On the following day I accompanied his Excellency and family on a
visit to San Gabriel, which was up the country among the hills. The
good abbe of San Gabriel entertained us all royally at the convent,
and we remained his guests until the following day. As I was leaving
his place, the abbe said, "Captain, I embrace you, and of whatever
religion you may be, my wish is that you succeed in making your
voyage, and that our Saviour the Christ be always with you!" To this
good man's words I could only say, "My dear abbe, had all religionists
been so liberal there would have been less bloodshed in the world."
At Rodriguez one may now find every convenience for filling pure and
wholesome water in any quantity, Governor Roberts having built a
reservoir in the hills, above the village, and laid pipes to the
jetty, where, at the time of my visit, there were five and a half feet
at high tide. In former years well-water was used, and more or less
sickness occurred from it. Beef may be had in any quantity on the
island, and at a moderate price. Sweet potatoes were plentiful and
cheap; the large sack of them that I bought there for about four
shillings kept unusually well. I simply stored them in the sloop's dry
hold. Of fruits, pomegranates were most plentiful; for two shillings I
obtained a large sack of them, as many as a donkey could pack from the
orchard, which, by the way, was planted by nature herself.
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