Glass Book W B°i<¥ iM COFraiGHT DEPOSIT. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from The Library of Congress http://www.archive.org/details/undersoutherncroOObuck UNDER THE SOUTHERN CROSS IN SOUTH AMERICA. UNDER THE SOUTHERN CROSS IN SOUTH AMERICA BY WILLIAMSON BUCKMAN, F. R. G. S. Author of "Land of The Llama" Etc. ( With Illustrations from Photographs by the Author J New York The Book Publishers' Press 1914 Entererd according to Act of Congress in the year 1914, by WILLIAMSON BUCKMAN in the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington, D. C. (All rights reserved.) > V 10 1314 Printed in the LTnited States of America /*/* •CI.A387464 TO THOSE WHO WILL BE, FOR MY SAKE, ITS MOST INTERESTED READERS, MY BELOVED PARENTS, THIS SIMPLE RECORD OF TROPICAL WANDERINGS IS AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED. THE AUTHOR. INTRODUCTION. Until comparatively recent times — only a few years back — South America was regarded by the great majority outside its confines as tbe least known and, therefore, least understood part of the world ; and North Americans looked upon it as the part from which least might be expected as far as their own interests were concerned. Journalists and newspaper men were accustomed to picture it as a mysterious land whose chief productions were deadly fevers and frequent insurrections. Indeed, in most cases, when the press mentioned it the purpose was only to chronicle some sanguinary revolution or outburst of border warfare. Several reasons contributed to keep South America in the back- ground and leave it an unappreciated and neglected continent. In the first place its situation was against its becoming more familiar to northern lands. It stretches to the Far South, entirely away from the usual lines of travel and the beaten paths of the ordinary tourist. Few Americans have inclination or time to make personal acquaintance with the peoples and countries below the northern rim of the earth, where the Southern Cross shimmers overhead and where Christmas comes in the heat of summer and July the Fourth occurs in the middle of winter. In the next place our Monroe Doctrine kept foreign hands off this section of the Western Hemisphere ; it prevented the European Powers from making it a battle-ground for the acquisition of new territory ; hence, no diplomatic problems presented themselves for solution to bring the country to public attention, — it was kept isolated, as it were, from foreign entanglements, a good thing in one way, but harmful in another, as relegating it to its own obscurity. In the third place the ephemeral revolutions did not jeopardize in general the lives or property of foreigners, and consequently, our State Department was not called upon to interfere in the settle- ment of domestic or foreign claims ; it is only very lately that its aid has been invoked in this respect. VI INTRODUCTION. On account of these reasons the people of the Northern republic of the United States remained more or less ignorant of the geogra- phy, area, population, value, possibilities and general conditions of the great land to the south of them, and it was left to work out its own destiny in practically its own way. An additional explanation of the lack of knowledge in regard to it may be found in the fact, that North American Protestant Societies have been unable to a great extent to establish missions. As a general rule publicity and commerce follow in the wake of such missions. Many believe there is an inviting field for the Protestant missionary down there but such belief is in the minds of only those who do not understand the real situation. The Roman Church has been established so long and has gained such a hold on the people, naturally inclined to old-time institutions and traditions, that it is next to impossible for Protestantism to get a foothold. Of course, there are defections from the Church of Rome, but Protestantism has gained little or nothing thereby. True, a few Protestant churches have been established but the membership thereof for the most part is foreign, not native. As I have said in the chapter on Lima, Evangelistic bodies waste time and money in trying to make converts. Geographical knowledge in our time has made mighty progress and the kinship of the world is getting closer every day. Now, South America is gaining recognition, and the opening of the Pa- nama Canal, no doubt, will bring it to a mature development among the leading nations. Latin America, as it is frequently called, will soon be a very important integer in the sum total of All America. It presents unusual promise and splendid possibilities which cannot fail to be realized. There is no part of the world where foreign capital and skill are offered so great an opportunity as in the south- ern countries of this continent. South America to-day, probably, presents larger opportunities for the legitimate expansion of our commerce than any other country or group of countries. All parts of it in the very near future will want our products in greatly increased quantities and we shall correspondingly need theirs. It must be remembered that nine millions of square miles are occupied by South America, so it is easy to imagine the vast trade possibilities of this section of the Western Hemisphere. The United States has but three million square miles, therefore, Latin America has three times the area of our own country, instead of being, as some one has expressed it, "a mere handful of little INTRODUCTION. VII warring republics." When it is borne in mind that all the United States proper could be placed inside of Brazil, and then leave a space of about 200,000 square miles, the reader can form some idea of the vastness of the countries of the southern continent. The awakening of South America dates back but a comparatively short time, as already intimated, yet its progress has been marvelous. Millions upon millions of dollars have been spent on municipal and sanitary improvements and in beautifying and making healthy the towns and cities. In some of the large centers, like Rio, for example, malarial and yellow fevers have been stamped out almost, and the death-rate lowered to a remarkable degree. Such cleanli- ness as is observed in the public streets of Rio and some other cities reminds one forcibly of the boulevards of Paris. The South American of to-day is not by any means content to sit idly by and be satisfied with the incidental benefits which may come to him or his country, through the exploitation of its natural resources by foreign capital and energy. He intends to play the game himself, and in order to do so successfully he has been learn- ing its rules and strategy ; and in consequence South America is now on the verge of a forward movement which will before long astonish the world. The relations of the United States with the South American re- publics were never more friendly than now, and North American prestige and trade in Central and South America demands that while friendly relations exist, a strong effort should be put forth to strengthen and cement those relations by every means in our power. The late visit of ex-President Roosevelt, and also the visits of former Secretary Root, and present Secretary Bryan have awakened considerable interest in both countries, and it would be well if some other government officials were to make similar visits more often. They would inspire our people, our newspapers, our legislators and travelers to a new and more active appreciation of Latin-American republics. The above-mentioned visitors, through their speeches and personalities accomplished more in the few months they were there to bring about a new era of conditions and good-will between this country and our southern neighbors than all the diplomatic cor- respondence and visits of promoters and exploiters in a whole century. In travelling in South America, the tourist who can speak three or four different languages, will find himself more appreciated than VIII INTRODUCTION. the man who can only speak one beside his own. The power of a knowledge of languages is mighty. Kinship in this respect brings men closer together, and makes them sympathetic. This counts for much in Latin countries. Spanish is the common tongue of all South America, except Brazil, which has a population of nearly twenty millions and where Portuguese is the chief language, Spanish being seldom heard among its people. A good knowledge of French will carry a visitor through all parts of South America, including Brazil, but if be can speak some other languages as well his welcome will be the more assured. In the following account of my travels in South America under the Southern Cross, I will take my readers to Jamaica, in the West Indies, through the Caribbean Sea, past the haunts of the buccaneers to Panama. Then we will make our way along the western coast of South America to Lima, the famous capital of Peru. Having satisfied our curiosity in the lowlands of Peru we ascend from sea-level to the roof of that wonderful country over the highest railroad in the world. Returning to Lima we re- sume our journey from there to Arequipa in Southern Peru, and so on to Cuzco, the Incan capital. A branch line from here takes us up to Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable water in the world. From these great heights we descend to Bolivia and view wonderful La Paz, the most picturesque Indian city on earth. Sailing along the Chilean coast we reach Valparaiso, the New York of the Pacific, and from thence proceed to Santiago, the capital of Chile. From here we take a long and memorable ride by rail over the Andes and thence to Buenos Aires, the largest and most cosmopol- itan city of South America. Montevideo, with its beautiful coast scenery, is our next destination. Lastly we visit Rio and other Brazilian centers of interest, thus finishing a long, and let me hope, instructive trip over the principal highways and through the chief cities and towns of the great southern continent. We say adios to all, then turn our faces to the North and Home. WILLI A MSON B UCKMA N. Trenton, N. J., October, 1914. CONTENTS. PAGE Chapter I. Jamaica, "Flower of the Antilles" 1 Chapter II. Where Buccaneers Held Sway 38 Chapter III. Digging the Big Ditch 50 Chapter IV. Panama to Lima 64 Chapter V. Lima, the Capital of Peru 102 Chapter VI. The Highest Railroad in the World 128 Chapter VII. In Southern Peru 152 Chapter VIII. On to the Incan Capital 175 C ha Iter IX. Sailing Above the Clouds 229 Chapter X. In Wonderful La Paz 242 Chapter XI. From Mollendo to Valparaiso 288 Chapter XII. In Busy Valparaiso 306 Chapter XIII. The Capital of Chile 327 XII CONTENTS. Chapter XIV. Crossing the Andes 350 Chapter XV. The Capital of the Argentine 368 Chapter XVI. Montevideo and Along the Coast 397 Chapter XVII. In Rio de Janeiro 414 Chapter XVIII. Around and About Rio 457 Index 471 ILLUSTRATIONS The Author Frontispiece Page^ "Remember the Maine" • 3 Morro Castle, Havana 3 ^ Maine Street, Havana £ The Arcades, Havana Cathedral, Havana Marti Park, Havana 9 On San Juan Hill, Cuba 1 1 Harbor Scene, Port Antonio, Jamaica 15" Early Morning, Port Antonio "Little Rosie," Port Antonio • • 19^ The Author, Port Antonio 19 Blue Hole, near Port Antonio 23" Main Street, Kingston, Before Earthquake 23" Terrible Havoc of Earthquake 27 Among the Ruins, Kingston 27 Main Street, a Year After Earthquake 29 En Route to Market, Kingston 29 Constant Springs, near Kingston 33 Old Church, Spanish Town, Jamaica 33 A Typical Scene, Jamaica 3i Author under the Palms, Jamaica 35 Street Scene, Cristobal, Colon Suburb of Colon 41^ Columbus Statue and De Lesseps Cottage, Colon 4A Home of Negro Laborers, Canal Zone 47 Culebra Cut, Panama ( 1908) So- Drilling on Culebra Cut (1908) 53 Gang of Drillers on the Isthmus ^9' Chinese Vender on the Isthmus ^9 Life on Shipboard, West Coast °r Preparing to Load Steer on the Huasco 69 A Few Minutes Later 69 Guayaquil, Ecuador 'J?? Waterfront, Guayaquil ?• Cathedral, Guayaquil XIV ILLUSTRATIONS Treeless Payta, Peru 85^ Another Treeless Town, West Coast ^ Bamboo Houses and Sand Street, Payta 87 A Street Scene, Payta 87 Dried Fish Market, Payta 91" Custom House, Payta 91' On the Plaza, Payta, "the Only Bit of Green" 95- Cathedral and Plaza, Payta 95 Water-Carrier, Payta 97 "Little Perla" from Payta 97 Harbor Scene, Callao 99" Suburb of Callao 99 ' Cathedral, Lima 105 v Facade of Cathedral, Lima 105^ Cathedral and Plaza, Lima 109'" Distant View of Cathedral and Plaza, Lima 109 ! ' Street Scene, Lima 113^ Rimac River at Lima 1 13 v Milk Peddler, Lima 1 17^ Bull Ring, Lima 117 Bolivar Statue, Lima, Author and Friends 125^ Quebrada Chaupichoca-Oroya, Peru 131^ Scene from Oroya R. R., Rimac River 135" Andean Plateau, en route to Cuzco 139 ' Foothills of the Andes from Mollendo 139" / Indians at Home, Cuzco 143' Indian Types, Andean Highlands 143" Indian in Poncho Carrying Rug 149 Bit of Mollendo Harbor 155"' Cathedral, Mollendo 155- A Quiet Chat, Arequipa ". . . 157' Indians at a Station, Spinning 157' "Chicha" Sellers . 161" Mt. El Misti ( 19,200 'ft'.) from' Arequipa' ............... 16L Sand Crescents, Desert of Islay 163' Bleak Foothills of Andes 163^ Business Street, Arequipa, Showing Cathedral 167" Street and Church Facade, Arequipa 167- Llamas, Cuzco 169" Indians in Ponchos, Arequipa 169 lX Cathedral and Plaza, Arequipa 173" A Beautiful Facade, Arequipa 173' Patio of Hotel Ratti, Juliaca, Showing Author's Room. . . . 177 ; Indians Dining, Nature's "Knives and Forks" 177' Native Porters, Cuzco 179' Small Indian Shop, Cuzco 179' Water-jar Carriers, Cuzco 181" Quaint Signs of Indian Shops 181 Quichua Woman With Baby 185 v ILLUSTRATIONS XV Incan Fountain and Water-Carriers 185' Incan Wall, Cuzco 187 "Seats of the Incas," Overlooking Sacsahuaman Fortress. . 187' Spanish Doorway, Cuzco 191 Terrace of Colcompata, Beheading Stone in Foreground. . . 191" Main Entrance, Sacsahuaman Fortress 193 General View of Sacsahuaman 193 Another View of Sacsahuaman 195- One of the Salients, Sacsahuaman 195- Massive Stone, Sacsahuaman, Author 199 Cyclopean Wall, Palace of Inca Rocca, Cuzco 199 Incan Wall, Showing Snake Ornament 201 "Little Rosita," at 12-Sided Stone, Cuzco 201 Incan Terrace Wall Above Cuzco 203 Author, Plaza del Cabildo, Cuzco 207 Plaza and Market from Cathedral Steps, Cuzco , 207 Cathedral and La Compania Church, Cuzco 209 Jesuit Church and University, Cuzco 209 Santa Domingo Church, Site of Sun Temple, Cuzco 211 Cloisters of Santo Domingo Church 211 Corner Cross Near Santo Domingo Church 213 Market Scene Before Cathedral, Cuzco 213 La Merced Church, Church Cuzco 217 Court of La Merced Monastery 217 Arcade and Balconies, Main Square, Cuzco 219' Picturesque Spanish Gate, Cuzco 219 A Picturesque Patio, Cuzco 221 In Front of Hotel del Commercio 221' Strange Companions, Cuzco 225 Again in Company, Cuzco 225* Llamas, Main Square, Cuzco 227' Getting Ready for Market, Cuzco 227 v Steamer Coya, Lake Titicaca 23 k Sunset, Lake Titicaca 235' Descendant of a People Who Ruled This Land 239 Bird's-eye View of La Paz 243 An Indian Group, La Paz 243 Aymara Indians, La Paz 247 Chola Woman and Baby, La Paz 247 Chola Girls Going to Market, La Paz 249 Market Scene Before Cathedral, La Paz 249 Sunday Market Scene, La Paz 251 Indian Costumes, Market, La Paz 251 Chola Girl Leaving Cathedral, La Paz 255 Old Spanish Residence, La Paz 2od l Gateway, Niche Cemetery, La Paz 257 In Niche Cemetery, La Paz 2o7^ At the Fountain, La Paz 259 Jug-Filling at Fountain, La Paz 259' XVI ILLUSTRATIONS •3 s Selling "Chuno" or Frozen Potatoes, La Paz 26o An Outskirt of La Paz 26o Village of Obrajes, Near La Paz 26o Roadside Scene, Obrajes 20. Group of Llamas, Obrajes 2t»y Indians at Home, Tiahuanaco 209 Author at Entrance to Underground Passage, Tiahuanaco. . 171) Stairway of Kalasasaya Palace, Tiahuanaco 271' Monolithic Doorway of Old Cemetery, Tiahuanaco 273 Monolithic Gateway, Tiahuanaco 273 Cathedral at Tiahuanaco 273 A Reminder of the Past 2// Author at Incan Idol, Tiahuanaco 281 ■ Monolithic Idol, Ruins of Tiahuanaco 281 Indian Girl Spinning, Ruins of Tiahuanaco 28o Poncho Weaving, Tiahuanaco 283 View of Guaqui £°*?, Tin and Silver Ore, Guaqui 28JL Mollendo, Peru, Roughest Harbor on West Coast 2»y Thinking of Other Days 289 Guano-Covered Rocks off Coast of Chile 29r> Tocopilla, Chile 299 La Serena, Chile °£> Harbor View, Valparaiso ^ Valparaiso and Harbor ^uy Old Houses, Valparaiso 6i:) _ A Ravine, Valparaiso ^lo Niche Cemetery, Valparaiso JjJ Training Ship, Naval College, Valparaiso 3Z1 Naval Monument, Valparaiso ■ 3Z3 Bird's-eye View of Santiago from Santa Lucia 3Z9 Avenida Delicias, Santiago 329 Another View from Santa Lucia ^33 Santa Lucia Park ^3" The Alameda, Santiago *M Ladies in Mantas, Santiago ^ Cathedral from Plaza des Armes, Santiago 543 ^ Congressional Building, Santiago 343> Female Conductors, Santiago ^4/ Before the Railroad ^^ Volcano of Cotopaxi in Eruption ^3/ "Christ the Redeemer" . . 1 ™? Bird's-eye View of Buenos Aires from La Prensa 3/i Looking from La Prensa Dome 3/L Avenida de Mayo, Buenos Aires a/a Calle Florida, Buenos Aires a/o Plaza Victoria, Buenos Aires MV Capital and Congressional Building, Buenos Aires 3/9 Picturesque Fountain, Buenos Aires 583 ■ ts ILLUSTRATIONS XVII Tomb of Belgrano, Buenos Aires 383 y "We Must Walk, Others Can Ride" 387 In the Zoological Gardens, Buenos Aires 387' Lazama Park, Buenos Aires 39 L" A Delightful Walk, Lazama Park 391 Palermo Park, Buenos Aires 395 El Tigre River, Buenos Aires 395 Plaza de la Constitucion, Montevideo 399 Harbor Front, Santos, Brazil 407 Santos, Brazil 407' Unloading Coffee, Santos 41 K The Cathedral, Santos 41L\ Bird's-eye View of Rio de laneiro 415' Rio from Gloria Hill " 415^ Beira Mar Showing Sugar Loaf, Rio 417"' Street Scene, Rio 417^ An Old Dwelling on Castle Hill, Rio 42 L Over Red Roofs and Thro' Tall Palms 42 Y Santa Anna Church, Rio 423 Hotel International, Santa Thereza, Rio 423 Royal Palms, "Corinthian Architecture," Rio 427 ! Royal Palms, Botanic Garden, Rio 427' Dom Pedro Monument, Rio 429^ A Bread-Fruit Tree, Rio 433' Street-Hucksters, Rio 433' "From House to House He Goes," Rio 435 A Chicken Peddler, Rio 439 v "Chickens for Sale" — Another Style 439' "Dulces" Peddler, Rio 44 K "Sweet Drinks," Rio 441 "Not All Is Carried on Foot," Rio 445" Ouaint Street Vender, Rio 445' Front of a Drink Shop, Rio 447 L The Monroe Palace, Avenida Central, Rio 447' Good Type of Negress, Rio 45 1 1 ' Broom and Basket Peddler, Rio 451"' "Scissors to Grind," Rio 453 1 Fish Vender, Rio 453 View from Curvello, Rio, showing Sugar Loaf 459 En Route to Corcovado, Rio -^9 Gate of Carioca Aqueduct, Rio 465" At Top of Corcovado, Rio 465 UNDER THE SOUTHERN CROSS IN SOUTH AMERICA. CHAPTER I JAMAICA "flower of the Antilles" Annually, during the summer months, and even at other seasons, thousands of Americans rush off from their own shores to feast their eyes on the boasted beauties of faraway lands, which have been chronicled in song and story for centuries and depicted on canvas by the master spirits of successive ages. From childhood they have heard and read of these places, they have longed to see them for themselves, so when opportunity comes to gratify the long- ing they eagerly embrace it and start off with high hopes and keen anticipations of the delights which, they believe, await their coming. They wander in the nooks and byways of old Europe, from the banks of the Thames to the banks of the Volga, from the capes of Italy to the bluffs of Lapland ; they ramble through romantic Spain, vivacious France, classic Germany, and rugged Switzerland. With bounding hearts they sail down the placid waters of the blue Rhine, frowning fels and castled crags towering on either side ; they gaze with wonder and awe on the majestic Alps, on Mont Blanc, "the monarch of mountains," lifting his snow-capped head amid the rack of clouds ; they skim the sunkissed waves of the murmuring Medi- terranean, and glide into the Bay of Naples, above which Vesuvius, like a fiery sentinel, rears his lava crest against the cloudless cerulean 1 2 UNDER THE SOUTHERN CROSS sky. Imperial Rome, with her crumbling ruins, the Forum and the Colisseum, has many a charm for them ; ancient Greece, with hoary Athens, and the Acropolis, still standing to testify to the splendors of a long-dead past, engage their attention, till, turning eastward to the land of the Turk and the home of the Cossack, they bid adieu to Europe and pass over into Asia. There Palestine hallowed by the footsteps of prophets and apostles and sanctified by the Redeemer of men, appeals to the fundamental instincts of their nature. Nazareth, Bethlehem, Gethsemane, Mount of Olives, and above all, Jerusalem — theatre of the world's greatest tragedy, and arena of the world's greatest triumph — are taken in their order. Still continuing East — Arabia, Persia, and the valley of the Euphrates and Tigris, are reached. Occult India, with its temples, pagodas, and sacred streams ; "Ceylon's lovely isle, where every prospect pleases and only man is vile"; the Orient — Cathay — "jeal- ous China, strange Japan," with their sun-temples and flowers and mysticism, — all have their attractions for the untiring tourist. The dreamy Philippines and Australia, lying directly under the shim- mering stars of the Southern Cross are not neglected. Then back by the smiling islands of the "Paradise of the Pacific" — back to great America, the "land of the free and the home of the brave," and the American tourist feels he has seen all that the Old World has to show him. Thus is the circle of the earth completed by many Ameri- can globe-trotters. Is the game worth the candle? Does the sight- seeing repay for the fatigues and inconveniences of travel, not to speak of the time spent and expense incurred in "doing" foreign lands? What is to be seen abroad that is so widely different from what we can look upon at home? After all, the world is but a small place, and one country is much the same as another ; the difference is only a matter of climate and season. Earth, sky and water are non-variants. The grass is just as green in America and the ethereal dome as blue as elsewhere. Our mountains and plains, lakes and rivers and natural landscapes can very favorably compare with those of any other continent. Our cities and towns may not be quite as old, nor yet as solid in regard to masonry; but in architectural splendor they can easily vie with and even surpass the boasted piles of other lands. Of course, we have not the historic associations of older civilizations, but apart from this consideration, our own country can rival any other. We have enough at our own doors to engross attention and arouse en- -REMEMBER THE MAINE' MORRO CASTLE, HAVANA MAIN STREET, HAVANA THE ARCADES, HAVANA •'FLOWER OF THE ANTILLES" / thusiasm, — why turn our backs to it and seek f ar-off shores ? A mountain, when limned against the perspective of the far hori- zon appears blue and of magnificent proportions, with its contour standing out in bold relief against the skyline, but on near approach it loses much of its impressiveness, and finally, when we reach it, we find it dull and uninteresting, nothing more than stones and boulders and stunted vegetation. It is the same with many foreign resorts. We conceive them as places of beauty and interest, but when we visit them they fall far short of our expectations. Within our own confines and around our coasts are sights and at- tractions quite as worthy of visiting as any the Eastern Hemisphere can offer from a scenic standpoint. Of all the regions adjacent to the United States, probably none are more attractive or present such varied scenes of both natural and artificial beauty as the lands lying in and around the green waters of the Caribbean Sea. From the islands of the West Indies, with their teeming hetero- geneous population of Spaniards, English, Negroes and Indians, to the lowlands of Central America, where, in the primeval soli- tudes of the dense wilderness the voices of humankind are all but unknown, we find truly a variety to please the tastes of all. These lands in their emerald settings present for consideration a great many natural contrasts in snow-capped mountains, temperate uplands, broad savannas, grassy plains and plateaus, open valleys, dense jungles, and mighty rivers rushing their muddy waters on- ward to the sea. As for natural products, they yield everything known to the American tropics. There is a strong commerce, even under present conditions. With the opening of the Isthmian Canal there can be no doubt that trade will get such an impetus as will give these islands and Carib- bean countries a very prominent place in the traffic and barter of the nations. There will also be an influx of immigration. Many wilJ turn to the South, looking for business in the cities ; and many, too, will penetrate into the wilderness with a view to development or for the purpose of seeking the products they supply. Of the West Indies, Cuba has been the most prominent in the public eye. Trampled for centuries under the iron heel of Spain, at length, thanks to the United States, the island is arising grad- ually from an inglorious past and will be eventually able to work out its own salvation. 8 UNDER THE SOUTHERN CROSS Cuba has been poetically styled "the Pearl of the Antilles," the group which also includes Haiti, Porto Rico, and Jamaica. If, on account of delicate tracery of landscape and general color scheme, such a name can be fittingly applied to this, the largest island of the group, Jamaica is no less worthy to be styled "the Flower of the Antilles,"' for, as regards arborage, foliage, vegetation and horti- cultural loveliness, this little bit of the British Dominions, lying at Uncle Sam's side-door, only ninety miles south of Cuba, by far eclipses all the other lands of the Caribbean. Its flora is rich, rare, and varied, including the wilder growths of the Temperate Zone with all the gorgeous luxuriance of the Tropics, and its vegetable and mineral resources are abundant. Jamaica has the oldest history of any of the larger islands. It was discovered by Columbus on his second western voyage in May, 1494. It was taken possession of and settled by the Spaniards in 1509. Under their despotic sway the natives dwindled fast away until, by the middle of the seventeenth century, with the exception of the Maroons (runaway slaves), they were totally extinct. Some of these half-breed descendants of the old natives still survive. In May, 1655, a British expedition under Admirals Penn and Venables captured the island, and Great Britain was confirmed in possession by the Treaty of Madrid in 1670. The British, on be- coming masters, quickly realized the possibilities of the sugar plan- tations, and, to cultivate the latter, great numbers of Negroes were imported from the African slave-stations. In six years, between 1780 and 1786, more than 600,000 blacks were bought and brought over by Englishmen for a life of slavery in this island. These slaves were treated with merciless severity, much worse than those under the Southern planters on the American mainland. Often they were goaded to desperation by their cruel taskmasters and on several occasions during the eighteenth century, they rose in open rebellion against the white tyranny, but superior physical force and the munitions of their taskmasters quickly subdued them. At length the eyes of civilization began to look with angry glances on Negro slavery in Jamaica. Several of the home statesmen be- came ashamed, spoke bitterly against it, and arraigned their own country in the pillory of public scorn. Wilberforce denounced the slavery in withering scorn ; Gladstone, then a young man, spoke out against it in no uncertain tones ; Daniel O'Connell thundered his Irish invectives against the "damnable system." American states- men, too, said, "British West Indian slavery must stop." CATHEDRAL, HAVANA MARTI PARK, HAVANA, FORMERLY CENTRAL PARK ON SAN JUAN HILL, CUBA "FLOWER OF THE ANTILLES" 13 The Negro insurrection of 1831 hastened the approach of eman- cipation. In 1833 the Emancipation Act was passed, providing for the total extinction of slavery in the island after August 1, 1838. The Act awarded some thirty million dollars as compensation to the slaveholders. Still, after this time there were much bickering and conflicts between the blacks and whites, and in 1865 another formidable insurrection took place. As a result the old Parliamentary Govern- ment was abolished in 1866 and the island reduced to the grade of a Crown Colony. Representative government was re-established in 1884. The ruler is a governor appointed by the Crown, who is assisted by an elected council. The population of the island is about 800,000, of whom more than one-half are black. There are over 120,000 half-breeds, 120,000 Indians, some 50,000 coolies, and the remainder, consisting of a little more than 20,000, are whites, chiefly English. The princi- pal exports are sugar, tobacco, rum, coffee, bananas and dyewoods. There are some very fine agricultural districts. A great part of the soil is formed by sedimentary deposits derived from the red and white limestone formations from the primitive granite that forms the main structure of the island. Some 200,000 acres are under tillage and 400,000 acres in pasture. About one-seventh of the til- lage is devoted to sugar and coffee plantations. The growing of sugar-cane being no longer profitable, the banana has now taken its place. The whole area of the island is about 4,200 square miles; its length 144 miles, and its greatest width 50 miles. The coast is indented with small harbors and inlets. The climate is humid and warm at the sea, but in the interior or high regions it is mild and dry, and is said to be well adapted for those suffering from pulmonary affections. Education is very well looked after in Jamaica. There are more than 800 elementary schools, while a university, college, and high school at Hope, near Kingston, provide for the higher branches of learning. This really interesting little island is within a short sail from our shores and will well repay a visit in the experiences gained. With modern conveniences in our advanced stage of navigation, going South is now a very easy and pleasant journey. Swift and comfortable steamers leave New York at regular intervals. The traveler on his way can watch at his ease the colors of the ocean 14 UNDER THE SOUTHERN CROSS change day by day until from the dark blue of the North they merge into the deep sea-green of the sunny South. During our four days' voyage to this land of flowers and sun- shine, of wooded mountains and tropical glades, of handsome villas and picturesque towns, we traversed the Gulf Stream, touched the western fringe of the Sargasso Sea, sighted San Salvador, now Watling's Island — the first soil of the Western Continent trodden by the feet of Columbus, who landed there October 12, 1492 — crossed the Tropic of Cancer into the heat and sun-glare of the Torrid Zone, steamed down through the Windward Passage, past Cape Maysi, the eastern extremity of Cuba, and came into the glittering waters of an unobstructed sea, on the horizon of which we caught glimpses of "fair Jamaica," basking like some living thing of beauty amid the emerald waves. Soon its Blue Mountains appeared in profile against the cloudless sky, and in a few hours the harbor of Port Antonio unfolded itself before our gaze like some grand pano- rama which compels the admiration of beholders. The scene was one of impressive grandeur, not to be duplicated outside these lati- tudes and probably in no other place elsewhere in the islands. A flood of glowing sunlight surrounded us, while overhead the deep blue vault was unobscured by the tiniest speck of cloud or shadow. The Negroes, on the wharf in their white clothes, accentuated by the ebony of their countenances, presented a moving color effect which diversified the charm of the surroundings. Beyond the wharf lay the palm-fringed streets leading up to the town. Having got through the routine of the Customs, with a few con- genial friends I repaired to the justly famous Hotel Titchfield, a hostelry conducted on the American plan and which can favor- ably compare in cuisine, comfort, polite attendance, and prices with those of much greater pretensions in America and Europe. From the verandas and balconies of the Titchfield the visitor may enjoy a view of some of the most beautiful scenes in the Tropics. I have visited many of the renowned haunts of both the Old and New World and looked upon nature with enraptured eyes when she donned her fairest garments and flashed her rarest jewels in the sunshine of Eastern lands, but never did I look upon her in more dazzling array of gorgeous loveliness than from the verandas of the Titchfield Hotel in Port Antonio. A wealth of tropical scenery lay before us, unrivalled in the rich coloring of tree and flower, perennially kept green by showers and sunshine. Here, in the presence of ocean and mountain — those two grandest physical HARBOR SCENE, PORT ANTONIO EARLY MORNING, PORT ANTONIO HARBOR 15 "FLOWER OF THE ANTILLES" 17 expressions of sublimity — the traveler beholds on every side the charm of this entrancing region. Sea and sky, mountain and valley, houses and plantations, forests and flowers, all combine to produce an effect truly indescribable in its appealing and diversified beauty. One is compelled to exclaim in rapture: "Surely this is a land beloved of the gods, one on which they have showered their choicest gifts and breathed their sweetest incerse." At our feet rolled the sea in its ev j r-changing aspects of light and color. In the morning its waters take on the splendor of the sky and reflect such a brilliancy in a myriad of iridescent tints as would be the despair of any artist, however great his mastery of colors. At eventide, when the western sun, before sinking behind St. Mary's blue hills, kisses a night farewell to the dancing wave- lets and with his slanting rays gilds them with sheens of living light, it seems as if the onlooker were gazing on some golden avenue leading to the splendors of another world. The sky, too, is a never-ending source of delight, especially when the pink and purple lights of dawn flood land and sea with soft effulgence. At sunset the clouds, mingling with and reflecting the flaming shafts, present such a maze and medley of variegated lights and colors and kaleidoscopic beauty as defy man to even attempt an imitation of the glorious reality. The night also is particularly impressive, either when the sapphire sky is studded with brilliants scintillating down to earth their diamond points of light, or when the moon rides high in the cloudless vault of heaven while the waves of old ocean croon their eternal lullaby to the palm-fringed shore. Apart from the surrounding natural scenery, the quaint old town of Port Antonio is not without a luring power over the visitor. It has a population of about 2,000, but outside those engaged in the fruit exportation business and tourists there are not a score of white people in the town. The harbor is divided into two parts by a jutting promontory of coral rock, carpeted with green turf. On this peninsula stand the remains of a picturesque ancient fort, and behind it the old barracks. From the farther margin of each har- bor the hills rise step by step, profusely covered with rich vege- tation and plumed with many a tall cocoanut, among which the green blinds and the red roofs of the houses look out seaward. Behind these again mount ridge upon ridge of the Blue Mountain Range to a height of more than 7,500 feet, right up into the clouds that hang about the peaks, A little way outside the mouth of the 18 UNDER THE SOUTHERN CROSS harbor white-crested waves break against the iron rock on which the red Folly Point lighthouse is perched. The fort, the remains of which are still seen, was built by the English in the rugged and perilous days when they first wrenched the island from Spanish control. The most commanding artificial work in Port Antonio is the Titchfield Hotel, which is built on the hill of the same name, over- looking the harbor, and from which it is reached by a short, circling drive. Many travelers have said that the site of this hotel is the most beautiful on earth. The building itself is an imposing, modern structure. The piazza, stretching along three sides of the house, is over 800 feet in length, and from 16 to 26 feet in width. The hotel is lighted throughout by electricity, has its own cold storage, plunger elevator, and every contrivance exacted by modern patrons. The rooms are adapted to the tropical climate, being large and airy. The door of every sleeping-room is of lattice, so as to allow a free circulation of air. The hotel was named for the Mar- quis of Titchfield, whose father, the Duke of Portland, did a great deal for the island of Jamaica. It is leased by a Boston firm, Ainslie & Grabow. The good management and comfort of the Titchfield doubtless have much to do in attracting visitors. The people of Port Antonio are more interesting than the build- ings. They are of a varied assortment. Of course, the Negroes preponderate, as everywhere else in Jamaica. There is a goodly number of East Indian coolies. The first coolies were introduced into the island in 1840 to cultivate the fields. There are some crim- son-colored Maroons, half-breed descendants of the early inhabi- tants who refused to be conquered by the English ; originally Ma- roons were the issue of the native Indians and Africans. Other blood has since mingled in their veins. They still keep independent and aloof. They have nothing in common with the ordinary Negro, on whom they look down with supremest contempt. The almost ubiquitous Chinaman is also found in Port Antonio. White tran- sients are always coming and going in large numbers. There are many places in the vicinity of Port Antonio well worth visiting. The Golden Vale, once a great sugar estate, now one of the largest banana plantations in the island, is situated in a very rich district, watered by the Rio Grande, one of those swift, erratic streams which flow pleasantly within narrow limits one day, but the next are swollen to turgid torrents by the storms in the sur- rounding mountains. Hundreds of acres of the old cane-fields have "LITTLE ROSIE," PORT ANTONIO : "-■' THE AUTHOR, PORT ANTONIO "FLOWER OF THE ANTILLES" 21 been converted into banana plantations. Near the boundary of what was the old sugar estates are great stone buildings formerly used in the crushing of cane and the general manufacture of sugar and rum ; also for storage and other purposes ; now they serve as shops, depots, and schoolhouses for the children of those engaged on the plantations. One day during our stay at Port Antonio we drove over to the Blue Hole, six miles from the town. It is a basin of water fringed around by a dense growth of cocoanut palms, bananas, and other tropical vegetation. When these are reflected in the pool the water seems to turn from a pale turquoise to a deep amethyst. With the sun shining full upon it from a cloudless noonday sky the water appears a brilliant sapphire blue, presenting a wonderful picture of vivid coloring, like a veritable sapphire in an emerald setting. Fain would we have lingered longer around the seductive old town, but our itinerary compelled us to say good-by to its associa- tions and charms. We were indeed loath to leave the Titchfield, with its dreamy surroundings, beautiful vistas and real comforts, but there were other places to see on the island, so we had to be on the move. We crossed the island by automobile on our way to Kingston. It was one of the pleasantest journeys of my experience. For a time we glided along the coast between the sea and magnificent groves of cocoanut-trees and plantations of bananas, passing St. Margaret's Bay, Hope Bay, Buff Bay, and other coastal indenta- tions, until Annotta Bay was reached. Here, after a few winding turns, our horseless carriage began to toil up rather steep grades, for we were now crossing between the foothills of the Blue Moun- tains. The up-grade wasn't of long duration. Soon we began to descend through wildly picturesque scenery, all that the eye could desire in that respect. We passed little villages and hamlets em- bowered in tropical shrubs and plants, many of them gorgeous in splendid blooms and multicolored flowers. We made a stop at Castleton, the Government Botanical Garden, where we had luncheon on the grounds of an excellent hotel amid feathery bamboo trees and other tropical arborage and foliage. Castleton is situated in a deep valley, entirely surrounded by lofty mountains. Through this valley tumbles and foams the Wag Water River like the true mountain stream it is. Nature and the govern- ment have made a garden of this place, with all the advantages of loveliness and fertility that a rich valley and a beautiful stream com- 22 UNDER THE SOUTHERN CROSS bined can furnish. Here are found not only the native flowers and plants, but hundreds of specimens imported from other lands. North, South, East and West, the Occident and the Orient, have been called upon to contribute to its beauties of natural selection. It contains some fifty thousand plants, such as kolanuts, cacao, olive, sugar-cane, rubber plants, nutmeg, clove, black pepper, mango, va- nilla, cardamom, pineapple, cinnamon, tobacco-plants and tea- shrubs. I noticed a fine specimen of palmatum and a magnificent collection of East and West Indian orchids. Some of our party particularly admired the Victoria Regina, or Queen Victoria lily, which down there is commonly called the Amazon water-lily ; others were interested in the upas-trees and the traveler's tree of Madagas- car, from the latter of which the thirsty wanderer may obtain a cooling drink. Taste and skill have combined to arrange the beau- tiful plants and flowers in a way most pleasing to the eye. The place truly looks like a veritable Eden, a spot indeed in which nymph or naiad, or the gods themselves, might dwell. A nineteen-mile "spin" over a fine macadamized road brought us from Castleton to Kingston. This road, to my idea, is the best Dn the island. At intervals trees arch and interlace overhead, like the roof of a Gothic cathedral. In places the Wag Water River can be seen, with alluvial meadows on either side, tobacco-fields, fields of sago, ginger, tamarind, cocoa and coffee, groves of cocoa- nut, miles of plantain and banana, hillsides covered with ferns, houses wattled and mortared with clay, surrounded by orchids with their great red flowers glowing like spots of flame from the cotton- wood branches. We were almost sorry when our arrival at Kings- ton brought an end for the time being to our pleasant trip from Castleton. Kingston, with a population of 50,000, is the capital. It stands on a plain, backed by mountains, at the head of Port Royal Bay. Port Royal was the former capital, but its destruction by an earth- quake in 1692 led to the foundation of the present city. Kingston also has had its share of earthquakes, and such a large share that the city of the present day is but little better than a wreck of its former greatness. Nevertheless, the streets are wide and regular, the houses of good structure, with broad verandas, for the mo«t part surrounded by well-cultivated gardens of flowers and tropical plants. There is a museum, an hospital, public library, botanic garden, street railway, electric power and light, warehouses, stores, hotels, BLUE HOLE, NEAR PORT ANTONIO MAIN STREET, KINGSTON, BEFORE EARTHQUAKE "FLOWER OF THE ANTILLES" 25 public marts, in a word, all the addenda of a modern commonwealth. The harbor is one of the finest in the world, protected from the sea by a long point of land, at the extremity of which are the forts and naval arsenal of Port Royal. Being the principal naval station of Great Britain in the West Indies, there is always a considerable military force stationed on the hills behind the city, where the climate is dry, cool, and pleasant. I had visited Kingston some years before, but its architectural pretensions had suffered much in the interim. It is a city which time and again has felt the fury of the elements. In 1880 it was severely injured by a hurricane; two years later a great fire caused much destruction. The inhabitants bravely tried to repair the damages of both misfortunes, and had very well succeeded when in 1907 an earthquake left the place almost as great a wreck in proportion as was San Francisco after the terrible calamity of 1905. I remembered very well how beautiful, how even imposing Kingston had looked previous to the 1907 disaster ; now, though the plucky town has tried to rally, many marks still remain to show the heavy blows that were dealt. The Hotel Myrtle Bank bears the same name, but it is not the same building. The old one went down to ruin in the earthquake. Many other fine buildings tottered and fell. Some have been rebuilt, but many houseless sites still remain with their ruins mutely testifying to the damage of the earthquake. As I look upon them a cold tremor runs down the back, I think of the poor Italians of Calabria and the sufferers of Sicily and other victims of these awful visitations. I faintly realize their feelings in time of calamity and learn to sympathize with those left homeless by the paroxysms of nature and the cataclysmic fury of the elements. Despite the misfortunes that have befallen it, Kingston is still a town of energy and bustle — there is more of both than one en- counters in any other of the West Indian towns. It holds an im- portant place in the commerce of the world, and a vast amount of trade is carried on through its port. Its water-front teems with shipping; along its docks there are always to be found steamers and sailing vessels from all parts of the world. Vast quantities of the products of the island, such as sugar, coffee, rum, logwood, fruits, pimento and indigo, are shipped from its port, while the imports from Europe and America are large. Banks, life and fire insurance companies, building societies and discount associations flourish and do a large business. 26 UNDER THE SOUTHERN CROSS The architecture of the town is a curious combination, part Span- ish, part Old English. Some of the principal buildings are the Theatre Royal, the Hospital on North Street, the Colonial Bank on Duke Street and the Court House on Harbor Street. Some of the parish churches, the Cathedral, the Library and other buildings named above, which had interested me on my first visit, were no longer standing. They were in ruins from the earthquake. The Institute of Jamaica, which was on East Street, contained the Museum and Library. In the Library were the famous "Shark Papers" which led to the destruction of the brig Nancy in 1799. The Nancy was owned by naturalized Germans of the United States, and was commanded by Thomas Briggs. She left Balti- more in July, 1799, and cleared for Curacao. In the latter part of August she was captured by the English cutter Sparrow and taken to Port Royal. It was declared that the Nancy was a lawful prize, seized on the high seas as the property of persons who were enemies of the British realm. The matter was brought before the Court of Vice-Admiralty at Kingston and probably nothing would have resulted but for the discovery of papers which a Lieutenant Fitton found in a shark caught off Jacmel while cruising there, and which were of an incriminating nature, showing that the brig was engaged in contraband service. There are many beautiful residences in and around Kingston. In driving through the suburbs the traveler may notice unattractive, high, dusty walls, but let him step through the door of the wall and he will find himself in the midst of charming grounds, gardens and lawns, made beautiful with exotic plants ; he will see great sumptuous houses with wide verandas commanding splendid views ; he will feel the air balmy and scent-laden, and above all he will find the truest and freest of hospitality. Kingston is not at all the hot, unhealthy city that the imagina- tions of many people picture. As to sanitary conditions, it is quite healthy. A strong breeze springs up about ten o'clock every morn- ing and continues till about four in the afternoon. This fresh ocean air, locally and popularly called "The Doctor," gives free medical aid to all. The immediate and pleasant result of the "Doc- tor's" visit is the preservation of health and conservation of comfort. It is very interesting to walk about the streets of Kingston and watch the people going about their every-day avocations. You will see whites, blacks, coolies, Chinese and many other nondescripts, mingling in easy familiarity. Here you will meet a tall negro ^ .^' KINGSTON, SHOWING HAVOC OF EARTHQUAKE AMONG THE RUINS, KINGSTON r, jr x^ MAIN STREET. KINGSTON, YEAR AFTER EARTHQUAKE ^^^fa **_. ' ,_ 1 -^^ >' EIV ROUTE TO MARKET, KINGSTON "FLOWER OF TFIE ANTILLES" 31 Zouave, with turban and in tight jacket, swaggering along in all the pomp of uniform; there you will see an Indian coolie woman gor- geously apparelled, her small hands and feet ornamented with silver bangles and her lithe, sinuous body enmeshed in parti-colored garments. You will see vehicles of all kinds — stylish turnouts from the fifty-horsepower tonneau of the wealthy and the burnished car- riages of the Governor to the crazy mule carts and lumbering drays of the poorer classes. You may be pestered by the hackmen, solicit- ing trade, for it is claimed they are the most obtrusive and offensive in the world. In Jamaica, however, as in every other up-to-date center, the taxi is fast taking the place of the hack. There are several fine hotels in Kingston. The largest and best is the new Myrtle Bank, on the site of the old one, three stories high, built of brick, on three sides of a square in the centre of which is a flower garden. The charges are quite reasonable, $2.50 and $3.00 a day, and less by the week. The markets of Kingston are one of the sights of the town, the Jubilee Market at the northwest of the Parade and the Victoria Market at the foot of King Street being famous. They are well stocked with much variety. Here are found meat, poultry, fish of rainbow colors, turtle, tropical fruits and vegetables of all kinds, brought down overnight, mainly on women's heads, from the inte- rior parts of the island. Food supplies are generally cheaper than in the North. Fruits are especially low in price and of great variety, such as mangoes, oranges, bananas, custard-apples, sappodillas, guavas, star-apples, papaws, avocado pears, lemons and many other kinds indigenous to the soil. Some of the chief delights of the tourist are the many curio shops, with their great varieties of curiosities and knick-knacks at very low prices. I visited several of these places. In one I was shown what to me appeared a very peculiar texture. For want of a better name I may term it "nature-woven lace." I was told that it comes from the fibre of a small native tree called the "bira- bira." When a branch of this tree is crushed, there is a fibrous pith, instead of a soft one, which contains a mass of lace-like fila- ments apparently woven into fabric form in the loom of nature. When pressed out to fullest extent a branch yields about thirty square inches of fabric. The material is used especially by Ameri- can ladies to trim their ippi-appi hats while on the island, also by the 32 UNDER THE SOUTHERN CROSS natives as bridal veils, handkerchiefs, mosquito curtains, etc. Al- though very delicate in single sheet form, it can be used for tow- ropes on the small streams, for mule harness and for fence-rope when well twisted. In its fibrous pith form, after the bark is removed, the matter is of a soft, creamy white, beautiful in itself. When in lace form it is soft and lustrous, and after being exposed to the tropical sun for a little while it becomes bleached to a daz- zling white. I have looked on many of Nature's handiworks, but I regard this wood-lace as one of her most exquisite achieve- ments. Whether the beautiful fabrics will become of any commer- cial value is hard to tell. The fibres that produce them are there, — it is for the ingenious to find out if they can be utilized in such a way as to cover the cost of manufacture and yield a margin. The Constant Springs Hotel is situated six miles from the capital city on one of the old-time estates, now out of cultivation, at the foot of a range of the Blue Mountains. It is a delightful hostelry, and many attractive spots are in the vicinity, the chief center of interest being Spanish Town, thirteen miles from Kingston. It is an old place founded by the Spanish about 1523, who christened it Santiago de la Vega. In early times it was a place of wealth and fashion, but to-day it is little more than a country village, its prin- cipal attractions being its beautiful public square, filled with tropical plants and flowers, its fine old cathedral, one of the best specimens of Spanish architecture on the island, and the temple erected in honor of Admiral Rodney. In the cathedral we saw many hand- some monuments and tablets, and under our feet were numerous slabs with curious records such as one often finds in old cemeteries. One of these especially attracted attention, as, after recording some facts relative to the deceased, it assured us that the sleeper "died amid much applause." Was he an actor who fell before the foot- lights, we wondered, or some great orator haranguing a multitude who hung entranced on his words ? This slab reminded me of a still more remarkable inscription carved on the tomb of Lewis Galdy at Green Bay. That unfortu- nate, or rather fortunate, individual was one of the lucky victims of the great Port Royal earthquake. His epitaph states that he "was swallowed up by the earthquake, and by the Providence of God was, by another shock, thrown into the sea, and miraculously saved by swimming until a boat took him up. He lived many years after in great reputation, beloved by all who knew him and much lamented at his death." CONSTANT SPRINGS, NEAR KINGSTON OLD CHURCH, SPANISH TOWN, JAMAICA 33 A TYPICAL SCENE, JAMAICA AUTHOR UNDER THE PALMS, JAMAICA "FLOWER OF THE ANTILLES" 37 I have endeavored to give a sketch of the "Flower of the An- tilles," but I know how very imperfect it is. Jamaica is simply indescribable, beyond the most graphic pen to give a word picture of its captivating, entrancing scenery. To a marvellous beauty of mountain form, rivalling the Hartz of Europe or the Appala- chian chain of America, it adds a luxuriance of tropical vegeta- tion which neither Europe nor America can give. From almost any situation there are views so diversified that wherever you may turn a new picture delights the eye — depths of shadows, bursts of light, charming dells and woody plains. The heavy timber trees on the mountainsides, the lovely verdure of the cultivated plains and hills, the common flowers and even the weeds, are rich in rare color- ing. The banks of the rivers and smaller streams are fringed with every growth that abundant nature can produce in this congenial clime. The seashore is lined with trees and shrubs in picturesque confusion. The wild seaside grapevines are in many spots turned into verdant arbors, and groves of stately bamboo-trees often form themselves into systematic archways like the aisles of some splendid Gothic church. On every hand grows the palm and the cocoanut, the mountain cabbage, the plantain, the African rose, the tamarind, with oranges, oleanders, scarlet cordiums, grenadillas, lilacs, silken- leaved portlandias, mixed with a prodigious variety of minor flowers, fruits and shrubs, all combining a picture to ravish the soul of the artist and captivate the heart of the botanist. Truly, Jamaica is a dreamland where life glides onward like a summer stream kissed by the sun of noon. Lost Garden of Eden, Flower of the Antilles, Bower of the Gods, Fairyland of Flowers and Sunshine, in dreams I revisit thy shores and bask in the delights of thy heaven-blessed clime, waking I salute thee and exclaim, "Ave atque Vale!" CHAPTER II WHERE BUCCANEERS HELD SWAY SHIMMERING SEAS AND LAUGHING LANDS WHERE PLUNDERING PIRATES PREYED On leaving the harbor of Kingston our steamer was surrounded by a veritable swarm of seemingly aquatic human beings, mostly negro boys and girls, churning the water into foam with their arms and legs as they jostled one another while importuning the pas- sengers to throw them coins. "Just a shilling, Massa!" "Missus, a sixpence !" "Only a penny, lady !" and such like solicitations. Many, leaning over the taffrail, hearkened to their appeals, more for the sake of seeing these apparently amphibious creatures dive for the money than for the purpose of gratifying their impecunious requests. Certainly the divers displayed great skill, for almost as soon as the coins struck the water they were seized and brought up in their shining white teeth, themselves spluttering and splashing the while, and shaking the water from their hair like so many huge Newfoundland dogs after a plunge. They remind one of the nimble nymphs of the Hawaiian Islands, who swim out to the steamers anchoring off the coral reef at Honolulu, but the Kanaka maidens are more graceful and skilful in their movements. As we glided out into the smooth waters of the Caribbean we looked back to shore. Port Royal, with its low, red-roofed houses, crouched on our right amid the sheltering cocoanut palms, like some silent sentinel lurking in an Eastern jungle and trying to hide from view in the dense foliage of the surroundings. The last vestige of the Blue Mountains, rising abruptly from the water and covered with dark masses of vegetation, looked as if hanging over Kings- ton and keeping watch like a guardian genius over its sleeping beauty. This was the farewell glimpse of fair Jamaica, for soon 38 THE BOUNDING BUCCANEERS 39 the shores of the island faded away on the receding horizon and we found ourselves encompassed only by sea and sky. With the prow of our vessel turned almost due south we were cleaving those sun-kissed waves of the green Caribbean which constitute part of what was once known as the Spanish Main, and which was the scene of many desperate encounters in the wild and lawless days of the bounding buccaneers, when these seafaring robbers and cut- throats swept both sea and land, instilling terror into the hearts of all who had the misfortune to cross their path. These buccaneers were European adventurers and desperadoes, principally English, French, and Dutch who, both separately and in combination, harassed the Spaniards, stole their property, and seized their vessels on the high seas. The origin of the term is peculiar. The natives of Hispaniola, the modern Haiti, were accus- tomed to hunt cattle and hogs for food supplies. When slaughtered the flesh was dried and smoked over a fire of green branches and leaves. When thus prepared it was called boucan, and was very palatable and good to eat. When the first roving traders and privateers came to the island, they liked the boucan so well that they began hunting and boucanning for themselves, and several remained permanently on shore for this purpose. These were joined by outlaws and refugees from the other islands, and soon there were so many of them that they established a base of trade and supply for the rovers and smugglers on the small island of Tortuga, lying off the northern coast of Hispaniola. They became known as boucaniers, a word which finally came to be spelt b-u-c-c-a-n-e-e-r-s. They made the little island of Tortuga their headquarters for a lengthened time until 1638, when a Spanish force in the absence of the hunters, swooped down upon it and massacred wantonly every man, woman, and child they found. When the hunters — there were three hundred — returned and looked upon their slaughtered dead, they took an oath to avenge them. They recruited their number from still more desperate bands and from thenceforward waged relentless fury against the Span- iards and all things Spanish. They took to the sea, and in a few years had gathered together a considerable fleet of vessels, the sole object of which was plunder, pillage, and marine marauding of every kind against Spanish merchantmen and privateers, or those sent out to hunt down these crimson-stained corsairs of the Indies. These fierce fomorians of the deep were as wild and sanguinary a band of frenzied freebooters as ever trod a quarter-deck, yet they 40 UNDER THE SOUTHERN CROSS were picturesque withal. They dressed with a view to inspire terror in their prey. Their bodies, mostly naked to the waist, were tanned and weather-beaten and inured to the scorching suns of the trop- ics ; they wore pantaloons of coarse canvas, dyed and stiffened with the blood of bulls and pigs, held up by belts of raw-hide, bristling with deadly knives, dirks, and daggers. On their feet were huge, square-toed, pigskin boots held together by cleats and long nails ; they wore no stockings. They allowed their hair and beards to grow and never combed them, so that their appearance was more of the brute than the human. Slung across their shoulders or gir- dled to their sides they carried long-barrelled firelocks, loaded with ounce balls. In any engagement they never asked for quarter and they never gave any. It was war to the knife and the knife to the hilt every time. Hatred of the Spaniards was the breath of their nostrils — their religion, an undying enmity to the race of Castile and Leon. They imagined themselves justified in every attack on Span- ish person and property. In the encroach of the British on Jamaica, of course the bucca- neers espoused the side of the English, and after that island's cap- ture by Cromwell's fleet, they established their headquarters at Port Royal and entered upon a flourishing career of freebooting and plunder. The British and even the French winked, if they did not connive at their marauding. In fact, the bold buccaneers sometimes carried letters of marque to give them license for their depredations. The first great leader of these vampire vikings of the Spanish Main was a Frenchman named Montbar, commonly called Pierre le Grand, or Peter the Great. This sanguinary sea-wolf once cap- tured the ship of a Spanish admiral while lying off Caicos in the Bahama Channel. Another French leader of the pillaging, plun- dering bands was Francois L'Olonnois, who had come out to the West Indies as a common sailor. This reckless rover of the seas captured a Spanish frigate which had been sent from Havana to put down the freebooters and which had on board a negro execu- tioner, who was to hang on the yardarm every man caught. L'Olon- nois took the Spanish crew of the frigate, ranged them in a con- venient row, and cut off the head of each man, licking his bloody sword clean with his own tongue, after each death-dealing blow. Probably the most famous leader of the gory gang of buccaneers was Captain Henry Morgan — we say famous, rather than infamous — for at length he cried peccavi and made amends for his pillaging past. Morgan was a Welshman by birth, who had to leave the old Gal- STREET SCENE. CRISTOBAL, COLON A SUBURB OF COLON THE BOUNDING BUCCANEERS 43 lie mountains on account of youthful escapades. He was of a dar- ing, impetuous nature, and it suited him well, when he came to the islands, to throw in his lot with the daring daredevils scouring the seas for Spanish loot. He brought his plunder chiefly to Port Royal, which became a resort for desperate and vicious characters, and grew rich and wicked from the profits of freebooting. Morgan's greatest exploit was the burning of the city of Panama in 1671, but this feat heralded the departure of buccaneers from the waters of the Caribbean, for it excited such a hostility to the villainous sys- tem that the sanguinary sea-rovers had to betake themselves to other waters. England and Spain called a truce to their quarreling, and both combined to put down the power and prestige of the marauders in West Indian seas. Morgan saw the game was up. He squared himself with the authorities and settled down at Port Royal. He became twice Acting Governor of Jamaica and was knighted by Charles II. He died rich and honored, reversing the generally accepted principle of human conduct, that a youth of crime and folly is crowned by an age of shame and sorrow. He had sown tares, yet he reaped good wheat for his harvest. One of the last of the notorious buccaneer bandits was a ferocious Fleming, named Van Home. The most conspicuous deed of this daring desperado was an attack on Vera Cruz with six vessels and at the head of twelve hundred men. He took possession of the town, plundered the houses and demanded an enormous ransom from the inhabitants in recognition of his sparing the place from absolute destruction. While he was waiting for the ransom, a Span- .sh fleet of seventeen ships sailed into the harbor and Van Hortiv. nad to flee, but not without the booty he had already taken from the unfortunate people. The Peace of Ryswick in 1679 practically gave the finishing blow to buccaneering in the West Indies, for it was through this peace that hostilities were brought to an end between France and Spain. As has been intimated, England and Spain entered into friendly relations some years before this time. England and France, how- ever, were not on good terms, and buccaneers that hailed from both countries took sides each against the other, which fact, together with the general hostility shown toward their atrocious exploits, espe- cially the looting and burning of Havana, led to the breaking up of the notorious gangs on the Spanish Main. Moreover, Spanish trade by the end of the seventeenth century had well nigh gone from the AYest Indies, so there was nothing much for the murdering marauders to seize as prey. . ■ • 44 UNDER THE SOUTHERN CROSS But when buccaneering departed, piracy on everything worth seizing, no matter to whom it belonged, sailed to the front and for a long time kept these water? in a state of turmoil. The greatest, or rather the worst of the pirates, was an English- man named Teach, who was facetiously termed "Blackbeard," from the hue and size of his huge whiskers. This delectable desperado preyed as freely on English commerce as on that of any other nationality. All was fish that came to his net. There are many stories of his bravery, brutality, and butchery, but most of them must be taken cum grano salis. He did not confine himself alone to the Caribbean, but penetrated north as far as the coast of the Carolinas. At length the Governor of Virginia put a price upon his head and he was finally captured by an English lieutenant and promptly executed. Another enterprising character of this unsavory class was Cap- tain Bartholomew Roberts, who in the early part of the eighteenth century spread terror over the Caribbees. He even made seizures in the very ports of Martinique and Dominica. It may not be generally known that the notorious Captain Kidd began his career of privateering in the waters of the West Indies. It was Lord Bellamont, Governor of the Barbados, who secured Kidd's commission as Commander of the Adventure to put down pirates. As everybody knows, he turned pirate himself, but he afterward exercised his wild calling in another part of the world. All through the eighteenth century and for the first decade of the nineteenth century piracy continued its nefarious work in the Carib- bean, and had many lurking places and refuges throughout the islands. As we sailed over these sunny seas formerly traversed by these bounding buccaneers and predatory pirates, we could not help recall- ing their exciting and troubled times, and detailing to one another stories we had heard or read concerning them. Almost every one had something to relate from his portfolio of memories. We con- jured up pictures of them in their wild and fantastic costumes, bronzed and bearded daredevils, bristling with daggers and guns, carbines, and cutlasses, swaggering, shouting, swearing along the decks of their pointed sloops and square-nosed galleys as they skimmed the waves flying the black ensign of death at their miz- zenmasts or the red pennant of plunder from their gaff-peaks. In our minds' eye we could see the carnage of blood when they grap- pled with their prey, the fury of the onslaught, the dead and the dying as their bodies were hurled into the sea. What red demons THE BOUNDING BUCCANEERS 45 of slaughter they must have been ! Their very memories strike terror to our souls, and at length, as if by common consent, we refrained from dwelling on that bloody past of rapine and licen- tiousness which gave such an unenviable notoriety in those days to this part of the world. We turned our thoughts to the living present and the beauties of sea and sky surrounding us, and beau- tiful they were, so much so, indeed, as to be lastingly impressive. The wind was light and balmy and the waves gave us but a gentle, swaying motion, yet gentle as it was, it kept some below in their state-rooms to whom it had already given mal-de-mer. Two days passed quickly away, making most of us accustomed to the undu- lating sway of the dark-green Caribbean. Life seems an endless morning and the vista an unlimited horizon. The colors of sea and sky blend in such a harmony of tints, reflections, and refractions as to give a picture-panorama of loveliness which enchains the eye, ravishes the soul, raises the thoughts in reverence and impels the tongue to utter praise and prayer to the Master Artist of the Uni- verse who limns the canvas of nature with such an indescribable glory. In these warm waters, unclouded sunshine and fragrant breezes of the South there is a tranquilizing influence which tends to mental repose and dreamy existence. The hours pass away in such a dolce far niente fashion that they slip unnoticed through the glass of time. The world and its cares and concerns, trials and troubles, sins and sorrows are forgotten, gliding through this para- dise of the Caribbean which seems like a foretaste of the paradise of the Eternal. We were satisfied to sit the greater part of the time on deck and gaze on the waves lazily rolling toward us from the perspective of the hazy distance, until they exhausted themselves in tiny sprays of foam against the sides of our vessel as she steadily ploughed onward on her course ; or to watch the wayward flapping of a few stray sea-gulls like white specks between us and the azure vault of heaven, and the antics of the flying-fish as they darted from the waves in pursuit of some morsel of prey. Finally, Porto Bello appeared on our lee, and in a couple of hours more our steamer was alongside the wharf at Aspinwall, or Colon, as it is now generally called. The town is situated on a detached piece of ground, the tiny island of Manzanillo. Here many of us looked forward with anticipations as being ' Nearer to the wayside inns Where sea-sickness ceased and rest begins." 46 UNDER THE SOUTHERN CROSS Landing amid the usual scenes consequent upon custom inspec- tion, with its attendant confusion, we took carriages for a drive about the place to view the sights and limber up a bit after our voyage, before starting on our railway journey to Panama. Colon is not such a forsaken place as many would have us sup- pose, nor is it so undesirable a spot as commonly reported. That it is hot goes without saying, but the heat has been so tempered by American enterprise and modern conveniences that it is no longer an insurmountable object to the comfort of persons from Northern latitudes. Since Americans have been in control they have paved the streets, made cement side-walks, put in sewers, graded the heights and hollows, raised the houses of the inhabitants, introduced mosquito-screens to protect the dwellers from the ubiquitous pests, and brought about many other improvements. These sanitary aids have done much to prevent disease and make the town normally healthy for both natives and foreigners. In most respects Colon is just like any other tropical seaport. From a casual view it has something of the appearance of a North- ern fishing village. A breeze wafts in from the Caribbean at all times as soft and sweet as a virgin's breath, but it is somewhat erratic, doubling at angles and turning corners, which makes it extremely hard to catch. When it does fan the cheek it is like the waft of an angel's wing, transporting one as it were from the heat and glare of the tropics to some heaven-blessed clime where roses eternal bloom, the scents of which regale the nostrils with a frag- rance worthy the incense of the gods. Colon is the port of supply for the Canal Zone. Every morning at four o'clock a train pulls out laden to the last car with food- stuffs for the Commissary Department at Panama. Aside from the imported commodities the town turns out quite a respectable amount of edibles on its own account. There is a pie-bakery with a daily output of more than a thousand of the appetizing little disks of mince, apple, pumpkin and other ingredients. A bread-bakery yields fifteen thousand loaves of bread daily from its ovens, while facilities would allow this daily supply to be increased to sixty thousand loaves. An ice-plant manufactures seventy-five thousand tons of the frozen product every twenty-four hours, the output being distributed clear across the Isthmus to the Pacific Slope. Vegetables are sent in season to hotels, messes, and kitchens at merely the cost of handling. Many other home products are dis- tributed from this little port of entrance. •A'-Cv".-' , *• ' [' ■• -"• J/t&f-iMkw, •'itfStel^. h^^TiH ■El jSgS if