e poor fellow to look amazed for a few
moments, when he picked up his hat very carefully. The trial was soon
called on. I related the whole story by my interpreter, and the judge,
without calling a witness on either side, decided that I should pay him
the same amount of money I had offered him, and that he should pay the
costs, which was one dollar and fifty cents, being one-half the sum he
recovered from me.

When I returned to the wharf to go on board my vessel I found the poor
fellow had been impressed, and sentenced to go on board of a man-of-war,
and was then lodged in the guard house. He sent a message to me
imploring my pardon, and begging my assistance to obtain his release.

About this time there was a very great excitement raised in the city in
consequence of the circulation of counterfeit coin, in imitation of the
government silver, and a story had been circulated that a considerable
quantity of this spurious silver was expected from Baltimore. As
several vessels arrived from that place soon after, they were strictly
searched, by boring barrels of flour, breaking open boxes and packages
of goods, by custom house officers, and otherwise searching them. After
some days it was discovered that the counterfeit coin was brought from
Jamaica by a Jew, who had been lurking about the city. He was arrested
and brought before the president for trial, and a report circulated that
he would certainly be hanged. The president sent for a silver-smith to
examine the coin, who pronounced it to be one-half pure silver, while
the government coin was only one-tenth part silver: upon which the
president said, "Damn him, let him go, for his money is better than
ours."

The laws of this country are very arbitrary, although they help to
encourage industry and suppress idleness and dissipation. The president
makes donations from the public lands to all poor individuals who will
cultivate them. After they take possession of a lot he obliges them to
cultivate it. To accomplish this, he sends a small military guard
through the new settlements, accompanied by an officer, who stops at
every house, where he makes the following inquiries: "Is this your house
and plantation?" which being answered in the affirmative, he proceeds,
"How large is your family?" The man answers, a wife and ---- children.
The officer then compels him to go and show him the plantation, and to
point out the number of coffee trees he has planted, &c. If, on
examinin