the storm. After some considerable trouble at the Custom
House, the cargo of the "Foam" was landed and disposed of; except the
shells and curiosities gathered in the months' run through tint islands.
Those as usual were cased and left in the hands of a merchant for
shipment to New York. The sale of the wreckage amounted to three hundred
and twelve dollars. After deducting the stores consumed on the vessel,
the captain offered half the balance to Paul, who refused, as the shells
obtained were equal in value to the wreckage. The captain insisted that
he should at least accept one hundred dollars. All business was
concluded and the "Foam" provisioned; but the weather was still stormy
and unsettled so they decided to remain over until it cleared up. The
captain and Paul made many excursions around Kingston. One of them was
to the camp of the English soldiers. It was situated on a plateau above
the town about four thousand feet from the sea level. To reach this
camp they had to charter jackasses. Captain Balbo was not at home on
this stubborn craft. All went well on the plains below; but when they
reached the steep path up the mountain side the captain could not hold
his seat. His fat body would continually slip down on the flanks of the
donkey, who would begin to practice as though he wanted to kick a hole
in the sky. Three times the captain was unseated but finally he struck a
plan of holding on to the donkey's tail and in this manner was towed
up the mountain. The magnificent sight from the camp amply repaid them
for their arduous ascent. They could distinctly see every part of
Kingston as it lay stretched along the shore of its superb bay, while on
the other side, a long tongue of land covered with cocoanut trees
reached out and almost made the harbor a lake. At the extreme point was
the entrance out into the ocean, where immense naval store-houses
covered the beach and off them were moored great hulks belonging to
the British government. They thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful view
and did not regain the town until almost nightfall. Instead of going
aboard, the captain proposed to have dinner at a hotel; after which he
persisted in making a visit to the fortune teller. The pilot was easily
found and consented to act as a guide to the cabin of the dark seeress.
Along tramp through the narrow streets and a little out in the country
brought them to the habitation of this famed dealer in "Black Art."