27th. Coasted all along the Spanish main, several canoes came off to barter; passed Chagrees
and Porto Bello, entered the port of luan Galledgo, went on shore with my Father, who was introduced
to the governor a St. Domingo Sambo; but a most superior man of abilities, sailed for the Island
of San Blas, as we entered the archipelago hundred of canoes surrounded us and came on board, the men
have no beards but paint themselves, as well as the women, who wear rings in their noses; the boys all
go quite naked, the girls are very good looking, but brown. I went ashore at Gordee to the Chiefs, he told
me he and a few others had murdered all on board a Spanish ship! he said "No Spaniard must live" "suppose
them trouble your Father must kill em all"!! they will not be under any government.
Sailing on we got aground and if the wind had increased we should have all been lost; anchored off
the river Diabello, where my Father and I went ashore to bathe; these Indians think nothing of having
3 or 4 wives, bought a bow and 6 arrows for 1/6d the Capt. not only cheated me but the poor Indians also,
giving them brass for gold; he is a shocking fellow:
the chief asked me to sell my Father's eye glass; when the rain came on and the hatches were down,
I was almost suffocated Landed with the Capt and my Father at Mona, an Indian piloted us through the surf, if we had moved the least or shook the boat we should have been swamped and drowned, exchanged some fish hooks for pigeons and bows and arrows. Passed the Isle of Pines and the Gulf of Darien, saw La Popa off Carthagena very plain:
we made directly across the Caribbean sea for Jamaica; the sea ran mountains high and it blew
a hurricane; which it always does about here: on the 5th day saw Portland point, past Port Royal,
and anchored at
KINGSTON, 12th. August 1836.
As soon as I landed I went to my very kind friend Mrs Dight who requested my Father would again make her
house his home, my Father very gladly accepted her offer. I called on Mr Grindly and was introduced to Mr
Levingston, his lady and her sister, who is a very fine woman. My Father and I breakfasted with them,
it was one of the finest setsout I ever saw. As the packet was to be made up for England I
wrote a long letter to my Mother on the 24th. Capt Polhemus bothered my Father every day for his passage moneys My
Father was in consequence obliged to take my pistols to Mr.G. to have them raffled for there are no
pawnbrokers in Jamaica. I was introduced to Dr. Binns, who is a very clever man and a great scholar, he
is the editor of the Herald newspaper.