$ :£-.^lf. ' r^^c- t^.^^mW&:. ^ipfRSSPSKM Class ri(>ii BooL '1J.Z_ Copyright N° COPYRIGHT DEPOSm CRUISING IN THE WEST INDIES \ CRUISING IN THE WEST INDIES, BY ANSON PHELPS STOKES FORMERLY VICE-COMMODORE OF THE NEW YORK YACHT CLUB NEW YORK DODD, MEAD & CO. 1902 Copyright, 1902, by Anson Phelps Stokes Published, July, igo2 THE DE VINNE PRESS At a meeting of the New York Yacht Club, held at the Club House, May 15, 1902, ex- Vice-Com- modore Anson Phelps Stokes made the following motion : Resolved, that a committee be appointed, by the Commodore, to consider the question of a squad- ron cruise in the West Indies next winter, and to report at the October meeting. Several members spoke in favor and none op- posed, and the motion was carried unanimously. ADDRESS AT THE NEW YORK YACHT CLUB REPORTING THE CRUISE OF THE SCHOONER YACHT SEA FOX TO THE WEST INDIES AND ADVOCATING A SQUADRON CRUISE THERE ADDRESS OF ANSON PHELPS STOKES IN THE NEW YORK YACHT CLUB, MAY 15, 1902, ON HIS MOTION FOR A COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER THE QUESTION OF A SQUADRON CRUISE TO THE WEST INDIES NEXT WINTER Commodore: I have lately returned from a West Indian cruise in my yacht, the Sea Fox. The terrible disaster which has overwhelmed, within the last few days, the beautiful and fertile islands of Martinique and St. Vincent has startled the world. While rejoicing at the prompt and efficient efforts to relieve present distress there, let us remember, also, that for their permanent pros- perity the lovely Carib Islands have the utmost need of greater intercourse with the United States. This more neighborly intercourse our club can pro- mote to the benefit of all concerned. The unequaled advantages for winter cruising afforded by the eastern part of the Caribbean Sea, from Porto Rico to Trinidad, have led me to sug- gest a squadron cruise there, and to prepare a few short notes for the use of such of my fellow- members as may think of sailing in those waters for the first time. I had considerable previous yachting experience at home and abroad. When I owned the Clytie, I took her, in 1880, to Bermuda. I have yachted in English waters and among the isles of Greece, and last year I went, in the Mermaid, to and among the Bahamas for about two months. But when I tried to plan a West Indian cruise, I found much study was required to obtain the necessary information. Many books have been written about the West Indies by literary and scientific men, by newspaper correspondents, and by tourists. But the precise information needed by yachtsmen is as different from that required by tourists as the charm of these lovely shores seen from a yacht is different from the very inadequate idea of their beauty obtained from the crowded deck of a steamer, which hurries along at a distance, enters few of the most inter- esting bays, and passes much of the finest scenery during the night. However, the experience I gained as a tourist in West Indian waters three years ago was of use in planning for yachting there. ID Recent events have led to largely increased American interest in these islands and in their future. The great variety found in the appearance and condition of the inhabitants, the various systems of land ownership and of labor, some islands be- ing cultivated by a few individuals or companies, some having peasant proprietors or systems of sharing, some Hindu and Chinese labor, some per- mitting squatting on crown lands, some having public sugar-factories established by the govern- ment or by European corporations, the general de- cay caused by want of commercial intercourse with the United States and with each other, the differ- ent colonial systems of the nations owning the islands, the tariff, sugar, and negro questions, all these present an important study for Americans who are now called upon to consider colonial problems. It is only by actual visits that the real conditions in the Virgin, Leeward, and Windward Islands can be understood. Yachts are the best means for visiting these islands, and we have, in the north- eastern and eastern parts of the Caribbean Sea, in- comparably the best waters for our winter yachting. If I can contribute a little to facilitate plans for yachting there, I feel it a duty that I owe to the II New York Yacht Club, which has twice done me the honor of electing me its vice-commodore. CONDITIONS TO BE CONSIDERED In the first place, a large and expensive steam yacht is not required in and about the Caribbean Sea, the trade-winds being all-sufficient. In forty- four days from Trinidad, through the islands to Cuba, we had only two calm days, and even in these days there were hours when we made good prog- ress. It is, however, often nearly calm at night. Sheltered harbors abound. During February, March, and April the trades blow steadily almost every day from an easterly direction, mostly north of east above Barbados, and south of east between Barbados and Trinidad. There are no hurricanes in the West Indies during these the best months for cruising there, and no northers in the eastern part of the Caribbean Sea. The words Leeward, applied to those islands above fifteen degrees north latitude, and Wind- ward, applied to those below fifteen degrees north latitude, are misleading. All the islands east and northeast of the Caribbean Sea ought to be called Windward Islands. 12 The principal islands between the Virgins and Grenada are generally about thirty miles apart. There are many smaller ones also well worth visiting. All the way from Porto Rico to the Orinoco a good sailing yacht, sixty to one hundred feet on water-line, is sufficient for comfort, and, to my mind, far superior to a steam yacht for the enjoy- ment of these waters. Yachts much smaller than sixty feet water-line can be used there with entire safety during Feb- ruary, March, and April. Many native open dug- outs are met five to ten miles from shore fishing for flying-fish. PLAN OF CRUISE A plan of cruise is necessary to those who have limited time, and who wish to use the time to best advantage. Unless such a plan is decided upon in advance, it is not easy for owners and guests to arrange for letters from home. In planning a cruise, the first thing is to get a copy of Navy Department Publication No. S6, "The Navigation of the Gulf of Mexico and Carib- 13 bean Sea/' vol. i. This furnishes, among much else that is important, a list of charts required. I will give, later, a list of some other books that may be found useful. Most of our members have engagements at home during the early part of January. Many are glad to be away February and March, and unable to be absent longer than sixty to one hundred days. One hundred days are sufficient to visit, in a sailing yacht, Bermuda, Barbados, Tobago, Trini- dad, and all the most interesting islands between Trinidad and St. Thomas, to see St. Thomas and some of the ports of Porto Rico, Hayti, Jamaica, and Cuba, and to return to New York from a Florida or other southern United States port. By hurrying, all this can be done in ninety days. FOR A SIXTY days' CRUISE IN A SAILING YACHT Those who do not wish to be absent from New York more than about sixty days, I should advise to send their yachts to St. Thomas, and that out- side scraping, varnishing, and painting, etc., be done there. It is cold, slow, and expensive doing outside work on yachts in New York in January, 14 and boats and upper works get messed up a lot going from New York to the Caribbean Sea. There are good faciHties for hauling, etc., at St. Thomas, a dry-dock, and a marine railway. Owners and guests can go there by steamer. More steamers may soon be put on, and some of the tourist steamers may be found available. A num- ber of steamers are advertised "to call at St. Thomas if required." St. Thomas is now reported to be a very healthy port, a short canal having been cut to cause a circulation of water through the harbor. Before definitely deciding upon a plan of cruise, careful inquiry should be made at the offices of the various West Indian steamship companies as to the steamers that may be sailing to the various ports. It is possible that great changes may be made in this service. Barbados lies so far to the eastward that it can- not be reached from the nearest part of the Carib- bean Sea without nearly one hundred miles of windward work against the current. Antigua is not as interesting as many of the other islands. So those who wish to be absent from New York only sixty days had best, I think, join their yachts at St. Thomas and omit Barbados and Antigua. 15 It would be a pity to omit Tobago, as this is one of the most strikingly romantic-looking of all, and, according to most of the later authorities, it is the scene of "Robinson Crusoe." And it can usually be reached from Grenada without wind- ward work. By omitting Bermuda, Barbados, Tobago, Trini- dad, and St. Croix, and going to St. Thomas by steamer and returning thence or from San Juan by steamer, it is possible to visit the Virgins and Leeward and Windward Islands in six weeks, from the time of leaving New York to the time of return to New York, if there be no delay wait- ing for steamer. I would advise those who have only sixty days to be absent from New York to arrange to have their yachts ready in good time, and to sail from St. Thomas by February i. Then, for a day or two, to beat to windward among the smooth sounds and lovely bays of the Virgin Islands, while guests are getting a pleasant "notion of the motion of the ocean" in a yacht, and then to sail, inside of the Leeward and Windward Islands and without many stoppages, to Trinidad. It is better to be at the most southern port in the cooler weather, and it is best to visit most of the islands while sailing toward the north, for the wind is more favorable i6 if we continue on to St. Croix, etc., and in sailing near the beautiful shores, as one wants to do in visiting the Caribbean Islands, it is safer to have the sun at one's back, so that the color of the water can be distinctly seen, and reefs and coral- heads avoided. If Tobago be visited, this should be on the way south, for it would be very slow sailing easterly along the north coast of Trinidad against wind and strong current. CRUISE OF THE SEA FOX I left New York, January 24, 1902, by train, and joined, at Charleston, South Carolina, my yacht, the schooner Sea Fox (961^5^ net tons, 89 feet 5 inches water-line, 115 feet over all, and 11 feet draught, yacht measurement, but drawing nearly 12 feet with her extra cruising stores, boats, fittings, and ice, coal, water, etc.). We sailed from Charleston January 26, arrived Bermuda January 31, left there February 6, and arrived Barbados February 14; left there Feb- ruary 18, arrived Tobago February 19, and at Port of Spain, Trinidad, February 21; visited the 17 principal islands between Trinidad and St. Thomas, including Grenada, Cariacou, St. Vincent, St. Lucia, Martinique, Les Saints, Dominica, Grande Terre, Guadeloupe, Montserrat, Antigua, Nevis, St. Kitts, St. Eustatius, Saba, St. Croix, and St. John; sailed April 4 from St. Thomas, via Cule- bra, for San Juan, Porto Rico, where we arrived April 5 ; left San Juan April 7, and sailed along the northern coasts of Porto Rico and Hayti to the eastern end of Cuba, then by the western coasts of Great Inagua, Acklin, and Crooked Islands, and past Long, Exuma, Rum, Watlings, Cat, Eleu- thera, and other islands to Nassau, where we ar- rived early April 14; and, sailing at 4 p.m. the same day, arrived at Fernandina, Florida, April 18, and at New York, by train, April 20 — eighty- six days from the time I left home. We could have been back sooner by going from San Juan to Charleston, for there is little doubt we would have had the trades as far north as about twenty-five degrees north latitude. But we wanted to see the other islands, and were delayed by calms and contrary winds off the Florida coast, where winds are commonly uncertain. We did not hurry very much, but stopped to dine at gov- ernment houses, and to entertain on board yacht, etc. 18 THE ITINERARY I have prepared an itinerary arranged for those owners of sailing yachts who may wish to be ab- sent from New York only sixty days. Most of this itinerary may be used, with the added notes, by those who, having more time, may wish to in- clude in their cruise Bermuda, Barbados, Antigua, and southern shores of Porto Rico, Hayti, Ja- maica, and Cuba and the city of Havana. The itinerary, it will be seen, allows five days for steamer from New York to St. Thomas, forty- three days among the islands, and twelve days for sailing and training from St. Thomas, or from San Juan, Porto Rico, to New York, via Charles- ton, South Carolina, or via Nassau and Florida, or along the northern coasts of Porto Rico, Hayti, and Cuba, etc. These coasts are very interesting.^ On the other hand, there is a certain exhilaration and monarch-of-all-you-survey feeling in yachting far away from land. ^Matanzas is a charming, healthy port, with clean water, lovely scenery, and a railway to Havana. At Havana, as at Santiago and other ports on south of Cuba, the water in the harbors is very vile, and will probably so continue until canals are cut as at St. Thomas. 19 NOTES I add a few notes regarding particulars to be considered in planning a cruise in a sailing yacht through the eastern part of the Caribbean, and some matters observed there, and a short mention of yachting in Grecian waters and in England; also some sailing reminiscences, and thoughts of the future of the West Indian islands. WINTER CRUISING Among the considerations that appeal to me in favor of winter yachting in the eastern part of the Caribbean is that old and even infirm yachts- men can there enjoy outdoor life with great com- fort in a delightful and healthy climate, with fine steady sailing breezes six days out of seven, quiet anchorages, regular exercise, inland excursions over good roads, evening launch cruises about har- bors of wonderful beauty and along coral sand beaches, on which palms grow, while above are seen bold cliffs, the greenest of fields, and lofty 20 wood-covered mountains. One meets interesting people at government houses/ at messes, clubs, and on board men-of-war, and learns facts about colonial problems, while avoiding snow, blizzards, and influenza. Now that the old difficulty about ice is done away with by the general introduc- tion of ice-plants, one can always have good food on a yacht in these waters. I do not doubt that a few months' yachting in the tropics would generally benefit most old yachts- men.2 The eastern part of the Caribbean Sea is an excellent place for young yachtsmen to get the training necessary to make them useful if called upon to defend their country in the navy reserve ^ The hospitality, grace, and charm found in the govern- ment houses of British colonies, as in the homes of Eng- land, are celebrated throughout the world, and beyond ade- quate expression by any words at my command. In the present terrible disaster, it is fortunate for the islands that there are in government houses at St. Vincent, St. Lucia, Trinidad, etc., those well fitted to meet the emergency, yet it is sad to think what dangers and sufferings are threaten- ing friends there. ^ I ought perhaps to mention that when I left home I was suffering from traumatic neuralgia, following the loss of my left leg — the result of my horse bolting and crushing my leg against a tree in 1899. The neuralgia soon mostly passed away on the yacht, I obtained sufficient sleep, and the mild exercise at the wheel was beneficial. 21 or in the navy. We may sometime need a large navy reserve mosquito fleet in that neighborhood. It is possible that some who have been in the habit of spending summer months floating about in palaces on our smooth sounds and bays might, by a cruise in the West Indies, be led to take an interest in real yachting, A NEW YORK YACHT CLUB SQUADRON CRUISE IN THE WEST INDIES It would be an interesting and a sporting thing for the New York Yacht Club to arrange a West Indian cruise for next winter with a squadron of yachts, the flag-ship carrying a surgeon. I think that if the club would decide upon this, and upon a regular plan of cruise, so many yachts would agree to join that it might be found best to have along a tug fitted with an ice-plant, and that could go ahead at night with a clerk who could collect milk, fresh fruits and vegetables, ar- range for horses and for distribution of mails, telegrams, local newspapers, and the daily news reports which are posted in the telegraph offices. These matters cause much delay. 22 When the great tourist steamers visit some of the West Indian ports, the day being known ahead, private carriages are collected for hire on that day, and much fruit and vegetables for sale. THE SEAL OF THE NEW YORK YACHT CLUB The seal of our club represents yachts boldly beating out of harbor into a sea beyond which no land is to be seen. Our motto declares that we are driven with swelling sails — Nos agimur tumi- dis veils} Let us not change this for the motto, We steam over smoothest waters. ^ The motto on our seal, excepting the change of the first word, appears to have been taken from the Epistles of Hor- ace, book 2, epistle 2, verse 201 : Pauperies immunda tamen procul absit, ego utrum Nave ferar magna an parva, ferar unus et idem. Non agimur tumidis velis Aquilone secundo, Non tamen adversis aetatem ducimus Austris, Viribus, ingenio, specie, virtute, loco, re Extremi primorum, extremis usque priores. 23 ITINERARY ITINERARY FOR A SAILING YACHT CRUISE THROUGH THE EASTERN PART OF THE CARIBBEAN SEA, ETC., WITH ONLY SIXTY DAYS' ABSENCE FROM NEW YORK Days 1-5 Steamer to St. Thomas. 6 At St. Thomas. Get full supplies of ice and coal (hard coal if possible), and sail to some near-by port in the Virgin Islands. 7 Beat to windward among smooth sounds, etc., of Virgin Islands. 8 To St. Martin (if wind be favorable). This island belongs part to France and part to Holland. 9 To St. Kitts, passing near Saba and St. Eus- tatius. 27 Days 10 To Les Saints French Naval Station. Fine harbor, lovely scenery. De Grasse was de- feated by Rodney off these islands, April 12, 1782. The severest battle in English naval records. 11 To St. Pierre, Martinique. Before the ter- rible eruption of May 8, 1902, this was a very interesting old French town. There was a fine drive from St. Pierre to Fort de France, and it was best to take this drive going south, for better horses could be got at St. Pierre. Full particulars regarding this eruption and its results have not yet been received. Some changes may be found necessary in plan of visit to Martinique, etc. (See pages 31 and 32.) 12 To Kingstown, St. Vincent. Perfect harbor. Charming scenery. 13 To St. George, Grenada. A most lovely is- land. 14 To Tobago. Robinson Crusoe's Island. 15 At Tobago. See Man-of-War Bay and Ply- mouth Harbor, and drive or ride across island to Scarborough. 16 To Port of Spain, Trinidad. 17-19 At Trinidad. Only seven miles from the mountainous coast of South America. 28 Days A most interesting island of peasant proprietors. No sugar grown, but much fruit, etc. The finest oranges I have ever seen. The views from the 20 To Grenada. / south veranda of the Govern- 21 At Grenada. \ ment House are wonderfully fine. On the east is the beau- tiful Vale of Tempe, south are the mountains, and west the lovely harbor. Drive or ride to Grande Etang. 22 To Cariacou, going near other Grenadines. 23 Among Grenadines, and to Kingstown, St. Vincent. 24 At St. Vincent. Order horses by telephone, from Kingstown, to meet you at Chateau Belair next morning. 25 Start early, sail to Chateau Belair, ascend to the Soufriere crater, and sail for Castries, St. Lucia. 26 Arrive Castries; anchor to windward of hos- pital, which is below old Government House. Avoid neighborhood of coal docks, sewers, abattoirs, and swamp. Visit the re- markable new fortifications, etc., so far as you can obtain permits. Castries is a dirty 29 Days town, and this is one of the very few ports where you may find mosquitos.^ It is ne- cessary to enter at Castries before going to Port Soufriere, St. Lucia. Order by tele- phone horses to meet you next day at Sou- friere. 27 Sail to Port Soufriere. Get line to shore; no good anchorage. Ride or drive to old sul- phur works, getting grand views of Pitons, etc. It is said that the sulphur works were closed by an export tax to prevent laborers from being attracted away from sugar plan- tations.^ Go in launch about the Pitons. ^ Castries may be improved by a canal and by filling in swamp, through which a wide road has been made. Most small vessels anchor to leeward of the large coal docks, where the water is vile and the coal dust annoying. I an- chored first to windward of these docks, but found bad smell from sewers at low tide, and so crossed over to near the small coal dock, which was not being used. A little change in the wind brought mosquitos from the swamp, so I crossed to south side of harbor and anchored to windward of hospital under old Government House and inside the steamer buoy, to which an English man-of-war soon after made fast, and we had to carry an anchor near to the shore. ^ In 1836 two gentlemen of Antigua, Mr. Bennett and Mr. Wood, set up sulphur works at the Soufriere of St. Lucia and began prosperously enough, exporting five hundred and forty tons the first year. But in 1840 the sugar growers took the alarm, and at their instigation the legislative coun- 30 Days These stupendous rocks, nearly three thou- sand feet, deserve much attention from every direction. 28 Sail close by Diamond Rock to Fort de France (Fort Royal), Martinique. Birth- place of Josephine and of Madame de Main- tenon. Scene of "Paul et Virginie." Dia- mond Rock, from January, 1804, until June, 1805, was held by the British. It was rated as a war vessel on the Admiralty books, and did great injury to the French until it had to surrender for want of pow- der.^ It is six hundred feet high, one mile round, and one mile from the French island of Martinique. 29 At Fort de France. Station and dock-yards for French steamers, etc. There is a dry- dock here. 30 To St. Pierre, Martinique. See remarkable Jardin des Plantes — if the eruption has not destroyed it — and drive to Morne Rouge and to Morne Pelee. cil imposed a tax of i6.y. sterling on every ton of sulphur exported from the colony. Messrs. Bennett and Wood, after having incurred a heavy loss of time and treasure, had to break up their establishment and retire from the colony. Breen's "St. Lucia." ^ "Naval Chronicles," vol. xii, p. 206. 31 Days 31 At St. Pierre. Drive about harbor, etc., and to Hot Springs, and go about harbor in launch. 32 To Roseau, Dominica. This is perhaps the most beautiful of these islands. Mount Diabloten, over five thousand feet. Ride to Boiling Lake, etc., and sail to Ports- mouth, which is a quieter anchorage than Roseau. There are no public carriages in Dominica. I got a private carriage at Ro- seau. Road extends only about five miles. Some few hundred Caribs still on the island. 33 To Marie Galante, and sail to Pointe a Pitre on Grande Terre, the eastern and low half of the twin islands called Guadeloupe. 34 Take automobile tour around Grande Terre, and go in launch through Riviere Salee, which divides the two islands of Guade- loupe. See great sugar factory. The con- sul should be informed some days ahead, and asked to secure automobile. There are only two now in Guadeloupe, but several more may probably be there soon. May be able to get naphtha there for launch; in- quire of consul and automobile people. Probably safer to have naphtha sent from New York in good time. 32 Days 3S To Basse Terre, Guadeloupe. Note the very beautiful scenery of Guadeloupe, and the waterfall that appears to come out of the clouds. No quiet anchorage anywhere on the west side of Guadeloupe. I had a slip- line to steamer buoy, but this might not be permitted if a steamer were arriving. Take automobile drive. Sail to Montserrat. .36 Arrive Montserrat, and sail To Nevis, where Hamilton was born, and where Nelson was married, the Duke of Clarence, who was afterward King Wil- liam the Fourth, being his best man. The fashionable watering-place of the West In- dies, in the days when sugar was king. See ruins of great stone hotel; cost $200,000, and sold for $200. 37 To St. Kitts. Get green peas, melons, best sweet potatoes, guinea fowl, etc. .38 To Eustatius. Much market produce ex- ported from this island. 39 To Saba; anchor close under cliff, and go up steps to town of Bottom, i960 feet. Get fresh vegetables here. Sail for St. Croix, better known to some yachtsmen by its old and fragrant name, Santa Cruz. 40 Arrive at Fredericksted or at Christiansted, 33 Days whichever harbor the wind best suits. Fredericksted is a fine open roadstead. Christiansted is a land-locked harbor, with narrow, crooked entrance, and pilot may not come out in case of much sea. 41 Drive across island. Great sugar plantations, rich soil, etc. It is said that one third of the sugar-cane land belongs to a citizen of the United States. 42 To St. John Island. Visit Coral Bay and some other port in the Virgins not visited on way south. 43 To St. Thomas. 44 At St. Thomas. 45 To mouth of Culebra harbor, and to San Juan, Porto Rico. Many beautiful islands seen on the way. (Or, on days 42-45 sail from St. Croix to Culebra and to San Juan, Porto Rico. Cross the island to Ponce. Automobile diligences are at present running daily. A railway will soon be completed. ) 46 At San Juan. Grand old forts. Pleasant country club, with fine surf bathing. 47 Sail for the United States direct, or by one of the other routes before mentioned. 34 Days 48 Allow a day for some unknown delays.^ 60 Arrive New York; or perhaps sooner if you sail direct to Fernandina or Charleston from St. Thomas or San Juan. * In case of unexpected delaj'-, a day or two may be economized by sailing at night. 35 NOTES OF SOME PARTICULARS TO BE CONSIDERED IN PLANNING A SAILING YACHT CRUISE IN THE WEST INDIES, ETC. NOTES OF SOME PARTICULARS TO BE CONSIDERED IN PLANNING A SAILING YACHT CRUISE IN THE WEST INDIES, ETC. Spars, Sails, Etc. For the benefit of those mem- bers of our club who have not done much ocean cruising, I may be permitted to mention that as yachts have to sail through rough weather in going from New York to the West Indies, and as strong puffs of wind come down from the steep sides of the islands, and as there are, occa- sionally, severe squalls, bowsprit, main boom, and topmasts should be shortened, and good cruising sails should be carried. The mainsail ought to be cut high in the clue. Remember that new sails will stretch greatly in continuous warm, dry weather. A storm trysail should be taken. Moderate sails should be provided for the cut- ter, as with the constant trades this can be used much in the harbors. 39 A small awning, say about eight feet by four- teen feet, to be used on either side of yacht while sailing, is very useful. It should be of stout can- vas, thoroughly well roped, etc., and lined with thin blue canvas. The sky there is commonly partly overcast, and there are almost every day short, light showers. But the sun often shines very strongly for hours at a time. Anchors, Etc. It is important to have good and sufficient ground tackle. Pretty little brass- mounted capstans will not be sufficient. Re- member that coral often presents foul bottom, that many old anchors have been abandoned in harbors during the hurricane season, that moor- ing buoys for steamers often have heavy chains from moorings to the shore, and that your an- chor may get caught on these. As the bottom often runs down very suddenly, it is sometimes necessary to have a line to a tree ashore to keep anchor from slipping off the bank. Sailing. In sailing over shoals marked three to four fathoms, have an experienced man in for- ward rigging to look out for coral-heads, etc., which may not have been noticed by hydrograph- ers some years before. Always remember that not only are the winds from the eastward, but the current also gener- 40 ally runs toward the west, so that to sail from San Juan to St. Thomas, or from the Caribbean Sea to Barbados, would probably be very slow work. Many wrecks have occurred on the windward sides of the Bahamas and other islands from failure to make sufficient allowance for the wes- terly current, which sometimes increases sud- denly on account of atmospheric changes. Supplies. As some yachtsmen are not like Dib- din's mariners — The sailors, the sailors, Whose home is on the seas, Who make the wars And keep the laws And live on yellow peas — it is necessary to give considerable attention to the subject of supplies. Ice is commonly obtainable at most of the islands, but some of the factories will not fur- nish more than half a ton without notice. At some few ports schooners from Maine are some- times found, and sell cheaper than the factories. We found an ice schooner at St. Thomas. Water is said to be good at Barbados, Trini- dad, and St. Thomas, and is delivered from water-boats with pumps. Water is probably 41 good at many other places. (Consult Navy De- partment Publication No. 86.) Where water is delivered in puncheons, examine each punch- eon carefully to see that the water is clear and free from the smell of rum, which smell will stay long in yacht tanks. I would not take water at Antigua or at St. Lucia. Vegetables, Fowl, Etc. Chickens are ob- tainable at almost all the islands; ducks and meat at many. Eggs, milk, fish, and common fruits and vegetables are generally obtainable, and commonly offered for sale by boats coming alongside. Nice green peas, string beans, as- paragus, tomatoes, melons, flowers, etc., are sel- dom offered by boats or in the markets, but can sometimes be obtained from farmers and others living a few miles from the ports. It is some- times worth while for owners, when driving, to make inquiries and to secure these. At St. Kitts, Saba, St. Eustatius, etc., there are market gar- dens. At Montserrat and at some other islands market gardens are being established. Inquire at the Botanical Gardens.^ Women are seen in ^ Charitable efforts are being made to induce poor people to raise fine vegetables for sale. At one island, not named here, a lady told me that she was much pleased at the suc- cess of the little garden belonging to a negro, and that 42 some of the islands carrying on their heads fine melons and other fruits to sell at the ports to the families that they know will buy. West Indian watermelons are particularly good, al- though they look like green pumpkins. There are fine vegetable farms at Nassau, fifteen miles or so from the port, and from one of these vege- tables are sent in on Tuesdays and Saturdays to parties that order them. Inquire of consul. Game birds may sometimes be found. Venison may be had at Trinidad and St. Croix; turtle at Trinidad and at some other islands. It is not fair to blame stewards for not al- ways getting the best fresh provisions, for usu- ally they have not time to look them up. At Bermuda I saw the very finest potatoes being dug in the fields, while those offered in the market were inferior. I asked one woman, who tried to sell poor bananas at the yacht side, why she did not bring good ones, and she said the steamer had taken all the good ones the day before. At Montserrat I asked at a leading shop for new potatoes, and they had only old potatoes, upon congratulating him he replied, "Ain't gwine to raise no mo' vegetables, cos dey steals 'em. I 's gwine to steal vege- tables next year." 43 but said they had fine new ones if I would wait for them to send two miles into the interior. Trying to buy some Spanish onions in the mar- ket, I had to wait a long time to have them weighed at the public scales, apparently the only scales there. I mention these details to show that to get the best fresh food often requires considerable time in the West Indies. Naphtha will be largely used. It is not lawful cargo for passenger vessels, and cannot be obtained at present in English ports among the islands. I found it only at Pointe a Pitre and Basse Terre, Guadeloupe, and at San Juan, Porto Rico. At these places automobiles are used, and their use will probably increase. I was just too late to buy any naphtha at Pointe a Pitre, and could get only twenty gallons at Basse Terre. This was furnished by M. Ance- lin, who has an automobile for rent, and is try- ing to obtain a government subsidy for the es- tablishment of automobile diligences. It would be well to inquire of M. Ancelin or of the United States consul at Pointe a Pitre some time be- fore leaving New York, or, better, to have naphtha shipped from New York to Pointe a Pitre in good time. 44 Coal. At most places only soft coal is ob- tainable. Deck Chairs, Etc. The old-fashioned split- bamboo Madeira chairs, with brass hooks for back and with leg supports that slide under, are the best. They are light, fit the deck with all feet, and fold up in small space. Ordinary bam- boo arm-chairs, not too large, are also useful. But the common steamer chairs get in the way, and injure teak and mahogany on deck and in chart-room, etc. Often only three of the legs touch the deck at the same time. Thus they walk about the deck of a sailing yacht at sea. They ought to be allowed to get lost overboard unac- countably, with Saratoga trunks, the first night out. Twenty-two years ago, when I was returning in the Clytie from Bermuda, a clergyman guest went on deck to smoke after dinner, and promptly fell over a steamer chair. He sat quietly rubbing his shin, until another guest who was following him also fell over the steamer chair, and made a comment, upon which the clergyman said, "Oh ! thank you, that was what I wanted to say." A powerful lamp to hang under boom should be provided, also a good deck card-table with 45 folding legs. Feet of deck chairs and table should have rubber sockets. The deck will be much used in the evening in the tropics. Quarantine. Be careful to comply with all regu- lations. Carry vaccination certificates from home, or you may have to submit to examination and to vaccination in case a recent mark be not found. Have the crew all vaccinated. Where there is the least doubt, ask, before entering, whether a port is clean, so as to be sure that you can get a clean bill of health when leaving. PRESENT CONDITIONS IN THE ISLANDS The multiplicity of quarantine regulations be- tween the islands is annoying to travelers, and greatly interferes with trade, etc. There appears an intention to put obstacles in the way of intercourse. Rodney expressly insisted, at the time of the Treaty of Versailles, 1783, that Dominica must be retained by the English to prevent the French islands on either side of it from becoming too prosperous and important. This isolation has been ruinous to Dominica. 46 It is almost without roads or trade, while the islands on either side — Martinique and Guade- loupe — ^have good roads and considerable com- merce, mostly with France. Dominica has fine streams and very fertile soil, and is well suited for all kinds of tropical produce in the lowlands, and for many other crops on the higher levels. The inhabitants speak a French patois, and live for the most part, as far as I could see, in miserable huts. They have many fish in their rivers and off- shore fisheries, but cannot sell to Guadeloupe, which depends for most of its fish on salt codfish brought from the French fisheries at Newfound- land. How could any State in our Union prosper if each county had its own quarantine and customs laws, and a lot of officials to enforce them, and a currency which was at large discount in the next county? Almost all the principal islands on the east side of the Caribbean Sea have exceedingly rich soil, and would be very prosperous if they had free trade with the United States and with each other. The English islands will, I think, soon be clamoring for some connection with us, if they 47 find we treat Cuba and the Danish islands Hb- erally. The English Virgins come within about one mile of the Danish Virgins. It is already beginning to be understood that Porto Rico is improving, and that laborers now get higher wages there than in the Leeward and Windward Islands, where men for the most part receive twenty cents a day, and where women work in the fields and on the roads for much less. The English are concentrating their forces at Castries, St. Lucia, a very important land- locked harbor and coaling station, to defend which they are spending vast sums on modern fortifications, etc. Much of the work about the fortifications and almost all the loading and un- loading of ships are done by women. The women, with slight clothing and bare feet, walk on long gang-planks, carrying on their heads baskets of the softest coal, the dust from which is carried about by the wind. The combination of royal mail steamers and ragged female steve- dores is not pleasing. The British war-ship Sirius anchored near us, and in returning our salute played "The Star- Spangled Banner," and the senior lieutenant came at once on board to bring the commodore's compliments, etc. 48 Trinidad and Tobago are self-supporting and prosperous, but before long the question of dis- posing of the English Leeward and Windward Islands, excepting St. Lucia, will, I think, be- come a prominent one in English politics.^ The Federation Act of 1871 effected good in some directions, and increased dissatisfaction in others. The commission of which Sir Henry Norman was president, sent out in 1897, has shown the agricultural position. The late con- ference on the sugar-bounty question has shown the benefits of discussion, and that nations can act in a civilized way toward each other, as many individual men do. But it is now obvious that something further is necessary for the pros- perity of the Leeward and Windward Islands, to stop annual deficits and to avoid the dangers that must arise from popular discontent. Access to the markets of the United States appears indispensable for real prosperity. Free intercourse and trade between themselves would help. ^ "Dominica stands between the two French colonies, show- ing, in its internal condition, a lamentable contrast to their prosperity. What we have done with it since about 1805 no one knows, except those who are directly interested, and to those the last half century has been disastrous. Some people say, restore it to the French, and allow them to raise 49 Sea power has long been the great thought of English statesmen in their consideration of the West Indies. Very astute English governors and admirals there have for centuries reported to the foreign office on this question. Sir William Stapleton, Governor of the Leeward Islands in the time of Charles II, wrote in one of his re- ports : '^He that is master of the sea will go near to he the same at land." It is now recognized that the ownership of a great number of islands does not increase sea power. Only very few islands have deep land- locked harbors like Castries, where modern ves- sels of war can coal. it to the level of their own contiguous colonies, but such a course could not be advocated in these pages. . . . Imports in 1882, £72,326. Exports in 1878, £84,703. Imports in 1887, £46,890. Exports in 1887, £48,105." "The West Indies," by G. W. Eves, F.R.G.S., member of the Royal Colonial Institute. Published under the auspices of the Royal Colonial Ir^Jtitute, the most important and influ- ential association connected with the British colonies. His Majesty King Edward VII, when Prince of Wales, was president, and delivered a lengthy address from the chair 50 NOTES REGARDING THE BERMUDAS, BARBADOS, ANTIGUA, AND THE BAHAMAS NOTES REGARDING THE BERMUDAS, BARBADOS, ANTIGUA, AND THE BAHAMAS Bermudas. Very interesting and beautiful islands, but there is often strong northerly wind, and the seas about Bermuda are usually rough. I went there first in 1880, in the Clytie, and found a charming and most hospitable place. There was so much going on ashore at St. George's and at Hamilton, that we saw little of the islands. When we left, Governor Laffan sent his launch to show us the way out of Ham- ilton harbor. Lady Laffan and her family sailed with us to the admiralty buoy, where Admiral McClintock and Lady McClintock and others came on board also for luncheon. Then we started for home. But off St. George's, Colo- nel Vigors of the XIX (Princess of Wales's Own) and Colonel Stokes of the Engineers came out in a cutter and said that they had the big guns trained to sink us unless we 53 came ashore and dined at the Engineers' mess, as we had not dined at that mess. So we an- chored in St. George's harbor and dined with the Engineers, remaining at table until after mid- night. There were many more troops at Ber- muda in those days than there are now. The XIX had the finest mess-plate, etc., I have ever seen. I remember that some of the band sang, as well as played, during dinner. I took an American twenty-foot cat-boat to Bermuda on deck of steamer in 1886, and en- joyed much the sailing about inner harbor. The sailing for yachts in the inner and outer har- bors is rather restricted, and is not nearly so good as at Nassau for yachts drawing six and one half feet or less. In sailing south from Bermuda toward St. Thomas one may be delayed by doldrums. By sailing from Bermuda in a southeasterly direc- tion for a couple of days or so, to meet the northeast trades, Barbados may commonly be reached as soon as, or sooner than, St. Thomas could be from Bermuda. A supply of selected new potatoes, etc., should be got at Bermuda. Barbados is an interesting island, densely popu- lated, having over one thousand inhabitants per 54 square mile — about five times as many as in Massachusetts. But it would not be pleasant for a yacht inside the dirty little inner harbor, and the roadstead is uncomfortable, the waves rolling in almost all the time around the south- western corner of the island. There is a screw dock where vessels of con- siderable size are hauled. The troops are about to be moved to St. Lucia, and Barbados seems to be declining in impor- tance, although the whites there claim that this island has a distinct advantage in that the ne- groes cannot find crown lands there to squat on, and so have to work on the sugar plantations. The island is well worth seeing, has a fine club, pleasant society, and many interesting early associations with Massachusetts and Vir- ginia. Henry Winthrop went there with the first set- tlers under Captain Powell in 1626, and wrote interesting letters thence to his father, John Winthrop, afterward first Governor of Massa- chusetts.^ The Woodbridge estate was the finest on the ^Another son, Samuel Winthrop, settled at Antigua, and another son, John Winthrop, Jr., founded New London, Con- necticut. See "Mass. Historical Coll.," vol. viii, fifth series. 55 island. Part of it, "Porter's plantation/' still re- mains in the possession of a descendant of John Woodbridge, who married a daughter of Thomas Dudley, second Governor of Massa- chusetts, whose son Samuel married Governor Winthrop's daughter Mary. The private chapel of Dudley Woodbridge, now turned into a swim- ming bath, is still shown, close by the house at Porter's plantation.^ Washington, when about twenty years old, visited Barbados. He was then a major in the British army in Virginia, and had been official surveyor of Culpeper County and had stud- ied navigation. W^hile at sea, although very seasick, he kept a log-book, and "took with regu- larity the daily instrumental observations." He also kept a journal, in which he writes as fol- lows of arrival off Barbados, November 3, "We were greatly alarm'd with the cry of Land at 4 a.m. : we quitted our beds with sur- prise and found ye land plainly appearing about 3 leauges distance when by our reckonings we shou'd have been near 150 leauges to the Wind- ward we to Leeward abt ye distance above men- ^ See marble tablet in the chapel, and wife's tomb in parish church. 56 tion'd and had we been but 3 or 4 leauges more we shou'd have been out of sight of the Island run down the Latitude and probably not have discover'd our Error in time to have gain'd the land for 3 Weeks or More." ^ If Washington had been trained in the New York Yacht Club, he might have been able to ascertain his position at sea more accurately. For the letters he wrote when sending his unsat- isfactory slaves to Barbados to be sold and the proceeds converted into rum, etc., and the use he made of the "best Barbadoes rum," etc., for electioneering purposes when he was a candi- date for the Virginia House of Burgesses, see "The True George Washington," by Paul Lei- cester Ford.2 ^"The Daily Journal of Major George Washington," pub- fished by Joel Munsell's Sons, Albany, New York. ^Mr. Ford gives some particulars of Washington's first efforts in local politics, and it appears that when he ran for burgess in 1757, Washington opposed the liquor interest and was defeated, the vote being: Swearingen, 270; Washing- ton, 40. The following year the friendly aid of the county boss, John Wood, was secured, and the voters enjoyed, at' Washington's charge — I hhd. & I Barrell of Punch consisting of 26 gals, best Barbadoes rum 12 lbs. S. Refd. Sugar 40 gallons of Rum Punch 57 Antigua, capital of the Leeward Islands. Intri- cate, shallow harbor. Anchorage far from land- 10 Bowls of Punch 28j4 gallons of wine 46 gallons of beer, mostly strong beer besides Brandy, Cyder and a "Dinner for Friends," and he was elected, the vote being Washington 310, Swearingen 45. After the election he wrote to Wood, "My only fear is that you spent with too sparing a hand." Washington continued to treat the electors liberally and to be elected burgess until he took command of the army. In 1766 Washington wrote: "With this letter comes a negro (Tom) which I beg the favor of you to sell in any of the islands you may go to, for whatever he will fetch, and bring me in return for him One hhd of best molasses One ditto of best rum One barrel of lymes, if good and cheap One pot of tamarinds, containing about 10 lbs. Two small ditto of mixed sweetmeats, about 5 lbs. each. And the residue, much or little, in good old spirits. That this fellow is both a rogue and a runaway, . . ." Another "misbehaving fellow" was shipped off in 1791, and was sold for "one pipe and Quarter Cask of wine from the West Indies . . ." Later, Washington writes to his overseer, "I am sorry that so likely a fellow as Matilda's Ben should addict himself to such courses as he is pursuing, . . ." and threatens that he will "ship him off (as I did Wagoner Jack) for the West Indies." In considering the question as to the fitness of any people for self-government, one ought to study the real conditions in our own country at the time of the Revolution. 58 ing. Not as interesting as many of the other islands. The Bahamas. The neighborhood of Nassau is a most charming place for winter yachting in small yachts not over six and one half feet draft. A line of islands extends northeasterly from Nassau forty-five miles to the north point of Eleuthera, a narrow, fertile island, which runs thence southeasterly forty-five miles and then south forty miles. These islands protect from the northerly and easterly prevailing winds a great shallow, crescent-shaped bight, about sixty miles long between the east and west ends, and fifteen miles wide in the middle. This is also protected on the south by nearly dry coral-sand- banks, and on the west by shoals. The water is mostly two to ^ve fathoms, but there are shoals, reefs, and coral-heads. The bottom be- ing coral and coral-sand, the colors of the water present very beautiful shades of green, and the dark coral-heads are easily seen. To sail from this bight to Nassau, the chan- nel has only one and one fourth fathoms, and there is only about the same water in going from the bight through the channels to Spanish Wells, to Harbor Island, and along the shores of Eleu- thera to Exuma Sound, and in the best pro- 59 tected parts of numerous harbors in the neigh- borhood and in crossing the western part of the Great Bahama Bank or coral shelf from the Tongue of the Ocean to the Florida Straits. So if a yacht draws seven feet, it will often get aground or have to wait for tides, etc., or sail out into the open ocean. I spent nearly two months sailing about these waters in February and March, 1901, in my small yacht Mermaid, which I built for the pur- pose when I had not recovered sufficiently from the loss of my leg for a more distant cruise. I know of no other place where one can enjoy so much pleasant, smooth-water sailing in the win- ter as at Nassau. The Mermaid, which I no longer own, is, according to yacht measurement, forty-six feet load water-line, sixty-six feet four inches over all, thirty-one tons, six feet draft, but draws nearly six and one half feet when fully loaded for a long cruise, with extra stores, etc. I was less than twenty-five hours sailing from opposite the hotel at Miami to Nassau. We had a severe norther, and kept in the ship channel, for there was too much surf to get through the passage on to the Great Bahama Bank at Gun Cay, as I had intended to do. Returning from 60 Nassau to Miami, we were only twenty-two hours actual sailing. We went from Nassau to Northwest Channel, forty miles, thence across shelf, mostly two fathoms of water, seventy miles to Cat Cay ^ at Gun Cay Channel, and sailed thence to Miami. I stopped overnight with a very hospitable Englishman whom I had met at Government House, Nassau. He owns Cat Cay. All the inhabitants, about twenty-five, are in his em- ploy, and he has a yacht and was building a stone breakwater. Gun Cay is only forty-five miles from the mouth of Miami Channel. Even a very small yacht can go to Nassau from Miami, Florida, by anchoring near mouth of Miami harbor until there is a favorable day, then sailing to Gun Cay, anchoring there overnight, and then sailing over western part of shelf (Great Bahama Bank) to Northwest Channel, and thence across Tongue of the Ocean to Nassau. A pilot had best be taken at Miami or at Gun Cay, as the North- west Channel is very intricate and not easy to find. Large yachts at Nassau must anchor in a somewhat exposed position, and they seldom get * About twenty miles south of Bernini. 6i their anchors up, except to leave for a distant port. Yachts drawing under seven feet find per- fectly quiet anchorage. March 7, 1901, I sailed what was, I think, the first international yacht race in this century. It was against the Taormina, belonging to Count Colloredo-Mansfeldt, and formerly owned by Commander Henn. The course was on the ocean off Nassau, ten miles to leeward and re- turn. We had a strong wind, and the Mermaid beat by eight minutes, without regard to the about fourteen minutes' time allowance to which she was entitled. The English war-ship Buz- zard fired the guns and took charge of the race, placing a lieutenant on each yacht. I sailed about Exuma Sound and as far as the south end of Cat Island. Regarding the much discussed question, w^hether Cat or Watlings is the true San Salvador of Columbus, — the first land he saw in the New World, — neither island appears to agree fully with the description given by him. The New York Yacht Club ought to settle this question authoritatively. There is another historical question regarding the Bahamas, about which I am unable to ex- press any opinion. I have repeatedly sailed near the island of Bemini, but have never landed 62 there. Now the sedate and eminent New Eng- land historian, Professor Francis Parkman, who characterizes my venerated ancestor, the second colonial Governor of Massachusetts, as "the harsh and narrow Dudley, grown gray in repel- lent virtue and grim honesty," says that the ex- traordinary beauty of Bemini women is sup- posed to explain the story of the Fountain of Youth.i In coming up the coast, the Mermaid went inside the islands from Fernandina to Savannah, and inside, through the sounds and canal, from Ocracoke Inlet to Hampton Roads, then up the Chesapeake Bay and through the short canal into the Delaware River, up the river and through the Raritan Canal to Perth Amboy, and sailed thence ^ ''Such a man was the veteran Cavalier Juan Ponce de Leon. Greedy of honors and of riches, he embarked at Porto Rico with three brigantines, bent on schemes of dis- covery. But that which gave the chief stimulus to his en- terprise was a story, current among the Indians of Cuba and Hispaniola, that on the Island of Bemini, said to be one of the Bahamas, there was a fountain of such virtue that, bathing in its waters, old men resumed their youth. "The story has an explanation sufficiently characteristic, having been suggested, it is said, by the beauty of the native women, which none could resist, and which kindled the fires of youth in the veins of age." "The Jesuits in North Amer- ica in the Seventeenth Century," by Francis Parkman. 63 to New York. A little less than six and one half feet draft would have been better for the bar at Ocracoke. But it is probable that the govern- ment may do considerable dredging in that neighborhood soon. The sailing about Hampton Roads, Chesa- peake Bay, and Delaware River, and the towing through canals from the Chesapeake to the Dela- ware, and thence to Perth Amboy, makes a pleasant cruise for small yachts, say in May, before the yachting season opens at New York. 64 SAILING REMINISCENCES AND YACHTING COMPARED WITH OTHER SPORTS SAILING REMINISCENCES AND YACHTING COMPARED WITH OTHER SPORTS When I had about completed the foregoing, I showed it to the secretary of our club, who has made three cruises in the West Indies, and I asked him whether the club would care for it, and whe- ther he could suggest any alterations. He assured me that the club would be glad to have it, and only suggested that I add illustrations and more per- sonal reminiscences. I will endeavor to comply with the latter suggestion, others in whose judg- ment I have confidence having also taken the re- sponsibility of advising it. Now, from a tender age I have longed to be wrecked on a desert island. But the nearest I have ever come to this was getting aground for a short time, in pleasant weather and in sheltered water, on the soft coral-sand of the Great Bahama Bank. I would be pleased to include an account of a West Indian hurricane, but in February, March, 67 and April hurricanes in the Caribbean Sea are ex- perienced only by young yachtsmen and by nau- tical romancers, and strangely escape the notice of all government statisticians. Navy Department Publication No. 86, vol. i, gives a table showing the relative frequency of these storms during the period 1 885-1 897, in- clusive. The totals are as follows : 6 in June, 4 in July, 16 in August, 26 in September, 26 in Octo- ber, and 10 in November. I have, however, seen serious storms in two voyages which I made with Captain Samuels in the clipper ship Dreadnaught, between New York and Liverpool. One of these was the terrible gale of October, 1859, when we were in the Irish Chan- nel, and not far from the Royal Charter, which went down, with the loss of four hundred and fifty lives. The Dreadnaught, with her clipper bow and laid to under double-reefed new topsails, made good weather of it. Among the yachting experiences that I remem- ber with most pleasure were the Corinthian races when I owned the Clytie. The Clytie was seventy- eight feet on water-line, and I was allowed a crew of fifteen — all amateurs. I used to train them for a number of afternoons each year before the races began, and the men would get their hands 68 and muscles in condition. It was easy, in those days, to get amateur crews from among the mem- bers of the New York Yacht Club and the Sea- wanhaka Yacht Club. The races were around the Scotland Lightship, and we had some exciting times. CRUISING IN A TOURIST STEAMER In what I have written regarding the superior advantages of a sailing yacht for a visit to the West Indies, I do not wish to imply that a trip in one of the tourist steamers may not be enjoyable. I remember with much pleasure my visit there in 1899 in the Paris. We had an interesting party on board — among them ex-Secretary ^then Sena- tor) John Sherman, who, however, was taken ill at San Juan and had to return to Washington in a government vessel from Guantanamo, Cuba. Gen- eral Grant, who was in command of the forces at San Juan, came out in his steam launch and took Senator Sherman and my farriily ashore, and we were together much of the day. It was warm and showery. The senator took fatiguing walks about the forts and the outer fortifications, got wet, took 69 a long drive, and sat in a windy place. We re- peatedly called his attention to the fact that he was exposing himself, but he smiled at this, and it was difficult to get him to button his coat when driving. He was gay and almost boyish. I re- member how he stopped to buy a lot of oranges, which he distributed to children in the street. A number of eminent members of the American bar were also on the Paris, including ex-Chief Jus- tice Ide of the Supreme Court of Samoa, John E. Parsons, Frederic Coudert, and Francis L. Stetson. We had also Mr. O'Donohue, prominent in poli- tics up the Hudson, who gave a supper to forty guests on St. Patrick's day. The sentiment of the evening appeared to be : "St. Patrick drove the snakes away, and kept them quite remote ; But, blessings iver on his sowl, he left the antidote." I had the honor to assist at the feast, and told them that, while I was not a Knight of St. Patrick, I was a member of the St. George Society, which I presumed to be much the same thing. The next day Mr. O'Donohue complained that during the feast a green parrot, which he had bought at Martinique, had been killed by two mon- keys belonging to gentlemen occupying neighbor- ing cabins. 70 He knew that both monkeys were engaged in the assauh, for his green parrot had been war- ranted to whip any monkey in the Caribbean Sea. He claimed ten thousand dollars damages, and it was resolved to have a trial that evening. John Doe and Richard Roe, two monkeys, were impleaded with their owners. Judge Ide presided, and declared that the cause must be tried according to Samoan law. Mr. Coudert protested against Judge Ide, who, he said, had long lived at Apia, and was no doubt related to the defendants. I was excused from serving on the jury because I had read Darwin. Mr. vStetson, for the plaintiff, made a heart-rend- ing appeal on behalf of his bereaved client. He began, "This morning at early dawn there was committed to the deep." The witnesses, except one pretty woman, were badgered and treated awfully. Mr. Colgate Hoyt testified that he did not know very much about green parrots, but that he was well acquainted with green things in Wall Street, and that a pile of twenty thousand dollars in greenbacks was just about the size of this par- rot. In cross-examination he accounted for about forty-five years of his life, when Mr. Coudert asked, "Where were you the other twenty-five years?" Mr. Hoyt, commencing to answer, said, "Well — " when Mr. Coudert attacked him in the 71 most savage manner: "Why do you say, Well'? Don't you know that truth was supposed to be found in the bottom of a well? And here you come with falsehood in your heart and perjury on your lips," etc. Toward the end of the trial, the parrot was pro- duced safe and well. This led to a fierce attack by Mr. Stetson upon those who had violated the sanc- tity of his client's stateroom. The jury, of which Mr. Charles Stewart Smith, ex-president of the New York Chamber of Com- merce, was foreman, brought in a verdict of ten thousand dollars in favor of the defendant mon- keys, because the language which the parrot had used was such as to more than justify their attack. The trip on the steamer was enjoyable, but yachting is much better, and I have always greatly preferred sail yachting to steam. THE DOUBLE-HULLED SCHOONER NEREID The first yacht I ever owned was the double- hulled schooner Nereid, which I built in 1877. Some of the old members will remember that that freak boat did not prove an unmitigated success in 72 the club. Even my dear friend, our then commo- dore, Nicholson Kane, appeared unable to appre- ciate her charms. My father, who was fond of outdoor exercise, and who taught me early to ride, shoot, and fish, did not like yachting, and after sailing on the Nereid from Shelter Island to New London in an easterly blow and with the tide running out through the Race, told me that the motion of the Nereid reminded him of a jackass kicking up its heels, and that the heels seemed to strike him in the stomach every time. YACHTING COMPARED WITH OTHER SPORTS That I may not be supposed unduly to exalt the pleasures of yachting from want of knowing other sports, I may mention that I shot deer and other game when I was a boy. In 1863 I hunted buffa- loes on the plains, riding alongside them and shoot- ing them with a revolver; and I have seen much of the best fox-hunting with the Quorn, Pytchley, Fernie, Cheshire, North Warwickshire, and other celebrated packs during many years. I have been at good shoots, and have done much coach-driv- 73 ing in England. The last time I was there I spent about three months visiting, during the hunting season, in the country houses of Northamptonshire, Leicestershire, etc., including Stanford Hall, Ding- ley Hall, Coton House, Hothorpe, Cottesbrook, Lubenham, Kilworth, Thornton, etc. I admit that for a man who can ride to hounds, and has a lot of good hunters, there is no sport so good as fox-hunting in England. But if yacht- ing be not the very first of sports, it is, I think, the next, and far ahead of those behind.^ Yachting is the natural sport for those living on our Atlantic seaboard. The New York Yacht Club has the lead, and has the best and most ac- cessible waters for its summer cruise. Let us now preempt for winter squadron cruising the neigh- boring waters of the eastern Caribbean Sea. - See end of foot-note, page 2^. 74 YACHTING IN GRECIAN WATERS YACHTING IN GRECIAN WATERS April, May, and June are the best months. It is easy to obtain, through American yacht agencies, good English yachts then in the Mediter- ranean, and whose owners want to return home overland for the London season. A dragoman, to act as interpreter, etc., is neces- sary, and can be obtained at Athens. I found it useful to have also a Greek boy, whom the drago- man engaged, to run into the interior at some of the islands to get milk, vegetables, etc. All of Greece can easily be visited in a yacht. There is no part so distant that one cannot see it by leaving the yacht in the morning and returning in the evening, and there are harbors everywhere. By sailing close to shore and into the beautiful little harbors, an entirely different idea of the islands is obtained from what one gets from a mail steamer. From the steamer the islands look very barren, but close inshore many olive trees and a great variety of flowers are to be seen, with the interesting remains of ancient architecture, etc. It 11 is also delightful to bathe in warm, clear water, in sight of snow-capped mountains and among scenes of undying interest.^ I chartered a steam yacht during parts of April and May, 1887, but, if one has time, a good sailing yacht would, I think, be preferable. We had a good sailing breeze almost every day from about nine o'clock. ^ As showing the connection between sport and philosophy, we may consider what a different world this would be if Socrates and Glaucon had not attended the races at the Piraeus. 78 YACHTING IN ENGLISH WATERS YACHTING IN ENGLISH WATERS The most interesting event is Cowes week, early in August. I was there August 3 to 9, 1889, and I remember that four members of the Royal Squad- ron were required to introduce me and three of my family at the Castle for that week, which was also the week for the great naval review. It is, I suppose, still the rule that each member can in- troduce only one guest for Cowes week. So Eng- lish friends should be notified in advance. We went to Cowes in the English yacht Lan- cashire Witch, which then belonged to sons of my uncle, Daniel James, Esq., of Lancashire. The Lancashire Witch was given the position on the port bow of the German emperor's yacht when this was escorted into the harbor. I remember how the German officers, who had been lolling about, suddenly struck their heels together and stood in a stiff and, in the sea-way, a difficult atti- tude so long as His Imperial Majesty remained in sight on the port side of the upper deck. I remember also how His Majesty Edward VH, 81 then Prince of Wales, used to walk around on the castle lawn, talking with the ladies at the tea- tables, or standing with one foot carelessly resting on a railing or on a chair and talking with friends in a merry, hearty manner. An old American war-ship, the Enterprise, I think, was given the most conspicuous anchor- age, immediately in front of the Castle, and made a funny contrast to the modern battle-ships. When the royalties went on board the yachts, each vessel in the harbor fired a gun, and we would see a little puff from the Enterprise which seemed to say, "Me, too." I was surprised to notice how few of the yachts ever got up their anchors during Cowes week, how very few yachts took any part in the races, and how little the owners and guests and the public appeared to care about yachting. Such a contrast to the interest shown at horse races! We had just come from Goodwood, one of the pleasantest of all race meetings. The yachts feared to move lest they should lose their anchorages and make it dif^cult for guests to find their way on board for dinner. In the morning we would get cards at the Castle, showing that perhaps thirty or more yachts had entered for the Queen's Cup or other event. At the start it would be seen that perhaps 82 twenty-five of these had scratched, often from be- ing dissatisfied with their handicaps. A good way to see thoroughly the handling of English yachts is to go to the Cinque Port race, three times around a triangular course, off Dover. Royal Thames Yacht Club members have a steam tug for the race. There are also plenty of little yawls to be hired for the day. The vast number of yachts in England is sur- prising when we consider how little favorable the waters there are for pleasure sailing compared with the waters of our Atlantic coast and the east- ern part of the Caribbean Sea. This makes it evident that we are to have a great development of yachting in this country. Before many years, yachts of the New York Yacht Club may be going through an isthmian canal to cruise along our Pacific coast. 83 OF THE FUTURE OF THE ISLANDS NORTH AND EAST OF THE CARIBBEAN SEA OF THE FUTURE OF THE ISLANDS NORTH AND EAST OF THE CARIBBEAN SEA The future of these islands, and their probable relations to the United States, must engage the attention of every thoughtful American visitor. Their destiny appears to depend on our coun- try. What will be the results for us and for them of the closer relations which appear inevitable? If the nations that now control them should offer most of these islands to us, upon the request or with the free consent of the inhabitants, could we safely assume the responsibilities involved in accepting them? Is our form of government suitable for such expansion by "benevolent assimilation" of these peoples, for the most part inferior to us in civili- zation ? Consideration of the many island problems we already have to solve, and our difficulties regard- ing the negro vote, ought, I think, to lead us to admire the wisdom of our fathers in establishing 87 our Constitution on a home-rule basis, with local option regarding local questions, including suf- frage. Our Constitution originally provided : Article I, Section i. All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and a House of Representatives. Section 2. The House of Representatives shall be composed of members chosen every second year by the people of the several States, and the electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislature. And it provides that (Sec- tion 8) all duties, imposts, and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States, . . . that (Article IV, Sec- tion 3) new States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union, . . . and that Congress shall have power to dispose of and make all needful rules and regulations re- specting the territory or other property belonging to the United States. On this basis, all the world might unite in one great republic, which might include states and ter- ritories having limited suffrage, as well as those having imiversal suffrage. Rhode Island was ad- mitted with a State Constitution under which only eldest sons could vote. There was no attempt to exalt equality above liberty. But we have permitted the so-called "war power" to exalt itself above the Constitution. It has been said, with popular applause, "If you hear any one 88 prating about the Constitution, spot him — he is a traitor." We call our government Democratic or Repub- lican, but it is now clearly Timocratic,^ and well on the road through oligarchy toward despotism, which we cannot escape unless we heed the lessons of history. Plato's "Republic" shows how democracy was always followed by despotism. Our fathers, keenly alive to this supreme danger, established a writ- ^ The ambitious constitution . . . (We must call it Timocracy . . .) We will proceed to examine the am- bitious man . . . Then pray, Glaucon, how will our state be shaken . . . The violence of their mutual contentions would induce the two parties to come to an agreement, on the under- standing that they should divide and appropriate the land and houses, and enslave their formerly free wards, friends, and maintainers, from henceforth to be held as an inferior tribe and as servants, and apply themselves to war and their own protection. I believe you have described correctly the passage to Timocracy. Then will not this Constitution be a kind of mean between aristocracy and oligarchy? Assuredly it will. . . . Who, then, is the man that answers to this [timo- cratic] Constitution . . . what is his character? . . . A passion for distinction and command, to which he lays claim ... on the ground of deeds of arms and ex- ploits congenial to war, devoted as he is to bodily exercise and field sports. Socrates, in Plato's "Republic," book viii. 89 ten Constitution which they supposed would pre- vent the otherwise inevitable sequence. Our Constitution clearly limits, defines, and separates the functions of each branch of the gov- ernment. But of late there has grown up among us a gen- eral system of government by usurpation. Our Presidents usurp the authority of the Sen- ate and House by declaring a personal policy and using patronage to influence legislative votes. Senators usurp the authority of the President by insisting that appointments be made for their personal political advantage. The general government usurps "rights reserved to the States respectively or to the people." Judges, by injunction, usurp the prerogatives of juries, and jurors usurp the authority of judges in matters of legal interpretation. Our State legislatures usurp authority over local affairs of cities and pass sumptuary laws, which they know will not be enforced among a free peo- ple who can quote the express injunction of the New Testament, "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath" (Col. ii, i6), while mayors and policemen usurp a veto power regarding certain laws. 90 That authority in barbarous times implied usur- pation has been sufficiently pointed out. But usur- pation has no place in a civilized constitutional gov- ernment. A government fit to govern America and outlying islands must be based upon the strict interpretation of a constitution. This form of government our fathers, under divine guidance, established upon the consent of the governed and on a mind-your-own-business basis. Our Constitution most fully provides for its own orderly amendment to meet any possible con- tingency. If the people of this country should want to change the United States of America to the Empire of America and Asia, they have com- plete constitutional authority to do so by a consti- tutional majority. But the President and Con- gress have no right to make the slightest alteration in the Constitution without due ratification by three fourths of the States in the manner provided by Article V. Any attempts to alter the Constitution by usurpation are as unnecessary as they are de- structive. Our country can have abundant peaceful ex- pansion in the Caribbean Sea by consenting to give there the rights enjoyed by our own Terri- tories. But "forcible annexation" by imperial methods and pressure, in the interest of selfish 91 monopolists and politicians, would prove disas- trous, and disastrous most of all in undermining our own free institutions. Our security and our ability to expand with safety depend upon our determination and our ability to stop this usurpation and to return to strict constitutional methods. We must insist that each branch of our government perform only its own authorized functions. We must not permit presidential or congressional or military usurpa- tion to result in "criminal aggression." Let us give to all islands and to all countries coming in any way under our influence distinct assurance that we will not interfere, except to pro- tect them from foreign aggression and to enable them freely to establish and to maintain free gov- ernments of their own choice; that we will not annex them except on their own application to be admitted to our Union as States or as Territories ; and that if they be so admitted they shall enjoy all the rights belonging to the citizens of our pres- ent country. This, I think, is our only path of consistency and of safety. We stand now where Rome stood shortly be- fore the Christian era, when it started upon a new career of general expansion, which resulted in the 92 destruction of its liberties. Permit me to quote from one of the most generally accepted text-books used in our schools. The Roman state was in form and in name a Common- wealth or Republic; but in course of time all political power had come into the hands of a rich landed aristocracy, made up of both "patricians" and "plebeians." The organ of this aristocracy was the Senate. ... A seat in the Senate rested in theory upon the popular will. . . . Opposed to the landed aristocracy was a class of wealthy capitalists known as equites. . . . The moneyed aristocracy, accordingly, held aloof from public life, except where it might aid them to obtain rich contracts or to secure . . . the passage of some measure that should advance their private interests, . . , The poorer class of citizens, the plebs, were wholly influ- enced in their votes by their wealthy patrons or by schem- ing demagogues. . . . Partisans of the nobility were known as Optimates ; those opposed to them, as Populares. . . . The governing class was wholly incompetent to its task, and the only resource against anarchy appears to have been that some one man, by craft or force, should get all the reins of power into his single hand. . . . Caesar had all the qualities — statesmanlike insight, politi- cal ambition, and reckless audacity. Allen and Greenough's "Csesar," Introduction, p. xiv. Many American yachts are sure to be attracted, soon, to the Caribbean waters. This will be of advantage to the islands, while sea cruising will promote among us a healthy taste for real yachts as compared with expensive sailing machines. 93 LIST OF SOME BOOKS ABOUT THE WEST INDIES, ETC. LIST OF SOME BOOKS ABOUT THE WEST INDIES, ETC. Navy Department Publication No. 86, "The Navigation of the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea," vol. i. "The Cruise of the Montauk," by James McQuade of the New York Yacht Club. "The West Indies," by G. W. Eves, F.R.G.S. "Cuba and Porto Rico, with the other Islands of the West Indies," by Robert T. Hill. Stark's "Guides," published some by James H. Stark, Bos- ton, and some by the Boston Photo-Electrotype Co., Boston, six vols, or more. "The West Indies," by Amos Kidder Fiske. "In the Wake of Columbus," by Frederick A. Ober. "Camps in the Caribbees," by Ober. "The Story of the West Indies," by Arnold Kennedy. "At Last," by Charles Kingsley. "Cruising among the Caribbees," by Charles Augustus Stoddard. "Two Years in the French West Indies," by Lafcadio Hearn. "The English in the West Indies," by James Anthony Froude. "Down the Islands," by William Agnew Paton. "Puerto Rico," by William Dinwiddie. "The Porto Rico of To-Day," by Albert Gardner Rob- inson. "West India Pickles," by Tolboys. 97 "Buccaneers and Pirates of Our Coast," by Frank R. Stockton. "Tom Cringle's Log," by Michael Scott. "Cruise of the Midge," by Michael Scott. "Equatorial America," by Maturin M. Ballou. "Youma," by Lafcadio Hearn. "Where Black Rules White," by Hesketh Prichard. See also catalogues of New York Yacht Club Library and of Navy Department Library. In some of these books further lists of books will be found. And in the Public Library, Boston, there is the Hunt Collection of West Indian books, maps, and charts. Local guide-books and books of stories relating to the islands are to be found at Bermuda, Trinidad, St. Lucia, Nassau, etc. ; among them may be mentioned "Sketches of Summer- land," by G. J. H. Northcroft, Nassau. Those who desire to make any thorough histori- cal study regarding the West Indies will, of course, consult Sonnenschein and catalogues in the great public libraries, and the standard works, including Hakluyt. 98 PLAN AND RECORD OF CRUISE YACHT --_ (To be filled in with lead-pencil.) L.oFC. PLAN OF CRUISE 190 "„7 Cruise. Day of Month. Day of Week. SAIL FROM SAIL TO Sea Miles. I 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 II 12 13 14 15 16 100 RECORD OF CRUISE 190 Day of Cruise. Day of Month. Day of Week. SAILED FROM SAILED TO Sea Miles. I 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 II 12 13 14 15 16 lOI PLAN OF CRUISE 190 Day of Cruise. Day of Month. Day of Week. SAIL FROM SAIL TO Sea Miles. 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 ' 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 102 RECORD OF CRUISE 190 Day of Cruise. Day of Month. Day of Week. SAILED FROM SAILED TO Sea Miles. 17 18 19 20 21 22 as 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 103 PLAN OF CRUISE 190 "„7 Cruise. Day of Month. Day of Week. SAIL FROM SAIL TO Sea Miles. 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 104 RECORD OF CRUISE 190 "„7 Cruise. Day of Month. Day of Week. SAILED FROM SAILED TO Sea Miles. 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 105 PLAN OF CRUISE 190 Day of Cruise. Day of Month. Day of Week. SAIL FROM SAIL TO Sea Miles. 49 50 ^ 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 106 RECORD OF CRUISE 190 Cruise. Day of Month. Day of Week. SAILED FROM SAILED TO Sea Miles. 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 107 PLAN OF CRUISE 190 °„7 Cruise. Day of Month. Day of Week. SAIL FROM SAIL TO Sea Miles. 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 108 RECORD OF CRUISE 190 Cruise. Day of Month. Day of Week. SAILED FROM SAILED TO Sea Miles. 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 109 PLAN OF CRUISE 190 Cruise. Day of Month. Day of Week. SAIL FROM SAIL TO Sea Miles. 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 95 IIO RECORD OF CRUISE 190 ^o7 Cruise. Month. Day of Week. SAILED FROM SAILED TO Sea Miles. 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 Ill PLAN OF CRUISE 190 Day of Cruise. "of Month. "of Week. SAIL FROM SAIL TO Sea MUes. 97 98 99 100 lOI 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 no III 112 112 RECORD OF CRUISE 190 "o7 Cruise. "of Month. "of Week. SAILED FROM SAILED TO Sea Miles. 97 98 99 100 lOI 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 no III 112 113 INDEX INDEX A Abbatoirs, 29 Acklin, 18 Address, 9 Aggression, 92 Agriculture, 49 Amateurs, 68 America, 91 American interest, 11 American man-of-war, 82 American visitors, 87 American yachts, 93 Anchorages, 20, 30, 33, 61, 62 Anchors, 40 Antigua, 15, 18, 19, 53, 58 Aristocracy, 89, 93 Asia, 91 Athens, 77 Automobile, 32, 33, 34, 44 Awning, 40 B Bahama Bank (Great), 60, 61,67 Bahamas (the), 10, 14, 53, 59 Barbados, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 41, 53, 54, 55, 56 Barbarous times, 91 Basse Terre, 32, 44 Bathing, 34 Beaches, 20 Benevolent assimilation, 87 Bernini, 61, 62, 63 Bermuda, 10, 14, 16, 17, 19, 43, 53, 54 Birds, 43 Boiling lake, 32 Books, 10, 14, 97 Boom, 39 Botanical gardens, 42 Bottom, 33 Bowsprit, 39 Breen's "St. Lucia," 31 Buffaloes, 73 Buoy, 33, 40 Buzzard, 62 C Caesar, 93 Calm days, 12 Canals, 15, 30, 63, 64, 83 Capitalists, 93 Card-table, 45 Cariacou, 18, 29 Caribbean Sea, 9, 11, 12, 15, 20, 41, 68, 74 117 Carib Islands, 9 Caribs, 32 Carriages, 23, 32 Castries, 29, 48 Cat-boat, 54 Cat Cay, 61 Cat Island, 18, 62 Chairs, 45, 46 Channel (Northwest), 61 Charitable efforts, 42 Charles II, 50 Charleston, 17, 18, 19, 35 Charts, 14 Chateau Belair, 29 Chesapeake Bay, 6s Cheshire hunt, 73 Chickens, 42 Christiansted, 33 Chronicles (naval), 31 Cinques Portes, 83 Cities, 90 Clarence (Duke of), 33 Cliffs, 20 Climate, 20 Closer relations, 87 Clubs, 5, 12, 21, 22, 23, 34, 55, 62, 67, 69, 74, 83 Clytie, 10, 45, 53, 68 Coaching, 73 Coal, 29, 30, 45, 48, 50 Coast, 83 Colloredo-Mansfeldt (Count), 62 Colonial problems, 11, 21 Colonial system, 11 Color (of water), 17, 59 Columbus, 62 Committee, 5 Commonwealth, 93 Companies (S. S.), I5 Conditions, 11, 12, 46 Congress (powers of), 88, 91 Consistency, 92 Constitution, 88, 90, 91 Consul, 32 Contracts, 93 Coral bay, 34 Coral heads, 17, 40, 59 Coral shelf, 60 Corinthian races, 68 Coton House, 74 Cottesbrook, 74 Coudert (Frederic), 70 Countries, 92 Country houses, 74 Cowes Castle, 81 Cowes week, 81 "Criminal aggression," 92 Crooked Island, 18 Crown lands, 11, 55 Cruise, 5, 7, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15, 17, 20, 22, 27, 39, 74 Cruise of Sea Fox, 7, 17 Cruising, 12, 20, 69 Crusoe (Robinson), 16, 28 Cuba, 12, 14, 18, 19, 48, 69 Culebra, 18 Current, 16, 17, 40, 41 118 D Daily news reports, 22 Damages, 71 Danger, 89 Danish Islands, 48 Darwin (Charles), 71 Day, 14, IS, 16, 27 Deck chairs, 45 De Grasse, 28 Delaware River, 63 Delays, 35 Democratic, 89 Despotism, 89 Development of yachting, 83 Diabloten (Mt.), 32 Diamond Rock, 31 Dingley Hall, 74 Disaster, 9, 21 Doldrums, 54 Dominica, 18, 32, 46 Dragomen, 77 Dreadnaught, 68 Dredging, 64 Dry- dock, 15 Dudley (Governor Thomas), 56, 63 Dudley, Samuel, 56 Dugouts, 13 Duties, 88 Edward VII, 50, 81 Eleuthera, 18, 59 Empire, 91 England, 20 English Islands, 47, 48 English politics, 49 English Virgin Islands, 48 English waters, 10, 79 English yachts, 77, 83 Enterprise, 82 Equality, 88 Equities, 93 Eruption, 31 Eves (G. W.), 50 Excises, 88 Excursions, 20 Exercise, 20, 21 Expansion, 91, 92 Experience, 10 Exploits, 89 Export tax, 30 Exuma Island, 18 Exuma Sound, 59, 62 Factories, 11 Farmers, 42 Farms, 43 Fathers, 91 Fernandina, 18, 35, 6$ Fernie hunt, 7$ Fish, 42 Florida, 14, 18, 19 Florida Straits, 60 Flying fish, 13 Food, 21 119 Forcible annexation, 91 Ford (Paul Leicester), 57 Fort de France, 28, 31 Fortifications, 29 Fort Royal, 31 Forts, 34 Fountain of Youth, 63 Fowl, 42 Fox hunting, 73 France, 27, 47 Fredericksted, 33 Free trade, 47 Fruit, 22, 29, 42, 43 Future of Islands, 20, 87 Gardens, 42 German Emperor, 81 German officers, 81 Glaucon, 78, 89 Goodwood, 82 Government, 87, 90 Government houses, 21, 29, 30 Grande Etang, 29 Grande Terre, 18, 32 Grant (General Frederick), 69 Great Bahama Bank, 60, 61, 67 Grecian waters, 20, 77 Greece, 10, 77 Grenada, 13, 16, 18, 28, 29 Grenadines (The), 29 Guadeloupe, 18, 32, 33, 47 Guantanamo, 69 Gun Cay, 60, 61 H Hamilton, 53 Hamilton (Alexander), 33 Hampton Roads, 63 Harbor Island, 59 Harbors, 12, 15, 20, 28, 30, 32, 34, 39, 50, 55 Hauling, 15, 55 ^ Havana, 19 Hayti, 14, 18, 19 Henn (Commander), 62 Hispaniola, 63 History, 89 Holland, 27 Horace, 23 Horses, 22, 29, 30 Hospitality, 21, 53 Hotel, 33 Hothorpe, 74 Hot Springs, 32 House of Representatives, 90 Ho3rt (Colgate), 71 Hunt, 73 Hunting, 73, 74 Hurricanes, 12, 67, 68 Ice, 21, 41 Ice-plant, 21, 22 Ide (ex-Chief Justice of Sa- moa), 70 Imperial methods, 91 120 Imports, 88 Inagua, i8 Inferior races, 87 Inhabitants, 11, 87 Institute (Royal Colonial), 50 Intercourse, 9, 11 International yacht race, 62 Island problems, 87 Islands, 11, 12, 13, 16, 18, 20, 27, 34, 48, 49, 59, 62, ^2>, 87, 91, 92 Isthmian canal, 83 Itinerary, 19, 27 Jamaica, 14, 19 James (Daniel), 81 Jardin des Plantes, 31 Josephine, 31 Journal (Washington's), 56 Judges, 90 Jury, 71, 90 K Kane (Commodore Nichol- son), 'jz Kilworth, 74 Kingstown, 28, 29 Labor, 11 Laborers, 30, 48 Laffan (Sir Patrick Leo- pold), 53 Lamp, 45 Lancashire Witch, 81 Land ownership, 11 Lands, 11 Launch, 20, 30, 32 Laws, 90 Leeward Islands, il, 12, 16, 48, 49 Legislatures, 90 Leicestershire, 74 Les Saints, 18, 28 Liberty, 88 Light-ship, 69 List of books, 97, 98 Local affairs, 88 Long Island, 18 Lubenham, 74 M McClintock, 53 Mails, 22 Maintenon (Mme. de), 31 Man-o'-war Bay, 28 Marie Galante, 32 Marine railway, 15 Market gardens, 42 Market produce, ZZ Martinique, 9, 18, 28, 31, 47, 70 Massachusetts, 55 Matanzas, 19 Mayors, 90 Measurement, 17, 60 Meat, 42 121 Mediterranean, "jj Melons, 43 Men-of-war, 21, 31, 48, 82 Mermaid, 10, 60, 62, d'^ Messes, 21, 54 Miami, 60, 61 Monkeys, 70 Monopolists, 92 Mont Diabloten, 32 Months, 13, 14, 67, ^T, 78 Mont Pelee, 31 Montserrat, 18, 33, 42, 43 Moorings, 40 Morne Rouge, 31 Mosquitos, 30 Motto, 23 Mountain, 21 N Naphtha, 32, 44 Nassau, 18, 19, 43, 59, 61, 62 Naval chronicles, 31 Naval station, 28 Navigation, 13 Navy, 22 Navy department publica- tions, 13, 42, 68 Navy reserve, 21 Negro question, 11 Nelson (Admiral), 33 Nereid, 72 Neuralgia, 21 Nevis, 18, 33 Newfoundland, 47 New London, 73 News report, 22 New States, 88 New Testament, 90 New York, 14, 19 New York Yacht Club, 5, 12, 22, 67, 74 Norman (Sir Henry), 49 Northamptonshire, 74 Northers, 60 North Warwickshire hunt, T^ Northwest Channiel, 61 Ocean cruising, 39, 93 Ocracoke Inlet, 63 O'Donohue, 70 Old yachtsmen, 20, 21 Oligarchy, 89 Olive trees, yy Optimates, 93 Oranges, 29 Orinoco, 13 Outside work, 14 Pacific coast, 83 Palms, 20 Paris (S. S.), 69, 70 Parkman (Francis), dz Parrot, 70 Parsons (John E.), 70 Patrician, 93 "Paul et Virginie," 31 Pelee (Mont), 31 Perth Amboy, 63 122 Pilot, 34 Piraeus, 78 Plan of cruise, 11, 12, 13, 15, 20, 22, 39 Plantations, 30, 34, 55, 56 Plato's Republic, 89 Plebeians, 93 Plebs, 93 Plymouth Harbor, 28 Pointe a Pitre, 32, 44 Policemen, 90 Politicians, 92 Ponce, 34 Ponce de Leon, 63 Populares, 93 Population, 54 Porter's plantation, 56 Port of Spain, 17, 28 Porto Rico, 9, 13, 14, 18, 19, 34, 48 Ports, 27, 34 Portsmouth, 32 Port Soufriere, 30 Powell (Captain), 55 Powers of Congress, 88 Prating, 89 President, 90 Prince of Wales, 82 Problems, 11 Publications, 68 Pytchley hunt, 73 Q Qualifications (for electors), 88 Quarantine, 46 Queen's cup, 82 Quorn hunt, yz Races, 62, 68 Raritan Canal, 63 Real yachting, 22 Reefs, 17 Relations, 87 Reminiscences, 20, 67 Reports, 7, 22 Republic, 88, 89, 93 Revolution (the), 58 Rhode Island, 88 Rights, 90, 92 Riviere Salee, 32 Roads, 20, 32, 47, 48 Roadstead, 34, 55 Rodney (Admiral), 28, 46 Rome, 92, 93 Royal Charter, 68 Royal Colonial Institute, 50 Royal Squadron, 81 Royal Thames Yacht Club, 83 Rum, 42, 57, 58 Rum Island, 18 Saba, 18, 27, 33, 42 Sabbath, 90 Safety, 92 Sailing (winter), 9, 11, 17, 20, 60 123 Sailing machine, 93 Sailors, 41 Sails, 39 St. Croix, 16, 17, 18, 33, 43 St. Eustatius, 18, 27, 33, 42 St. George, 28 St. George's, 53, 54 St. George Society, 70 St. John, 18 St. Kitts, 18, 27, 33, 42 St. Lucia, 18, 21, 29, 30, 31, 55 St. Martin, 27 St. Patrick's Day, 70 St. Pierre, 28, 31, 32 St. Thomas, 14, i5, 16, 18, 19, 27, 34, 35, 41, 54 St. Vincent, 9, 18, 21, 28, 29 Samuels (Captain), 68 San Juan, 18, 19, 34, 35, 4i, 44, 69 San Salvador, 62 Santa Cruz, 33 Scarborough, 28 Scenery, 10, 28, 29, 31, 32, 33* 53, 59 Scotland Light-ship, 69 Screw dock, 55 Sea cruising, 39, 93 Sea Fox, 7, 9, I7 Sea Fox (cruise of), 7, 17 Seal of New York Yacht Club, 23 Sea power, 50 Seat in Senate, 93 Seawanhaka Yacht Club, 69 I Secretary of New York Yacht Club, 67 Security, 92 Self-government, 58 Senate, 90, 93 Sewers, 29 Shelter Island, 73 Sherman (John), 69 Shoals, 40 Sixty days' cruise, 15, 16, 27 Six weeks' cruise, 16 Slip line, 33 Smith (Charles Stewart), 72 Society, 55, 70 Socrates, 78, 89 Soil, 34, 47 Sounds, 63 South America, 28 Spanish Wells, 59 Spars, 39 Sports, 67, 73, 74, 89 Squadron cruise, 5, 7, 9, 22, 74 Squalls, 39 Stanford Hall, 74 Stapleton (Sir William), 50 States, 88, 92, 93 Steamers, 15, 16, 69 Steamship companies, 15 Steam yachts, 12, 78 Stetson (Francis L.), 70 Stewards, 43 Stokes (Colonel), 53 Suffrage, 88 Sugar, 29, 30, 33, 34, 55 24 Sugar factories, ii, 32 Troops, 54, 55 Sugar question, 11, 49 Turtle, 43 Sulphur works, 30 Summer cruise, 74 Sumptuary laws, 90 Supper, 70 Supplies, 41, TJ Swamps, 30 Systems of labor, 11 Taormina, 62 Tariff question, 11 Tax, 30 Telegrams, 22 Telephone, 29, 30 Territories, 88, 92 Thornton, 74 Timocratic, 89 Tobago, 14, 16, 17, 28 Tongue of the Ocean, 60, 61 Top-masts, 39 Tourist, 10 Tourist steamers, 23, 69 Towing through canals, 64 Trade, 47 Trade winds, 12, 20, 40, 54, 59 Traitor, 89 Treaty of Versailles, 46 Trees, 77 Trinidad, 9, 12, 14, 16, 17, 21, 28, 41, 43, 49 125 U United States, 9, 11, 14, 34, 47, 49, 87 Usurpation, 90, 92 V Vaccination, 46 Vale of Tempe, 29 Vegetables, 22, 33, 42, 43 Venison, 43 Veto power, 90 Vice-commodore, 12 Vigors (Colonel), 53 Virginia, 55, 56, 57 Virgin Islands, 11, 13, 16, 27, 34 W Wages, 48 War, 89 "War power," 88 Washington, 56, 69 Washington's journal, 56 Water, 17, 41, 59 Waterfall, 33 Watering place, 33 Watlings Island, 18, 62 West Indian cruise, 9, 10 West Indies, 5, 12, 22, 23, 67, 69, 97 William IV, 33 Winds, 12, 17, 20, 34, 39, 40, 53 Windward Islands, 11, 12, 16, 48, 49 Windward work, 15, 16 Winter cruising, 20 Winter yachting, 11 Winthrop (Henry), 55 Winthrop (John), 55, 56 Winthrop (John, Jr.), 55 Winthrop (Mary), 56 Winthrop (Samuel), 55 Wisdom of our Fathers, 87 Woman laborers, 48 Woodbridge (Dudley), 56 Woodbridge estate, 55 Woodbridge, John, 56 World, 88 Yachting, 11, 22, dy, 73, 74, 83 Yacht race (international), 62 Yachts, 9, ID, 12, 7T, 78, 83, 93 Yachtsmen, 21, 68 Yawls, 83 Young yachtsmen, 21, 68 126 iO\''^ r902 iiiirKjiiiiiiiiiaiiiniia aii VEST INDIES, pyrigh't,1897, by The Century Cb., New York. Countries: @ Capitals of Colonies: ® Forts:? ; -..„.. Submarine Telegraph Lines: — - ■ ■ ■• Lights' 6ns- in. English Feet? 4.868 Depths in EnglisllFeet; C,ob( lumbus.: Eirst'-o-t>-»,Seco.nd-»-*-»-'Third.-+-+-i'burth- Scale, 130 English_Statute Miles to One Inch. '100 aoo 100 200 Kilometers. iOO 015 840 787 5