revolution, slavery, blood, and earthquake. But it is said still to be one of the choicest gems of the ocean; and in the hands of a capable people, would present one of the richest possessions. As our ship still stood on her course, the land grew on our vision; and the Mona Isle, with the lesser Monito in its neighborhood, forming the other side of the passage, came into view. The ship ere long came up to the middle of the pass, the land being some fifteen miles on each side of us-the cape Eugaño on our right or in the west, and the island of Zachea on our left-the latitude of cape Eugaño being 18° 34', and its longitude 68° 20. It was a charming passage, as we made it to-day, this same Mona passage, with land in view on either side-the lesser islands of Mona, Monito, and Zachea, on our left, being the most distant, and extending the line of their bluff sides, with indentations like caverns, quite distinct to the naked eye. With all this beauty of the blue deep, and fairy isles, and favorable winds, and sunny skies, the music of the full band served to lend additional enchantment to the scene, as our associations went back to other kindred scenes at sea, and still more so, to the memory of the first voyager, who earliest found the green isle of Hispaniola, now on our west—the southern point of which was but fifteen miles from us.

On our passage thus far, having been out fourteen days before making land, we have seen one steamer and some five or six sail; but all of them were too far from us to give us their destination, or to receive communication from ourselves. In two or three instances we have showed them our colors, in answer to their flags. Our passage now lies through the Caribbean Sea, and along the southern shores of Hayti and Cuba, but distant enough from these islands to avoid all danger.

The FLYING-FISH, in schools, glide over the blue wave, as our ship seems to affright them from their sleep, in these

beautiful waters. They bend not their wing, but so guide themselves, while in the air, that they avoid the surge and descend its ravine, and finally, after a few times wetting their fins, plunge into the blue deep again, and are lost to the eye. Moore, with his usual felicity of comparison, has seized on this little curiosity of nature, and given rhythm to his conception, as seen in the following lines:

To the Flying-Fish.

When I have seen thy snowy wing
O'er the blue wave of evening spring,
And give those scales of silver white
So gayly to the eye of light,
As if thy frame were formed to rise,
And live amid the glorious skies-
Oh! it has made me proudly feel
How like thy wing's impatient zeal
Is the pure soul, that scorns to rest
Upon the world's ignoble breast,

But takes the plume that God hath given,
And rises into light and heaven!

But when I see that wing so bright
Grow languid with a moment's flight,
Attempt the paths of air in vain,
And sink into the waves again;
Alas! the flattering pride is o'er;
Like thee, awhile, the soul may soar,
But erring man must blush to think,
Like thee, again, the soul may sink!

Oh, Virtue when thy clime I seek,
Let not my spirit's flight be weak;
Let me not, like this feeble thing,

With brine still dropping from its wing,

Just sparkle in the solar glow,

And plunge again to depths below;

But when I leave the grosser throng
With whom my soul hath dwelt so long,

Let me, in that aspiring day,

Cast every lingering stain away,

And, panting for a purer air,

Fly up at once, and fix me there.

JAMAICA.

The island of Jamaica was in view on the 20th, distant no further than distinct vision, as its high defiles of mountains and green hill-sides came upon our view. Three ranges of mountainous ridges seemed distinctly to run east and west, coated with rich foliage to the very tops. As my glass fell upon one of the distant peaks, a blue pile of smoke was seen rising, as if it were a volcanic cone, and yet was only the burning of the brush of a coffee plantation. Though too far for any dwellings to be made out, one could hardly but believe that our own ship could be seen from the mountain-sides of the island, in all her fair proportions, sails, and cordage; and still more, that the music of our band, which plays every fair evening on the upper deck, at this hour, might be heard by the gazers from those beautiful green hill-sides. Well might this island have charmed the eye of Columbus, on his approach to it, as it presented itself on his second voyage of discovery, in its beauty of mountains, forests, valleys, and Indian villages, while he hoped for golden treasures, to be found among its high hills, and along its flowing rivers.

There is an incident connected with one of the natives of this island, as Columbus found them, worthy of mention, as we recall the wonder with which they received the voyager, as he came to their island shores. Columbus, extending his track among the islands of these seas, had discovered Jamaica, and run into a harbor for careening and caulking his

vessel. During the three days he thus spent, the Indians surrounded his ship, and the commander visited the shores. But, disappointed in realizing his golden dreams, he again departed farther to explore the coast of Cuba. When on the point of leaving the island "an Indian came off to the ship, and begged that the Spaniards would take him with them to their country. He was followed by his relatives and friends, who endeavored, by the most affecting supplications, to dissuade him from his purpose. For some time he was distracted between concern for the distress of his family, and an ardent desire to see the home of those wonderful strangers, which his imagination pictured as a region of celestial delights. Curiosity, and the youthful propensity to rove, prevailed. He tore himself from the embraces of his friends; and that he might not behold the tears of his sisters, he hid himself in a secret part of the ship. Touched by this scene of natural affection, and pleased with the enterprising and confiding spirit of the youth, Columbus gave orders that he should be treated with especial kindness." We may wish to know that Indian's after story, but it has never been told

to us.

We should like to pause at each one of the islands of these sunny seas, but our destination is to VERA Cruz, on the Main, without pausing at any other port, and with a passage as speedy as the winds and the tides can take us. Here, then, we go by ye all, ye green piles; and to-night our ship's company seems, as the men are lounging among the guns, listening to the music, and while the officers are promenading the deck and gazing upon the distant island, more like a pleasure party than aught else, moving over the waters in a majestic ship, with a fine breeze, a smooth sea, and a balmy clime; and all-five hundred in number as much at home, with the feelings of security, as if they were lounging in their native towns, or pacing the crowded street of

their city homes. Go on, then, thou noble ship, and safely take us through these island seas, to our destined haven.

We have made Cape San Antonio, the southwestern point of Cuba, and are now, this 25th day of February, doubling the bold promontory of Yucatan of the Main, opposite to Cuba, where they say there are olden monuments of a people of gone-by days, whose story is now a matter of record; while their cities, in their ruins and relics, yet remain for the wonder and the inquiry of the traveller and the antiquarian. But there, our frigate, on her yet more southern passage, may not pause; and a few days more, we trust, will find her at moorings, off the coast of the dependencies of Mexico.

SPRING-TIME BEFORE THE FIRST OF MARCH.

We left the latitude of Boston, February 3d, with our ship iced by the climate of that port, and with our men clad in their winter garments, and, but a day or two before, shivering in a winter's drift of sleet and snow. A few days only of southing brought us to a temperate clime, like springtide of the north. A few days more gave us a sun and temperature which changed the costume of our ship's company from a dark and woolen garb to thin and white dresses. Awnings were spread, and the shade was sought, as panting animals seek the cooling shadows cast by rock, tree, or fence, or house side. It seemed strange, so soon to lay aside our thick clothes by day and blankets at night; but the merciless rays of the sun, as we neared him, in his southern course of the tropics, seemed to have no respect for our sudden transition, from a temperature of near zero to the more than summer heat of eighty degrees of Fahrenheit. And all this heat of a summer's sun we experienced before this first day of spring, which has found us to-day,