A Voyage in the West Indies; Containing Various Observations Made During a Residence in Barbadoes (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1820. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... A voyage in the West Indies John Augustine Waller ADVERTISEMENT. The following pages, which were not originally intended for publication, having afforded gratification to many of the Author's friends, and it being considered that a familiar view of the West India Islands, and of the manners and customs prevailing in them, was a desideratum, he has been induced to lay before the public such particulars as fell within his own observation; and he trusts that his delineation of these transatlantic regions, and of the manners of their inhabitants, will not be found uninteresting. To have entered into scientific details of natural history would have far exceeded his limits; and would, in fact, have been only a repetition of what is already to be found in works professedly treating on those subjects; he has therefore confined his observations chiefly to living topics. A VOYAGE IN THE WEST INDIES. AFTER a passage of six weeks across the Atlantic, about sun-set, on the ]4th of April 1807, a signal from the commodore announced the appearance of land a-head; and the island of Barbadoes was, at the same time, descried from the mast-head of our vessel, but at so great a distance, that it could only be perceived, whilst the last rays of the setting sun illumined the western horizon. At any other time, or in any other bearing, it would have been invisible. It is generally believed that this island, on account of its small elevation, cannot be seen at the distance of more than twenty or five-and-twenty miles; but this is an error; as the distance we had to run, after making the land, was not less than fifty or sixty miles. The commodore made the signal to heave-to during the night, that the convoy might collect, and have ...