indeed, it would be unnatural, as well as un generous, in these gentlemen, to reduce their surveys and measurements to a mathematical certainty, as it would preclude their younger brethren of the theodolite from the same extensive field of employment: A surveyor should therefore endeavour to perpetuate the disagreement of diagrams and lines, as the lawyer exults in the glorious uncertainties of the law. It must, however, be acknowledged, that the Jamaica surveyor has an infinite deal of painful laborious work to go through. When traversing the deepest woods, he is compelled, at times, to lead the life of a Maroon for weeks together; hn has to clamber over rocks and precipices at the hazard of his life; he is exposed to the inclemencies of the weather, and is liable to sickness from the damps of the woods, and the vicissitudes of heat, cold, wet, and dry; he eats his solitary and unsavory meal on the barren inhospitable rock; and, at night, he reposes on the damp earth, annoyed by musquitoes, and in danger of receiving cold. He is, however, sometimes compensated for these endurances, by discovering an unoccupied run of land, which he immediately possesses himself of by patent: but this does not so often happen at the present time as it did in former periods, inost of the land in the island that is worth possessing being already preoccupied. A surveyor, however, if he has enough of good employment,

may speedily realize a handsome fortune; by good employment is meant such as he is likely to get paid for; for in this country it is thought, by many, highly ungenteel to pay at all.

The professions most likely to make money here, next to attornies and the reverend clergy, are surgeons, surveyors, watch-makers, coppersmiths, masons, taylors, &c. Tradesmen in general can never for a moment want employment; and, if they are skilful and industrious, their salaries are liberal. They have it much more in their power to make a speedy fortune than the planter-adventurer.

The merchant, by giving long credits to his customers, has an enormous profit upon his goods. But as this subject has already been touched upon, it may here only be added that the merchants of Jamaica trade either with Great Britain, or with America, and sometimes with both; and, if they possess a tolerable capital, they soon realize a fine fortune. Many of them are respectable and useful characters. The shop-keepers are here called store-keepers; they receive regular supplies of goods from Great Britain, for which they demand their own price, generally raising it to an unreasonable height according to the exigencies of the demand; so that the prices seldom remain long uniform and stationary, as in the mother country. Thirty shillings, for instance, has been known to have been demanded

for a pair of common export shoes (not always calculated for long wearing), for which, perhaps, the store-keeper paid six or seven shillings sterling; but the article was scarce, and must be had at any rate. But then they consider, that they must be somehow compensated for the hazard they run with bad customers. A store-keeper,

who sets up with a tolerable fund, is supported and countenanced by an able friend, and has the good fortune to procure choice customers, cannot fail of succeeding; and, without these, it would be better for him to lay out his money at lawful interest, on good security, than hazard it on so precarious a bottom. Some, however, succeed astonishingly, with few or none of these advantages, by dealing chiefly or solely in negro goods, or such merchandize as is adapted for the use of the negroes, for which they receive cash alone. This is a mighty advantage to them, as with ready money they are enabled to renew their stock of goods at a very considerable discount, sometimes (at vendue sales, as they are called) even under prime cost. Specie is so scarce in the island, that extraordinary bargains may be made by a command of it at times. It is by no means unusual to see various kinds of property disposed of by public sale, for cash, at one third less than they would be sold for upon credit, and at a price, indeed, sometimes greatly under their intrinsic value. The Spaniards who trade to the island are gene

rally advantageous customers to the store-keepers; for, even if they do not give cash for the goods they purchase, the store-keeper may drive an advantageous bargain with them, hy taking in payment the articles they import, such as horses, mules, cattle, and hogs, which they afterwards sell to the planters at a considerable profit; or hides, tortoise-shell, lance-wood spars, mahogany, fustic, &c. which they may export with advantage to Great Britain.

The vendue-masters here are the same as auctioneers in Great Britain; goods are placed in their hands to be sold either for what they will fetch at public outcry, or for a certain moderate price fixed by the owner, and disposed of privately. Their profits are six per cent, on all sales.

Wharfingers are men who keep public wharves for the shipment and storage of goods: the rates of wharfage are fixed by law, and a wharfinger is answerable for the goods, or for any damage they may sustain, while under his custody. Nevertheless this is considered as a profitable line of life by some, who soon make fortunes by it. There are in the towns, also, various other branches of business, as timber merchants, liquor dealers, &c. &c. But enough has been said of professions and occupations, to convey to the reader an idea of the nature and emoluments of those more particularly deserving of attention.

A considerable share of the mercantile and retail business of this island is engrossed by the Jews; a people who, in every part of the world where traffic exists, ensure to themselves, by their skill, sagacity, and indefatigable diligence, success and profit. They deal here, in the retail way, in almost every kind of merchandize, but particularly in jewelry. By selling cheaply (though it is generally understood of this people, that they do not always ask equitable prices for their goods), they have generally a considerable command of cash, with which they often attend public sales, and, by forming combinations among one another, usually secure to themselves good bargains, to the exclusion of Christian buyers. In the course of ten or twelve years a Jew generally amasses here a considerable fortune. One of the first mercantile houses of this island has a Jew as the principal of the firm. But nine-tenths of that pation are engaged in the shop-keeping line,