Now comes “still evening” on, and Hesperus and all “the starry host” people the heavens, until at length the moon “Shews her broad visage in the crimson’d east,” and robs them of their brightness. And there she paces through those azure fields, not with the cold, pale aspect she wears in my own severer clime, but with the glow, the fervour, with which, in other days, she was wont, as “fabling poets” sing, to visit Endymion on the flowery heights of Latmus. Lovely is it, at such a time, to lean over the vessel’s side, and watch the limpid waves, as they throw up their sparkling foam. All turbulent passions die away—a pleasing calm ensues—and then, casting aside all heathen folly, and allowing the mind to revel at its will, come thoughts, indistinct, but beautiful, and dreamy imaginings of that happy land, where “The crystaline stream, bursting forth from the throne, Flows on, and for ever will flow; Its waves, as they roll, are with melody rife, And its waters are sparkling with beauty and life, In the land which no mortal may know.” But earth’s chains are still about us, and the fairest scenes may prove the most deadly. A kind voice warns me of the increasing cold of the night-breeze; and as the last inch of the cable slides through the hawse-hole, and the tremor of the vessel, as it is suddenly stopped in its course, shews we have anchored for the night, I leave the cool air upon deck for the confinement of the cabin, with a prayer of thankfulness upon my lips for my frequent safe trips across the “blue waters,” and a hope that to-morrow’s dawn will bring us safely to shore. ------ [58] The Scotch and Irish, in addition to the Union Jack, hoist a distinctive national signal. [59] Droughers are small vessels used for conveying the produce of the island from the neighbouring bays to the shipping. [60] At that period, the mails from the different islands were conveyed to St. Thomas’s, in small vessels employed for that purpose, from whence they were despatched to England in one of her Majesty’s packets. [61] Formerly called Guiana Island, from the English settlers who emigrated thither from Guiana, when that country was surrendered to the Dutch by the treaty of Breda. The name is now corrupted to Guana. CHAPTER XV. The extent of Antigua—Opinion of some planters—Want of agricultural labourers—Emigration not always profitable to the negroes—“Seizar’s” letter upon the subject—Return of emigrants— Soil of Antigua—Geological matters—Petrifactions—Climate of Antigua—“Yellow fever”—Beautiful evenings—the appearance of the heavens—Evening visitants.