Excerpt from A Winter in the West Indies: Described in Familiar Letters to Henry Clay, of Kentucky

I seize the first day of leisure that has fallen to my lot, since I left Washington, in order to commence a narrative of my late tour in the West Indies; and I gladly avail myself of thy obliging permission, in addressing a series of letters, on the subject, to Henry Clay of Kentucky. Sure I am, that the present state of the West India Islands, in a pecuniary, politi cal, and moral, point of view, cannot be a matter of indiffer ence to any American statesman. I know that thy feelings of interest in the great experiment which is now developing its results, in that part of the world, are deep and lively; and I venture to believe that thou wilt give no severe reception to the familiar incidents - the trifling descriptions, whether in verse or prose - with which my story may probably be interwoven.

I must however premise, that I undertook this journey, neither in the pursuit of pleasure, nor for the specific purpose of ascertaining the efi'ects of emancipation; much less as the agent or representative of any body of philanthropists, either in England or America; but in the character of a minister of the gospel. My primary object was to preach the glad tidings of peace and salvation to my fellow men, and from persons of every class, condition, and party, in the West Indies, I have met with a cordial welcome, and the kindest attentions.

In company with mahlon day, a highly respectable citizen of N ew-york, and a young friend, who kindly under took to act as our attendant and helper, I sailed from that city on the 22nd of last Eleventh-month, (november.) in the Camilla, Captain Watlington. Our ship's company consisted of about twenty individuals, (mostly in search of a warmer climate and better health) who had taken their passage, in this accommodating little ship, for Santa Cruz. The fine, but cold, frosty day, on which we left your shores, gave them a sufficient warning, that the season was at hand, when the rigor of a North American winter would become dangerous. At the same time, it afforded such of us as were in good health a: delightful opportunity - as we swept along under full sail - of observing, uhder the brightest aspect, the rare beauty of the harbor of new-york, the bay, and'the neighboring islands.

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