Barbadoes, April 13.
A rumour is strongly prevalent, that a division of the troops, now
assembled at Barbadoes, is to be detached on secret service. Should this
take place, and the detachment be formed from the St. Domingo armament,
it is more than possible that our happy quartette may yet be dispersed
before we reach our original destination. Of course our expectations
have always led to this: but from having lived on board, together, and
in the utmost harmony, during a period of many months, it would be
matter of regret, to either of us, to be taken from our congenial mess,
at the very eve of sailing for our destined port; particularly as we
should be separated under circumstances which would render it probable
that we might never meet again.
I do not recollect to have noted to you in any former letter the great
fondness which the negroes have for the water, or their singular address
and expertness in moving upon that element. In one of our late walks we
met with a slave who was amusing himself by exercises of uncommon
agility in the sea. Not an otter, nor a beaver, nor scarcely a dolphin
could appear more at his case. He was quite at play in the water, and
diverting himself in all kinds of antic tricks, and gambols. He dived to
the bottom—swam in a variety of ways—walked or paddled along like a
dog—concealed himself for a long time under the water—laid himself at
rest upon its surface, and appeared as much at home in the ocean, as if
he had never breathed a lighter, nor trodden a firmer medium.
This expertness is much derived from an early habit of bathing, or, as
it might be termed, exercising in the water; and it renders the negroes
peculiarly useful in cases of accident at sea, or in the harbour. Let
them have a good boat, or canoe, and it will scarcely happen that they
can be drowned. Even if they are upset, and the boat turned keel
upwards, they rise at her sides, and there continue to swim or paddle
until they again _right her_, then, bailing out the water, resume their
seats and proceed as if nothing had happened.
A sense of cleanliness attaches to their love of the water, for we not
only see them often in the sea, but frequently also washing themselves
in the rivulets. It seems to form one of their favorite amusements to
stand in the sea, or a river, and to take up water in both hands and
pour it over their shoulders down their backs. This is practised both by
the men and women, and is one of their most frequent methods of bathing.
Another mark of cleanliness also prevails among them which was less to
be expected; viz. that of paying great attention to their teeth. The
chew-stick which is here employed for cleaning the teeth is far more in
use among the negroes, than the tooth-brush among the lower classes of
people in England.
Our adroit negro, amidst his many gambols in the water, dived often to
the bottom of the sea, and brought up a handful of sand. With this rough
dentifrice he soundly scrubbed his teeth, and by way of essence to wash
it off, plunged down, for another handful, with his mouth wide open;
thus, alternately, repeating the rubbing, and sea-water washing, until
his teeth were duly contrasted with his ebon countenance.