IV. So when around the point the surf is high, V. Conch-battering dame, thy legend hath been told; VI. Believe, too, that as they are sung so gaily, Thus endeth the eventful history of Madame Lambees; thus is the derivation of the present title of the aforementioned battery made manifest to the world; there is another fact which I would make manifest also, The verses are my cousin's, every line, "For God's sake, reader, take them not for mine." And now we will bid the Point an eternal adieu, and proceed to the narration of other events. Reader, while thou hast been perusing the history of Madame Lambees, I have been taking a very comfortable meal with the officers of the regiment, in their mess room at Fort Charlotte; and then accompanied by Major D, Captain F, my fellow-passengers, and several more of the invited, I led my horse over the garrison drawbridge, on my way to his Excellency's ball, before spoken of: having crossed the bridge we mounted our horses and trotted into town we halted at the Governor's residence, which was a hired house, there being no regular government house in the island, except the old mansion of ramshackled memory before mentioned. A sentinel was parading before the door. When we entered the room the aides-de-camp introduced the strangers to Lady and Miss Brisbane; after which they made their bow to Sir Charles.-Sir Charles Brisbane was a fine looking man, rather tall, and completely the admiral in manner as well as dress. The taking of Curazoa is not yet forgotten, and the character and conduct of this gallant officer, who planned and so brilliantly executed the affair, will always be remembered with the action itself. Sir Charles is the oldest governor in the West Indies, having represented his sovereign in the island upwards of twenty years. I did not expect to see any thing like a display of ladies, as I had been told in Barbados that there was very little society in the Island of St. Vincent, from which I inferred that there were very few of that sex who form the fairest and most talkative part of society in general. I was therefore agreeably surprised to find a large assembly present, and more flocking in amongst those who were making their entrée, was the most beautiful girl I ever saw (Laura excepted) in the West Indies or elsewhere. I cast my eyes on the gentleman who had the enviable office of handing her into the room :-judge my astonishment, when I beheld the very exquisite who had been my fellow passenger to Barbados, and with whom the reader has already been made acquainted. The lady had a pink satin frock, and the gentleman a pink silk under waistcoat; so it was the pink of beauties leaning on the pink of dandies. As soon as our exquisite (for we will resume this ancient appellation of Atlantic memory) had gone through the forms of etiquette, and handed the young lady to a seat, he placed his glass in his eye, and commenced taking a survey of the room. It was not long before he discovered me at the further end of the room talking with Major D; he knew the Major, and joined us immediately after professing himself marvellously glad to see me again, he inquired how I liked Barbados, what I thought of the fair creoles, and many other vastly uninteresting questions, which he poured forth one after another "quick, thick, and heavy," without giving me the time to answer one of them at last I found an opportunity of putting in a word, not the answer he expected, but a most provoking question: "Pray," said I," have you, since your arrival in St. Vincent, written an ode in celebration of Neptune, describing his godship's powers of shaving and ducking the novices who cross the tropic for the first time?" "What is that about Neptune? I hope you are not scandalizing my tutelar divinity," said the Governor, who at that moment joined us. I knew our exquisite could stand a joke, and I therefore related to his Excellency and Major D the whole account of Neptune's visit on board the Genoese: the listeners laughed heartily, the band struck up a tune, the pink of dandies blushed carnation deep, and the gentlemen led out their partners for the first dance. Sir Charles and Lady Brisbane opened the ball with 'Speed the Plough;' a succession of quadrilles followed, and the whole party danced with unabated spirit until two o'clock in the morning, when they sat down to a splendid supper. As I felt some fatigue from the day's exertion, which the dancing did not tend to dissipate, I took an early opportunity of escaping with one or two of my fellow-passengers from the scene of gaiety, and therefore did not witness the close of the entertainment; but I was informed the next day that the dancing was resumed after supper and continued till day-break. When I repaired to the tavern, I blessed my fortunate stars at finding a luxuriant and downy couch; and throwing myself in peace thereon, in a few minutes I slept right soundly. CHAPTER XXIII. KINGSTOWN-THE CHAIN GANG. "Well, then begin-'tis in this islet green, MS. Poems. "Admitted in, among the gang, "He acts and talks as they befriend him.” Prior. On the following morning the Duke of York left Kingstown for the islands of Antigua, Trinidad, and St. Kitts, for the purpose of carrying Colonel B, Major W, and Lieutenant L to those stations. I accompanied these gentlemen to the boat, and they kindly promised to write me an account of the several islands to which they were going; a promise which they did not fail to keep, as my readers will hereafter see. After bidding them farewell, I returned to my hotel, where I remained three days longer; after which I took up my abode in a small house, in the village of New Edinborough. These three, however, gave me an opportunity of viewing the town at my leisure, and the reader shall shortly have an account of my peregrinations. Kingstown, as I before said, is long and narrow. |