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Show 38 ST. THOMAS AND TORTOLA. heard reports of their poverty and idleness; but these were belied by their decent and respe~t<~ble .appear. ancc. A church is now in course of bmldmg for their use, under the orders of the Bishop of Barbadors; and a school has been already formed for the cduca. tion of their children. Abont three hundred of them assembled, under the shade of a large tamarind tree, and it has seldom fallen to my lot to address a more f(~eling, or apparently more intelligent congregation. One thing is clear and unquestionable-that the African mind is abundantly susceptible of instruction in the great doctrines and principles of the christian religion. Although the disposition of the planters of towards the free negroes under their care, appeared ns to be decidedly benevolent, we could not of certain vexatious taxes, lately enacted by the lature of the Virgin Islands, which bear hardly on laboring class. One of them is a tax of lOs. per annum, per acre, on all provision grounds or dens not connected with a sugar estate. All imposts are obviously improper, and we trust will be disallowed by the Home Government. I am, &c. &c. LETTER IV. SAINT CIIRISTOPII EH.'S. Flushing, L. 1. Sixth rnontlt (June) 4th, 1840. MY DEAR FRIEND, A dead b~at to the wind ward, with a rough sea, and ou board a small vessel, is certainly no luxury; but such arc the inconvenience~ to which one is very apt to be exposed, during a cruise among the West India Islands. After beating- along the coast of Tortola for &orne hours, we made for the open sea, by the Roundrock passage; and, after a night of comfortless tossing found ourselves, next morning, within sight of Saba. The lofty peaks of that island are very striking-its appearance being that of a single mountain, rising precipitously from the sea. It belongs to the Dutch; and the community of small proprietors who dwell there, are said to be a little world to themselves, depending very little on any distant government, but supporting tbemsel ves by their own industry, in boat building, fishing, &c. Our headwind, after a time, was exchanged for a calm, than which scarcely anv &tate of the ocean is less agreeable to the marine;. The rudder no longer acts; exertion of every kind is frmtless ; the sails flutter; the vessel rolls, but makell_ |