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Show LETTER VI. DOI\UNICA. Flwilti'ng, L. I. Sixth month (June) Gth, 1840. Mv DEAR FRIEND, Onr voyage from Antigua to Dominica was one of thirty-six hours. We passed nnder the lee of Guadaloupe just before night closed upon us. The appearance of that island on the west side, of which alone we had a view, is mountainous and barren-not withont much of picturesque beauty. We were informed however that on the other side it is highly cultivated, which is also the case with that still more beautiful island, Martinique. It is an evidence that slavery in these French colonies is not withont its hardships, that several hundreds of the slaves since the British act of emancipation, have made their escape to Dominir.a-chiefly I believe, from Guada-loupe. The poor creatures run prodigious risks in their attempts to cross the water, in small open boats; and we were informed that at least one third of them perish before they reach the land. One hardy fellow arrived on the shore of Dominica, after extreme pen!, DOMINICA. 71 on the remains of a small raft which he had constructed of the pithy stems of the great aloe, or century plant. When at Dominica, we heard excellent accounts of the behaviour and industry of these runaway slaves. Abont two hundred of them remain on the island~t~e. rest have migrated, in pursuit of higher wages, to lrmtdad. Devoutly is it to be desired that the steps already taken by the French Government towards the emancipation of the slaves, in these colonies, may be carried forward to their completion without delay. It is a circumstance worthy of observation, that the commission appointed to enquire into the suilject, after the most deliberate investio-ation have bro~ght in a report recotnmending-n~t an; gradual dtlatory process-but the immediate abolition of slavery. The attention of the French Commissioners was closely given (I believe by personal visits) to the rc~ ult of. t~e experiment of abolition in the neighbormg Bnttsh colonies ; and it can be no matter of surprise that the excellent working of freedom in ~ntigua~ where the change was made without any mtervenmg apprenticeship, should have brought them to t_his ~oncl~sion. Nevertheless the apprenticeship (as tt extsted m the other British West India Islands) could by no means be regarded as a preparation for freedom; and perhaps the strongest argument for the course recommended by the commissioners, might be draNwn from the comparison of Antigua and Dominica . . ever were two colonies more contrasted in their Circumstances than these. Antigua is a dry island, watered only from the skies; and cultivated nearly to |