We have not given the results of our personal observations merely, or chiefly, nor have we made a record of private impressions or idle speculations.

_Well authenticated facts_, accompanied with the testimony, verbal and documentary, of public men, planters, and other responsible individuals, make up the body of the volume, as almost every page will show.

That no statements, if erroneous, might escape detection and exposure, we have, in nearly every case, given the _names_ of our authorities.

By so doing we may have subjected ourselves to the censure of those respected gentlemen, with whose names we have taken such liberty.

We are assured, however, that their interest in the cause of freedom will quite reconcile them to what otherwise might be an unpleasant personal publicity.
Commending our narrative to the blessing of the God of truth, and the Redeemer of the oppressed, we send it forth to do its part, however humble, toward the removal of slavery from our beloved but guilty country.
APPENDIX.
We have in our possession a number of official documents from gentlemen, officers of the government, and variously connected with its administration, in the different islands which we visited: some of these--such as could not be conveniently incorporated into the body of the work--we insert in the form of an appendix.