A Winter in the West Indies: Described in Familiar Letters to Henry Clay, of Kentucky (Classic Reprint) - Softcover

Excerpt from A Winter in the West Indies: Described in Familiar Letters to Henry Clay, of Kentucky

I seize the first day of leisure that has fallen to my lot, since I left Washington, in order to commence a narrative of my late tour in the West Indies; and I gladly avail myself of thy obliging permission, in addressing a series of letters, on the subject, to Henry Clay of Kentucky. Sure I am, that the present state of the West India Islands, in a pecuniary, politi~ cal, and moral, point of view, cannot be a matter of indiffer ence to any American statesman. I know that thy feelings of interest in the great experiment which is now developing its results, in that part of the world, are deep and lively; and I venture to believe that thou wilt give no severe reception to the familiar incidents - the trifling descriptions, whether in verse or prose - with which my story may probably be interwoven.

I must however premise, that I undertook this journey, neither in the pursuit of pleasure, nor for the specific purpose of ascertaining the efi'ects of emancipation; much less as the agent or representative of any body of philanthropists, either in England or America; but in the character of a minister of the gospel. My primary object was to preach the glad tidings of peace and salvation to my fellow men, and from persons of every class, condition, and party, in the West Indies, I have met with a cordial welcome, and the kindest attentions.

In company with mahlon day, a highly respectable citizen of N ew-york, and a young friend, who kindly under took to act as our attendant and helper, I sailed from that city on the 22nd of last Eleventh-month, (november.) in the Camilla, Captain Watlington. Our ship's company consisted of about twenty individuals, (mostly in search of a warmer climate and better health) who had taken their passage, in this accommodating little ship, for Santa Cruz. The fine, but cold, frosty day, on which we left your shores, gave them a sufficient warning, that the season was at hand, when the rigor of a North American winter would become dangerous. At the same time, it afforded such of us as were in good health a: delightful opportunity - as we swept along under full sail - of observing, uhder the brightest aspect, the rare beauty of the harbor of new-york, the bay, and'the neighboring islands.

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Excerpt from A Winter in the West Indies: Described in Familiar Letters to Henry Clay, of Kentucky

In company with Mahlon Day, a highly respectable? citizen of New-York, and a young friend, who kindly undertook to act as our attendant and helper, I sailed from that city on the 22nd of last Eleventh-month, (November.) in the Camilla, Captain Watlington. Our ships company consisted of about twenty individuals, (mostly in search of a warmer climate and better health) who had taken their passage, in this accommodating little ship, for Santa Cruz. The fine, but cold, frosty day, on which we left your shoresi, gave them a sufficient warning, that the season was at hand, when the rigor of a North American winter would become dangerous. At the same time, it afforded such of us as were in good health a delightful opportunity - as we swept along under full sail - of observing, under the brightest aspect, the rare beauty of the harbor of New-York, the bay, and the neighboring islands.

We had not continued our voyage more than three days, before we found ourselves in a genial climate. The thermometer stood at 70, and light clothing gradually came into requisition. The change was almost magical, and certainly it was no small luxury thus insensibly to glide into warmth, and as it were, to catch summer again by the skirts. We were now crossing "the Gulph Stream," where it is said to have a breadth of two hundred and fifty miles, and the temperature of the air was probably heightened by the heat of the waves below. To account for this enormous current of warm water which runs up from the Gulph of Mexico, in a north-easterly direction, to so great a distance, seems to be nearly impossible. What the causes are which occasion the magnitude of the current, and the heat of the water, seems to be mere matter of conjecture; but its beneficial effect in melting the ice, and unlocking the harbors, of North America, affords one evidence among ten thousand, that even the wildest sports of nature are subservient to good and wise purposes, in the order of a benevolent Providence. Boisterous weather and a strong adverse gale, were our portion as we crossed "the Gulph."

About the Publisher

Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com

This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.