| Reaching Jamaica I push'd all idle Thoughts and Fantasies from my Minde and set about finding myself Employment. A Letter of Endorsement from my Mentor, Mister Davenport, hasten'd my Success and within a Fortnight I was abel to secure an Interview with an Agent working for the esteemable Mister [[Peter Beckford]], a Man knowne wyde acrosse the West Indies as a One of Honour and good Intelligence;—as, I must say, was his Agent, for the Man hyred me on the Spot, and within a two Days’ time was I set to work upon the Slaves Quarters;—fitting them with sturdier Doors and tighter Rooves. <br><br>For my owne accommodations, I am well pleased to tell they were fine. Three windows had I, two of which look'd upon the [[Sugar plantations|Cane Fields]]. When open'd, a light Breeze fill'd my Room, one scent'd with the raw Perfume of the nearby [[Caribbean Sea|Sea]], and the distant Sound of a hushing Ocean Surf. Often too the spiritual Songes of the Negros hard at worke enter'd, and gave me a deepe calm. It was pleasant there, only this Comfort could not mask the Dread I felt at the Thought of catching the {{Wiki|Yellow fever|Yellow Fever}}, or another of the innumerable Ailments that often struck those newly arrived to these Parts. For my Parte I saw well over seventeen Men and Women perish from the Disease within six Months of my Arrival. <br><br>It seem'd, then, that for every success I hadd, another two or three potential Hazzerds lay in waite. And as tyme would tell, this proved most unfortunately True... | | Reaching Jamaica I push'd all idle Thoughts and Fantasies from my Minde and set about finding myself Employment. A Letter of Endorsement from my Mentor, Mister Davenport, hasten'd my Success and within a Fortnight I was abel to secure an Interview with an Agent working for the esteemable Mister [[Peter Beckford]], a Man knowne wyde acrosse the West Indies as a One of Honour and good Intelligence;—as, I must say, was his Agent, for the Man hyred me on the Spot, and within a two Days’ time was I set to work upon the Slaves Quarters;—fitting them with sturdier Doors and tighter Rooves.<br><br>For my owne accommodations, I am well pleased to tell they were fine. Three windows had I, two of which look'd upon the [[Sugar|Cane]] [[Plantation|Fields]]. When open'd, a light Breeze fill'd my Room, one scent'd with the raw Perfume of the nearby [[Caribbean Sea|Sea]], and the distant Sound of a hushing Ocean Surf. Often too the spiritual Songes of the Negros hard at worke enter'd, and gave me a deepe calm. It was pleasant there, only this Comfort could not mask the Dread I felt at the Thought of catching the {{Wiki|Yellow fever|Yellow Fever}}, or another of the innumerable Ailments that often struck those newly arrived to these Parts. For my Parte I saw well over seventeen Men and Women perish from the Disease within six Months of my Arrival. <br><br>It seem'd, then, that for every success I hadd, another two or three potential Hazzerds lay in waite. And as tyme would tell, this proved most unfortunately True... |