then said he, you must apply to your friend, and if you find any difficulty, I will redress your grievances, I bowed, thanked him, and took my leave, feeling well pleased so far.
Sunday, Feb. 24. After breakfast I went to Mr. E's boat, who I found selling apples wholesale and retail, to a crowd of people on the shore. Not relishing this kind of throng of business on a Sunday, I soon retired to my lodgings. And here I must remark, that there is no distinction or difference made by the inhabitants between a Sabbath and any other day in the week, only the stores are fuller of purchasers on the former, the stalls in the streets covered with merchandize, the mechanicks engaged at their work, women seen sewing, and at my lodgings, the female slaves were ironing linen in the publick room. After dinner, Dr. Lacassigne called on me and we took a walk around the skirts of the city. On our way to the upper fort we saw vast numbers of negro slaves, men, women, and children, assembled together on the levee, druming, fifing, and dancing, in large rings. Passing by the taverns or coffee houses, you may discover gentlemen playing at billiards, and as these tables are all exposed to publick view by reason of the large wide doors being left open, no one need be at the trouble of entering in to satisfy {334} his curiosity. We traversed round the whole city, which afforded me much amusement.
Feb. 25. In company with the doctor I went up the river half a mile to the house of Mr. Sarpe, which was situated in a handsome garden of considerable extent, in which were fig trees in abundance, pomegranates, and a large grove of orange trees. And what a little surprised me was to see three stages of the progression of vegetation on the same tree at the same time, that is, the blossom, the green fruit, and those yellow and fully ripe, which was the situation of the orange trees in Mr. Sarpe's garden. I had
