for opening sugar estates strongly incline the coffee-planters to sell their estates, and take up this new land. Such is the expectation of profit from the newly made sugar estates, that coffee estates may be bought at a sum which will realize twenty-five per cent, per annum from the yearly income. The price of coffee estates varies, according to the quantity of land and number of slaves, from ten to fifty WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 181 thousand dollars. Sugar estates are gener- ally larger, require more slaves, and produce from twenty to a hundred and fifty thousand dollars per annum. Nothing can be more beautiful than a coffee estate, or furnish a more neat pleasant business, for a gentleman who wishes to live at his ease, in a fine cli- mate, and with a home that will supply every luxury of life. If gentlemen who have the means, instead of going to the West Indies for a single winter, when they find pulmo- nary complaints approaching, and then re- turning to the north, where the summers are almost as bad for the lungs as the winters, could be persuaded to buy an estate and re^ move to Cuba at once, they would stand a much better chance of ultimate recovery ; and, at all events, contribute greatly to their own happiness during the residue of their lives. Many, however, would almost prefer death, at home, to an exile from their coun- try ; but I am satisfied that most of their im- pressions upon that subject are founded in prejudice. The Catholic religion, and the mode of burying strangers, have had their influence in deterring our citizens from removing to 16 182 A WINTER IN THE Cuba. I had supposed that every one would be compelled to pay a tax for the support of the church, but it is not so ; no one pays un- less he chooses ; nor do the church or the Government interfere with private opinion as long as there is no open opposition to the church. By their laws, however, children must be christened ; marriage and funeral ceremonies performed by the Catholic church ; and, for every thing of the kind, an ample fee is imposed, by way of support to the estab- lished religion. The expenses of a respectable burial are from two to five hundred dollars, and about the same for sending the body out of the country. The keepers of all public houses are subjected to a penalty of fifty dollars for every neglect to report the death of any stran- ger in their house, within twenty-four hours. Their manner of disposing the bodies of de- ceased strangers whose friends do not furnish the requisite amount of money, is shocking to the feelings of our countrymen. At Ha- vana there is not sufficient room in the stran- gers' burying ground to allow the bodies a grave a-piece, or time to decompose, before being thrown up again in digging new WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 183 graves. No parade is made over the body unless the regular church ceremony is paid for ; but four negroes carry it in a coffin to the grave, which is always ready dug in ad- vance, deep enough to admit of several ; turn the coffin over, and empty its contents into the grave ; throw over a little dirt ; and, with the same coffin, go for another; and, when that is deposited, throw over a little more dirt, and so on as long as any room is left. When the whole ground has been dug over in this manner, the same process is gone through with again ; and, as there are no coffins in the way, the bones are not much of an impediment to the digging. Dry bones lay scattered about the surface, and piles of them are raked up in the corners of this great Potter's Field. In other places there is suffi- cient room for graves, but the mode of inter- ment, in other respects, is the same. This has often been spoken of by Americans as one of the principal objections to a residence in Cuba. It Avould, however, have but little weight with me, if in other respects I found it of advantage to go there, as comforts during life are, in my estimation, of more con- sequence than ceremonies after 4eath ; and 184 A WINTER IN THE those ceremonies can be had, for the satis- faction of friends, by paying the necessary- charges. This is the mode adopted there to defray the expenses of the church ; and, how- ever contrary to our feelings, is in reality no worse, if as bad, as a perpetual tax during life for the same purpose. In St. Croix also the same principle is adopted, though the charge is not so high for a funeral ; but for carrying aAvay a body, about two hundred dollars must be paid. As an equivalent for these expenses, and the high duties on im- ports, the Government is very indulgent as to taxes upon real estate : the encouragement of agriculture being with them a favourite object. If heavy taxes, on the whole, are paid to the Government, it should be remem- bered that they are not paid for nothing ; but thereby the inhabitants secure the enjoyment of their property, and are relieved from the apprehension of a rebelling of the slaves, which they would constantly labour under; but for a standing army, kept always ready to put down the first efforts at insurrection. On the whole, the island is far better go- verned than Spain itself, and the inhabitants are generally well satisfied to let things remain. WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 185 as they are. Those that have property, are of course fearful of change ; and those that have not, are too lazy and indolent a class of peo- ple ever to be roused to a spirit of inde- pendence. So great is the indolence of the poorer classes, that no advantage is taken of the thousand opportunities almost every-where presented for the profitable application of uir dustry. Scarcely half the land has ever been cultivated at all, and much of it may be had at prices which place it within the power of almost every one to become a freeholder. But as long as a cjgar can be obtained, smok- ing is preferred to any kind of exertion, no- matter how great the reward. Vegetables are higher in Trinidad market than in- New- York, and are sometimes scarce ; and yet, there are abundance of lands within one mile of the city entirely uncultivated, which, though not of the first quality, would yield handsome incomes, with American industry and enterprise to manage them. I have spoken very favourably of the cli- mate of Trinidad, and unfavourably of St. Jago de Cuba. It may be asked why one should not be as good as the other, when both 16* 186 A WINTER IN THE are, in many respects, similarly situated? The answer is, that although St. Jago is on the south side of the island, and has mountains on- the north, like Trinidad, the former is closely hemmed in on all sides, so as to ex- pose it to the hot sun, without a free circula- tion of air ; whereas, the latter is entirely free from obstruction to any wind, except the north. The country in the vicinity of St. Jago is said to be perfectly healthy; and I have no doubt there are other places as fa- vourably situated, in respect to salubrity of climate, as Trinidad, but it is almost impossible to conceive of any that can be more so. On the south side of the island, opposite Havana, though warm enough, the air was as much worse than that of Trinidad, as the climate of the swampy regions of central New- York is worse than that of the most approved situa- tion on the sea-board in summer. This is the natural consequence of frequent rains, a moist soil, and rank vegetation. Havana and its vicinity have all these, and frequent northers besides. Those who merely wish to get away from the severity of northern winters, and enjoy the luxurious living of a large city, will find Havana a place, in almost every res- WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 187 pect, agreeable to their wishes. Real invalids, however, had better try some other place. Indian Key is a small island, containing only about six acres of land, situate about sixty miles eastwardly from Key West ; and is owned by a single individual, who has ex- pended large sums of money in erecting buildings, to make it a suitable resort for invalids, but with little success. The climate is similar to that of Key West, and its soil is far superior, producing a few plantains and other West India vegetables. Several adjacent Keys also produce them in considerable abun- dance. The owner is now making efforts to get it established as a port of entry, with what success remains to be seen. As a resort for invalids, it has nearly all the objections of Key West, besides its very limited dimensions, which must always prevent its successful competition with that place. Several other little Keys in its vicinity are about being fitted up for the same purpose, but can never reasonably hope to succeed to any consider- able extent. When several of them shall come to be inhabited, the monotony may be broken by passing from one to the other ; and, between them and Key West, many will, no 188 A WINTER IN THE doubt, pass off a winter with tolerable pa- tience ; but time passes slowly on these little islands, and, as long as the West Indies fur- nish a better climate and greater attractions, they must and will be preferred to any place in our country, by a great majority of travel- ling invalids. Cape Florida has been much thought of, as possessing a fine climate, good soil, and other natural advantage^, superior to either of the above-mentioned Keys ; but r for the present^ the settlement is broken up, and every inhabitant driven off by the Indian war. When the Indians broke up the settlement, after having killed or taken all the other in- habitants, they proceeded to the light-house to take the keeper and his family, if any. He had with him only one person, and that a slave. As the enemy entered below, he as- cended the stairs, tearing them up after him, to prevent their following. In this he was successful, but he found another difficulty to contend with. They set fire to the wood- work within, which blazed through to the top, and compelled the unfortunate refugees to get on to the top of the wall, thus exposing themselves to the heat of the flames, and but illy protecting themselves from the fire of WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 189 the enemy. The negro was scorched to death, and the keeper, after getting a ball-hole through one of his hands and each of his feet, was abandoned by the Indians, and was after- wards taken down and saved. Even when this obstacle shall be removed, it is doubtful whether its other advantages over Key West will be sufficient to compen- sate for the evil of about two degrees higher north latitude, and a large extent of very low country in its vicinity, which, in spite of all that may be said, ever must affect the atmos- phere injuriously. When the southern part of East Florida shall become more settled, many suppose that some situation in the inte- rior may be found, more favourable to health than any place in our country yet known ; but, until such discovery is made, I must re- main of the opinion that a country abounding in swamps and hammocks, as Florida does, whenever it shall become fully settled, will find invalids enough among its own popula- tion, without any supply from other places, and that the invalids of the north will always find places possessing tenfold advantages. 190 A WINTER IN THE CHAPTER XVI. Preparations; LADIES travelling for their health, must of course go under the care of some friend or relative ; but gentlemen, who do not expect to be confined to their room, will find it more convenient to leave their wives, if they have any, at home, especially if they have much disposition to travel. The opportunities for passages between the islands are often un- suitable for ladies, but such as would answer for gentlemen ; and any one who has tried it cannot doubt that ladies are not the best tra- velling companions, in the West Indies. Be- sides, it is not generally agreeable to them to make voyages at sea, or journeys by land, where means of travelling are not conve- nient. When, however, it is determined to remain at one place, almost every married gentleman would enjoy himself much better for the society, if not for the care and atten- tion, of his wife. As to clothing, although a sufficient sup- WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 191 ply of cloaks, over-coats, thick boots, &c. &c., should be taken to keep warm on the out- ward and homeward voyages, it should always be remembered, that light summer clothing will be principally wanted on arrival at, and while remaining within, the tropics. Flan- nel, however, should not be dispensed with by an invalid for a moment, in a West India or any other climate. However uncomforta- ble by day, it is unsafe to be without it at morning and evening. At St. Augustine, it is too cold for summer clothing at all during the winter months, and, at Key West, it will not answer more than half of the time. Fa- milies intending to keep house, should not encumber themselves with too many articles of furniture : a few light articles, such as mat- tresses, cots, light bedding, a sofa, a few chairs, and a small assortment of crockery and cooking utensils. There is no particu- lar importance in taking any articles of pro- visions, except a little fine, well packed but- ter, and some choice cheese ; both of which are articles hard to be purchased in the West Indies. Almost every other article can be bought in abundance almost anywhere ; but there would be no loss in buying many other 192 A WINTER IN THE things at home. Let none omit to take such medicines as may be needed, for the cost of drugs of every kind is outrageous in all the islands, as far as my knowledge extends. None but licensed druggists can sell, and they avail themselves of the advantage of a monopoly. As specimens, I need only men* tion that, at St. Croixj they asked twenty cents an ounce for stick licorice, which is- worth eight cents a pound ; and in Cuba, fifty cents an ounce for super carbonate of soda, worth twenty-five cents a pound. Some took their horses and carriages to St. Croix, which was well enough as to the car- riages ; but horses could be bought there cheaper than in New- York, and it cost as much as their whole value to carry them out. To almost any island except the Danish, both horses and carriages would be charged too high a duty to make it profitable to take either. Horses are very low in Cuba, and the duty on carriages is extravagant. As to money, gold and silver only will an- swer. Silver dollars are good any where. Pa- triot doubloons for the Windward Islands, and Spanish for Cuba, are the most profitable mo- WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 193 ney that can be taken, there being about one and a half per cent, profit on each. In coming down from the windward to Cuba, something may be made by buying Spanish doubloons for Patriots at a premium of fifty cents, and selling them at a premium of one dollar each at Havana. On leaving home, many are apt to under- rate the importance of securing suitable and prompt correspondents, so that every arrival may bring them something fresh from home. Newspapers and literary periodicals are also read with double interest when abroad, and due care should be taken to have a sufficient supply promptly forwarded. By some mis- take of my friend, I was without any direct information from home during the whole o winter, which was a continual source of an- noyance, disappointment, and irritation. To watch several days for an expected vessel, straining the eyes by gazing upon the sea, and when it came, find neither letter or paper for me, was more than my patience could endure without sore vexation ; and still I was obliged to submit to it six or seven times. Above all other considerations, prepare to go early early in the stage of the disease, 17 194 A WINTER IN THE and early in the season. Nearly half the in- valids fail to derive much benefit from change of climate, solely for the reason that they have waited till their cases were hopeless before trying it : making it a last, and, in many cases, an entirely useless resort. Instead of being the last, it should be the first resort. When- ever any affection of the lungs continues long- er than an ordinary cold, serious danger is always justly to be apprehended ; and no time should be lost in applying the most effectual remedy to wit, a mild, gentle climate, with even temperature. How much more pleasant, as well as advantageous it is, to go while able to enjoy the benefit of exercise by tra- velling in the open air, with almost a cer- tainty of effecting a cure, than to delay till the disease has got firm foothold, so as to confine one to the house, and render the re- covery doubtful, if not entirely hopeless. I have heard so many express such deep re- gret, that they had not availed themselves of the remedy before it was too late, that I can- not forbear to impress upon every invalid the importance of fleeing from the severe climate of the north, on the first appearance of dis- ease, as he would from the most merciless WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 195 and deadly enemy. Instead of waiting till December, as I did, go in September, and thus avoid the fall months, which are as bad, if not worse, than winter ; and, instead of re- turning in April, as I was compelled to do, by previous arrangements, make arrange- ments before leaving, not to return till the first of June. In a climate where the tem- perature is subject to changes of forty degrees a day, the summer months are quite bad enough for invalids fall, winter, and spring, extremely dangerous, if not deadly. Many suppose the heat will be too great to remain late in the West Indies ; but this is a mistake, for they are not subject to as great heat during the summer as our northern States, and there is generally but about ten degrees difference between summer and winter. In cases of any considerable long standing, the best course would be to remain eighteen months, at least, before returning, instead of rushing into the cold spring winds of the north just as the work of recovery is fairly commenced. Many have gone from the West Indies apparently well, and died imme- diately on their return. In many cases a warm climate furnishes a perfect remedy as 196 A WINTER IN THE long as it is continued, but will never restore the patient so as to enable him to be com- fortable at the north. Whenever this is found to be the case, however severe it may seem, it is far better to abandon home and remove to a more hospitable climate at once. I know the sacrifice is great, but ought not to weigh against the loss of health, happi- ness, and life itself. Many, after getting reconciled to the idea of leaving their own country, will find the sacrifice often not so great as was anticipated. Many places in the West Indies offer ample rewards to the enterprising and economical investment of capital, afford all the means of an agree- able, or even luxurious mode of living, and a frequency of communication with the United States almost equal to that afforded by our mails between distant places in our own country. Many may still adhere to the opinion that some place in our southern States or Territories may answer the purpose ; but after having tried it, if not before, they will learn the mistake. Key West, though far superior in point of climate to any other place at home, is too cold in winter ; and, of course, places four or five hundred miles fur- WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 197 ther north must be subject to the same objec- tion in a greater degree ; besides the general unhealthiness of almost every place that could be resorted to with any prospect of engaging in trade, agriculture, or other lu- crative pursuit. I have sought in vain to find a single position free from these objec- tions, and, if driven finally from the north, shall give the island of Cuba the preference to all other places. Not being a physician, it is impossible for me to specify with accuracy the particular diseases or states of disease which would be most benefitted by one or other of the climates above mentioned. Upon this point every one must consult his own physician, who, with a proper knowledge of the facts, will be able to give the proper advice, not only as to the best place of resort, but also as to the course to be pursued by the invalid on the way, and after his arrival. No one should neglect this prepa- ration. Clarke on Climate and Diseases may be read with advantage upon this subject. He considered the selection of a climate, and a careful attention to the diet and exercise of each particular patient, matters of the first importance. The advice of a good physician, A WINTER IN THE therefore, should never be neglected. In se- vere cases it is quite as important in regard to the preparation for the voyage or journey as in relation to the treatment, diet, and exer- cise on arrival at the place of destination. Persons in delicate health, though not seriously threatened with disease, and all others sensitive to the effects of cold, instead of confining themselves within doors, and hovering around fires for six months in the year, will find themselves amply rewarded for a voyage to the West Indies, in the in- creased enjoyment of life, independent of any permanent improvement of health. Although the general tenor of my observa- tions in the course of the preceding work is more particularly applicable to invalids and the effects of the different climates above de- scribed in cases of disease, it has been my constant endeavour to intersperse the work with such matters as would excite the atten- tion and interest of the general reader. Those who never expect to visit the places above described, it is humbly hoped, will derive suf- ficient information to compensate for the pe- rusal of a small volume ; and invalids and others expecting to visit the West Indies will WEST INDIES AND FLORIDA. 199 probably duly appreciate the humble endea- vour of the author to obviate the defect of information upon a subject so important to their interests. That the work has been hastily written, is undeniable : of its imper- fections the author is fully aware ; but, that the description of every place is, in all re- spects, accurate, impartial, arid fair, is most confidently asserted. All contrary accounts must have resulted from want of information, interest, or prejudice. The little time de- voted to the work, the inexperience of the author in the art, trade, and mystery of book- making, and a pressure of delayed profes- sional business, foreign to the subject matter in question, have conspired to prevent a pro- per pruning of the language, and to render the work obnoxious to critical strictures. In conclusion, I can only ask the indulgent consideration of the reader, and tender my sincere thanks for a patient perusal. THE END. University of California SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024-1388 Return this material to the library from which it was borrowed. 005 1 1 7 755 8 N ucsou ITHERNREG.PNAL LIBRARY F;C;UTY ^001083214 5