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284

COMMODORE PORTER.

vation of the world to lead them in the paths oftruth and righteousness.

Towards evening of the same day, LieutenantStribling and myself took a stroll over the groundoccupied by the encampment of Commodore Porter.It is just abreast of our ship, on the eastern shore, asmall plain skirted and studded with thickets andcoppices of hybiscus, with a fine sand beach in front,and guarded on the side towards the ocean by therocky promontory terminating in the East Sentinel,and in the rear by steep and wooded acclivities. Thewhole is separated from the inhabited parts of thevalley by a spur of the mountain and a small roundhill jutting into the bay with a rocky base, on whichwas placed a breast-work and battery, commandingevery approach to the encampment. Not a trace ofsuch occupation, however, is now discoverable.

Commodore Porter appears to be held in very ge-neral and kind remembrance by this tribe, the elderchiefs and people often inquiring where and how heis, and whether he will never return to see them,and the younger asking, in reference to the captain, whether this chief is Pota ? A kind of wild cu-cumber, which we found spread widely over the hillsin the vicinity, we at first supposed to have beenintroduced by him, but have since learned that it isa plant indigenous to the country, and one capableof being converted into a fine pickle.

About twilight, the Duchess de Berri got underweigh, with the intention of prosecuting her voyage ;but the wind was light and baffling, with occasionalstrong puffs, and getting too much under the lee of