Soon after, a Curracoa man arrived from Bluefields, one of the wealthiest men of that place, who brought a message from his wife, known by the name of Mrs. Peggy, requesting me to furnish her with some goods to sell on commission, and she would deal honestly by me, having heard of my misfortune in losing my vessel, &c. that she wanted to see me very much, and pitied me more because I was a relative of hers, her father being an American. I forwarded Mrs. Peggy two or three hundred dollars' worth of goods to sell on commission, the greatest part of which she sold, made good returns, and I found her more honest than white relations generally are in their trade with each other.

CHAPTER VII.
Visit to Corn Island.

I sold the Biddle's sails, which I had saved from the wreck, for eighty pounds of tortoise-shell, payable at Corn Island, which lies in the wide ocean, forty miles from the main land. I soon received a message, saying the shell was ready for delivery, but I must come and receive it. Having been advised of the danger of leaving it there, and that delays were dangerous in dealing with those I had bargained with, and fearing I should lose my debt if I neglected it, I determined upon making the trip in my canoe, the only conveyance I had for getting there. The easterly trade-winds constantly prevail here, except the westerly land breezes, which blow during the night, and extend out a few miles from the shore. My canoe was fitted in Indian style, having a number of small holes bored in her sides near the top, and small cords attached to them, to which we tied our dinner-pot, gun, or any other articles we wished to carry with us, which I found a safe plan for preserving the necessaries we carry on board. If the canoe happens to turn over, such accidents having frequently happened to me, the whole crew swim along side, turn her up, and by rolling her quickly soon discharge most of the water. This being done, one man gets into the canoe and bails out the remainder with his hat or paddle, while the goods remain hanging by the ropes. After this is accomplished all hands get on board and go on.

I hired three Indians, took some provisions, a jug of rum and a dinner-pot on board, and proceeded on the voyage. After losing the land winds we had to paddle our canoe directly against the wind and a rough sea. We paddled about fifteen miles, when we landed on a small desolate island or sand bank, having no vegetation on it except half-a-dozen small trees about the size of a man's leg. It being nearly dark, we hauled our canoe up the beach, cooked and ate some fish, and then laid ourselves down on the ground to sleep. Soon after, it commenced raining, when the Indians got up and stripped themselves naked, turned the canoe bottom upwards and put their clothes under it. I followed their example, and we all sat down naked on the ground, leaning against some small trees, and remained in that situation until about daylight, the rain pouring down in torrents during the night. As the sun arose the weather became pleasant, and we proceeded on our voyage, arriving at Corn Island that evening, after a hard days' paddle.

Great Corn Island lies in latitude 12° 10' N., longitude 82° 11' W. and is about six miles in circumference. The soil is fertile, producing good cotton, abundance of provisions, and all kinds of tropical fruits; breeds good horses, cattle, hogs, poultry, &c. and has abundance of fish. The Island contains about twenty-five dwelling houses, and from one to two hundred slaves. Little Corn Island lays about ten miles north of the Great one, is uninhabited, but produces an abundance of cocoa-nuts.

I remained at Corn Island two days, where I was treated with the greatest hospitality, being furnished with plenty of provisions, fruits, &c. and having collected my shell, I embarked early in the morning, with a fair wind, for Pearl Key Lagoon. The wind soon died away and left us with a dead calm, and we were obliged to paddle under a burning sun during the day, which blistered my cheeks and ancles, not having any stockings on my feet. We arrived at our home about eleven o'clock that night.

CHAPTER VIII.
Visit to Bluefields.

The English government took possession of it many years ago, but afterwards exchanged their possessions here with the Spanish government for the Bay of Honduras. Colonel Hudson, an English planter from the Island of Jamaica, settled here with a number of negro slaves. By the exchange of the country, he found it difficult to remove his slaves, who had intermarried with the Indians, and he was obliged to sell them their freedom and take their security for the payment of the debt, which was to be paid in yearly instalments. From what I could learn from these negroes, he never realized much from them. The inhabitants of Bluefields are mostly called Samboes, being a mixture of negro, Indian, and white blood.

After remaining a few months at the Lagoon, and receiving many invitations, I concluded to make a visit to Bluefields, form some new acquaintance, and call on my countrywoman, Mrs. Peggy, who claimed to be a relation of mine because her father was said to be an American, and ascertain what progress she made in disposing of the goods I had sent to her to sell on commission.

I fitted up my canoe, hired three Indians, put our dinner-pot, gun, fishing spears and some provisions on board, and launched out into the broad ocean again. After we had proceeded about fifteen miles the wind increased, which caused the sea to run so high that we were obliged to run our canoe on shore, and hauling her up we built a fire, a precaution necessary in travelling in this country to avoid being attacked by wild beasts, and after cooking a scanty meal took lodging on the ground. We were much annoyed during the night by musquittoes and small gnats, or sand-flies, which allowed us but little sleep. The next morning, the wind having moderated, we got under weigh and proceeded to Bluefields, where we arrived about sunset.

Here we learned that a negro man had lately been employed in cutting up a large green turtle on the shore near that place, and while stooping down to accomplish his undertaking, a tiger sallied out of a thicket of bushes, sprang upon his back and struck one of his claws into the back of his neck, inflicting a mortal wound which caused his death the third day after.

I was joyfully received by Mrs. Peggy, my countrywoman, and all her family: also received invitations to visit most of the families of the town. A good supper was provided for me, and I was treated with the best food and fruits that the country afforded. The usual lodgings in this country is hammocks, suspended across the house, in which a person accustomed to them can sleep very comfortably. Mrs. Peggy wishing to treat me with extraordinary kindness, I being a kinsman of hers, furnished me with what she called a crawl, fitted up in a spare bedroom, for my lodging.

A crawl is made by cutting four small crotched sticks of wood, three or four feet in length, which are driven into the ground, (the house having no floor,) and two sticks some three feet in length, placed across the ends, then a number of round sticks, much resembling hoop-poles roughly trimmed with the bark on them, are laid closely together, resting on the cross-poles and covered over with a piece of Indian cloth, which forms the sacking of the bedstead. I retired to my lodging at an early hour, as I had not enjoyed much sleep the preceding night, and laying myself down on the crawl thought to take some repose, but I soon found the knots in the poles were harder than my flesh. "So coy a dame was sleep to me, with all the weary courtship of my care-tried thoughts, I could not win her to my bed," and I was glad to crawl off the crawl and take up my lodgings on the ground under it.

The next day Mrs. Peggy wishing to treat me with the best food the country afforded, procured a large fat monkey, had it neatly dressed, and roasted in good style for dinner. As it was roasting before the fire it looked so much like a human being that I felt my appetite crawl off, and told my good countrywoman that I had made an engagement to meet an Indian at a village about two miles from that place, at 12 o'clock, to purchase a quantity of shell, and wished to be punctual in my promise. This excuse for absence obtained her reluctant consent to let me go, and I lost my dinner. I left Bluefields the next day and returned to Pearl Key Lagoon.

I must here relate a humorous conversation I heard at Bluefields between two of the most respectable young ladies of that place, named Mary and Mauger. A vessel having arrived there from Curracoa, the captain and two others came on shore, and setting down along side of these young ladies, commenced a vulgar conversation with Mauger. Mary having more modesty than her companion, immediately called Mauger away from them, and said, "Mauger, you fool gal, why you talk them Curracoa Buckras, mind by and by, mouth fly off."

The father of the present Musquitto king must have been fond of women, as he had no less than fourteen wives. He was a great tyrant, and was murdered by his subjects for his tyranny over them. The English government ordered his two eldest sons to be carried to Jamaica and put under the care of the Duke of Manchester, then governor of that island, where they remained about six years and obtained a fair English education. The present king, who calls his name George Frederick, was furnished with a large outfit from the duke, consisting of a suit of clothes worth eighteen hundred dollars, repairs of his father's crown fifteen hundred dollars, and four thousand dollars' worth of goods and presents to distribute among his subjects. A sloop of war was fitted out to carry him to the Bay of Honduras, where he was crowned, and from thence conveyed to his own dominions.

Soon after my return from Bluefields I was visited by the new king, it being his first visit to the Lagoon. After my introduction I told him the English traders on the coast were determined to prevent my opening a trade with his subjects, and solicited his protection. He readily agreed to give me a permit, which he himself signed, and is as follows:

"Pearl Key Lagoon, July 20th, 1815.

"Permission is hereby given to Captain Jacob Dunham, a citizen of the United States of America, to touch and trade in all parts of my dominions in any vessel from North America.

"George Frederick,
King of the Musquitto Nation."

I made the king a few presents, and the inhabitants gave us a ball, where we amused ourselves by dancing on a ground floor. The king left us a few days after.

I soon became familiar with the Indians, by joining in their amusements and obtaining a knowledge of their laws, customs, &c. I received an invitation to go to what they call "a drink-about of pine-liquor." I quickly dressed myself in Indian fashion, having my face ornamented with red paint, forming curls and other figures, and my hat ornamented with beautiful plumage plucked from the birds of the forest. I proceeded about two miles in company with most of the inhabitants of our place to the village of Bigman's Bank, where we were joined by the principal inhabitants of the neighboring villages within five or six miles of that place, who had previously brought their pine-apples, pealed them, grated them up fine and squeezed out the juice into a sixty gallon cask, which was full, and had been in a state of fermentation for some days past, but had now become pure, and contained spirit sufficient to intoxicate all those who drank much of it. Before the drinking commenced the men gave up their knives and other weapons to the squaws. The men remained there two or three days, but I returned home the first evening, fully satisfied. I continued my trade with the Indians, bartering my goods for tortoise-shell, cow-hides, deer-skins, tiger-skins, gum copal, India rubber, &c.

Having much leisure time, I devoted a great part of it to learning their language, customs, laws, manner of taking turtle, fish, birds and different animals; mode of agriculture; births, marriages and burials, of which I shall endeavor to give the reader some information.

CHAPTER IX.
Mode of Taking Turtle.

There are three kinds of turtle inhabiting these seas: the first and most valuable are the hawk-bill, they are caught for the beauty of their shell, which contains thirteen pieces, covering the thick callipach of the turtle, which is from two to four feet long. The outer shell is taken from the carcase by setting it up before a warm fire, when it peels off. The second is called loggerhead turtle, having a shell much resembling the hawk-bill, but not worth anything for manufacturing. The third is the green turtle, whose flesh is very delicious, and so well known that I consider any description unnecessary. The Indians take them by what they call striking, having a pole about the size of a fishing rod, with a small spear, two or three inches long, well barbed at the point, to which one end of a small cord, about sixty feet long, is made fast and wound round a piece of cork-wood, resembling a weavers spool. He then stands up in his canoe, and by taking aim hits his mark and secures his prey.

Another mode of taking turtle is by making set nets, about thirty feet square, from large twine, they then carve imitation turtle out of soft, light wood, which are smoked over the fire to give them a turtle color, and then attached to the upper side of the net, where they float on the surface of the water as buoys, while the bottom is anchored with stones. The turtle resort to the nets to play with the wooden decoys, and during their sport generally get one of their flippers entangled, and by struggling to extricate themselves get into the net and are easily taken.

The next operation of catching them is performed by three or four Indians going to the resort of the turtles, where they build a temporary hut to live in, each takes possession of his ground, say one quarter or half a mile; on which he walks backwards and forwards like a sentry on guard during the night, watching the movements of his game; and when the turtles crawl up the beach to deposit their eggs, during the laying season, he turns them over on their backs, where they remain until he wants to take possession. When ready, he removes them at pleasure.

The turtle generally crawls up about ten rods from the sea-shore on the soft beach-sand, making a large track with its flippers, and digging a hole in the sand about two feet deep, lays forty eggs, and returns to the sea again the same night. About fifteen nights after, the identical turtle returns to the same nest and lays forty more eggs, then retreats into the sea again and returns there no more during that season.

The manatee, or sea-cow, is from ten to fourteen feet long, and has a head much resembling our common cow without horns. They often get asleep on the surface of the water, when the Indians very carefully paddle their canoes to them, and by throwing their small spears into them, capture them in the same manner they do the turtle. The beef when cut up is twelve or fourteen inches thick, having a strip of fat and lean intermixed about every inch, being the handsomest beef I ever beheld or tasted, and having no kind of fish taste or smell.

The coast here abounds with a variety of good fish; the larger ones are mostly taken by spearing.

The Indians have often brought me beef of the mountain-cow, which I found of a very good flavor. I never saw but one young one of that species, and cannot give a very good description of them. The young one I saw, much resembled a young fawn. They are killed by shooting.

Parrots, when cooked, taste much like our wild pigeons, and are taken in abundance by shooting. A few tame ones are kept about the houses, which fly into the shade-trees near the premises, and serve as stool-pigeons to call down the wild flocks that are daily passing over the villages.

The armadilla also inhabits this country, and is considered very palatable food. The guana, resembles the common lizard in shape and color, and is from two to four feet in length, in this country its flesh is considered delicious meat.

The cattle are much larger than those of the United States. They seldom milk the cows, which run in herds, and are not domesticated. Each inhabitant marks his calves when young; and when he wants to kill a beef he shoots one of his own mark. They domesticate but few horses, having scarcely any roads, the country being cut up with lakes, rivers, and creeks, without bridges. The principal travel is performed in canoes. The horses are well formed, but a kind of tick eats the gristle out of their ears, which causes them to fall down on their head, giving them the appearance of lopped eared hogs.

They have abundance of hogs and poultry, which are cheaply fed on cocoa-nuts that grow wild along the sea-coast, and are gathered in large quantities. The first work of the morning, performed by the Indian women, is breaking cocoa-nuts for the hogs, and cracking some for the dogs, then cutting up fine for the poultry. They grate up a large quantity with tin graters, put it in pots and extract the oil, which makes good lard for frying fish; and when it turns rancid becomes very fair lamp oil. Forty cocoa-nuts will produce one gallon of it.

The forests abound with wild hogs of two different species, called Warry and Pecara, having a small tit or navel on their backs. When they are shot the Indians immediately cut out the tit to prevent its scenting the meat. I have ate the flesh of it often, and found it equal to other meat of the pork kind.

Plantain is the principal bread food of the country, and easily cultivated. It also produces yams, cassauder, sweet potatoes or eddies, and many other vegetables; but the natives are too indolent to cultivate them. I lived seven months among them without tasting a mouthful of bread, or even craving it.

I will now give a small extract of Musquitto laws, viz: If a man commits adultery with his neighbor's wife, and it comes to the knowledge of her husband, he takes his gun and goes to the forest where he finds a herd of cattle belonging to the neighborhood; he shoots a good fat bullock and calls on the neighbors to assist him to dress it and convey it home, where he makes a great feast, inviting the man who committed the offence, and all the neighbors to partake with him, when the offender, who is bound by law, pays for the bullock and all is amicably settled.

If a man prevails on another man's wife to leave her husband and live with him, the law compels him to pay a fine of four backs of tortoise-shell, worth six dollars each, amounting to twenty-four dollars, and a receipt in full is verbally acknowledged, without any hard feelings between the parties.

I once witnessed a settlement between two men in a cause of this kind, both parties appeared well satisfied, and parted on the most friendly terms.

They have a singular law for the collection of debts. If I trust an Indian goods, he belonging to another town or settlement, and he neglects to pay me, and I find another Indian belonging to the same town, having tortoise-shell or other produce in his canoe, I can take it away from him for the debt, and he must look to the man who was indebted to me, for remuneration.

Marriage contracts are made by parents while the children are infants. Two families living in one neighborhood, one of them having a son and the other a daughter, enter into a contract that they shall be considered man and wife. When they are of a proper age to be joined together, all the inhabitants of the place assemble together, build them a house, help them to a hammock to sleep in, and a dinner-pot for cooking, and they commence as house keepers. After living together for some years as man and wife, the husband receives a present of a female child from its parents, which he carries home, and calls it his young wife, the first wife taking the same care of it she would of her own children until it becomes of proper age, when the husband builds a new house for the first wife to live in, and takes the young wife for a house-keeper. I have often been invited into Indian houses and introduced to the family in this manner: "This is my old wife," pointing to an elderly woman, and "This is my young wife," pointing to a girl from six to ten years old. The old wife would smooth her hair and appear to feel a great deal of pride in being presented to me.

On the day a woman is delivered of a child she goes to the sea-side, wades into the water knee depth, washes herself and infant, and the next day slings the child on her back, gets into a canoe and paddles two or three miles to visit her friends.

I here take my leave of Musquitto laws and customs for the present.

As the plan of cutting a canal from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, by the way of the River St. Johns, which leads from the Atlantic into the Lakes Nicaragua and Leon, has so much engaged the attention of the public latterly, my thoughts have been carried back to a conversation I had with an old Musquitto Indian about thirty-five years since.

He said, "The Indians frequently paddled their canoes up the St. John's River, through Nicaragua Lake into Lake Leon, where they found a small river, and proceeded to the head of it, which brought them so near the head of another river which led into the Pacific, that they hauled their canoes over by land from the head of one river to the other, and then passed through into the Pacific Ocean."

CHAPTER X.

While cruising along the coast some months after the occurrence of one of these tornadoes, I landed within a few miles of the residence of Admiral Hammer, in company with a man named Benjamin Downs, who was well acquainted with the admiral. We proceeded to his house and asked for something to eat, when he told us his bread-stuffs had all been destroyed by a gale of wind, and addressed Downs as follows: "Ben Downs, don't you think the Almighty little bit too bad this time?" "Why, and what do you mean?" asked Downs. The admiral replied, "He send too much strong breeze and broke all the plantain walk."

The country is infested with numerous insects, &c. such as mosquittoes, sand-flies, fire-ants, chigoes, centipedes, scorpions, cock-roaches, and an immense number of alligators. The ground in many places is overrun with large ants, called the travelling army, which destroy whole fields of vegetation. It is also infested by insects called dog-fleas, which are a great annoyance at night; and the sea-coast abounds with sharks of a very large size.

To give the reader a short description of the country and inhabitants I shall quote from a late writer. "The Musquittoes are a small nation of Indians, never conquered by the Spaniards, the country being so situated as to render any attempts against them impracticable; for they are surrounded on all sides by land, by morasses or impassable mountains, and by sea with shoals and rocks; besides, they have such an implacable hatred to the Spaniards, for inhumanity and cruelty in destroying many millions of their neighbors, that they would never have any correspondence with them; for whenever they sent any missionaries or other agents amongst them, they hid them, that is, put them to death. The king has little more than the title, unless the nation is at war; having no revenues, and few prerogatives; being obliged in time of peace to fish and fowl for the support of himself and family. He hath indeed some distinction shown him, and now and then presents made him by the governor of Jamaica, and the English traders, who frequently touch and trade there."

I occupied my time in selling goods and purchasing shell, skins, gums, &c. and during my leisure hours partook of the sports of the Indians, that I might pass away the time as agreeably as my situation would admit of, not knowing how I could get away from the country, as the English traders [the only people who visited the Musquittoes] had agreed never to carry me to Jamaica, or take any letters that would assist me to get to my family, fearing I should become a rival in the trade, and be the means of introducing others into it.

About the first of November a Captain Humphreys, one of the Jamaica traders, arrived in the harbor, and came on shore and took supper with me. The Indian ladies got up a ball on the occasion. After dancing was over, Captain H. and myself took a walk together. During which he said to me, "Dunham, your case is a hard one, the old English traders on this coast, myself among them, have agreed never to carry you to Jamaica, or to assist you to get away from here, or take any letters from you to Jamaica or elsewhere, notwithstanding we consider you a very clever fellow; but if we assist you to get home, you will lead down twenty Yankee traders and destroy our business with the Indians." Captain H. appeared to possess the feelings that one seaman should have for another, and continued, "Dunham, if you can get ready to go with me in two days I will carry you to Jamaica; but I will not carry your shell, or any other articles you have bought of the Indians." I expressed my sincere thanks for his kind offer, but told him I did not wish to be taken there for nothing; that I had money, and was willing to give him one hundred dollars for my passage. I informed him that I had kept one half barrel of pork and a case of gin hid away for some months, intending to purchase a large canoe with them to carry me to the Bay of Honduras, if no other conveyance offered. He refused to accept any compensation whatever for my passage.

The next day I packed up my shell, amounting to five hundred and seventy-two pounds, and the remnants of my goods, and sent them thirty miles up the river Waa-waa-han to be left with my worthy old French friend, Mr. Ellis. I then called on my landlord for his bill for the rent of my store, and board for two or three months. He laughed at my being so simple as to suppose he would charge anything for it, and peremptorily refused; but as he was indebted to me for goods, I deducted forty dollars from his account, which he reluctantly accepted. The vessel being now ready for sea, the inhabitants of the village all escorted me to the beach, bringing me many presents of fruits, and shaking me by the hand, with downcast eyes bade me a hearty farewell.

Captain H. had to proceed to the coast of St. Blas to settle with his traders, having left goods with three or four Indians, at different settlements, to sell for him. This circuitous route made the distance to Jamaica five or six hundred miles further, stopping at a number of places on the Musquitto Shore, viz: St. John's River, Boco Toro and Crekimala, where we took on board a quantity of sarsaparilla and sundry other articles, and then proceeded to St. Blas. On our arrival there we were visited by a large number of Indians in canoes, who commenced trading with us. One of them acting as clerk took charge of the goods and dealt them out to the others by fathoming them off with his arms, this being their custom of measuring cloth. The goods being mostly staple articles, the prices there seldom varied. Shell had a fixed price of one dollar per pound. The captain paid little attention to the trade. A small pump was left in a hogshead of rum, from which the clerk filled the bottle and passed it round as often as it was called for, and every few hours he would call the captain and give him a handful of money, saying, "Here is so much," which he would put in his pocket, neither of them counting it, nor would the captain ask anything about the trade. Often the captain and myself took a canoe and went off fishing, leaving fifty or sixty Indians on board dealing with the clerk, who had the sole control of the trade. When we had finished trading at one place the Indians piloted us to another harbor on the coast, where we proceeded in the same manner. We sailed along the coast more than one hundred miles, touching and trading at the different towns. Two of the natives took passage with us for Jamaica, where we arrived about the first of December. Here I tasted bread for the first time in eight months, having lived on Indian bread-stuffs during that time, and seldom thinking of any other, being well satisfied with that food. On our arrival at Montego Bay the captain took me home to his house, and treated me very politely.

Soon after my arrival in Jamaica I found a brig bound to Baltimore, and took passage in her; I arrived there after a voyage of twenty-five days, and sailed for New-York, where I had an interview with my owners, and obtained a furlough from them for a few days, that I might visit my family; after which I returned to New-York and proceeded back to the Musquitto Shore.

CHAPTER XI.
Sloop Governor Tompkins.

In February, 1817, I took charge of the Sloop Governor Tompkins, of thirty-four tons, belonging to the same owners that the Biddle did; being promoted two tons in the size of the vessel. I took on board an assorted cargo, bound for Old Providence, Corn Island, and Musquitto Shore. I took with me a young man named Samuel B. Warner, to serve as clerk of our store at Pearl Key Lagoon, where I intended to resume the trade I had left. My crew consisted of a mate, two seamen, and a cook. In the Gulf-stream we encountered a violent gale of wind, shipped a heavy sea, which swept our deck and washed the cook overboard, and I never saw him again. I made a passage of seventeen days to Old Providence, where I met with a heavy sale of goods; from thence I went to Corn Island, and to Pearl Key Lagoon. There I hired part of an Indian house, landed some goods, and Mr. Warner opened a store. From thence I sailed for Cape Gracios a Dios, and visited the king, who entertained me with a ball and other amusements. I then proceeded back to the Lagoon, touching and trading at Sandy Bay, where I was visited by a large number of Indians, who brought on board tortoise-shell, tiger-skins, deer-skins, India rubber, gum copal, &c. which I bought in exchange for goods. The chiefs and their subjects got very drunk on the occasion, and as it was difficult to suppress the quarrels that arose among them, I was obliged to get my vessel under weigh to rid myself of them. I returned to the Lagoon, where Mr. Warner had opened a very good trade with the Indians, and appeared well pleased with the country.

I hired three Indians to man my canoe, and took a trip up the river Waa-waa-han, to visit my old friend Mr. Ellis, with whom I had left the tortoise-shell and other articles previous to my embarking with Captain Humphreys for Jamaica. On my passage up the river I called on Mr. Gough, an Englishman, whom I have spoken of in a former chapter; I remained but a few hours with him, having but little leisure to view his plantation, which had the appearance of a good soil, but lacked cultivation. When I arrived at the house of Mr. Ellis I was received with a hearty welcome, and treated with the best the country afforded. After taking some refreshments we took a walk over his grounds, which were well cultivated, having a beautiful orange walk, with two rows of trees set out in straight lines for nearly half a mile, forming a most delightfully shaded road. I purchased two or three tons of coffee from him, which he had raised on his place, and kept on hand for want of purchasers, the Jamaica traders always refusing to buy it. He told me he had plenty of cattle on his premises, which could be made very useful in clearing the ground, by breaking them in to work with ploughs. I told him to make out a memorandum, and I would bring him out ploughs, chains, ox-yokes and such other articles as he wanted. He gave me a list of what he needed, which I furnished him on the next voyage, when he broke in his cattle, cleared up new lands, and used his ploughs with very good success for many years afterwards. Mr. Ellis agreed to send my shell, goods, and coffee, down to the Lagoon in canoes, which promise he punctually performed. I remained with him during that night. In the morning, soon after I arose, I heard the bellowing of a cow near the house, and running out of the door a laughable scene attracted my attention. Mr. Ellis had domesticated a large ring-tailed monkey, and raised a long pole near the house, on the top of which was put a box for the monkey to sleep in; having fixed a small chain around his neck, with the end fast to the pole, jocko was furnished sufficient length of chain to go up and down at his pleasure. Mr. Ellis kept two or three docile milch cows about his premises, and one of them having ventured near the monkey's pole, he ran down and seized the end of her tail, taking a couple of turns round the pole and holding fast to the end of her switcher; the poor cow struggled and bellowed to get her liberty, but jocko held on until his master appeared with a cane, when he reluctantly gave up his sport.

Jocko amusing himself with a Cow.

I took leave of my old friend and proceeded down the river. The weather being clear and warm, the woods and banks swarmed with macaws, parrots, bill-birds, and others of variegated plumage. An immense number of monkeys, chattering and jumping from one tree to another with great rapidity, formed a most pleasing and lively scene; added to which was the fragrance of countless flowers.

I arrived at the Lagoon that evening. The next day I took my coffee, shell, &c. on board, arranged my business with Warner, took leave of my Indian friends, and sailed for home.

Nothing very material happened on the way except contrary winds, which prolonged our passage. We arrived in New-York after an absence of one hundred and one days from the time we left that city, having made a profitable little voyage, which always procures a captain a good reception from all concerned in it. I then returned to Catskill, where I found my family and friends all well. Finding the Tompkins too small and uncomfortable, I requested the owners to purchase a larger craft. After remaining six days with my family, I received a letter from them, saying they had exchanged the Tompkins for a more commodious vessel, and requesting me to come to New-York as soon as circumstances would permit. Two days after the receipt of the letter I arrived there.

CHAPTER XII.
Schooner Price.—First Voyage.

On the second day of June I sailed from New-York, bound to Old Providence, St. Andrews, Corn Island, and Musquitto Shore. Nothing worthy of notice took place on the passage. We arrived at Old Providence in seventeen days, where I commenced a brisk trade. The inhabitants urgently requested me to give them a ball. I had on board a drummer and a cook who played the flute; they had a fiddler and triangle player on shore. I complied with their request, they agreeing to make all the necessary arrangements, as my time was occupied in selling goods, (such as calicoes, jackonets, muslins, shoes, ribbons, jewelry, cologne water, pomatum, beads, liquors, &c.) having an invoice of one hundred and sixty different articles to be sold at retail. During the day the managers of the ball came on board, and I furnished them with coffee, sugar, crackers, cheese, &c. Soon after sunset I went on shore, where I found a motley group of English, Spanish, and Curracoa natives of all colors. I was introduced to a young white lady as a partner, who had been educated in Jamaica, and understood the rules of country dances. According to the custom of the place, the person giving a ball is expected to lead the figure during the whole night. I conformed to the fashion of course. On examining the room, I soon found it had no floor, but being an old sailor, thought I could beat my way, which I accomplished in as gallant a manner as did Lord Nelson when he fought through the combined fleet.

I had a trunk full of sheep skin morocco ladies' shoes on board, which cost at auction thirty-one cents per pair, I sold most of them here at two dollars per pair; many of them were danced out in one night. I sold many other articles at about the same per centage.

By the custom of the Island, every person invited to a ball must give one in return. One of the ladies who attended my ball gave one two nights after. Her outlay for goods bought from me was over sixty dollars.

Two or three days after the second ball I sailed for St. Andrews, where we arrived the same evening. Immediately on our anchoring a large number of the inhabitants of the Island came on board, ours being the first American vessel they had seen there in fourteen years. I commenced a heavy trade with them. This Island contains three times the population of Old Providence. As these Islanders had heard that I gave a ball at Providence, it would not do to refuse them one. It being agreed upon, I told them to appoint their own managers, and then send on board and get such articles as they required to treat their company with, not wishing to be annoyed until they were ready; and as I was a stranger, I did not want to have anything to do with giving the invitations. At the appointed hour I went on shore, a horse and servant were waiting to convey me to the ball-room, where I found a polished English lady, who was to act as my partner, and lead the figure during the night, which I was compelled to submit to until the ball ended. There was a floor in the ball-room here, which made our dancing less laborious. We kept it up briskly until 12 o'clock, and then partook of some refreshments. We then recommenced dancing, and kept perseveringly at it until sunrise next morning. But my trouble had just commenced. More than one half of the free inhabitants were colored, whom I afterward found to be my best customers, none of whom had been invited to the ball except an old man, by the name of Bent, the wealthiest man on the Island, owning about ninety slaves, whom the whites dare not overlook. I satisfied the colored people that it was no fault of mine that they had not received an invitation to my ball, at the same time treating them with the greatest politeness, inviting them on board to partake of refreshments. They, in order to be revenged on their white neighbors, gave a ball two or three nights afterward, passing a resolution that no white man except Captain Dunham should be invited.

At the appointed time a horse and waiter were sent to convey me to the dance, which I knew it was my interest to attend. On arriving at the place I found everything in good order, and was received with the most facinating flourishes of high life, and introduced to a partner three-fourths white, dressed in silk. I was called upon again to lead the figure for the night. At 12 o'clock partook of refreshments, and retired at four next morning, highly delighted with my prowess in dancing.

By this introduction I secured all the trade of the colored population, and retained it until I left, which was several years after the dance.

We next sailed for Corn Island, having parted with all the inhabitants, both white and black, on the most friendly terms. We arrived in two days, and commenced trade, as usual; we procured hogs, poultry, and fruits in abundance. Our trade was unexpectedly interrupted by a gale of wind which parted my largest cable. I lost the anchor, was driven over a reef of rocks, broke the rudder, and found myself at sea in a gale, which lasted about three days; after which we rigged a spar to act as a substitute for a rudder, by which means we regained the harbor. There we repaired the damage, and sailed for Pearl Key Lagoon, where I found Mr. Warner in good health and spirits, and my Indian friends overjoyed to see me. I landed many goods here, that I might get at my assortment and recruit our store, and sold some articles to the inhabitants.

We then sailed for Cape Gracios a Dios. On our arrival, the king, who had built himself a new house, came on board, with some of his admirals and other great men, whom I treated with liquor until they were all badly intoxicated. I bartered some goods in exchange for shell, skins, gums, &c. and proceeded down along the coast to Bluefields, touching and trading at the different harbors, and then returned to the Lagoon, where I landed the remainder of my goods at our store, and then sailed for New-York. Nothing material happening on the passage, I shall omit a description of it. On arriving in the city I was well received by my owners and friends, having made a prosperous voyage. After discharging my cargo, I visited my family in Catskill, where I spent ten days, and then returned to New-York to prepare for another voyage.

CHAPTER XIII.
Schooner Price.—Second Voyage.

On the nineteenth day of February, 1818, we got under weigh, the wharves being lined with spectators to see a vessel of eighteen tons commencing a voyage of over two thousand miles. They gave us three hearty cheers, which we answered by discharging our cannon. A fair wind carried us to sea, where we kept company for three days, when a violent gale separated us. I cruised the whole of next day in search of the Traverse, without finding her. Thinking it useless, I resumed my course and proceeded to the Island of Old Providence, where we arrived after a passage of seventeen days, and opened my trade as usual. The Traverse arrived four days after, having sprung her mast near the deck.

The next day we hauled the Traverse along side of the Price, raised her masts with the schooner's purchases, sawed off the broken part, about five feet, took her sails on shore and shortened them to fit the mast, put them in good order for sea, exchanged part of her goods and gave her a suitable cargo to retail along the coast. Two or three days after I gave the captain orders to proceed to the Main and stop to trade at sundry ports, named in his instructions, and from thence proceed to St. Blas, where he would meet me in the Price. I took Henry T. Smith with me to Lagoon, to act as clerk in our store, in place of Mr. Warner, who wished to return to New-York. I remained here two or three days, and then sailed for the Lagoon. On my arrival Mr. Warner was in good health, and much pleased to find himself released by Mr. Smith's taking his place as clerk in the store. We landed the most of our heavy goods, made every necessary arrangement for business, and giving the proper directions, I proceeded to Bluefields, sold a few goods, cancelled some old debts, and procured a pilot for the coast of St. Blas, for which we soon after sailed.

I obtained information at Corn Island, at the Lagoon, and at Bluefields, of the English traders having heard that I intended to extend my trade to that coast. They had employed an agent whom they had supplied with the necessary articles of trade, and told the inhabitants that if they traded with that Yankee captain they would withdraw from them; and also told them that the Yankee captain might sell them some articles a little cheaper at first, but that he was a worthless fellow, and could not continue the trade long, when they would be left destitute, as no Englishman would supply them. The English traders urged the Indians to put myself and crew to death, and burn our vessel. My friends who gave me the information, strongly remonstrated against my going to St. Blas, saying that my life would be sacrificed in so doing. In a conversation afterwards with one of the English traders, I spoke of the cold-blooded murder they wished the St. Blas Indians to be guilty off, which he denied, but admitted that they told the Indians to destroy our goods.

However the minds of the Indians might have been operated upon at the time of hearing their murderous proposals, they made no attempt to harm me.

Captain Dunham landing at St. Blas.

On our arrival on the coast of St. Blas, not knowing the channel, we came to anchor near an island, where we discovered a number of canoes, and thirty or forty Indians on the shore. Being short of water, I concluded to take a small water-keg into my canoe and land among the Indians for the purpose of procuring some, and also to get a pilot, if possible, to take the vessel into the harbor. Before leaving the vessel I told the mate that the Indians had such an inveterate hatred against the Spaniards, that if any of their vessels were cast away on this coast they would massacre every person on board; that I thought they had never seen the American flag, and bade him keep a good look-out with the spy-glass, and not hoist our colors until he saw me safe among the Indians, fearing they might suppose it to be Spanish, or some enemy's flag. My mulatto pilot and sailor, and myself, then proceeded toward the island where we had seen the Indians. When within about one hundred rods of the shore there were about thirty bows and arrows pointed towards us. On looking back to the vessel I saw the colors hoisted and streaming with the wind. It being too late to retreat, and perceiving that the water was only about two feet deep, I jumped overboard, and told my men to follow; having no other clothes on save our shirts and pantaloons, the water was not particularly annoying. I took my hat in my hand and extended my arms full length, showing thereby that there were no weapons about me. As I approached the shore they all laid down their bows and arrows and met us with a hearty welcome. The Indian arrows are made of strong reed, four or five feet long, pointed with nails or spikes about fourteen or fifteen inches in length, which they sharpen with files or cold chissels. With these they kill wild beasts, fowls and fish. When shot into the water the reed is so buoyant that the light end swims about one foot above the surface.

Previous to my departure from the Price, my Mate took a scissors, a knife, and some other articles out of the goods belonging to the cargo, and left them lying carelessly about the vessel. I requested him to put them back into the packages, together with any articles he might use; but he told me very abruptly that he purchased them in New-York. Some angry words passed between us. As he was an intemperate, bad dispositioned man, I had reason to suppose that he hoisted the colors for the purpose of revenging himself on me; thinking, doubtless, that the Indians would murder me, though he excused himself by saying he thought I had landed before he hoisted them.

CHAPTER XIV.

In describing my next voyage I shall narrate many of the customs and manners of this region. The Indians brought their canoes alongside of our vessel and piloted us safely into the harbor, called Little Cordee, where we found good anchorage; we were immediately visited by some thirty or forty canoes. One of the Indians asked the privilege of trading for me. I told him he might if he got permission from the old men and sookermen, as we had not yet their leave so to do. He paddled to the shore, and returned in a short time with three old men and a sookerman, from whom we received the license which we desired.

I gave them plenty to eat and drink; they in return invited me on shore, where I was well entertained. My Indian trader then commenced the business for me by fathoming off cloth, many articles of staple goods, such as shirting, check, powder and shot, &c. all of which had been sold at one uniform price for many years. The Indians also had always received one dollar per pound for tortoise-shell. When any goods differed from such as the English traders had sold them, my Indian agent would ascertain the price from me and proceed in his usual way in bartering and selling. It was entirely unnecessary for me to trouble myself about his bargains. He would come to me with his hands full of silver change, saying, here captain, is so much money, and without further remark would again turn to his business of salesman.

After remaining three or four days, my clerk asked me if he might be my trader during the season of taking turtle, which lasted four or five months. His price was ten pounds Jamaica currency, about thirty dollars. This being pretty reasonable, I answered him in the affirmative, telling him to select such goods as he wished for his trade, I at the same time taking an account of them, although I dared not let him know that I had done so. I furnished him with the means of preserving his goods from the rain, supplied him with steelyards, and every article necessary for the trade on that coast. The goods amounted to about six hundred dollars. He then volunteered to pilot us along the coast free of expense, except his board and liquor.

We at length got under weigh, having about twenty canoes in tow, proceeded a few miles and came too at night under the lee of an island. In the morning we started again, and arrived at the River Caledonia; here we obtained permission to trade, the inhabitants giving us a hearty welcome. After remaining here two or three days we sailed for the River Mona, opening our trade immediately on our arrival, having obtained such license from the proper authorities, remained but a few days, and sailed for the River De Ablo, or River Devil. Here I engaged an Indian named Billy, who had sailed with Captain Humphrey, an English trader, some two years before. Billy was much pleased to see me, and immediately commenced trading in my service, upon the same terms as those on which I had engaged the former Indian, Campbell; he selected his goods and took about the same quantity as Campbell had, and was fitted out much in the same manner, having everything necessary to carry on the trade during the season. After remaining here three or four days, we sailed back to the River Cordee, where I had ordered Captain Soper to meet me with his sloop.

I remained at Cordee about two weeks, waiting for the appearance of the vessel. On her arrival we took out all the cargo she had collected along the coast, and put it on board the Price, and took what was left on board the Price and put it on board the Traverse, and, according to my letter of instruction, gave Captain Soper command of the Price, with directions to proceed to New-York; he took Mr. Warner with him. On taking charge of the Traverse myself, I retained Mr. Tefts, my Indian apprentice boy, also an Indian lad who was one of the Musquitto king's brothers with me, and one of the St. Blas Indians, who acted as seaman. The schooner soon sailed for New-York, and we for Corn Island, where we arrived in four days. After touching at Corn Island, we sailed from thence to Cape Gracios a Dios, where we were visited by the king, who invited us to his house, which I accepted of. Remaining here some days, my little sloop was overloaded with Indians, eating and drinking, the king being constantly intoxicated. He gave me directions not to trust any Indian on his account without a written order from him. He came on board one day and asked me for the amount of his account, which was near one hundred dollars. He examined it silently, then ordered his men into his canoe and abruptly left the vessel. I felt somewhat surprised at his leaving in this manner without an explanation.

In the afternoon some Indians came on board who had been in the habit of bringing the king's verbal orders for goods, and said the king had sent them to get a ten gallon keg of rum for him; not wishing to offend him, I asked the Indians where he, the king, was, they replied, "We must paddle up the river a little bit, and then ride horse a little bit." Determined to know if there was any fraud in the verbal order, I started with the Indians to see the king.

We paddled up the river about four or five miles, when we landed. A horse was brought for each man; our leader mounted, taking his ten gallon keg up before him; each was supplied with a bunch of plantain leaves for a saddle. The night being dark, and the rain falling in torrents, we groped our way through thick woods, my horse acting as my guide. I kept my hand extended before my face to protect my eyes from the limbs of the trees for some distance, when we arrived at a small creek; we dismounted and crossed over in a canoe, the Indians swimming their horses across. Being mounted again we rode about three miles further through a level prairie land. The foot-path being covered with water about four inches deep, and the rain falling incessantly. At length we arrived at the king's house, his majesty not having a dry thread of clothes about him. On entering I found an Indian by the name of Thompson, an old acquaintance, acting as door-keeper, who conducted me into the house and presented me with a hammock; and being very much fatigued, begged him not to tell the king that I had arrived. He promised he would not. Soon after I got in my hammock, the king, who lay in an adjoining room, called for a drink of water, which was brought. The servant at the same time telling him that the American captain had arrived (that being the name by which I was known on the Indian coast.) He immediately arose, told his servants, called quarter-masters, to bring the women for a dance. To please him I had to put on an Indian dress, have my face painted, and my head ornamented with feathers. The king took the lead in the performances, which lasted until morning; he ordered a bullock to be killed for breakfast, which made a very good repast, after which I retired, much fatigued, to a hammock, where a sound sleep soon refreshed me. The king retired to rest, slept until dark, when, springing up suddenly, he ordered his quarter-masters to bring the horses. I remonstrated with him, saying, "For pity sake, king, do not take me through that wilderness this night." Rubbing his eyes, he declared, "It is not night, but morning." After some time, being convinced of his mistake, he ordered the quarter-masters to collect the women again for another dance, which was kept up until 11 o'clock that night, when I begged permission to retire.

Next morning the king apologized to me by saying, since he had detained me so long, I should be remunerated with some tortoise-shell, for "I know," said he, "you would willingly stop any where, two or three days, if you could get a few pounds of tortoise-shell." Our horses were soon brought, rigged as usual, with a bunch of plantain leaves for a saddle, and a bridle made of bark. The king mounted, one of his queens being placed behind him on the same horse; the gristle of his horse's ears being removed, caused them to lap down on his head much like a long-eared hog. I mounted the other. The mud and water was at least four inches deep on the road, being the rainy season. We proceeded about a quarter of a mile, when the king dismounted, and getting up behind me, called to his waiters to get him a large stick, which he applied to my poor old horse's flank without mercy; off we went in a smart gallop, the mud and water flying in every direction. Having proceeded about a mile we came to a small lane leading from the main road, which we were travelling, along which were three small houses to be seen. The king halted, saying to me, "Go up here and I will get you some shell." I rode with the king to the front of the house, where a young Indian girl, apparently eighteen years of age, stood near the door. The king addressing me, asked if I did not think her handsome. My answer, of course, was in the affirmative. The king then commanded his quarter-masters to catch her and throw her on behind me. The girl having an old dress on, ran into the house and returned with a clean one, the quarter-masters then lifted her on behind me astride the horse. The king kept in the rear to drive my horse into a canter, the mud and water flying into our eyes at such a rate that I could hardly keep the road. When we came to the creek the horses swam across, while the king, the two women, and myself crossed in a canoe; the king trying to upset us, which I prevented almost by main force, as the creek swarmed with alligators. Having passed it, we travelled through woods for two or three miles, when we embarked in a canoe for the Cape. Gladly did I return to my vessel. The king, not unmindful of his promise to make me some remuneration for my detention, sold me some thirty or forty pounds of shell, which he owed to an English trader.

Mosquito King and Captain Dunham taking an airing.

There was at the time two English trading vessels lying in the harbor. I had one passenger on board, belonging to Corn Island. One day the English captains, my passengers, and myself, being overtaken by a rain storm on shore, took shelter under an old woman's roof, where she was engaged in frying fish for her dinner. Her house was built like many houses in that country, simply of a thatched roof, supported by crotches, having no sides. As we were assembled here, the notion got into our heads to try the old lady's temper and placing ourselves at the four corners of her domicile, clapped our shoulders under the roof and bore it off, leaving the poor old woman frying her fish in the rain, which soon put out her fire, while we received a volley of curses for our sport. We, however, returned it to its proper place, breaking the poor old creature's crockery in so doing, which was all she possessed. We invited her on board our vessels the next day, telling her we would make good her loss; nor were we unmindful of our promise when she made her appearance. We supplied her with plates, cups, saucers, knives, forks, &c. so that her house was better furnished with these articles than any in the town. We also threw in a bottle of rum to make the affair perfectly satisfactory to her.

After remaining at the Cape a few days, where I purchased some shell, a considerable quantity of India rubber, gum copal, deer and tiger-skins, and deer-horns, paying for them in goods, we proceeded to Sandy Bay, where, after bartering four or five days for such articles as we got at the Cape, we next sailed for Great River, continuing our bartering for the same articles, and then started for Corn Island, intending to take in provision there, it being decidedly the best place for that purpose in the country. From thence we sailed for the Lagoon, where having landed such goods as were needed to keep a good assortment in our store, we proceeded along the coast, touching at Bluefields, Martina, Buckatora, and some other small ports, and then returned to Corn Island. Here I met the schooner Price, which had arrived two days previous, direct from New-York, with a new supply of goods. Captain Soper informed me that he had lost one man overboard on his passage home. I found on board the Price a man named Mores, who had some interest in the cargo. I gave the command of the sloop to Mr. Tefts, and took charge of the schooner again. I supplied Captain Tefts with a new assortment of goods, and ordered him to proceed along the Musquitto coast and procure all the return cargo he could, and from thence to St. Blas, where he could meet me in the Price. I proceeded with the Price direct to St. Blas, where I repainted her. Here Mr. Morse was taken sick and died, and we buried him on an uninhabited island, and then sailed for the harbor of Cordee, where I found my Indian trader, Campbell, who came on board and brought the returns for the goods I had left with him to sell. He brought on board a quantity of shell, a few bags of cocoa, a purse of money, and the remnants of the goods, and told me he had three or four canoe loads of fustic, laying on the beach, which he had purchased for me. He laid the shell, cocoa, return goods, and the purse of money down on the deck, telling me that was all he had. I asked him if he had taken out his wages. He said he had, and we considered all accounts between us settled, without making any figures. We remained here two or three days, and purchased a few thousand cocoa-nuts, and then sailed for the River De Ablo, where I met my other trader, Billy, who came on board with his returns, which being the same as Campbell's, I settled his account in the same manner, with one exception. I asked him if he had taken out his wages, he answered, "Not all," when I handed back the purse of money to him, and he took out fourteen dollars, and then returned it, saying, "Now we are even," which was as good as a receipt.

Campbell was on board acting as pilot, and he and Billy told me they must go and see my country, which request I readily granted. I purchased more cocoa-nuts, and took them on board when the Traverse arrived. I put all the goods I had left of her cargo on board the schooner Price, and prepared to sail the next morning. That evening we were visited by all the old men and sookermen in that vicinity, together with forty or fifty young men; the bottle of rum was passed round among them often during the night by Campbell or Billy, the old men relating stories and giving their charge to my traders, who were going to New-York with me. The St. Blas Indians have a peculiar custom about talking: when an old man is speaking, all the company are silent, not one lisp is heard from any other person, except at the end of every sentence, when each listener says, "Ah!" When one old man has ended his story another commences without any interruption. I laid down to sleep at eleven o'clock and slept till five in the morning, when I awoke and found them talking. Some time after, I called one of the Indians aft who spoke English, and asked him why this talk had continued all night: he answered me by saying, "The old men had told Campbell and Billy that they would be the first of their tribe whoever visited my country; that they must keep sober and honest, and conduct themselves like gentlemen."

Having all things ready for sea, I took leave of the old patriarchs by a hearty shake of the hand, and proceeded on my voyage.

Nothing material occurred until we got into the latitude of 24°, when our main-mast was carried away and we rigged a temporary jury-mast: having a long fore-sail, we were enabled to keep the schooner on her way; and being a sharp Baltimore clipper, she made pretty good headway under her fore-sail. Three days after, while laying too in a gale of wind, we lost one of our seamen, named William Latch, overboard. After a passage of thirty-five days we arrived in New-York. My Indians knew not what cold meant, and having some flannel on board, I made them some shirts on the passage, and gave them some old cast-off woollen clothing to protect them from the wintry weather of our coast. When we approached the cold latitudes we had a warm south-east wind, which brought us into the harbor of New-York without experiencing much of the severity of the weather. The first night after our arrival I went to my boarding house, where I tarried until early next morning, when I went to visit the schooner. As I approached the wharf where she lay, I saw Campbell looking at his fingers, turning his hands over and viewing them very closely. I accosted him in his accustomed manner of speaking, saying, "Campbell, what de matter?" he replied, "My God! captain, somet'ing bite me and I can't see 'im." His own country being infested with musquittoes, sand-flies, fire-ants, and sundry insects, which he could see, this invisible sting of cold he could not account for. I took them to a clothing store and rigged them with winter dunage. I then took them to a boarding house, and in the evening the mate escorted them to the play-house, thinking he could astonish them. The next morning I asked Campbell how he liked the play, he replied, "Too much fight; one old man go dead." In spite of all my efforts to the contrary, they would follow me at a distance. One day being near the City Hall, my two Indians following, as usual, I thought I would stop and let them overtake me, and have a view of the building, knowing that Campbell had never seen even a frame house, previous to his arrival in New-York. As they came up with me the keeper came out, and invited us up into the picture gallery, where we saw full-length portraits of all the governors of the State, and many other distinguished men, which the Indians viewed without any manifestation of surprise. We soon after went down Broadway, and as we approached St. Paul's Church, Campbell observing the covered figure of the Saint, set in the wall of the building, stopped, and looking at it some time, said, "Captain what dat old man tand dare for?" We passed on a little further, when I met my old acquaintance, Doctor Samuel L. Mitchell, who had visited me on my return from every voyage since I had been in this trade, in consequence of my furnishing him with roots, plants, and Indian curiosities. He was pleased at seeing the Indians, and asked what country they came from, their customs, manners, &c. I gave him a brief explanation, and he then insisted upon my going home with him, saying, "Mrs. Mitchell must see them," to which I consented. We repaired to his house, where I made a short visit, and he agreed to let me retire, provided I would come to the college at two o'clock that day, as he was to lecture there at that hour. On my return from the doctor's I passed through Maiden Lane, where many of the windows were decorated with toys. My Indians stopped to view them, and I could not get them any further until I entered the stores and purchased some whistling birds, swimming geese, &c. which they looked upon as the greatest curiosities in the whole city. At two o'clock I repaired to the college with my Indians. The doctor felt of their heads, looked down their throats, &c. and said they belonged to the same species as those who inhabit the Sandwich Islands and a part of Asia. The students gave them a donation of eight dollars, and we returned to our respective boarding houses.

A few days after, General Jackson visited New-York, which caused considerable noise and bustle. My Indians called on me to conduct them to the place of his landing, which was Whitehall, saying, "Me want to see dat big big American gineral." I conducted them to the place of landing, and the first object which attracted their attention was the military officers forming the procession, with long feathers on their hats, and they begged me very hard to go purchase some of those feathers for them. These Indians had every temptation to get intoxicated, having plenty of money given them by the owners of the Price and myself, and a donation of eight dollars from the students of the college: in addition to which the cartmen daily put up six-penny pieces for them to shoot at with their bows and arrows, which they generally got. We made them acquainted with a number of pleasant liquors which they had never before tasted, such as wine, cordial, beer, &c. but nothing could induce them to get drunk, having received a strict charge from the old men of their own country before they left home to keep sober until they returned.