University of Virginia Library

MARCH 15. (Sunday.)

Although I set out from Hordley at two o'clock, it was past seven before I reached an estate called " The Retreat," which was only twelve miles off, so abominable was the road. Here I stopped for the night, which I passed at supper with the musquitoes—" not where I ate, but where I was eaten." Morant River had been swelled by the late heavy rains to a tremendous height, and its numerous quicksands render the passage in such a state extremely dangerous. However, a negro having been sent early to explore it, and having returned with a favourable report, we proceeded to encounter it. A Hordley negro well acquainted with these perilous rivers had accompanied me for the express purpose of pointing out the most practicable fords : but for some time his efforts to find a safe one were unavailing, his horse at the end of a minute or two plunging into a quick-sand or some deep hole, among the waters thrown up from which he totally disappeared for a moment, and then was seen to struggle out again with such an effort and leap, as were quite beyond the capability of any carriage's attempting. However, at the end of half an hour he was fortunate to find a place where he could cross (up to his horse's belly in the water, to be sure), but at least without tumbling into holes and quicksands -, and here we set out, conscious that our whole chance of reaching the opposite shore consisted in keeping precisely the path which he had gone already, and determined to stick as close as possible to his horse's tail. But no sooner were we fairly in the water than my young horses found themselves unable to resist the strength and rapidity of the torrent, which was rolling down huge stones as big as rocks from the mountain ; and to my utter consternation I perceived the curricle carried down the stream, and, the distance from my guide (who by swimming his horse had reached the destined landing-place in safety) growing wider and wider with every moment. We were now driving at all hazards ; every moment I expected to see a horse or a wheel sink down into some deep hole, the chaise overturned, and ourselves either swallowed up in a quicksand or dashed to pieces against the stones which were rolling around us. I never remember to have felt myself so completely convinced of approaching destruction, and

I roared out with all my might and main, "We are carried away ! all is over !" although to be sure, I might as well have held my tongue, seeing that all my roaring could not do the least possible good. However, my horses, although too weak to resist the current, were fortunately strong enough to keep their legs ; while they drifted down the stream they struggled along in an oblique direction, which gradually (though but slowly) brought us nearer to the opposite shore ; and after several minutes passed in most painful anxiety, a desperate plunge out of the water enabled them to jump the carriage upon terra firma on the same side with my guide, although at a considerable distance from the spot where he had landed.

The Yallack River was less dangerous; but even this too had been sufficiently swelled to make the crossing it no easy matter ; so that what with one obstacle and another, when I reached Kingston at six o'clock with my bones and my vehicle unbroken, I was almost as much surprised as satisfied. I dined with the curate of Kingston, the Rev. G. Hill, where I met the admiral upon this station, Sir Home Popham, and a large party.