His Grace was a little dumpy fellow,
who stooped considerably, wore neither shoes nor stockings, and exhibited
so little of a nose, that when you caught his countenance in profile, the
facial line, as the physiognomists call it, suffered no interruption when
drawn from the brow to the lips. The poor Duke little knew the cause of
the laughter which his occupation, title, and the contrast of looks,
excited in those of our party who had seen his grace's noble namesake in
the opposite hemisphere."
"Most of the natives of Johanna, even the negro slaves, talk a little
English; but the best examples of such acquirements were found, where they
ought to be, amongst the grandees of the island. The following is a fair
specimen of the conversation of the dukes and earls at the capital of the
Comoros.--'How do you do, sir? Very glad see you. D--n your eyes! Johanna
man like English very much. God d--n! That very good? Eh? Devilish hot,
sir! What news? Hope your ship stay too long while, very. D--n my eye!
Very fine day.' After which, in a sort of whisper, accompanied by a most
insinuating smile, his lordship, or his grace, as the rank of the party
might be, would add:--'You want orange? You want goat? Cheap! I got good,
very. You send me you clothes; I wash with my own hand--clean! fine! very!
I got every thing, plenty, great, much! God d--n!' And then, as if to
clench the favourable opinion which these eloquent appeals had made, the
speaker was sure to produce a handful of certificates from mates of
Indiamen, masters of Yankee brigs, and middies of men-of-war; some written
in solemn earnest, some quizzically, but all declaring his lordship, the
bearer, to be a pretty good washerman, but the sort of person not to be
trusted far out of sight, as he would certainly walk off with your
clothes-bag if he could safely do so.
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