lies between the 75th and the 79th degrees of west longitude from
London, and between 17 and 18 north latitude; it is of an oval figure,
150 miles long from east to west, sixty miles broad in the middle,
containing 4,080,000 acres. An elevated ridge, called the Blue
Mountains, runs lengthwise from east to west, whence numerous rivers
take their rise on both sides. The year is divided into two seasons,
wet and dry. The months of July, August, and September, are called the
hurricane months. The best houses are generally built low, on account
of the hurricanes and earthquakes. However pleasant the sun may rise,
in a moment the scene may be changed; a violent storm will suddenly
arise, attended with thunder and lightning; the rain falls in torrents,
and the seas and rivers rise with terrible destruction. I witnessed
this awful scene in June last, at Kingston, the capital of Jamaica;
the foundations of many houses were destroyed; the waters, as they
rushed from the mountains, brought with them the produce of the earth,
large branches of trees, together with their fruit; many persons were
drowned, endeavoring to reach their homes; those who succeeded, were
often obliged to travel many miles out of their usual way. Many young
children, without a parent's care, were at this time destroyed. A poor
old woman, speaking of these calamities to me, thus expressed herself:
"Not so bad now as in the time of slavery; then God spoke very loud
to _Bucker_, (the white people,) to let us go. Thank God, ever since
that they give us up, we go pray, and we have it not so bad like as
before." I would recommend this poor woman's remark to the fair sons
and daughters of America, the land of the pilgrims, "Then God spoke
very loud." May these words be engraved on the post of every door in
this land of New England. God speaks very loud, and while his judgments
are on the earth, may the inhabitants learn righteousness!
The mountains that intersect this island, seem composed of rocks,
thrown up by frequent earthquakes or volcanoes. These rocks, though
having little soil, are adorned with a great variety of beautiful
trees, growing from the fissures, which are nourished by frequent
rains, and flourish in perpetual spring. From these mountains flow a
vast number of small rivers of pure water, which sometimes fall in
cataracts, from stupendous heights; these, with the brilliant verdure
of the trees, form a most delightful landscape. Ridges of smaller
mountains are on each side of this great chain; on these, coffee grows
in great abundance; the valleys or plains between these ridges, are
level beyond what is usually found in similar situations. The highest
land in the island is Blue Mountain Peak, 7150 feet above the sea. The
most extensive plain is thirty miles long and five broad. Black river,
in the Parish of St. Elizabeth, is the only one navigable; flat-boats
bring down produce from plantations about thirty miles up the river.
Along the coast, and on the plains, the weather is very hot; but in the
mountains the air is pure and wholesome; the longest days in summer are
about thirteen hours, and the shortest in winter about eleven. In the
plains are found several salt fountains, and in the mountains, not far
from Spanish Town, is a hot bath of great medicinal virtues; this gives
relief in the complaint called the dry bowels malady, which, excepting
the bilious and yellow fevers, is one of the most terrible distempers
of Jamaica. The general produce of this island is sugar, rum, molasses,
ginger, cotton, indigo, pimento, cocoa, coffees, several kinds of
woods, and medicinal drugs. Fruits are in great plenty, as oranges,
lemons, shaddoks, citrons, pomegranates, pineapples, melons, pompions,
guavas, and many others. Here are trees whose wood, when dry, is
incorruptible; here is found the wild cinnamon tree, the mahogany, the
cabbage, the palm, yielding an oil much esteemed for food and medicine.
Here, too, is the soap tree, whose berries are useful in washing. The
plantain is produced in Jamaica in abundance, and is one of the most
agreeable and nutritious vegetables in the world: it grows about four
feet in height, and the fruit grows in clusters, which is filled with
a luscious sweet pulp. The Banana is very similar to the plantain,
but not so sweet. The whole island is divided into three counties,
Middlesex, Surry, and Cornwall, and these into six towns, twenty
parishes, and twenty-seven villages.
This island was originally part of the Spanish Empire in America, but
it was taken by the English in 1656. Cromwell had fitted out a squadron
under Penn and Venables, to reduce the Spanish Island of Hispaniola;
but there this squadron was unsuccessful, and the commanders, of their
own accord, to atone for this misfortune, made a descent on Jamaica,
and having arrived at St. Jago, soon compelled the whole island to
surrender.
Ever since, it has been subject to the English, and the government,
next to that of Ireland, is the richest in the disposal of the crown.
Port Royal was formerly the capital of Jamaica; it stood upon the
point of a narrow neck of land, which, towards the sea, forms part of
the border of a very fine harbor of its own name. The conveniences of
this harbor, which was capable of containing a thousand sail of large
ships, and of such depth as to allow them to load and unload with
the greatest ease, weighed so much with the inhabitants, that they
chose to build their capital on this spot, although the place was a
hot, dry sand, and produced none of the necessaries of life, not even
fresh water. About the beginning of the year 1692, no place for its
size could be compared to this town for trade, wealth, and an entire
corruption of manners. In the month of June in this year, an earthquake
which shook the whole island to the foundation, totally overwhelmed
this city, so as to leave, in one quarter, not even the smallest
vestige remaining. In two minutes the earth opened and swallowed up
nine-tenths of the houses, and two thousand people. The waters gushed
out from the openings of the earth, and the people lay as it were in
heaps: some of them had the good fortune to catch hold of beams and
rafters of houses, and were afterwards saved by boats. Several ships
were cast away in the harbor, and the Swan Frigate, which lay in
the Dock, was carried over the tops of sinking houses, and did not
overset, but afforded a retreat to some hundreds of people, who saved
their lives upon her. An officer who was in the town at that time,
says the earth opened and shut very quick in some places, and he saw
several people sink down to the middle, and others appeared with their
heads just above ground, and were choked to death. At Savannah above
a thousand acres were sunk, with the houses and people in them, the
place appearing, for some time, like a lake; this was afterwards dried
up, but no houses were seen. In some parts mountains were split, and
at one place a plantation was removed to the distance of a mile. The
inhabitants again rebuilt the city, but it was a second time, ten years
after, destroyed by a great fire. The extraordinary convenience of the
harbor tempted them to build it once more, and in 1722 it was laid in
ruins by a hurricane, the most terrible on record.
Such repeated calamities seemed to mark out this spot as a devoted
place; the inhabitants, therefore, resolved to forsake it forever, and
to reside at the opposite bay, where they built Kingston, which is now
the capital of the island. In going up to Kingston, we pass over a part
of and between Port Royal, leaving the mountains on the left, and a
small town on the right. There are many handsome houses built there,
one story high, with porticos, and every convenience for those who
inhabit them. Not far from Kingston stands Spanish Town, which, though
at present far inferior to Kingston, was once the capital of Jamaica,
and is still the seat of government.
On the 3d of October, 1780, there was a dreadful hurricane, which
overwhelmed the little seaport town of Savannah, in Jamaica, and part
of the adjacent country; very few houses were left standing, and a
great number of lives were lost; much damage was done also, and many
lives lost, in other parts of the island.
In January, 1823, a society was formed in London for mitigating and
gradually abolishing slavery, throughout the British dominions, called
the Anti-Slavery Society. His Royal Highness, the Duke of Gloucester,
was President of the Society; in the list of Vice Presidents are the
names of many of the most distinguished philanthropists of the day,
and among them that of the never to be forgotten Mr. Wilberforce;
as a bold champion, we see him going forward, pleading the cause of
our down-trodden brethren. In the year 1834, it pleased God to break
the chains from 800,000 human beings, that had been held in a state
of personal slavery; and this great event was effected through the
instrumentality of Clarkson, Wilberforce, and other philanthropists of
the day.
The population of Jamaica is nearly 400,000; that of Kingston,
the capital, 40,000. There are many places of worship of various
denominations, namely, Church of England, and of Scotland, Wesleyan,
the Baptist, and Roman Catholics, besides a Jewish Synagogue. These
all differ from what I have seen in New England, and from those I have
seen elsewhere. The Baptist hold what they call class-meetings. They
have men and women, deacons and deaconesses in these churches; these
hold separate class-meetings; some of these can read, and some cannot.
Such are the persons who hold the office of judges, and go round and
urge the people to come to the class, and after they come in twice or
three times, they are considered candidates for baptism. Some pay fifty
cents, and some more, for being baptized; they receive a ticket as a
passport into the church, paying one mark a quarter, or more, and some
less, but nothing short of ten pence, that is, two English shillings
a year. They must attend their class once a week, and pay three pence
a week, total twelve English shillings a year, besides the sums they
pay once a month at communion, after service in the morning. On those
occasions the minister retires, and the deacons examine the people,
to ascertain if each one has brought a ticket; if not, they cannot
commune; after this the minister returns, and performs the ceremony,
then they give their money and depart. The churches are very large,
holding from four to six thousand; many bring wood and other presents
to their class-leader, as a token of their attachment; where there are
so many communicants, these presents, and the money exacted, greatly
enrich these establishments. Communicants are so ignorant of the
ordinance, that they join the church merely to have a decent burial;
for if they are not members, none will follow them to the grave, and no
prayers will be said over them; these are borne through the streets by
four men, the coffin a rough box; not so if they are church members; as
soon as the news is spread that one is dying, all the class, with their
leader, will assemble at the place, and join in singing hymns; this,
they say, is to help the spirit up to glory; this exercise sometimes
continues all night, in so loud a strain, that it is seldom that any of
the people in the neighborhood are lost in sleep.
After leaving Jamaica, the vessel was tacked to a south-west course. I
asked the Captain what this meant. He said he must take the current,
as there was no wind. Without any ceremony, I told him it was not the
case, and told the passengers that he had deceived us. There were two
English men that were born on the island, that had never been on the
water; before the third day passed, they asked the Captain why they had
not seen Hayti. He told them they passed when they were asleep. I told
them it was not true, he was steering south south-west. The passengers
in the steerage got alarmed, and every one was asking the Captain what
this meant. The ninth day we made land. "By ----," said the Captain,
"this is Key West; come, passengers, let us have a vote to run over the
neck, and I will go ashore and bring aboard fruit and turtle." They all
agreed but myself. He soon dropped anchor. The officers from the shore
came on board and congratulated him on keeping his appointment, thus
proving that my suspicions were well founded. The Captain went ashore
with these men, and soon came back, called for the passengers, and
asked for their vote for him to remain until the next day, saying that
he could, by this delay, make five or six hundred dollars, as there had
been a vessel wrecked there lately. They all agreed but myself. The
vessel was soon at the side of the wharf. In one hour there were twenty
slaves at work to unload her; every inducement was made to persuade
me to go ashore, or set my feet on the wharf. A law had just been
passed there that every free colored person coming there, should be put
in custody on their going ashore; there were five colored persons on
board; none dared to go ashore, however uncomfortable we might be in
the vessel, or however we might desire to refresh ourselves by a change
of scene. We remained at Key West four days.
September 3d we set sail for New York, at 3 o'clock in the afternoon.
At 10 o'clock a gale took us, that continued thirty-six hours; my
state-room was filled with water, and my baggage all upset; a woman,
with her little boy, and myself, were seated on a trunk thirty-six
hours, with our feet pressed against a barrel to prevent falling;
the water pouring over us at every breaker. Wednesday, the 9th, the
sun shone out, so that the Captain could take an observation. He
found himself in great peril, near the coast of Texas. All hands were
employed in pumping and bailing. On the eleventh, the New Orleans
steamer came to our assistance; as we passed up the river, I was made
to forget my own condition, as I looked with pity on the poor slaves,
who were laboring and toiling, on either side, as far as could be seen
with a glass. We soon reached the dock, and we were there on the old
wreck a spectacle for observation; the whites went on shore and made
themselves comfortable, while we poor blacks were obliged to remain
on that broken, wet vessel. The people were very busy about me; one
man asked me who I belonged to, and many other rude questions; he
asked me where I was born; I told him Newburyport. "What were your
parents' names?" I told him my father's name was Thomas Gardener; his
countenance changed; said he, "I knew him well;" and he proved friendly
to me. He appeared very kind, and offered to arrange my affairs so
that I might return to New York through the States. I thought it best
to decline his proposal, knowing my spirit would not suffer me to
pass on, and see my fellow-creatures suffering without a rebuke. We
remained four days on the wreck; the boxes that contained the sugar
were taken out; the two bottom tiers were washed out clean. There were
a great many people that came to see the vessel; they were astonished
that she did not sink; they watched me very closely. I asked them what
they wished. In the mean time, there came along a drove of colored
people, fettered together in pairs by the wrist; some had weights,
with long chains at their ankles, men and women, young and old. I
asked them what that meant. They all were ready to answer. Said they,
"these negroes have been impudent, and have stolen; some of them are
free negroes from the northern ships;" "and what," I asked, "are they
there for?" "For being on shore, some of them at night." I asked them
who made them Lord over God's inheritance. They told me I was very
foolish; they should think I had suffered enough to think of myself.
I looked pretty bad, it is true; I was seated on a box, but poorly
dressed; the mate had taken my clothes to a washer-woman; why he took
this care, he was afraid to send the cook or steward on shore, as they
were colored people. I kept still; but the other woman seemed to be in
perfect despair, running up and down the deck, ringing her hands and
crying, at the thought of all her clothes being destroyed; then her
mind dwelt upon other things, and she seemed as if she were deranged;
she took their attention for a few minutes, as she was white. Soon the
washer-woman came with my clothes; they spoke to her as if she had
been a dog. I looked at them with as much astonishment as if I had
never heard of such a thing. I asked them if they believed there was
a God. "Of course we do," they replied. "Then why not obey him?" "We
do." "You do not; permit me to say there is a God, and a just one,
that will bring you all to account." "For what?" "For suffering these
men that have just come in to be taken out of these vessels, and that
awful sight I see in the streets." "O that is nothing; I should think
you would be concerned about yourself." "I am sure," I replied, "the
Lord will take care of me; you cannot harm me." "No, we do not wish
to; we do not want you here." Every ship that comes in, the colored
men are dragged to prison. I found it necessary to be stern with them;
they were very rude; if I had not been so, I know not what would have
been the consequences. They went off for that day; the next day some
of them came again. "Good morning," said they; "we shall watch you
like the d---- until you go away; you must not say any thing to these
negroes whilst you are here." "Why, then, do you talk to me, if you
do not want me to say any thing to you? If you will let me alone, I
will you." "Let me see your protection," they replied, "they say it is
under the Russian government." I pointed them to the eighteenth chapter
of Revelations and fifteenth verse: "The merchants of these things
which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off, for the fear of her
torment, weeping and wailing. For strong is the Lord God who judgeth
her." They made no answer, but asked the Captain how soon he should
get away.
On the 17th, the Captain put eight of us on board the bark H. W. Tyler,
for New York; we had about a mile to walk; the Captain was in honor
bound to return us our passage money, which we had paid him at Jamaica;
he came without it to see if we were there, and went away saying he
would soon return with it; but we saw no more of him or our money! Our
bark, and a vessel loaded with slaves, were towed down the river by the
same steamer; we dropped anchor at the bottom of the bay, as a storm
was rising. The 18th, on Sabbath, it rained all day. Captain Tyler
knocked at my door, wishing me to come out; it rained hard; the bulwork
of the bark was so high I could not look over it; he placed something
for me to stand on, that I might see the awful sight, which was the
vessel of slaves laying at the side of our ship; the deck was full of
young men, girls and children, bound to Texas for sale! Monday, the
19th, Captain Tyler demanded of us to pay him for our passage. I had
but ten dollars, and was determined not to give it; he was very severe
with all. I told him there were articles enough to pay him belonging
to me. Those who had nothing, were obliged to go back in the steamer.
Tuesday, the 20th, we set sail; the storm was not over. The 22d the
gale took us; we were dismasted, and to save sinking, sixty casks of
molasses were stove in, and holes cut in the bulworks to let it off;
all the fowls, pigs, and fresh provisions, were lost. We were carried
seventy-five miles up the bay of Mexico. The Captain was determined not
to pay the steamer for carrying him back to New Orleans, and made his
way the best he could.
The 3d of October we arrived again at Key West. The Captain got the
bark repaired, and took on board a number of turtles, and a plenty of
brandy. Friday, the 7th, set sail for New York; the Captain asked me
why I did not go ashore when there in the Comet; "had you," said he,
"they intended to beat you. John and Lucy Davenport, of Salem, laid
down the first ten dollars towards a hundred for that person who should
get you there." The Florida laws are about the same as those at New
Orleans. He was very talkative; wished to know if I saw any thing of
the Creole's crew while at Jamaica. I told him they were all safe, a
fine set of young men and women; one dear little girl, that was taken
from her mother in Virginia, I should have taken with me, if I had had
the money. He said his brother owned the Creole, and some of the slaves
were his. "I never owned any; I have followed the sea all my life, and
can tell every port and town in your State."
October 19th, 1842, arrived at New York, and thankful was I to set my
feet on land, almost famished for the want of food; we lost all of our
provisions; nothing was left but sailors' beef, and that was tainted
before it was salted. I went at once to those who professed to be
friends, but found myself mistaken. I hardly knew what was best. I had
put up at Mrs. Raweses; she did all she could to raise the twenty-five
dollars that I must pay before I could take my baggage from the vessel.
This seemed hard to obtain; I travelled from one to another for three
days; at last I called at the Second Advent office; Mr. Nath'l Southard
left his business at once, and took me to Mr. Lewis Tappan and others;
they raised the money, and went with me to the ship after my baggage.
It was three o'clock on Saturday afternoon when I called on Mr.
Southard; the vessel and Captain belonged to Virginia, was all ready
for sea, waiting for a wind; they had ransacked my things. I took from
Jamaica forty dollar's worth of preserved fruits; part were lost when
we were cast away in the Cornet, and some they had stolen. At eight
o'clock on Saturday evening, I made out to have my things landed on the
wharf; it was very dark, as it rained hard. My kind friend did not
leave me until they were all safely lodged at my residence. I boarded
there three weeks, thinking to come home; but it was thought best for
me to wait, and see if Captain Miner came or not, hoping that I might
recover my loss through him. I took a room and went to sewing, and
found the people very kind.
February, 1843, the colored men that went back to New Orleans, for
the want of passage money, arrived at New York, wearied out. All the
white people remained there. I waited in New York until the last of
July, when I started for Boston. August 1st, 1843, arrived, poor in
health and poor in purse, having sacrificed both, hoping to benefit
my fellow-creatures. I trust it was acceptable to God, who in his
providence preserved me in perils by land and perils by sea.
"God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants his footsteps on the sea,
And rides upon the storm.
"Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never-failing skill,
He treasures up his bright designs,
And works his sovereign will."
Having lost all, I determined, by the help of God, to leave the event;
some of my friends in this city sympathized with me, and others took
the advantage to reproach me. But in the hands of the Lord there
is a cup; the Saviour drank it to the dregs. They gather themselves
together; they hide themselves; they mark my steps; they waited for my
soul, but the Lord is my defence, the Holy One of Israel is my Saviour.
I'll trust him for strength and defence. What things were gain to me,
I counted loss for Christ, for whom I have suffered all things; and
do count them nothing, that I may win Christ and be found in him, not
having mine own righteousness, which is of the Lord, but that which
is through the faith of Christ, that which is of God by faith, that I
may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of
his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death, strengthened
with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and
long-suffering, with joyfulness, thinking it not strange concerning
the fiery trials, as though some strange thing happened; for saith the
apostle, it is better if the will of God so be that ye suffer for well
doing, than for evil; they think it strange that ye run not with them
to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you. If they do these
things in a green tree, what shall be done in a dry?
"I hate to walk, I hate to sit
With men of vanity and lies;
The scoffer and the hypocrite
Are the abhorrence of my eyes.
God knows their impious thoughts are vain,
And they shall feel his power;
His wrath shall pierce their souls with pain,
In some surprising hour."
The first twenty months after my arrival in the city, notwithstanding
my often infirmities, I labored with much success, until I hired with
and from those whom I mostly sympathized with, and shared in common the
disadvantages and stigma that is heaped upon us, in this our professed
Christian land. But my lot was like the man that went down from
Jerusalem and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment,
and wounding him departed, leaving him half dead. What I did not lose
when cast away, has been taken from my room where I hired. Three times
I had been broken up in business, embarrassed and obliged to move, when
not able to wait on myself. This has been my lot. In the midst of my
afflictions, sometimes I have thought my case like that of Paul's, when
cast among wild beasts. "Had not the Lord been on my side, they would
have swallowed me up; but blessed be the Lord who hath not given me a
prey to their teeth."