Those as usual were cased and left in the hands of a merchant for
shipment to New York. The sale of the wreckage amounted to three hundred
and twelve dollars. After deducting the stores consumed on the vessel,
the captain offered half the balance to Paul, who refused, as the shells
obtained were equal in value to the wreckage. The captain insisted that
he should at least accept one hundred dollars. All business was
concluded and the "Foam" provisioned; but the weather was still stormy
and unsettled so they decided to remain over until it cleared up. The
captain and Paul made many excursions around Kingston. One of them was
to the camp of the English soldiers. It was situated on a plateau above
the town about four thousand feet from the sea level. To reach this
camp they had to charter jackasses. Captain Balbo was not at home on
this stubborn craft. All went well on the plains below; but when they
reached the steep path up the mountain side the captain could not hold
his seat. His fat body would continually slip down on the flanks of the
donkey, who would begin to practice as though he wanted to kick a hole
in the sky. Three times the captain was unseated but finally he struck a
plan of holding on to the donkey's tail and in this manner was towed
up the mountain.
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