The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-08-23
INCH BY INCH.
A WEST INDIA SKETCH.

at early dawn, and bac just hnlShed
dressing myself, when an old black
woman put her head into my room,
exclaiming,-H y, is you dressed mas
SAP and seeing that ] was, she went
on: | bring de coffee and cigars; how
de dis manning NASSAU
o1 Come in, Judy, Hanswered;1 I'm
all right. But what is the matter?
You don't look we'll
| is raider poorly, tank GodF she
replied.
Judy did not leave the room, as
usual. when had taken my coffee
so, knowing that she had got some
thing on her mind, of which she
wished to disburden herself, I said,
Well, Judy, what is it?'
. Will massa look at barometer
bum-byeg sgQ 7ao sntTis39t ~ .i8 -
: 4. Look Q (. a At the barometer What
for, Judy Hssal9 b1a .e59alaat 1ne30 cd
| t til Ky we is goin'a to had a hurri71
cane 9"o 20 ara91
"A hurricane! Why, there never
was 3 fiRer morning came out of the
Dat for true, massa; but we is
goin to hab hurricane for all dat.
Massa DO go to Paradise dis day. 2ea1
- Not go to Paradise! Why not
IJudyY ,a1, ,rss. ssdo raw pgY
/ Paradise nice place in fine wedder;
but him too much near the mountains
for sure in hurricane ls}s So (. 1sr.
Well, I'll look at}the glass as soon
as / have finished my coffee; but as to
not going to Paradise, that's out of
10
/ The old woman left me and finish
ling my coffee, I stepped out to exam
inc the barometer 1t stood at 300,
!. and, as / have said, the morning was
a splendid !, one; SO, knowing that
there twas5a young lady at Paradise
who was expecting me, / laughed at
Old, Judy's fears, and determined to
start. 10 ,Tino slo2d2i7l- a5 A''--ii' 8,
4 At this moment, my friend came
1 bursting out of his room. - How s
the glass, Tom? Judy says we are
going to have a storm; s and she's al
ways right. Il To- III. 5ss baq1 70 q -
FNonsense!' I replied.l The glass
is as firm as rock; and as totJudy' 8
feelings, that's all nonsense. ~.
All! but Il tell you it's no such
thing I've Been in four hurricanes.
and Judy has foretold every one of
| them. We may, not get it to day; but
she's, better than any weather glass;
so, if you take my advice, you will
defer your trip to the Gordons. ass
Stuff x replied III gave my
word, and go Ishall! /. don't want
4 to drag you out, if you're afraid, but
: YOU musbgnot think to frighten me. ai I,
| tAHf ,,,xv loo~ xyt' ~ "
friend, when you have. had one taste
ofbWest India hurricane, you will
. not want second; besides there. is
II not worse place in the Island than
! 4 that same Paradise of Gordon's Y The
wind gets between those two noun
: tains, and RACES up the valley like
mad a $50 u bsgslio. nssd ~ &c e
! H. was duly impressed with my
] Ilfriend s advice, and loath to leave him,
for perceived that he was really in
earnest but truth to. say, there was a
certain Mary Gordon at Paradise (the
name, by the by, of her fathers plan
z tation), for whom assailors say, / had
a ssneaking kindness, and nothing
. short of the absolute presence of the
: tornado would have stopped me. Be
sides, / was in full health and spirits
and it was not likely that ], who had
been knocked about in all parts of the
world, could sympathise with the feel
Il ings of an ancient black woman, OF
with those of the climate worn and
sensitive old planter with whom | was
d staying. Mounting my horse, there.
fore, with black boy for a guide,
started on my journey.
9 r rode IN af a brisk mace for there
is something in the early breeze of q
tropical morning which is peculiarly
refreshing, and diffuses !. buoyant
q elasticity into your frame, which i:
only to be restrained by active exer-
else. In addition to this, the scenery
through which / was travelling was Of
the most enchanting description
while |, with flight heart, was speed
& ing on to seek a creole shouri in a
NJ tropical ]" Paradise. - L had got about
" one-third of the way, when / came Il
two roads; / was somewhat puzzleC
which to take, for / had forgotten my
guide, and had ridden SO fast that
felt certain / had left him far behind
| was about to take the one to th,
left, when a voice behind me ex
claimed: : Him de wrung way, massa
:, de lef is de right way. I turned
q round in surprise, and there I fount
my little black guide clinging to tn
horses tail The horse, / presume
being used to this sort of thing, tool
no notice of it, though the young ras
cal had in his hand a pointed stick
with which at times he accelerated
the horse movements. snaa ssif
The road. though it proved a yer.
g bad one, was wild and picturesque II
- the extreme. 1t followed the cours,
of a deep gully, whose sides becam,
more and more precipitous as / ad
vanced, but were covered with greer
d. and luxurlant vegetation, consisting