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Show 58 DOMINICA. . I " There we were received with abundant to call theu "mot ler. 'd d vith good accommodation, both of d. \'t and were prov1 e ' coedr 1an d' yb, o'a rd durin"' our stay on t1 1 e I·S 1a nd . After partakino"-' bo f a ah earty' bre' ak,~a st", and nl 'a king a few needful .a rrangements, d d to the Government House, and pmd our respects wel\~r?ceeMePhaJ·l the Lieut. Governor. He and his lady had to ,aJOr c ' f . aiven a kind reception to some missionary members o ourf so~!- " when he was aovernor of Santa Mauro., one o t e elotym,. an J. slml d s .' an d ~ery kind and cordial w. ere. they dto our-selves. We frequently partook of their hospltnhty, an . were a\adto meet at the n.. t a ble • white and colored pe.r sons w1·t hout1 d.· t' t' The major is a man of great integnty, and hbera vilSe wmse. wHn.e was u. npn.s on ed two months , on one occasion, i.n POltuaal for refusing to kneel before the host. ·when m Greec:, ;,e was an able and successful promoter of educatwn; and in Dominica, he has proved himself, through ~10 small difficulties, to be the undaunted protector of the nghts of the nearo. f · d I wish I had the opportunity of introducing to thee, our nen s Fillan and Bellot. The former is a young man Wlth the wool of Africa on his head, but full of bodily and mental energy, ardent in the cause of religion and humanity, but naturally prone to merriment. He is a plant of no stunted growth, wlilc~l would bear a little pruning; and reminded me of Qumllhan s saying in his work on education, " Des quod amputem~gzve me so~zething to cut off." I draw this portrait, at the nsk of annoying him, for the sake of the race with which he is connected. Bello! is an intelligent, well-educated person, a me;ber of the legislature, and much respected in the colony. . ~ our return from the Governor's, we found they had provide horses and were ready to accompany us, on our excurswn mto the co~ntry. The day was hot, but the temptation of the sce~1ery was irresistible. We first ascended Mont Bruce, a !lll htary station from which there is an enchanting view of th8 )loseau valley,' which winds along between many shaped rock~ and monntains, itself luxuriantly green ; with the little river of that DOMINICA. 59 name running, or rather rushing, through the midst of it. As we rode up and down the hill, we,observed on its brow, many garden grounds of free settlers, filled with orange trees, plantains, and other fruits and vegetables. We then took our course along the valley itself, for a few miles, niHil we arrived at one of Bellot's estates, where we found his people busily engaged in malting sugar. He has had the good sense to lease out portions of his land to independent settlers, many of whom are at work upon his estate. His sugar works are in the valley, and after leaving them, we pursued a winding road up a high hill, which Jed us to his house at Copthall. When there, I observed a curious little building on the pl'emises- of new stone well cemented-out of which the pigs were emerging one after another. On examination I found it was the "bilboes" or "cachot ;" an abominable place, without light or air, or as nearly so as possible, in which the wretched negroes had formerly been punished with solitary confinement. During slavery, and the apprenticeship, Copthall had been in other hands, and was rapidly falling into decay ;- almost the only tight place on the property, being this ve1y bilboes. Now, under freedom, and the care of Bellot, the estate was rapidly improving, the produce of it had increased £200 percent, a11d the Bilboes were turned into a pig sty! Who Call deny that here was a delightful proof of the advantage and efficiency of freedom? After partaking of needful refreshment, we followed the mountain road, to a higher elevation, and visited another estate, also in the hands of a colored planter, where we again found the laborers, working well. Several of the people gathered around us, and a woma11 who could speak English, came fonvard on behalf of the company, to beg for a school. "We are hungry for a school," said she, "we are tired of waiting for it." Nor were these idle words ; for the people on this a11d a neighboring property, had agreed to subscribe eight dollars per month in part payment of a teacher. Nothing indeed can be more eager, than the desire of the negroes of Dominica for educationthey seem determined to obtain it; and it is gratifying to know |