The Three LieutenantsKingston, William Henry Giles
General
The Three Lieutenants
Kingston, William Henry Giles
Great Britain. Royal Navy -- Officers -- Juvenile fiction; Sea stories
In a shore time the carriage appeared, with their carpet-bags strapped
on behind, and covered with a tarpaulin. It was a species of gig, with
a seat in front for the driver, and had two horses, one in the shafts
and the other prancing in comparative freedom, secured by traces to an
outrigger. Away they started at furious speed, and before long were
ascending the side of the magnificent Liguania mountains; now proceeding
along a romantic valley, with a babbling stream on one side; now passing
over a height; now along a level, or but slightly sloping spot for half
a mile or so, but gradually getting higher and higher above the plain.
Sometimes, when exposed to the sun's rays, they found it hot enough; but
frequently they travelled under the long shadow of some gigantic cotton
tree, shooting up into the blue heavens; or beneath a grove of graceful
palms, the tendrils of the yam and granadillos climbing up them, with
fences on either side, covered by numberless creepers, passion-flowers
of varied sizes, and convolvuli of countless descriptions. The whole
country seemed like an assemblage of orchards, composed of orange-trees
in fruit and flower, lemon and citron trees, glossy-leaved star apples;
the avocada, with its huge pear, and the bread fruit-tree bearing still
vaster fruit, and leaves of proportionate size; while beneath them were
seen in abundance the unfailing food of man in tropical climes, the ever
cool, fresh, green plantain; indeed, the strangers felt bewildered amid
the variety of trees, shrubs, and plants which surrounded them.
"A perfect paradise, this," exclaimed Jack, who was not much addicted,
however, thus to express his feelings. "See, the vegetation reaches to
the very summit of the highest mountains."
"Inhabited by no small number of ebon-hued Adams and Eves," observed
Terence, pointing to several palm-thatched, white-washed huts, a little
way off, before which was collected a group of negroes, men, and women,
and children, laughing, shouting, and talking, looking wonderfully
happy; the former all neatly habited, and though the smaller members of
the community were not overburdened with clothing, they looked as plump
and jolly as need be. "I only wish that our peasantry in old Ireland
were as well off as these people seem to be."
"And those of England, also," said Jack. "Still slavery is an
abomination, and I pray that it may some day cease throughout the
world."
The lieutenants scarcely believed that the time they expected to be on
the road had elapsed, when their driver pointed to a wide-spreading, low
mansion, with verandahs all round it, and extensive outbuildings, and
said--
"Dere, dat Saint David's."
Somehow or other they had expected to see only a Mr and Mrs Bradshaw.
Their surprise was considerable when they met with a reception not
unlike that at Trinidad, from a matronly dame and a number of young
damsels; except that they did not claim Adair as a relation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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