The thoughtless and vicious conduct of my companions became to me a source of serious reflection.  Far from following their example, I felt myself some degrees better than they were; and in the pride of my heart thanked God that I was not like these publicans.  My pharisaical arrogance concealed from me the mortifying fact that I was much worse, and with very slight hopes of amendment.  Humility had not yet entered my mind; but it was the only basis on which any religious improvement could be created—­the only chance of being saved.  I rather became refined in vice, without quitting it.  Gross and sensual gratification, so easily obtained in the West Indies, was disgusting to me; yet I scrupled not to attempt the seduction of innocence, rather more gratified in the pursuit than in the enjoyment, which soon palled, and drove me after other objects.

I had, however, little occasion to exert my tact in this art in the Bahama Islands, where, as in all the other islands of the West Indies, there is a class of women, born of white fathers and mustee or mulatto women, nearly approaching in complexion to the European; many of them are brunettes, with long black hair, very pretty, good eyes, and often elegant figures.  These ladies are too proud of the European blood in their veins to form an alliance with any male who has a suspicion of black in his genealogical table; consequently they seldom are married unless from interested motives, when, having acquired large property by will, they are sought in wedlock by the white settlers.

So circumstanced, these girls prefer an intercourse with the object of their choice to a legal marriage with a person of inferior birth; and, having once made their selection, an act of infidelity is of rare occurrence among them.  Their affection and constancy will stand the test of time and of long separation; generous to prodigality, but jealous, and irritable in their jealousy, even to the use of the dagger and poison.

One of these young ladies found sufficient allurement in my personal charms to surrender at discretion, and we lived in that sort of familiar intercourse which, in the West Indies, is looked upon as a matter of necessity between the parties, and of indifference by every one else.  I lived on in this Epicurean style for some months; until, most unfortunately, my chere amie found a rival in the daughter of an officer, high in rank, on the island.  Smitten with my person, this fair one had not the prudence to conceal her partiality:  my vanity was too much flattered not to take advantage of her sentiments in my favour; and, as usual, flirtation and philandering occupied most of my mornings, and sometimes my evenings, in the company of this fair American.

Scandal is a goddess who reigns paramount, not only in Great Britain, but also in all his Majesty’s plantations; and her votaries very soon selected me as the target of their archery.  My pretty Carlotta became jealous; she taxed me with inconstancy.  I denied the charge; and as a proof of my innocence, she obtained from me a promise that I should go no more to the house of her rival; but this promise I took very good care to evade, and to break.  For a whole fortnight, my domestic peace was interrupted either by tears, or by the most voluble and outrageous solos, for I never replied after the first day.