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SAILING 
 SUNNY SEAS 
 
 A STORY OF TRAVEL 
 
 IN 
 
 Jamaica Honolulu 
 
 Haiti Santo Domingo 
 
 Porto Rico St. Thomas 
 
 Dominica Martinique 
 
 Trinidad and the West Indies 
 
 With Copyright Illustrations 
 by 
 
 ELLA WHEELER WILCOX 
 
 CHICAGO 
 W. B. CONKEY COMPANY 
 
 1909 
 
f > 
 
 Copyright 1909 
 
 BY 
 
 EI<I<A WHEEI^R WILCOX 
 
 ■ -. 
 
 6.CLA2534J I 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Prologue 9 
 
 Sailing Sunny Seas 11 
 
 The Sea Breeze and the Scarf 13 
 
 Jamaica 25 
 
 Holiday Songs 27 
 
 Taking the Sun 29 
 
 The Problem 34 
 
 Jamaica Again 37 
 
 Moneague 42 
 
 Ocho Rios 42 
 
 Birds 43 
 
 The Weather 43 
 
 Port Antonio 51 
 
 Port Antonio Harbor 53 
 
 On The Parada 53 
 
 Intermediary 55 
 
 Honolulu 64 
 
 My Heaven 70 
 
 The Meaning of Sunday 80 
 
 The Passing of a Princess 86 
 
 Kaiulani 91 
 
 The Color Line in Honolulu 92 
 
 Foreign Missions 99 
 
 Aloha Oe 109 
 
 Jamaica Again Ill 
 
 Jamaica 125 
 
 Lincoln, February 12, 1809-1909 126 
 
 Star Time in Jamaica 126 
 
 The Cruise and the Circus 139 
 
 Haiti 150 
 
 Announcement 158 
 
 Vaudouxism in Haiti 159 
 
 5 
 
6 CONTENTS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 A Remarkable King 168 
 
 Address to the King 172 
 
 Santo Domingo 176 
 
 Porto Rico 185 
 
 St. Thomas ...192 
 
 St. Croix and St. Kitts 199 
 
 Antigua 212 
 
 Dominica — Martinique 219 
 
 Martinique 222 
 
 Trinidad 227 
 
 The Birds of Trinidad 234 
 
 Caribbean Tragedies 239 
 
 The Homeward Voyage 246 
 
 To One Who Went Away 248 
 
ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 Frontispiece 
 
 
 PAGES 
 
 
 , 25 
 
 to 63 
 
 Nine Views of Jamaica. 
 
 1W- 
 
 
 
 64 
 
 to 149 
 
 A Famous Hula Dancer. 
 
 
 
 Peacocks at Gov. Cleghorn's Place. 
 
 
 
 Our Bungalow. Meekie, Jap Maid. 
 
 
 
 Diving Boys Presenting Lais. 
 
 
 
 Queen Liliuokalani. 
 
 
 
 Type of Native Beauty. 
 
 
 
 Princess Kaiulani. 
 
 
 
 Bridge at Honolulu. 
 
 
 
 Herself and Ah-Lui. 
 
 
 
 
 150 
 
 to 175 
 
 A Shopping Street. 
 
 Only Piece of Art Work. 
 
 In the Market Place. 
 
 The City of Aquin. 
 
 Entrance Gate of Boudoin, Mr. Vital's Country 
 
 Place at Jacmel. 
 A Fellow Passenger on Voyage. 
 Market at Jacmel. 
 
 Santo Domingo 176 to 191 
 
 Carnival Carriage. 
 
 St. Thomas 192 to 198 
 
 * Madame Minecke. 
 Harbor View from Ma Folie. 
 
 7 
 
8 ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 PAGES 
 
 St. Kitts 199 to 218 
 
 Group of Natives. 
 
 Watching the Pelicans Diving. 
 
 Dominica 219 to 226 
 
 Street in Roseau. 
 
 Trinidad 227 to 248 
 
 Egrets in the Garden of Queens Park Hotel. 
 Coolie Woman at the Door of Her House. 
 The Prison Island in Harbor. 
 
PROLOGUE 
 
 We two make home of any place we go; 
 
 We two find joy in any kind of weather; 
 Or if the earth is clothed in bloom or snow, 
 If Summer days invite or bleak winds blow. 
 
 What matters it if we two are together? 
 
 We two, we two, we make our world, our 
 weather. 
 
 We two make banquets of the plainest fare; 
 
 In every cup we find the thrill of pleasure; 
 We hide with wreaths the furrowed brow of care, 
 And win to smiles the set lips of despair. 
 
 For us life always moves with lilting measure; 
 
 We two, we two, we make our world, our 
 pleasure. 
 
 We two find youth renewed with every dawn; 
 
 Each day holds something of an unknown 
 glory. 
 We waste no thought on grief or pleasure gone; 
 Tricked out like Hope, Time leads us on and on, 
 
 And thrums upon his harp new song or story. 
 
 We two, we two, we find the paths of glory. 
 
10 PROLOGUE 
 
 We two make heaven here on this little earth; 
 
 We do not need to wait for realms eternal. 
 We know the use of tears, know sorrow's worth, 
 And pain for us is always love's rebirth. 
 
 Our paths lead closely by the paths supernal; 
 
 We two, we two, we live in love eternal. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 "Were it not for the Star-in-the-East, we 
 would take a little voyage to Cuba; but as it is, 
 I suppose it would not be wise." 
 
 It was Himself who spoke, long and long ago; 
 in the late glow of a honeymoon two full years 
 and more old, and bright with the added light 
 of a newly risen Star-in-the-East. 
 
 Now I had never journeyed farther than from 
 the middle West to the Atlantic Coast, and 
 south to Florida, and this suggestion of a sea 
 voyage to summer lands and foreign shores 
 fell like the call of a robin in mid-winter, 
 on my ears. Himself had but given utterance 
 to a passing thought, but he was forced into 
 serious consideration of the voyage by my 
 persistence. 
 
 Consulting Those - Who - Are - Supposed - To - 
 Know, he was told to gratify my desire. "She 
 is young and robust and the voyage will do her 
 good, since she longs for it," they said wisely. 
 
 And so it happened that on a snowy day in 
 February, Himself and I set forth on a none too 
 large steamship, from the port of New York, 
 bound for the harbor of Havana, on my first 
 
 11 
 
12 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 ocean voyage. A gay party of interested friends 
 saw us off, and our cabin was filled with fruits 
 and flowers and books and magazines, when we 
 reached it. 
 
 Those five days on shipboard were marred by 
 only a few hours of indisposition. The memory 
 of that brief period of discomfort is gone, but 
 the happy excitement of the other hours and 
 days of that first sea voyage remains, to be 
 called again to mind when recollection wills. 
 
 Strangely enough I do not remember one fel- 
 low voyager, or how many or how few there were. 
 But I recall the kind solicitude of the good 
 stewardess who made me her special care, and 
 the watchful tenderness and hardly concealed 
 anxiety in the eyes of Himself, I still see. 
 
 One morning from my berth I heard Himself 
 call my name. "See your scarf hanging by the 
 porthole," he said. "It is carrying on a danger- 
 ous flirtation with the wind. He is telling it to 
 come out and see the world, and not hide itself 
 in this small cabin. I think I will save the poor 
 thing before it goes to its ruin. ' ' And he reached 
 for my pretty blue scarf and saved it from being 
 blown out to sea. 
 
 That afternoon while he was playing a game of 
 cards in the smoking room, I sat in the ladies' 
 cabin and turned into verse his pretty conceit — 
 of the "Sea Breeze and the Scarf." 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 13 
 
 THE SEA BREEZE AND THE SCARF 
 
 Hung on the casement that looked o'er the main, 
 
 Fluttered a scarf of blue, 
 And a gay, bold breeze paused to flatter and tease 
 
 This trifle of delicate hue. 
 
 "You are lovelier far than the proud skies are," 
 
 He cried with a voice that sighed; 
 "You are fairer to me than the beautiful sea, 
 
 Oh, why do you stay here and hide? 
 
 1 ' You are wasting your life in that dull, dark room ; 
 
 (And he fondled her silken folds) 
 "O'er the casement lean, but a little, my queen, 
 
 And see what the great world holds. 
 
 "How the wonderful blue of your matchless hue 
 
 Cheapens both sea and sky. 
 You are far too bright to be hidden from sight: 
 
 Come fly with me, darling, fly!" 
 
 Tender his whisper and sweet his caress, 
 
 Flattered and pleased was she; 
 The arms of her lover lifted her over 
 
 The casement out to the sea. 
 
14 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 Close to his breast she was fondly pressed, 
 Kissed once by his laughing mouth — 
 
 Then dropped to her grave in the cruel wave, 
 While the wind went whistling south! 
 
 However slight their claim to literary excel- 
 lence, these verses have always been dear to me 
 from their association. 
 
 The approach to Havana occurred in the morn- 
 ing, and the sight of Moro Castle, and the white 
 walls of the city in the background, with a blue, 
 blue sea in the foreground and the yellow tropic 
 sunshine over it all, affected me like a strong 
 wine; I was dizzy with excitement and joy. 
 
 I had dreamed that I might sometime see 
 such places, and one dream — my first sea 
 dream — had come true. Born and bred on a 
 Wisconsin prairie, I loved the sea as only inland 
 and mountain born souls can love it. 
 
 My month in Havana is a mingled memory 
 of mental exaltations and physical discom- 
 forts. Cuba was suffering under Spanish mis- 
 rule at that time, and had only dreamed of 
 freedom, while it had reached a point of audi- 
 ble discontent, the beginning of insurrection. 
 
 The hotels were dirty and ill kept; the beds, 
 instruments of torture; the food a menace to 
 health. But I bore all these miseries with the 
 courage of youth and enthusiasm, because I 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 15 
 
 was charmed with the climate, with the quaint 
 narrow streets and odd little shops, and with 
 the beautiful faces under lace mantillas peep- 
 ing from behind mysterious "jealousies"; and 
 the naked little children playing in the streets, 
 clothed only in shoes and innocence, fascinated 
 me. 
 
 One day of that month stays like a distinct 
 picture on the somewhat denuded walls of that 
 room in the mansion of memory; one of 
 those simple, uneventful experiences which will 
 sometimes haunt the heart to the end of life. 
 
 We took a car and went along the sea front, 
 to a wonderful little rustic cafe, an arbor of 
 vines growing over trees. And there we or- 
 dered refreshments and sat long over cooling 
 ices and talked of the days when the Star-in- 
 the-East would become a brilliant fixed planet; 
 and something fell on my hand and I was startled, 
 seeing my first chameleon — a pretty little lizard 
 — gazing at me with bright round eyes. In 
 after years I grew to love this animal and to 
 regard it as my benefactor, especially in 
 Honolulu, where it is a foe to mosquitoes. 
 
 Then there was another day when we went 
 out and saw the one kind act to animals in 
 Cuba; the bathing of the work horses in the 
 sea. A stalwart man bestrode the leader, and 
 rode bravely into the water, leading a chain 
 
16 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 of twenty or more, until all were swimming and 
 snorting in the salt billows. Poor beasts, it 
 was their few brief minutes of respite from 
 hours of misery and abuse. Everywhere I 
 had to shut my eyes in Cuba to escape the sight 
 of cruelty to animals. 
 
 One night we visited the Chinese theatre and 
 sat in a box reserved for strangers. 
 
 We did not, naturally, understand the Chi- 
 nese language; yet the play was so realistic that 
 it was impossible to miss the story. Indeed 
 its realism savored of the Clynic; and was so 
 frank and undisguised that Himself blushed 
 (the first and last and only time I ever knew it 
 to happen!) 
 
 Then one day he left me in the hotel to write 
 letters, and said he would be gone several 
 hours. When he came back he was white and 
 ill, and the look in his eyes was one of mingled 
 humiliation and pain. 
 
 "I was persuaded against my will," he said, 
 "to go and witness a bull fight. I stayed but 
 a few moments, perhaps a half hour, but it 
 was a half hour among devils in hell. 
 I cannot bear to think of it. It is incredible 
 that such cruelty can interest men and women. 
 They say it is greatly patronized here by tour- 
 ists, American and English. I feel ashamed 
 that any of my time and money went to the 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 17 
 
 support of such a monstrous relic of barbar- 
 ism." 
 
 Four years after the Spanish war we visited 
 Havana again. What a change! 
 
 A Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to 
 Animals had been established and the bull 
 f ght was forbidden by law. 
 
 The streets were cleaner; better buildings 
 were replacing the old ones; the hotels were 
 neat and well kept, the beds comfortable, the 
 food excellent. The work of that great man 
 and martyr to duty, Colonel Waring, was ev- 
 erywhere evident in the freedom from dirt 
 and disease which Havana enjoyed for a season 
 under American management. 
 
 But alas! with the advance of cleanliness 
 and comfort, much of the picturesque had 
 receded. The mantilla had given place to the 
 plumed and flowered New York hat, and the 
 distinctive beauty of the Cuban and Spanish 
 type was frequently hidden and disfigured by 
 the dreadful commonplaceness of the American 
 shirt waist costume. 
 
 The American visitor was not received with 
 graciousness in Cuba at the time of our second 
 visit, 1904. At this time I wrote of the condi- 
 tions existing there as follows: 
 
 "That Americans are unpopular in Cuba, he 
 who runs may read. In hotels, in public con- 
 
18 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 veyances, in the shops, one may see it and hear 
 it and feel it illustrated daily. The more ed- 
 ucated and cultivated the Cuban, the more re- 
 fined and subtle his methods of showing his dis- 
 approval; the more ignorant, the more unveiled 
 and outspoken his dislike. 
 
 "In public places the Cuban man regards the 
 American woman with a certain insolent fa- 
 miliarity of glance; the Cuban woman's expres- 
 sion is critical and often contemptuous, and the 
 children on the streets are not infrequently open- 
 ly disagreeable. There is a certain condescen- 
 sion of manner in the hotel and shop attendants 
 toward the Americans that is hard to bear and 
 impossible to resent — particularly so, as not one 
 native born and bred Cuban in ten speaks one 
 word of English. 
 
 "Sojourning in a hotel which has been packed 
 all winter with Americans, I find not one waiter 
 who knows what the word orange means and 
 not one chamberman (for there are no chamber- 
 maids) who understands the word hath, or 
 laundry. An interpreter is sent for regularly, 
 each time these words are employed. In the 
 shops it is the same. Unlike the native French, 
 the Spaniard or Cuban does not seem able 
 to translate gesticulations. He is absolutely in- 
 capable of grasping your meaning unless you 
 speak the Spanish tongue. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 19 
 
 "A gentleman who speaks six different lan- 
 guages fluently told me this morning that he was 
 in absolute despair regarding the business proj- 
 ects which brought him here from Europe. 'It is 
 necessary for me to visit many places and see 
 many business men,' he said, 'and invariably I 
 must seek an interpreter. Rarely do I find an 
 establishment where any language save Spanish 
 is understood.' The unpopularity of Americans, 
 I am told, is largely due to the conduct of our 
 soldiers stationed here during and after the 
 Spanish War. One battalion particularly, compos- 
 ed of the riff-raff of the States, in its rank and 
 file, insulted Cuban women, and was so continu- 
 ously and persistently obnoxious to the citizens 
 in its utter lack of decency that an impression 
 of American manners was made upon the Havana 
 mind which will require more than a decade to 
 eradicate. 
 
 "Naturally, the more intelligent and cultivated 
 the Cuban man or woman, the broader the view 
 and the better the understanding of the situation. 
 I have encountered a few residents of Havana, 
 who realize and appreciate the debt all Cuba 
 owes America, and who know how unjust it is to 
 judge an entire country by a regiment or battal- 
 ion of its soldiers. But the tourist here is, never- 
 theless, made to suffer daily and hourly annoy- 
 ances from the depredations and misdemeanors 
 
20 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 of that much glorified and vaunted being— the 
 American soldier!" 
 
 One night a party of us drove through the 
 streets where law permits immorality to dwell 
 unmolested. 
 
 Often I have heard the question discussed 
 among people interested in the welfare of the 
 human race: 
 
 Whether it was better to set apart a portion 
 of the city for the occupancy of women of open 
 immorality, or whether the interests of the 
 race were better served by driving them from 
 house to house, and temporarily purifying a 
 neighborhood only to have the vice plague 
 break out anew in another locality. 
 
 Since this old social evil has, like leprosy, 
 found no cure yet in the history of the world, 
 which is the wiser treatment to follow? 
 
 But after that night's drive through the 
 streets of Magdalens in Havana, I have never 
 in my own mind lacked an answer. 
 
 No words can describe the sickening horror 
 and profound sadness of a community of 
 abandoned women, shameless, and unafraid of 
 police interference, sitting in open doors and 
 windows like human spiders in their webs, 
 waiting for the passing fly. Little girls scarcely 
 in their teens, brazen with sin; faded and 
 battered old creatures, simulating a gayety 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS SI 
 
 they could not feel; and all along the narrow 
 street, block upon block of small houses on 
 either side . crowded together filled with these 
 wretched and depraved beings lost to ideals 
 of love, wifehood, and motherhood, thinking 
 only of selling themselves to the highest bidder. 
 
 What vibrations of sin, sickness and de- 
 spair, of animal passion, jealousy and greed, 
 must go forth from such a centre as that! 
 Better a thousand times to scatter such a popu- 
 lation over larger space, to compel it to hide 
 its face, and dissipate its strength by moving 
 from house to house and from neighborhood 
 to neighborhood, than permit it to gather 
 evil force in such a community. 
 
 Less horrible and less saddening was the 
 visit we paid one day to the Leper Hospital 
 in Havana. 
 
 All my early ideas of that dread malady were 
 changed by the experience of talking with 
 nurses, doctors, and attendants who had taken 
 care of lepers for many years. 
 
 Leprosy is not a contagious disease like 
 smallpox or scarlet fever. Its infection must 
 enter the blood through carelessness or lack of 
 cleanliness before it can be contracted. Among 
 those who had performed the laundry work 
 for the lepers of Havana for fifteen years, no 
 case of infection had occurred. Antiseptics and 
 
22 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 scrupulous care were used, and the same rule 
 was observed by the nurses. What a misfor- 
 tune that fear and unkindness are cultivated 
 in human nature by ignorance of facts like 
 these. 
 
 An average of 99 people in 100 in America 
 think of a leper as a creature whose very pres- 
 ence contaminates the air; as one who must be 
 kept at a distance and fed through iron bars. 
 There are few records of cruelty extant (since 
 the days of Salem witchcraft superstition) 
 more shameful than that of the treatment 
 accorded a poor wretched leper in 1905 who 
 endeavored to travel from Mexico to New 
 York, in order to sail for his home in Syria. 
 
 He was thrust from trains, driven into 
 fields, and pursued like a savage wild beast 
 or dangerous cobra, and all this in a Christian 
 land by Christian people! 
 
 The death of good Father Damien on the 
 Lepers Island of Molakai, from leprosy, did 
 much to still further incite fear in the public 
 mind of the contagious nature of the disease. 
 But while in Honolulu I learned the details 
 of this case. Father Damien was a great, good, 
 unselfish soul; but he was a man of careless 
 personal habits, untidy in his clothing, and 
 often neglectful of his bath. Living among the 
 lepers as he did, and ministering to their bodily 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 23 
 
 as well as spiritual needs, it was not strange 
 that his careless habits caused the dread mal- 
 ady to bring an untimely end to his noble 
 career. 
 
 It was infection, not contagion, however. 
 Father Damien had failed to remember that 
 "Cleanliness is next to Godliness," and he paid 
 the price of such forgetfulness. The saint, 
 as well as the sinner, suffers the penalty of a 
 broken law of nature. Clean streets, clean 
 homes, clean bodies, clean minds, clean food, 
 clean thoughts and clean aspirations would rid 
 the world of all diseases leprosy included. 
 
 But because such a large proportion of the 
 world lacks habitual and systematic cleanli- 
 ness, lepers and victims of tuberculosis and 
 all other scrofulous maladies should be kept 
 apart from the general world until cured. It 
 is kinder to them and safer for the race. In- 
 stead of prison hospitals with small gardens, 
 however, these sad souls should be given a 
 domain as they are in the Hawaiian Islands, 
 where they can experience such comforts and 
 solace as may be found in human companion- 
 ship, while enjoying the best care of skilled 
 physicians and nurses, to lessen their unutter- 
 able misfortune. 
 
 One cannot fail to be stirred by the nobility 
 existing in human nature when we see good 
 
24 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 men and women devoting their lives to the care 
 of lepers. A sweet woman, "Sister Margaret," 
 had been for fifteen years in the leper hospital 
 of Havana, she told me. It was a joy to her 
 to hear the English language spoken. She 
 was originally from New York, of Irish par- 
 entage, a sweet-souled sister of charity. 
 
 Of all the shocking and sad sights I saw in 
 that hospital, nothing impressed me so fright- 
 fully as a bevy of little children (under twelve 
 years), a sufficient group to form a school, 
 all victims of leprosy. They were laughing and 
 playing, unconscious yet of the horrible des- 
 tiny which in all probability awaited them, 
 a lingering death in life, death by inches. 
 
 The day before my visit a man had died of 
 some sudden malady — pneumonia, I think — ■ 
 who for thirty-four years had been immured in 
 the leper hospital slowly rotting away. 
 
 It is fortunate that the minds of the little 
 children I saw there, could not, or did not, draw 
 conclusions from this occurrence of what fate 
 might be theirs through all the years of youth, 
 maturity, and into old age. 
 
 Oh, when will science turn its attention to 
 the wonderful hidden secret powers lying un- 
 used in the universe, powers which will yet 
 be used to cure all diseases, leprosy in- 
 cluded. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 25 
 
 That day shall yet come! 
 
 "And the Star-in-the-East ? It rose only to 
 set: never to shine again on our mortal vision. 
 Yet somewhere in the eternal heavens it 
 glows. 
 
 JAMAICA 
 
 The great Creator, shaping sun and star, 
 Heard an archangel speaking thus : ' ' I dreamed 
 
 I saw another Paradise afar, 
 
 And all about it sapphire waters gleamed." 
 
 The Maker smiled. At his divine behest 
 The angel's dream, like some lush rose un- 
 curled, 
 
 To bloom forever on the warm sea's breast, 
 The beautiful Jamaica of the world. 
 
 JAMAICA 
 
 There had been journeys by land and sea to 
 Florida, to New Orleans, to California, to Eng- 
 land, France, Belgium and Holland, before the 
 next visit was paid to the West Indies. 
 
 The weather was unusually severe and cruel 
 in New York; heavy snows set in early in De- 
 cember, and blizzards and bleak and cold rains 
 alternated for two months, making life for man 
 and beast a continual warfare with the elements. 
 
26 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 It was early in February when Himself broke 
 the glad tidings to me, saying, "If you care to go, 
 we will sail next week for a month in Jamaica." 
 I did not know much about Jamaica, only that it 
 was one of the West India Islands under English 
 government; but my pulse leaped at the thought 
 of a voyage into summer lands with Himself, 
 at this time of the year. 
 
 He was weary with that incessant battle 
 which our competitive system forces upon men 
 of business; and burdened with those small 
 cares and worries which destroy comfort by 
 day and sleep by night, like the hair shirt of the 
 religious fanatic. 
 
 But so soon as the date of our sailing was 
 fixed, and once aboard the "Admiral Schley," 
 plying between Philadelphia and Port Antonio, 
 life assumed for both of us the aspect of a school 
 holiday. It was such a trim little steamer: 
 and our state rooms were cosy, our corner of the 
 deck secluded and restful, and every hour led 
 us farther and farther away from the rigors 
 of the north climate and the realities of prac- 
 tical life. 
 
 "Business" became an obselete word; there 
 was nothing in our present or our immediate 
 future but pleasure and relaxation. 
 
 With such a mental atmosphere, and with the 
 staunch little ship plunging forward and over 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 27 
 
 seas that changed from cold gray to ardent azure 
 and dazzling green, and into tropical warmth, 
 what could one do but sing! 
 
 And so these little verselets came to be written 
 and have their place here, in this personal 
 record of southern sea travels, rather than in 
 any book which lays claim to literary merit. 
 
 HOLIDAY SONGS 
 
 I 
 
 Sailing away on a summer sea, 
 
 Out of the bleak March weather; 
 Drifting away for a loaf and play, 
 
 Just you and I together; 
 And it's good-bye worry, and good-bye hurry, 
 And never a care have we; 
 With the sea below and the sun above 
 And nothing to do but dream and love, 
 
 Sailing away together. 
 
 Sailing away from the grim old town 
 
 And tasks the town calls duty; 
 Sailing away from walls of gray 
 
 To a land of bloom and beauty, 
 And it's good-bye to letters from our lessers and 
 our betters, 
 
28 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 To the cold world's smile or frown. 
 We sail away on a sunny track 
 To find the summer and bring it back, 
 And love is our only duty. 
 
 II 
 
 Afloat on a sea of passion 
 
 Without a compass or chart, 
 But the glow of your eye shows the sun is high, 
 
 By the sextant of my heart. 
 I know we are nearing the tropics 
 
 By the languor that round us lies, 
 And the smile on your mouth says the course is 
 south 
 
 And the port is Paradise, 
 
 We have left gray skies behind us, 
 
 We sail under skies of blue; 
 You are off with me on lover's sea, 
 
 And I am away with you. 
 We have not a single sorrow, 
 
 And I have but one fear: 
 That my lips may miss one offered kiss 
 
 From the mouth that is smiling near. 
 
 There is no land of winter; 
 
 There is no world of care; 
 There is bloom and mirth all over the earth, 
 
 And love, love everywhere. 
 
Jamaica. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 29 
 
 Our boat is the barque of Pleasure, 
 
 And whatever port we sight, 
 The touch of your hand will make the land 
 
 The Harbor of Pure Delight. 
 
 The good Captain of this little ship was very- 
 friendly and social with his guests, and one day 
 we were asked to go on. the bridge and watch 
 the taking of the sun by the sextant, a process 
 which had always been a great puzzle to me 
 until that day. And then another little verse 
 come to life — 
 
 TAKING THE SUN 
 
 Let me take the sun, dear; 
 Turn your eyes this way. 
 (Poor the record and the score; 
 Twenty thousand leagues .from shore — 
 Head winds blow, and skies are gray; 
 Better luck tomorrow.) 
 
 Let me take the sun, dear; 
 As along we sail. 
 (Slow the course still seems to be; 
 Winds abeam, and rough the sea; 
 And I almost fear a gale; 
 But, why trouble borrow?) 
 
30 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 Let me take the sun, dear, 
 Lift those eyes of blue; 
 Ah! at last we're making time; 
 Winds are fair and waves sublime; 
 Tropic lands are right in view, 
 So farewell to sorrow. 
 
 When the flying fishes began to leap from the 
 water and soar above the waves in flocks, great 
 excitement prevailed among the passengers; 
 and we two were among the most excited. 
 
 We were living in an atmosphere of that 
 wonderful poem of Kipling's, "On the Road to 
 Mandalay." 
 
 A fish flew upon the deck and was carried off 
 by one of the crew, and afterward we secured 
 it, all mounted, as a souvenir for our Bungalow- 
 on-the-Sound. 
 
 The skies grew more lustrous, the sea more 
 rainbow colored, the sun hotter, and the cap- 
 tain and officers appeared in white duck and 
 the ladies in lawns and straw hats. 
 
 Life seemed to have become a June morning 
 in youth for all of us. It was a glorious after- 
 noon when we sailed into the most exquisite 
 harbor on earth — Port Antonio. Indelible is the 
 impression made upon me by that first view, as 
 we anchored in front of the old Titchfield Hotel 
 situated on its noble eminence and surrounded 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 31 
 
 by royal palms, with the majestic background 
 of the Blue mountains in the distance. There 
 were five distinct colors in the waters of the bay; 
 there was tropical verdure everywhere and 
 summer, and joy, and life was good; yet I grieve 
 to say that we allowed this rapturous state of 
 mind to be sunk in irritation and nervousness 
 over the two hours delay caused by the health 
 officer who had reported a case of sickness in 
 the crew. It was only malaria, but it compelled 
 us all to land in the dark. Perhaps the very 
 late landing gave the greater zest to our morn- 
 ing awakening. Rising at the first break of day 
 to look out of the window, the overwhelming 
 beauty of this tropic scene seemed a compensa- 
 tion for every dark and dreary hour that life 
 had ever known in the past. 
 
 The old Titchfield Hotel is now replaced by a 
 more commodious one; the most artistic and 
 restful inn on earth. It is like a quiet wood, 
 through which green roadways lead, always 
 into peaceful nooks. Yet there was an indi- 
 viduality about the old Tichfield which cannot 
 be duplicated. The dining room was built 
 about a mango tree; from whose branches hung 
 luscious fruit, and vines and flowering plants 
 were everywhere visible. 
 
 Porcelain baths with hot and cold water were 
 not included in its conveniences, but there was 
 
33 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 always the sea, which looked like a monstrous 
 pousse cafe in a coral tub, and the water 
 was always at eighty degrees. A homey air 
 pervaded the hotel, and those days we spent 
 there linger in the memory like a pleasant 
 week end in a hospitable country mansion. 
 
 We drove to Blue Hole; ten miles of exquisite 
 panoramas; and there we met Dame Fisher, 
 the notable colored woman who is a prosperous 
 business woman and property holder, and we suc- 
 ceeded in gaining permission to kodak her 
 daughter, famous throughout the island for her 
 beauty. There were drives to Swift River and 
 Moorestown, each more wonderful than the 
 other, and life seemed dyed in o-oalescent hues; 
 and there was no world of care, and nothing 
 commonplace, from horizon to horizon, or from 
 dawn till dawn. 
 
 The market sights at Port Antonio were cu- 
 rious and interesting The optimistic patience 
 and courage of the peasants seemed pathetic 
 as we saw them in our drives, trudging joyously 
 over twenty miles of mountain and valley to 
 bring a shilling's worth of produce to market; 
 and trudging cheerfully back again at the close 
 of the day, with their small purchases. 
 
 They were like children, these Jamaica peas- 
 ants; and they greeted us always with pleasant 
 words and smiles, and ofttimes tossed bunches of 
 
Jamaica. 
 
 Jamaica. — Going to Market. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 33 
 
 flowers into our carriage. The tremendous 
 weights they carried on their heads, easily 
 poised, surprised us. Once we saw a medium 
 sized man walking to market with a live hog on 
 his head; the feet tied so he could not move, and 
 the mouth gagged so he could not squeal. 
 
 Poor pig ! he was like a small manufacturer in 
 the grasp of the trusts; and the same fate, prac- 
 tically, awaited him. 
 
 When the month was over, and business 
 again stood in the foreground and sternly beck- 
 oned, we went like slaves before a lash, back 
 into the chill weather and the biting winds of 
 March to take up the realities of life again. 
 
 As we sailed past the old Hotel Titchfield 
 in mid-afternoon, a group of new-made friends 
 stood on the terrace calling "Good-bye — bon 
 voyage — come again," through the megaphone. 
 
 The "Buckman" which bore us away was 
 one of the old "fruiters," badly balanced and 
 poorly provided for the comfort of passengers, 
 and it gave us one of our worst sea experiences. 
 There was scarcely a dozen of us, and Himself 
 and I were almost the only good sailors outside 
 the crew, able to keep other than a horizontal 
 position during the hard five days of huge seas 
 and high winds which we faced in that rolling 
 tub of a boat. 
 
 Never was a poem written under more diffi- 
 
 3 
 
34 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 cult conditions than "The Problem" which is 
 given below. 
 
 Sitting in the room which served as a ladies' 
 cabin I was obliged to tie my limbs about the 
 table leg to keep myself from falling to the floor 
 as the ship lurched from side to side. A few 
 lines of the poem were scratched off as the boat 
 dipped to the left, and the next stanza would 
 find me pitched almost on my back, with the 
 table above me as I completed the line, before 
 the starboard side of the ship came up again. 
 
 The writing of the verses proved quite as 
 much of a problem as the subject, which had 
 been suggested by my first close study of the 
 African race. 
 
 THE PROBLEM 
 
 Out of the wilderness, out of the night, 
 
 Has the black man crawled to the dawn of 
 
 light. 
 Beaten by lashes and bound by chains, 
 A beast of burden with soul and brains, 
 He has come through sorrow and need and woe, 
 And the cry of his heart is to know, — to know. 
 
 You took his freedom and gave it again 
 But grudged as you gave it, ye white faced 
 men. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 35 
 
 Not all of freedom is being free 
 
 And a dangerous plaything is liberty 
 
 For untaught children. In vain do you say: 
 
 "We gave what he asked for, place and pay 
 And right of franchise." All wrong, all wrong, 
 He was but a child to be led along 
 By the hand of love. Has he felt its touch? 
 Nay, you gave unwisely, and gave too much, 
 But gave not the things that his groping mind 
 Was reaching up in the dark to find. 
 
 They were love and knowledge. Oh, infinite 
 Must be the patience that hopes to right 
 The wrongs that are hoary with age, and 
 
 brought 
 To the level of virtues by mortal thought. 
 And greater than patience must be the trust 
 In the ultimate outcome of what is just. 
 And in and under, and through and above, 
 Must weave the warp of the purpose of love. 
 
 Red with anguish his way has been, 
 This suffering brother of dusky skin. 
 For centuries fettered and bound to earth, 
 Slow his unfolding to freedom's birth. 
 Slow his rising from burden and ban 
 To fill the stature of moral man. 
 
36 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 You must give him his wings, ere you tell him 
 
 to fly, 
 You must set the example and bid him try. 
 Let the white man pay for the white man's 
 
 crime, 
 Let him work in patience and bide God's time. 
 
 Out of the wilderness, out of the night, 
 
 Has the black man crawled to the dawn of 
 
 light. 
 He has come through the valley of great despair, 
 He has borne what no white man ever can bear; 
 He has come through sorrow and pain and woe, 
 And the cry of his heart is to know — -to know. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 37 
 
 JAMAICA— AGAIN 
 
 Four years passed (during which the second 
 trip to Cuba had been made) when we followed 
 the leading of our hearts, and sailed again to 
 Jamaica, this time for the winter. 
 
 A wonderful thing had happened. Another 
 dream had come true. "Business," my only 
 rival, was displaced. A life of strenuous labor 
 was rewarded by a season of relaxation. 
 
 Oh, the joy of it, as we sailed away on De- 
 cember 20th, knowing that we had the whole 
 beautiful winter ahead of us in summer lands, 
 to dream, rest, saunter, read and write, and do 
 as impulse and fancy willed. 
 
 When we reached Port Antonio it was just 
 sunset of a cloudy Christmas day. Over against 
 Blue Mountain Range was piled a bank of pur- 
 ple clouds, changing into splendid gold and 
 red, and dyeing the water of the little bay to 
 a deep rose hue, as we disembarked at the 
 Titchfield pier. 
 
 It seemed as it might to a wandering soul 
 reaching Paradise at twilight. 
 
 Keeping the memory of the old Titchfield in 
 mind, despite the fact that we knew it was re- 
 placed by a new structure, the first experience 
 
38 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 in the beautiful new hotel was one of disap- 
 pointment and disapproval. Where was the 
 old rural simplicity, where was the mango tree 
 growing up in the center of the dining room? 
 
 Where were the old "homey" porticos, with 
 neighborlike people sitting about? all lost in 
 splendid spaces of elegance and comfort. We 
 were as unreasonable in our disapproval as 
 the complaining parents of a daughter who 
 comes home from college, a modish and cul- 
 tured young woman, instead of the shy, awk- 
 ward girl in calico who went away. 
 
 Even after we enjoyed the luxury of a hot 
 bath, and the delicious food served in the 
 spacious treeless dining room, we still la- 
 mented the lost old rookery. 
 
 In fact, the full appreciation of what this new 
 American hotel meant to tourists in Jamaica, 
 did not come to us until we had made a tour 
 about the island, and returned to finish the 
 season in its comfortable and costly arms. 
 On that return it appeared to me just as it has 
 seemed ever since, a spacious wood, with 
 mottled green roadways leading everywhere 
 into cool grottoes: artistic: restful: delight- 
 ful. 
 
 On New Year day the hotel was crowded, 
 and Jack London and his bright, agreeable 
 young wife were among the guests. We four 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 39 
 
 — the Londons and Himself and I — went over 
 to the bathing beach for a wonderful swim in 
 water a little too warm to be stimulating, but 
 so beautiful and enticing that it was hard to 
 leave it. 
 
 Two days later we were traveling com- 
 panions for a half day; we on our way to Mon- 
 eague, in the mountains, the Londons setting 
 forth on an equestrian trip across the island. 
 
 Admiring the virility and force of Jack 
 London's intellect before meeting him, if not 
 always agreeing with his views of life and 
 humanity, the brief personal acquaintance 
 proved an interesting surprise. 
 
 One cannot read London without picturing 
 a man of aggressive and dominating qualities, 
 strong willed and intolerant of the follies and 
 foibles of the conventional world, and of the 
 injustice of accepted industrial conditions. 
 
 However these feelings possess him, his charm- 
 ing personality does not betray aggressiveness or 
 intolerance; nor do the lines of his palm indi- 
 cate that bold defiance of conventions which 
 one associates with him. A boyish face, an 
 almost fragile form, a sensitive nature as deli- 
 cately tuned as a wind harp, a gentle manner, 
 and a winning magnetism — that is the memory 
 Jack London left with us. 
 
 Earnest, honest, heartily alive to the joy of 
 
40 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 life, loving the sea with a lover's passion, and 
 happy to eat and sleep in the saddle, he was 
 fortunate in the companionship of a young 
 wife of similar tastes, eager and ready to fol- 
 low the untrammeled course of life which he 
 had laid out for himself. 
 
 Yet they impressed me as imprudent chil- 
 dren, who needed a wise guardian, and in Jack 
 London's palm the life line is short; shorter 
 in the right than in the left, too, showing that 
 he is wasting his vital forces. After eight 
 hours in the saddle one day, the Londons came 
 back to the hotel and found us just leaving 
 for the bathing beach. "Oh, wait until we get 
 our suits and go along with you!" cried the 
 impetuous young author. "But," I suggested, 
 "a sea bath, — especially one accompanied with 
 strenuous diving and swimming such as you 
 indulge in, — should not be taken when the ner- 
 vous system is tired. After eight hours in the 
 saddle in this tropical climate, you must be 
 fatigued." "Not a bit of it," he replied. "We 
 are fresh as the morning." "But maybe we 
 ought to rest a bit before going over to the 
 beach," Mrs. London said. "We will see how 
 we feel after we get to our room." And that 
 evening she confessed to me that they slept 
 two solid hours after removing their riding 
 habits, which proved the fact that they were 
 
Jamaica. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 41 
 
 fatigued and needed rest instead of added 
 exercise. I would not like to be obliged to 
 follow an itinerary made out by Jack London. 
 The Londons found their horses waiting for 
 them at Spanishtown, and left us there. We 
 went on to our destination, Moneague, high up 
 the Mount Diablo Range. 
 
 It was a ten mile drive after we left the train; 
 a drive of winding ascents and magnificent 
 views, a continually changing kaleidoscope of 
 tropical splendor. 
 
 At the summit of one of the highest peaks 
 spread a level plateau surrounded by a gently 
 sloping valley, and beyond this valley in every 
 direction were stately mountain ranges cov- 
 ered with riotous verdure of shaded greens. 
 
 The Moneague Hotel stood on this plateau 
 and commanded the superb view and caught 
 the mountain winds from every window and 
 portico. 
 
 Here we passed a happy, peaceful month, 
 living on simple country fare, palatable and 
 nutritious, finding excellent service, and en- 
 joying the best sleep imaginable. 
 
 Reading and writing, our regular occupations, 
 were varied by drives to points of interest, "The 
 Fern Gully" drive being one of the most memor- 
 ably beautiful experiences of our lives. 
 
 It was our first sight of ferns twenty feet high, 
 
42 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 and with leaves many feet in diameter. A trip 
 to Sylvan Falls, too, disclosed scenes of astonish- 
 ing beauty. 
 
 Our mornings were given to books and letters, 
 in our cool roomy apartments, opening out on a 
 vine shaded portico. Many poems for maga- 
 zines, and many prose articles, were written here. 
 Among them were the following verses of local 
 color: 
 
 MONEAGUE 
 
 A lovely princess, throned in high estate, 
 And like a watchful army in command, 
 The stately mountains round about her stand, 
 While the four winds of earth upon her wait. 
 Great orchestra of birds make glad her hours, 
 And nature brings her gifts of fruits and flowers 
 
 OCHO RIOS 
 
 So fair this spot, the story of its fame, 
 Into the still far mountain fastness came. 
 Eight wondering rivers heard, and sought in glee 
 This tropic marvel by a sapphire sea. 
 And, gazing, all went mad with love, men say, 
 And flung themselves in Ocho Rios Bay. 
 Now, in the voice of Roaring River Falls, 
 The mountain fastness for its rivers calls. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 43 
 
 BIRDS 
 
 At dawn the rainbow colors of the sea 
 
 Took sound, and echoed from the great palm tree 
 
 Beneath my window, so it seemed to me. 
 
 I looked, and saw it was the music spray 
 
 A mocking bird gushed out to greet the day. 
 
 THE WEATHER 
 
 There are just two kinds of weather 
 
 On this fair Jamaica Isle: 
 First the glowing golden sunshine, 
 
 That makes all the tourists smile. 
 Then it rains, and all the planters 
 
 Beam with pleasure, and they say, 
 "It is silver dollar weather 
 
 We are having here today." 
 
 Every afternoon we walked for an hour or two 
 along the hard fine roads which lead through 
 beautiful woodland scenes, and our regret was 
 that we could not climb the lovely mountain 
 sides, or wander through the fields. 
 
 Knowing that the mongoose (the St. Patrick 
 of Jamaica) had destroyed all serpents, we 
 imagined such pedestrian trips would form a 
 
44 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 part of our entertainment. But we had counted 
 without the Jamaican pest — the "tick." This 
 infinitesimal insect inhabits the grass, and is 
 said to be bred by the cattle. Once upon a time 
 it was kept in subjection by the birds which 
 filled the fields and woods of Jamaica, and found 
 the insect a good diet. But the mongoose, im- 
 ported from East India to destroy rats and ser- 
 pents, extended his slaughter into the bird 
 kingdom to such an extent that the malicious 
 little "tick" has been enabled to propagate its 
 species, and make life uncomfortable for animals 
 and men who venture into its domain, the grass. 
 
 Fortunate for humanity, this insect can neither 
 leap nor fly; and so one who "keeps off the 
 grass" is immune from its persecutions. 
 
 In all our walks along the hard white roads, I 
 became the victim of only one "tick." 
 
 But an English lady who had not been warned, 
 and who climbed an attractive looking hillside 
 the day after her arrival, was obliged to lie in 
 bed with bandaged limbs for more than a week. 
 
 This vicious speck of animal life is smaller than 
 the smallest atom of black pepper; and attached 
 to a human foot or ankle, it proceeds to bore 
 under the cuticle and hide itself; and unless 
 immediately removed (a difficult process) it 
 produces angry swelling and intolerable itching. 
 
 Afflicted in this manner one day, and unable to 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 45 
 
 detect the slightest sign of an insect, I was con- 
 vinced by my chambermaid, who dug her sharp 
 finger nails into my flesh and produced the 
 offending intruder, an almost invisible electron 
 of dust. 
 
 "Rebecca" was a mountain born and bred 
 maid of color, childlike and simple as they all are. 
 
 The day we arrived in Moneague the mountain 
 winds subsided as usual about 4 o'clock, and in 
 my room I heard (what at Port Antonio I had 
 never heard) the hum of a mosquito. 
 
 "I see there are no screens at the windows or 
 doors, Rebecca," I said; "I fear we will be eaten 
 up by mosquitos." 
 
 "Don't need no screens, Mistress," Rebecca 
 replied. 
 
 "But I heard a mosquito this minute," I 
 answered. 
 
 "Yes'm," Rebecca said, as she went on about 
 her work, "but de muskiter done go to sleep 
 when de light is out and don't bother no one." 
 
 And sure enough Rebecca's word proved true. 
 The mosquito, a feeble specimen, appeared at 
 this season of the year only between four and 
 six in the afternoon, as if invited to an afternoon 
 tea; and he politely made his departure after six 
 and was heard no more that night. Later in 
 the winter, or earlier in the spring, I have heard 
 that he is less formal and more obtrusive. 
 
46 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 Fascinated by the peculiar bell-like notes of a 
 bird outside my window, I asked its name, and 
 Rebecca answered me, saying it was the "Ting- 
 a-ling." I learned afterward that it is the 
 Jamaican name generally given to the black- 
 bird, which, in sufficient numbers, keeps the 
 "tick" in subjection. In our walks we often 
 saw a half dozen of these blackbirds riding on 
 the back of a cow busily engaged in eating the 
 ticks. That the poor beasts allow the birds to 
 settle on their backs and heads without protest 
 and allow them to ride free of charge, can be 
 readily understood. 
 
 The song of the "Ting-a-ling" is sweet and 
 plaintively musical, like the chime of small 
 bells. 
 
 The mocking bird used to sit on a tree just in 
 front of our portico, and pour out fountains of 
 song, and on several nights I was enchanted by 
 the wonderful music of the nightingale. 
 
 A large banyan tree grew a few yards from 
 the window at the north side of our rooms. 
 
 One afternoon I heard the unmistakable cry 
 of a small kitten from the region of the banyan 
 tree. 
 
 Now, while all animals are dear to my heart, 
 feline creatures have always possessed a peculiar 
 fascination for me; and Himself owns to a simi- 
 lar predilection. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 47 
 
 Therefore the cry of this kitten seemed a direct 
 appeal to me for help, and I set forth to find the 
 furry atom of life from whence the cry proceeded. 
 
 Animals know no God but man, and if man 
 makes no answer when the animal cries, how 
 should he dare pray to God for help in his own 
 hour of trial? 
 
 Following the repeated mew of the kitten, I 
 found a tiny fur ball lying at the foot of the 
 banyan tree; and hearing a louder cry above me, 
 I looked up and discovered the most astonishing 
 thing — a mother cat and four kittens lying in a 
 nest in the tree six feet above the ground. 
 
 The nest was formed by the branching of the 
 tree at that height, and a deposit of fallen leaves 
 in the conjunction of branches made a most 
 comfortable bed for the cat family. The mother 
 cat was thin and indolent, and between the 
 taxing tropical climate ana tour ravenous babies, 
 she lacked the ambition to rescue the kitten 
 when it fell from the perch. After restoring 
 the adventurous infant four times in the after- 
 noon, I decided to move the family to more com- 
 fortable quarters, and so that evening found 
 Pussy Cat and her five kittens installed in a 
 commodious soap box under my writing table. 
 Every one predicted her early departure, and 
 return to the banyan tree, cat fashion. But not 
 until the day before our departure did Pussy 
 
48 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 show the slightest desire to leave her comfort- 
 able quarters. 
 
 I fed her three times a day on the fat of the 
 land; fish, fowl, flesh, cream (taken from the 
 breakfast table, to the amazement of the colored 
 waiters), and I was just beginning to teach the 
 little family to lap milk, when we decided rather 
 suddenly to return to Port Antonio. 
 
 Feeling a certain responsibility about my pets, 
 I went to the room of one of the English ladies 
 residing in the hotel, and asked her if she would 
 concern herself about the pussies and see that 
 they were fed after my departure. She amiably 
 consented, and said the feline family could oc- 
 cupy a corner of the portico outside her room. 
 But what was my surprise, on returning to 
 my apartment, to find that Madame Puss had 
 taken the matter in her own hands (or rather 
 the kittens in her mouth) and moved them every 
 one, up two flights of stairs to the housekeeper's 
 room. She had no doubt sensed my approach- 
 ing, departure, with that weird sixth sense so 
 many animals possess, and decided on the place 
 she would prefer to occupy. 
 
 She had grown so fat under my care, and the 
 kittens were so robust, that I left my charges 
 with confidence that their immediate future 
 would be a reasonably comfortable one. 
 
 The morning of our departure was another of 
 
Jamaica. 
 
 Jamaica. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 49 
 
 those occasions which remains forever vivid and 
 distinct in memory. 
 
 We were to drive to Spanishtown and take 
 the eight o'clock train to Port Antonio. This 
 necessitated leaving Moneague at five o'clock. 
 
 "Topping," our favorite coachman, was at the 
 door with two good mules and a comfortable 
 carriage. But the morning was as black as a 
 full blooded young maid of the Jamaican Moun- 
 tains; and we could see nothing, as we felt our 
 way along the veranda, save the glimmering 
 lanterns attached to the carriage. No shadow, 
 even, of horses or driver was discernible. 
 
 Slowly, as we made our way along the wind- 
 ing road, the shapes of Topping and the mules 
 came out like negatives on a kodak film; then 
 like developed prints; and next we saw the 
 mountains appearing from the mist. A few 
 moments later, from our high altitude we looked 
 down into a valley filled with rushing billows. 
 
 "Why, Topping," I cried, "I never knew 
 there was a river in that valley before!" 
 
 "That's no river, Mistress," Topping answered 
 — "that's clouds." And sure enough we were 
 above the clouds, looking down upon them; 
 and in another half hour the sun had arisen 
 and touched with glory all that splendid mass, 
 and we drove on through the opulent verdure 
 of the mountain scenery, bathed in light, 
 
50 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 beauty and joy, feeling the wonder of God's 
 great universe, and the thrill of the universal 
 life, and the privilege of personal companion- 
 ship, with a new sense of gratitude. 
 
 The hot railroad trip was made endurable 
 by cool winds and by the continual panorama 
 of magnificent scenery between Spanishtown 
 and Port Antonio. There are few more pic- 
 turesque scenes on earth than the Bog walk 
 drive of Jamaica. 
 
 Back into the comfort and charm and artis- 
 tic beauty of Hotel Titchfield, we forgot our 
 old grudge against it as the displacer of the 
 former rustic structure, and there and then 
 swore our allegience to it as the loveliest hotel 
 in the world. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 51 
 
 PORT ANTONIO 
 
 During our first visit to Jamaica the same 
 thorn had pierced my flesh that caused me so 
 much suffering in Cuba. This was the utter 
 indifference of human beings to the suffering 
 of animals. 
 
 Drives which would have meant happiness, 
 made misery for me, and scenes which God 
 rendered radiant, man turned dark with tor- 
 ment by the continual lashing of ill-fed and 
 overworked animals. Perpetual protests were 
 on my lips, and I was obliged to be unpleas- 
 antly conspicuous on several occasions, and to 
 suffer the consequent disagreeable notoriety, as 
 an open defender of dumb beasts among the 
 ignorant or the indifferent, who called such 
 championship of voiceless creatures, " eccen- 
 tric." It was either this, or else remain shame- 
 fully silent, and suffer the cruelty to continue 
 without protest. Drivers began to point me 
 out and laugh among themselves when they 
 saw me approach; but I had the satisfaction of 
 saving many a miserable mule, donkey and 
 horse cruel blows, and of knowing that I had 
 possibly planted a little seed of thought on the 
 subject of our responsibility toward animals 
 in a few crude minds. 
 
52 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 On my second visit to Jamaica it was a sur- 
 prise and a delight to find a society for the pro- 
 tection of animals organized in the Island and 
 doing excellent work. Judge and Mrs. Lumb, 
 aided by Mrs. Perry, had accomplished this 
 great undertaking. Already there was a differ- 
 ent feeling on the subject among the owners 
 and drivers of animals; a half awakened con- 
 sciousness of the rights of dumb beasts to 
 decent treatment, even when that conscious- 
 ness was not carried into action. It was my 
 desire to be of aid to the Humane Society, 
 and besides a personal contribution, to give it 
 a new impetus. 
 
 The way opened through the little Hotel 
 Titchfield bulletin called "The Port Antonio 
 Morning News." It was published by the 
 management merely to give stock reports and 
 arrivals of guests; but a souvenir number was 
 arranged for February 22nd, in which the 
 printer, Mr. Hadley, a man of remarkable genius 
 in his line, and I, collaborated in an effort 
 to make the number of more than momentary 
 interest. So well we succeeded, that there was 
 a demand for another; and I requested the 
 manager to allow this to be the "Animal Edition' ' 
 and to be sold for the benefit of the Society — 
 instead of being presented to the guests. 
 
 It appeared the morning before we sailed 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 53 
 
 for Boston, and netted the society something 
 over £15, I believe. 
 
 Some of the verses written for this special 
 souvenir edition of the 'Tort Antonio News" 
 are appended. 
 
 PORT ANTONIO HARBOR 
 
 This darling of the Southern Sea, afar 
 
 The great Blue Mountain worships from his 
 
 height; 
 Sometimes to hide his passion from her sight, 
 He pins a cloud about him with a star, 
 And shuts away the vision of her charms, 
 Lying encircled by her lover's arms, 
 While high above him hangs the Southern 
 
 Cross, 
 To typify his sorrow and his loss. 
 
 ON THE PARADA 
 
 A radiant sea, and a smiling sky 
 
 And a tropical sun above us. 
 
 Two proud banners, that watch close by, 
 
 And somebody near to love us. 
 
 Friends in the foreground, and ships in the bay, 
 
 And its ho! and hail! to a holiday. 
 
54 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 WELCOME TO THE TOURISTS 
 
 Here's a welcome to the tourist 
 On this fair West Indian Isle, 
 May you find the skies above you 
 Just one bright eternal smile; 
 May the mountains and the valleys, 
 And the climate, and the sea, 
 Prove as full of balm and beauty 
 As you fancied they would be. 
 
 But remember in your seeking 
 After pleasure, this one thing: 
 You will find no more contentment 
 Anywhere than what you bring. 
 If you take your pack of troubles 
 Always with you while you roam, 
 You might better save your money, 
 And your time, and stay at home. 
 
 So just drop it in the ocean 
 As you sight this summer port, 
 And come smiling into harbor 
 With a heart for any sport. 
 Just forget the snows and blizzards, 
 And the worries left behind, 
 Meet the Eden of Jamaica, 
 With an Eden of the mind. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 55 
 
 INTERMEDIARY 
 
 When from the prison of its body free, 
 My soul shall soar, before it goes to Thee, 
 Thou great Creator, give it power to know 
 The language of all sad, dumb things below. 
 And let me dwell a season still on earth 
 Before I rise to some diviner birth: 
 Invisible to men, yet seen and heard, 
 And understood by sorrowing beast and bird — 
 Invisible to men, yet always near, 
 To whisper counsel in the human ear; 
 And with a spell to stay the hunter's hand 
 And stir his heart to know and understand; 
 To plant within the dull or thoughtless mind 
 The great religious impulse to be kind. 
 
 Before I prune my spirit wings and rise 
 To seek my loved ones in their paradise, 
 Yea! even before I hasten on to see 
 That lost child's face, so like a dream to me, 
 I would be given this intermediate role, 
 And carry comfort to each poor, dumb soul; 
 And bridge man's gulf of cruelty and sin 
 By understanding of his lower kin. 
 'Twixt weary driver and the straining steed 
 On wings of mercy would my spirit speed. 
 And each should know, before his journey's end, 
 That in the other dwelt a loving friend. 
 
56 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 From zoo and jungle, and from cage and stall, 
 I would translate each inarticulate call, 
 Each pleading look, each frenzied act and cry, 
 And tell the story to each passer-by; 
 And of a spirit's privilege possessed, 
 Pursue Indifference to its couch of rest, 
 And whisper in its ear until in awe 
 It woke and knew God's all-embracing law 
 Of Universal Life — the One in All. 
 
 iJi ife 5fc ife rf» ife 2fc jftj 
 
 Lord, let this mission to my lot befall. 
 
 Among all my happy experiences on this 
 Island nothing gave me more satisfaction than 
 this event. It was not alone the privilege of 
 helping the Society with funds, but the oppor- 
 tunity to make people think on the subject of 
 man's duty to the lesser creatures of earth. 
 
 The cruelty in Jamaica is not of the fiendish, 
 and inhuman type that characterizes the Latin 
 and Oriental countries; it is not so brutal as that 
 witnessed in Cuba. Jamaica cruelty is more a 
 matter of ignorance and lack of thought, and is 
 therefore more hopeful of being remedied by 
 education. 
 
 It should be the pleasure and pride of every 
 American tourist to do some little act to help 
 the societies for protection of animals wherever 
 they go, and to encourage drivers in using mercy 
 and kindness in their treatment of horses. 
 
Jamaica. 
 
 Jamaica. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 57 
 
 Americans are the greatest travelers of all 
 nations. America and England do the best 
 organized work in regard to the protection of 
 animals of all the countries of earth. But how 
 much more might be accomplished were every 
 traveler to speak the needed word to drivers, 
 and to help the humane fund in every land he 
 visits by a small contribution. 
 
 To teach the religion of kindness on earth 
 is more important than to make converts to 
 our own especial creed. Religion which per- 
 mits cruelty to animals without protest, or 
 the slaughter of beast and bird for "sport," 
 can never evangelize the world. 
 
 Our rooms at the new Titchfield faced the 
 sea toward the north, with Folly Island and 
 lighthouse a little to the right. 
 
 The view from this side of the hotel is sur- 
 passingly gorgeous in coloring. The hotel 
 bungalows, embowered in tropical verdure, the 
 lawns of vivid green decorated with rose trees, 
 croton and bagonia bushes and shaded by 
 royal palms, occupy the space of two city 
 blocks between the Titchfield and the sea. 
 When the sun shines (as it usually does) the 
 sea for a space of 200 yards is a most intense 
 green — more vivid than nile green; and then, 
 as if cut off like so many yards of silk, and 
 sewn to another strip of peacock blue — a nar- 
 
58 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 rower line of ardent blue water stretches be- 
 fore the astonished eye; and just beyond that 
 a wide strip of perfect amethyst reaches out 
 to the duller depths of dark blue which meet 
 the horizon. 
 
 Different climatic changes occur and are 
 observable in these waters, but they are al- 
 ways (when the sun shines) remarkable in their 
 variety. In the cottage almost under our 
 window, this winter, lived Alexander Dowie, 
 self proclaimed Elijah, then on the downward 
 slope of his rocket-like career. 
 
 He, the "healer" by spiritual power, of all 
 disease, was lying dangerously ill, attended 
 by nurses and physicians, of maladies which 
 proved . fatal a few months later. 
 
 His secretary and two nurses I saw daily, 
 and sometimes spoke with them. They were 
 of his followers and believers; and like most 
 of his flock, were gentle, negative people, 
 easily dominated by a positive mind. 
 
 Alexander Dowie, despite his final self-in- 
 duced fall, and the disintegration of his prov- 
 ince, must stand always as one of the remark- 
 able personalities of the age; a sort of abnormal 
 and startling fungus growth on the face of 
 modern religion. Ignorant, uncontrolled, and 
 obscure, he yet created a mighty church, a 
 great bank and an industrial city, which brought 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 59 
 
 him a colossal fortune and gave him millions 
 of followers, who believed he was "Elijah." 
 
 And after all, may he not have been the re- 
 incarnated Elijah, sent back to finish up the 
 work he left suddenly in the hands of Elisha 
 when he took his aeroplane ride in a whirlwind 
 of fire? 
 
 Elijah was a revengeful man despite his 
 religious proclivities and his occult skill. He 
 delighted in playing with fire, in astonishing 
 his rivals and enemies by his necromancy, and 
 in calling down curses on the heads of those 
 who did not believe as he did. May he not 
 have been forced by the laws he set in motion 
 to come back and complete his earth life in 
 the spectacular and ignoble manner which 
 characterized the career of Alexander Dowie? 
 I once heard Dowie preach. He rolled upon 
 the stage of the great Auditorium hall in Chi- 
 cago, a tub of a man, coarse, ill shaped, devoid 
 of magnetism; his discourse was a harangue 
 composed of platitudes; it was uttered in a 
 harsh, jarring voice, and in a manner devoid of 
 all earnestness or enthusiasm. A more unin- 
 teresting personality for a great leader of men 
 could not be imagined. Yet he brought with 
 him into this earth incarnation some peculiar 
 quality which permitted him to reign for a 
 season, a monarch in his own domain, and to 
 
60 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 end in a whirlwind for the second time, perhaps— 
 a whirlwind of his own uncontrolled tempers, 
 tyrannies and "graftings." 
 
 Looking down on his beautiful little bunga- 
 low and hearing of the sumptuous manner in 
 which he and his five attendants lived, I could 
 but explain his prowess as the "left over" 
 remnants of an earlier incarnation, in which he 
 had accumulated power over material things. 
 
 Every afternoon at four o'clock, from one of 
 the bungalows below us we heard a sweet 
 clear voice calling "Neenah." Over and over 
 again this call came, sometimes followed by a 
 merry laugh, and a call to "Papa" and only 
 when the mewing of a cat and the inevitable 
 hoarse croak were added, did we realize our 
 neighbor was a parrot. 
 
 Sometimes "Neenah" was hailed in the 
 morning; but always was her name sent across 
 the intervening space over the rose bushes and 
 thro' the moving palms every afternoon at 
 four. It grew to be a part of the place, the 
 scene, the time, for us; and I fell asleep in my 
 afternoon siesta or awoke from it to the musical 
 sound of "Neenah," "Neenah." 
 
 After we went away, it still haunted our 
 memory and brought with it all the atmos- 
 phere of beautiful Hotel Titchneld and Port 
 Antonio. When we left Port Antonio we went 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 61 
 
 to Bowden for a brief stay. Our ship, "The 
 Admiral Schley, "left in the afternoon of March 
 12th and stopped at various points to load 
 bananas, reaching Bowden in the evening. A 
 carriage waited and we drove up the mountain 
 side to this lovely retreat, to find ourselves the 
 sole occupants of a cozy bungalow, overlook- 
 ing Anota Bay from one side, the sea from the 
 other, from the third point of view the moun- 
 tains at an altitude of 800 feet. , 
 
 The evening was radiant with a spectacular 
 sunset, and the night soft with a full moon. 
 Winds sighed, and birds twittered, and the 
 whole world seemed ours. We were Adam and 
 Eve in a new corner of Paradise. The next 
 night (after one full night and day spent in this 
 bewitching retreat) we drove down the mountain 
 side at three in the morning to take our boat, 
 which had made a detour in gathering bananas, 
 and had come back to Bowden for us. 
 
 It almost seemed that we were astral bodies 
 floating through space in a silver world of en- 
 trancing beauty, as we made our descent of the 
 mountain at that eerie hour of night. 
 
 As we stood on the deck and watched the 
 large row boats brought in, and the bananas 
 unloaded," to the curious sing song of a native 
 refrain, by hundreds of colored men and women, 
 the kindly illusion of moonlight made the final 
 
62 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 scene one of picturesque interest to carry away 
 with us to the gray March world, whither our 
 boat was headed. 
 
 Deep in our hearts, we carried too, a hope of 
 some day returning to Bowden with a little 
 circle of congenial friends; six, or possibly eight 
 people, who would take possession of the Bowden 
 bungalows, and live a pastoral and peaceful life 
 there together, for two weeks, or a month. 
 Nothing more delightful could be imagined than 
 such an experience with the right selection of 
 friends. We had the circle mentally complete, 
 and each year we have talked it over with these 
 friends as a pleasure to be planned for and en- 
 joyed in the future. 
 
 Of these friends, no one was more interested 
 and eager to see the dream come true than 
 "Martha," whose beautiful girlhood we had 
 watched bloom into happy wifehood. 
 
 But in the splendor of an incomparable May 
 day of this year, Martha, in the fullness of her 
 beauty and in the richness of her love life, went 
 to journey in lands bright with a light which 
 never was on land or sea. 
 
 And so the little dream of a happy holiday in 
 Bowden with congenial friends will never be 
 realized. 
 
 After we had left the warm zone behind us, 
 and had begun to drag our heavy wraps from 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 63 
 
 our steamer trunk, and to shiver on our deck 
 promenade, we set to wondering why we had left 
 adorable Jamaica so soon. 
 
 Why did we not wait two weeks, or another 
 month? 
 
 The question recurred with irritating force, 
 when we landed at Boston in the heaviest bliz- 
 zard of the winter — a mad mid-March snow 
 storm. 
 
 "Why, why, why did we come away so soon?" 
 we asked each other. A long distance telephone 
 message brought the answer on the following 
 day. My aged mother had a sudden stroke of 
 paralysis and was dying. 
 
 We reached her the next day forty- eight 
 hours before she gained her longed for release from 
 the bondage of old age, and passed into blessed 
 spiritual freedom. 
 
 That was why, unconsciously, and under 
 guidance of Invisible Helpers, we had been 
 moved to leave Jamaica so soon. 
 
64 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 HONOLULU 
 
 "You will not like Honolulu," they said. 
 "They," the wise ones. "You will find it so 
 modernized and spoiled by the Americans. 
 Why not go to Tahiti?" 
 
 It was Tahiti we desired to see; but the voyage 
 was just double in length, and the boat half in 
 size, and we were not sure that comfortable 
 accommodations would await us there, on arrival. 
 
 It is all very well when one is twenty, to set 
 forth on large seas in small boats for difficult 
 and barbaric goals, provided only with a flask 
 of water, and a box of crackers. 
 
 But there comes a time in life, when, however 
 we love travel and new experiences, and even 
 adventure, we demand decent beds, and di- 
 gestible food, at certain hours of the day. We 
 had reached that time of life, and so we set sail 
 on a great ocean Ark, plying between San 
 Francisco and the Orient, and which rode the 
 billows as quietly as a row boat floats on a small 
 pond. 
 
 And our destination was made in six days, and 
 our goal was Honolulu. It was late January, 
 and we were seeking another summer land, after 
 having wandered far and away, into foreign 
 regions, the year before, searching for a winter 
 

 
 
 
 1 . <* 
 
 
 3 iw* L ' 
 
 
 \k 
 
 Honolulu. — A Famous Hula Dancer. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 65 
 
 resort as beautiful as Jamaica, and failing to 
 find it. 
 
 We had reveled in the historic charms of 
 Southern France and Italy; but we had shivered 
 while we reveled. We had dreamed among the 
 ruins of old Greek Theatres in Syracuse, and 
 Taormina, Sicily, but we had felt the cold winds 
 from the Alps while we dreamed; we had feasted 
 on the wonders of old Rome, Pompeii and 
 Herculaneum, and felt ourselves a part of these 
 lost worlds, and almost as cold as the dead who 
 slept in crypt and catacomb. 
 
 It was, to be sure, a winter of unusual severity, 
 and no doubt other travelers have found the 
 Riviera as beautiful in climate as it is in scenery 
 and situation; but we were disappointed in its 
 temperature, and we carried away with us to 
 Egypt memories of expensive rooms pervaded 
 by damp chills, and superb drives made uncom- 
 fortable by Alpine winds, as well as a trunk 
 full of summer garments which had served no 
 purpose save to add francs and lires galore to 
 Italy's outrageous excess baggage charge. 
 
 Even Egypt, the wonderful and incomparable, 
 the mysterious and profound, the longed for and 
 attained, Egypt — gave us a cool greeting. 
 
 "If we do not wear our ducks and linens in 
 Egypt," Himself said the morning we were 
 getting our baggage ready to be sent ashore at 
 
66 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 Alexandria, "I shall feel tempted to chuck the 
 trunks containing them into the sea." Oh, 
 we will surely need them here," I said. But the 
 very first familiar object we saw, the morning 
 of our arrival in Cairo, was an English woman 
 sitting on the hotel veranda wearing a fur boa! 
 
 Nevertheless we did use our linens a few hours 
 in midday while there; between eleven and three 
 they were possible; while mornings and evenings 
 heavier garments were needed. And despite 
 the charm, the glory and fascination which 
 Egypt held for us, our two salamander souls at 
 times sighed for the climate of Jamaica! 
 
 "Not yet," we said, "have we found any other 
 place where nature has provided such splendor 
 for the eye, and such perfection of climate — 
 for winter months, as that gem of the West 
 Indian Islands offers to travelers." 
 
 And now we were sailing in search of a new 
 experience in the Hawaiian Islands. 
 
 Approaching Honolulu from the harbor our 
 first emotion was one of disappointment. The 
 surrounding mountains were bare and bleak, 
 and unimpressive despite the savage majesty 
 of Diamond Head, and there was nothing to 
 remind us of the tropical splendor of Jamaica, 
 in the perspective. 
 
 Then our first half day in a palatial, comfort- 
 able, but purely commercial hotel, on a busy 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 67 
 
 city street, which looked out on other busy streets, 
 broke the back of our illusions, and the heart 
 of our dreams. "We might as well be in Spring- 
 field, Mass., or Hartford, Conn.," Himself mut- 
 tered with a despondent face, as he looked out of 
 our window at the top of roofs and chimneys, 
 "for all there is tropical in this scene." 
 
 "Only there we would be ringing up the office, 
 asking for more heat, and here I am hunting 
 for a fan," I said. 
 
 But despite the state of the thermometer, my 
 spirits were running down to zero. A light rain 
 had begun to fall, and while waiting the arrival 
 of our trunks, we decided to sally forth under 
 umbrellas and see something of the town. 
 
 We had proceeded hardly two squares when 
 our eyes suddenly beheld a most tropical picture; 
 back from the street in a palm filled enclosure, 
 stood a rambling structure, surrounded by tiny 
 bungalows, hidden under purple Bongenvillia 
 vines, and behind great leaved Elephantgas 
 plants. 
 
 It was the old Hawaiian Hotel, closed since 
 the completion of the new commercial edifice. 
 
 Walking along the shaded winding road that 
 led into this enclosure, we suddenly felt all the 
 atmospheric charm of the tropics enfolding us 
 like tender arms; and just then the rain ceased 
 and the sun came out, and all was well with the 
 
68 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 world, with Honolulu and with us. Our dis- 
 appointments and troubles were over; in an 
 hour's time we had rented the very smallest and 
 daintiest bungalow on earth, three cozy rooms 
 containing seven windows and four doors, and 
 looking out on growing green things, the most 
 delightful nest of a place two wanderers in 
 search of rest and quiet could desire. 
 
 The next morning we were installed there, 
 bag and baggage, "kits, cats, sacs and wives." 
 Literally cats, for with our usual luck, a friendly 
 cat came to us within a few hours after we were 
 located. I made her welcome, and provided 
 a box on the portico for her evidently approach- 
 ing need of comfortable lying-in quarters. But 
 not until three days elapsed did she call again, 
 this time to "break bread" with us; and only at 
 the expiration of a week were we able (by the 
 assistance of spies set upon Madam Puss), to 
 find her family of six kittens, in the linen room 
 of the dismantled old hotel. Brought down, 
 and snugly ensconced on our portico, in a quiet 
 corner, they were allowed to remain only four or 
 five days. Then the mother cat carried them 
 back to the empty linen room, up two nights of 
 stairs. Finding she was determined on this 
 step, I assisted her in the transportation of the 
 last half of her family, and every day thereafter 
 she called upon us three times. Once at eight 
 
pi 
 
 .'.'jwr''«jijJB 
 
 
 "'V'"' \ 
 
 ■£,■ ■ ■ 
 
 
 gt . . ^3| 
 
 **^5F 'Hk 
 
 ^Bfe ;-- ' ■. 
 
 ■■;,'._.'■■ 
 
 Honolulu. — Peacocks at Gov. Cleghorn's Place. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 69 
 
 o'clock for breakfast; at five o'clock for dinner; 
 and again a little later she made a dinner call — 
 rolling on the floor and purring violently to 
 express her thanks for our courtesies. Like the 
 cats of Moneague, she reveled in a varied diet 
 of fish, fowl, meat and cream, while we remained 
 her hosts; and each one of her offspring was 
 bespoken before our day of departure. 
 
 Our "drawing room" in the little bungalow 
 served also as a study and a smoking room. A 
 deep bay window curtained by lace draperies 
 gave Himself a comfortable nook for a table and 
 big chair, with a beautiful outlook on flowering 
 trees and emerald lawns. The center of the 
 room was "my study." It consisted of a table 
 set between two doors which gave me always 
 a fresh current of air, and it was lighted in the 
 evening by a chandelier directly above it. 
 "Ah-Lui," a Chinese youth, the personification 
 of simplicity and optimism, kept our rooms in 
 order, and "Meekie," a doll-sized Japanese girl 
 came clattering in her wooden shoes every after- 
 noon at four, to act in the capacity of visiting 
 maid. Such a free happy life as it proved to be, 
 so full of new pleasures and interests. The 
 nights were cooler than the nights of Jamaica, 
 and stimulated one to more activity. I woke in 
 the morning filled with ambition, and between 
 breakfast and the arrival of "Meekie" who 
 
70 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 usually attired me for some social function in 
 this most hospitable town, I wrote many bits 
 of verse, and prose while Himself smoked his 
 cigar and read his book in the alcove. 
 
 Thinking one day of the many transient 
 places which He and I had found veritable 
 Edens of enjoyment a little poem took form 
 under the caption: 
 
 MY HEAVEN 
 
 Unhoused in deserts of accepted thought, 
 And lost in jungles of confusing creeds, 
 My soul strayed, homeless, finding its own 
 needs 
 
 Unsatisfied with what tradition taught. 
 
 The pros and cons, the little ifs and ands, 
 The but and maybe, and the this and that, 
 On which the churches thicken and grow fat, 
 
 I found but structures built on shifting sands. 
 
 And all their heavens were strange and far away, 
 And all their hells were made of human hate; 
 And since for death I did not care to wait, 
 
 A heaven I fashioned for myself one day. 
 
 Of happy thoughts I built it stone by stone, 
 With joy of life I draped each spacious room, 
 With love's great light I drove away all gloom, 
 
 And in the center I made God a throne. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 71 
 
 And this dear heaven I set within my heart, 
 And carried it about with me alway, 
 And then the changing dogmas of the day 
 
 Seemed alien to my thoughts and held no part. 
 
 Now as I take my heaven from place to place 
 I find new rooms by love's revealing light, 
 And death will give me but a larger sight 
 
 To see my palace spreading into space. 
 
 However spoiled by American influences Hono- 
 lulu might seem to the old residents, accustomed 
 to the local color of the monarchial days, under 
 King Kalakua, or Queen Liliuokalani, to us it 
 proved fascinating in the extreme, and the days 
 were full of novelty. 
 
 The very first night at dinner in Young's 
 Hotel (all our meals were taken in this excellent 
 restaurant) we were treated to the novel ex- 
 perience of seeing white men in evening dress, 
 seated at tables with beautifully gowned and 
 resplendently jeweled women, whose bare shoul- 
 ders, arms and glowing faces were as brown and 
 smooth as old oak; women with luxurious 
 heads of straight black hair, with handsomely 
 moulded features and beautifully shaped hands 
 and feet. Sometimes there were children (half 
 breeds of assorted colors) with these men and 
 women — and almost always were they of striking 
 beauty. 
 
73 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 At first we felt a curious sensation of surprise, 
 that was not altogether agreeable, at this spec- 
 tacle of amalgamation of races; but in a brief 
 time it passed, and we grew into the acceptance 
 of the fact that the color problem in Hawaii, 
 which has to deal with Polynesians, Japanese 
 and Chinese, is quite a separate condition from 
 that which is faced in the States or the West 
 Indies. 
 
 Among the pleasures which the following days 
 gave us were trolley rides to the bathing beach 
 at Waikiki, a trip of half an hour through 
 sumptuous scenery, and past artistic residences; 
 and at the beach there was an exciting experience 
 of surf riding in native canoes. Guided by 
 stalwart Polynesian oarsmen, we went far out to 
 meet the incoming billows, and then raced in 
 upon their crests — often with a seeming perilous 
 celerity, and always saturated with the salt spray. 
 
 There were beauty discovering drives, cul- 
 minating in a tallyho ascent of the famous Pali, 
 commanding one of the most majestic views of 
 the world; the historic Pali over which King 
 Kamehameha I. drove his enemies, and gained 
 the victory which united the islands under one 
 government. There was a moonlight motor ride 
 around Diamond Head, an experience to re- 
 member always; and there was a railroad journey 
 out to Nakiana along the coast which revealed 
 
Honolulu. — Our Bungalow. Meekie, Jap Maid. 
 
 1 ^ Jm^, 
 
 " 1 itfcj 
 
 YYW 
 
 ... VSMMMSBbk 
 
 
 'w$ 
 
 !*^jj$£' 
 
 ?V* * >^L " :"t1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ~ 19R %>>Z^X DBfe^. 
 
 Honolulu. — Diving Boys Presenting Lais. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 73 
 
 a panorama of miles of rainbow hued surf, 
 breaking in mountain billows on the shore, a 
 sight unlike anything we had yet beheld. 
 
 Then one day we were invited to a "Luau," 
 a native feast. Now the hostess of this feast 
 was known as "Princess Therese," but her self- 
 bestowed title interested me less than her legally 
 obtained name of Mrs. Robert Wilcox, which 
 name belongs by law, and love, to me also. 
 
 For many years Himself and I had been in- 
 terested in the spectacular career of his "name- 
 sake," the Hawaiian Robert Wilcox now de- 
 ceased. A half English Polynesian, he had been 
 selected by the late King as one of three promis- 
 ing youths to receive a foreign education, and to 
 reflect glory on the rising generation of Hawai- 
 ians forever after. Mr. Wilcox was exceedingly 
 handsome and brilliant, but he lacked discretion 
 in love and war. Representing himself as a 
 Prince, he espoused an Italian lady of title, who 
 straightway divorced him when she reached 
 Honolulu and learned the facts. 
 
 Later he became an active Royal-Revolution- 
 ist, and was often arrested and imprisoned, and 
 once barely escaped the death penalty for of- 
 fenses against the new government. Although 
 disliked and regarded as an upstart by the 
 Queen, Mr. Wilcox was worshiped by the people 
 of Hawaii. - He was sent to represent the Island 
 
74 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 of Oahu, to Washington, D. C, and died with a 
 halo, visible only to Polynesian eyes, about his 
 handsome head. 
 
 This "Luau," to which we were bidden, was 
 given as a birthday party in his memory by his 
 widow "Princess Therese," his second wife, a 
 comely, well-preserved native woman of middle 
 age. 
 
 We arrived a little late, and found fifty full 
 blooded or half white guests seated at four 
 tables. Our places were waiting, with our long 
 wreaths of yellow flowers, the "Royal leis," 
 together with another wreath of green leaves. 
 Every guest wore these wreaths about hat, and 
 neck, and the room was redolent with their odor. 
 
 The women were all attired in the freshly 
 starched loose flowing native dress, known as 
 the Holoku, which is merely a "Mother Hub- 
 bard" of reduced proportions, and the men 
 were conventional in American summer outing 
 garments. 
 
 Interest in our presence at the feast was greatly 
 augmented by the discovery that Himself bore 
 the same name of their beloved hero, whose, 
 birthday was being commemorated. 
 
 Now at this feast at which we were seated 
 there was not a knife, spoon or fork visible, and 
 the contents of each of the many wonderful 
 and awful dishes set before us, had to be con- 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 75 
 
 veyed to the mouth by those oldest of table 
 implements — the fingers. A large finger bowl 
 (or wash basin) was passed first to prepare the 
 fingers to serve as forks, and then by glancing 
 at our neighbors, we learned the method of 
 procedure and set to work. At least I did. 
 Determined to do as the Romans did while at 
 Rome, I dipped my fingers into every dish and 
 sampled it, but Himself left the table little wiser 
 than he sat down, having eaten nothing but fruit. 
 
 Even the Poi I managed to convey to my 
 mouth without disaster, but I must confess that 
 I was relieved when the feast was over and we 
 adjourned to the ballroom. There we were 
 given an abbreviated and modified exhibition 
 of the native dance, the Hula (pronounced hoola) 
 by two handsome women of over generous pro- 
 portions, who in the heyday of youth had 
 "danced before the King," even as Salome of old. 
 
 The Hula, as performed in the halcyon days of 
 Honolulu, in a skirt of grass, when Rum and 
 Royalty reigned, and annexation was an un- 
 known word (like sobriety), is forbidden by 
 law to-day. But we saw it later, given in ballet 
 costume by the ugliest old dame in the eight 
 Islands, and her exquisitely beautiful niece of 14. 
 The large bodied, perspiring father or uncle of 
 the child, attired in a man's shirt and a woman's 
 skirt, came in at the finish of the dance, with 
 
76 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 much abdominal obtrusiveness. The arm move- 
 ments of the Hula are graceful and alluring, 
 and they relate certain historic events when 
 translated by the initiated. The leg movements 
 are rhythmic and fascinating, but the abdominal 
 contortions and muscle writhings are disgusting, 
 and almost, if not quite, obscenely vulgar. 
 
 It was a promising commentary on the de- 
 velopment of the Hawaiian toward highei ideals 
 of womanhood, to note the unmistakable shrink- 
 ing of the little 14-year girl from the performance 
 of the task allotted her, in the Hula dance. The 
 child had the beauty of a bronze Madonna, and 
 innocence and modesty were expressed in her 
 sweet countenance too clearly to be assumed. 
 
 She seemed to sense, rather than to know, that 
 the dance was immodest, and she finished her 
 encore without once lifting her eyes from the 
 floor to the face of the dozen spectators. How 
 different from the old days when King Kalakaua 
 kept his ballet of Hula dancers, and every girl 
 not of royal blood on the eight Islands was proud 
 to display her body in the national dance to 
 greedy, curious and unholy eyes, at festivals 
 which ended in orgies. Perhaps Honolulu is a 
 little duller than it was then, but it certainly 
 possesses a larger percentage of self respecting 
 women and uninebriated men. 
 
 Early in our stay in Honolulu we discovered a 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 77 
 
 native fruit exactly like the "Paw paw" of 
 Jamaica which grows on a tree, but in Honolulu 
 it is mothered by a shrub and is called the Papia. 
 
 This fruit is most delicious, combining the 
 taste of the canteloupe and the banana, with an 
 added flavor of its own. 
 
 Every night Himself purchased a Papia from 
 the Chinese fruit vender on the corner, and every 
 morning we enjoyed a cozy ante breakfast feast 
 in our bungalow, before walking over to our 
 almost mid-day meal at the hotel. 
 
 Between our cottage and the hotel a tall tree 
 cast its drooping branches over the pavement, 
 just in front of a physician's office. One morn- 
 ing we observed that this tree had bloomed into 
 remarkable beauty during the night. Large 
 bell-shaped flowers of pure white and with a 
 subtle permeating fragrance were hanging from 
 every bough. I plucked one and sniffed its per- 
 fume and admired its beauty as I walked along, 
 and after I sat at the table waiting for breakfast 
 to be brought. I had awakened that morning 
 in excellent appetite and had surprised Himself 
 by my generous order to our waiter. 
 
 But suddenly I felt an overwhelming weari- 
 ness; I did not want any food; I wanted to go 
 back to the bungalow and lie down. Over- 
 coming this indisposition by an effort, I man- 
 aged to drink my coffee and to taste a little 
 
78 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 food. Feeling unutterably weary and with 
 the beautiful flower still in my hand, I stopped 
 at the hotel office to ask its name, and then I 
 learned the secret of my sudden indisposition. 
 "I do not know the botanical name" my in- 
 formant replied, "but it is called the sleeping 
 flower, because its perfume induces sleep. To 
 taste it is death. Two children died last month 
 over in the volcano region from chewing the 
 petals of this flower. A bouquet in a room will 
 produce an effect like a narcotic, and were one 
 to lie down under the tree which bears this 
 flower, a deep sleep would fall upon him." 
 
 How very like a certain type of beautiful 
 woman, fair and fragrant and alluring, but 
 bringing inertia and death if known too well. 
 
 One of the curious old customs in Hawaii is 
 the presentation of a newly born or very }^oung 
 child to a near friend or relative. This present 
 is regarded as a solemn trust. It originated in 
 the early days when Hawaii was occupied by 
 various tribes, and was intended as a peace 
 offering. A child brought up by one tribe, 
 knew his origin; and this insured his peaceful 
 proclivities toward his blood relatives. When 
 difficulties arose, some other method than war 
 would be resorted to for the adjustment of 
 these differences. 
 
 The custom of child giving continues to this day. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 79 
 
 Only recently the Prince and Princess Kawa- 
 nanakoa gave one of their children to the mother 
 of the Princess, Mrs. Samuel Parker; and it 
 became legally the sister of its mother in con- 
 sequence. 
 
 In Honolulu, we heard no word of "hard times." 
 No one talked of trusts, monopolies, failures or 
 panics. 
 
 No beggars were seen on the streets, and no 
 "unemployed" sat about darkening the sun 
 with unhappy faces. 
 
 The flower sellers, a picturesque class of 
 natives, squatted at street corners and waited at 
 boats and trains to supply tourists with their 
 lovely "leis." But they never importuned. 
 There is a dignity about the Hawaiian which 
 prevents him from degenerating into a beggar. 
 These flower venders have wreaths to sell; they 
 are merchants; if you want the flowers, they are 
 yours; if you decline, they would no more think 
 of pestering you than would the New York 
 merchant, if you passed his wares by. 
 
 Remembering Southern Italy, and Cairo and 
 Constantinople, where life was made miserable 
 by the persevering and persistnt merchants of all 
 kinds of salable things, and before whom we 
 were obliged to flee as from a simoon, Honolulu 
 seemed indeed worthy of its name, The Paradise 
 of the Pacific. 
 
80 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 THE MEANING OF SUNDAY 
 
 It was a Sunday morning. Himself and I 
 were sitting in an exquisite little cottage — our 
 make-believe house — in a tropical Hawaiian 
 garden. 
 
 Wild birds, with strange, wonderful notes of 
 joy in their voices, were singing, "Glory to God 
 in the Highest." 
 
 Palm trees were waving graceful arms, as if in 
 religious ecstasy. 
 
 The month was February. The weather July. 
 A handsome Hawaiian maiden walked by, 
 dressed in her freshly starched "holoku," and 
 carrying her tall body with native dignity. A 
 tiny Japanese girl trotted near, wearing her 
 kimono as only a native Japanese woman can 
 wear it. 
 
 A Chinese mother paused in front of our cot- 
 tage to strap the crimson silk blanket more 
 snugly about the baby on her back. She wore a 
 peacock blue coat, and a queer gold pin fastened 
 her black hair. 
 
 Everything was picturesque, artistic and 
 fascinating to the eye and ear. 
 
 Life was full of color, light, romance, beauty. 
 God seemed near — and the world was good. 
 
HONOLULU.— QUEEN LILIUOKALANI. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 81 
 
 Then suddenly a sound! The bird's songs, 
 the rustle of palm leaves, the breathings of 
 Nature, were drowned under a mournful wail. 
 
 A chorus of voices, accompanied by a melan- 
 choly organ, sent forth the dismal New England 
 hymns from the Christian Mission Church 
 across the way from our little bungalow. Verse 
 after verse, hymn after hymn, bruised the bright 
 air into dark despondency. Joy changed to 
 melancholy; happiness in the present gave way 
 to sad memories ! Funeral services in the country 
 church of my childhood rose before me; I heard 
 the drone of the clergyman's voice, the sob of 
 the mourners; and all the joy of life was lost, 
 and God was far away. 
 
 Himself looked at me with grave eyes. 
 
 "It is awful, isn't it?" he said. "I am back 
 in a New England town — an orphan boy — 
 living next door to the church with my grand- 
 mother. It is a cold, rainy Winter day, but I 
 live so near, I cannot escape the long service, 
 and the fear inspiring sermon. If I play sick 
 and stay at home I still hear the mournful 
 hymns, and threats of death, and the grave and 
 hell fire which await boys who play sick. 
 What a pity our Christian ancestors adopted 
 such music and such hymns to represent the 
 love-one-another creed of Christ!" 
 
 "I wish we were in a Hawaiian jungle," I 
 
 6 
 
82 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 said, "alone with Nature, and Nature's God." 
 "So do I," said Himself. 
 
 Then we heard the congregation leaving the 
 church and knew the service was over. I am 
 sure the prayer of gratitude from our hearts 
 was as sincere as any prayer that went up to 
 heaven that morning. 
 
 For we could worship again through the happy 
 sounds of singing birds and rustling leaves. A 
 little later a band of Hawaiian singers broke 
 forth in song. There was the joy of life, the 
 ring of youth, the throb of hope, the thrill of 
 passion in their voices. The echoes took up the 
 strain and repeated it — the world seemed bright- 
 er, and life more vital as they sang. The sun 
 was in their song; and there was the scent of 
 flowers,, and the pulse of Nature in the strain. 
 
 "I would rather be welcomed in heaven by 
 music like that," I said, "than by those orthodox 
 hymns." 
 
 And "Himself" nodded approval. "Give me 
 any kind of a heaven — or no heaven at all," 
 he said, "rather than a place that reminds me of 
 my boyhood Sundays." 
 
 Coming across the Pacific to Honolulu the 
 passenger list of 200 people contained forty- 
 one missionaries, en route to foreign lands. 
 One Sunday morning a little child of three came 
 laughing gayly into the ship's writing room. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 83 
 
 Her voice sounded like a trill of a happy bird 
 and I turned to look at the child, just as her 
 father, a young missionary, called to her sternly, 
 "Hush — don't you know that this is Sunday? 
 You must not laugh like that." 
 
 It was not my business, of course, but I 
 could not remain silent. "Please let your baby 
 laugh on Sunday," I said. "Surely God can- 
 not be displeased. And do not let her grow up 
 with a dread of Sunday as a day of gloom." 
 
 "I do not wish my child to consider Sunday 
 a holiday," the young missionary replied, 
 coldly. "But," I pleaded, "you give her a 
 wrong impression of God. The best man I 
 know — a man of a real religious nature — had 
 to battle with himself for years to overcome a 
 dread of the life after death, just because he 
 feared heaven would be like the Sunday of his 
 New England childhood. He really felt hell 
 fire would be more cheerful." 
 
 "God's day is dear to those who love Him," 
 said the missionary, and he turned his back 
 upon me. 
 
 The laughing baby tiptoed out of the room, 
 with trouble in her young eyes. 
 
 In the Honolulu Advertiser recently there 
 appeared in the "Bystanders" column an in- 
 teresting paragraph speaking of the various 
 classes of society in Honolulu. It said: 
 
84 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 "Then there is the conservative missionary 
 society. I saw it gather at a golden wedding 
 years ago, and the scene carried me back to old 
 New England days . This society dressed soberly, 
 the women bringing out a little old lace, per- 
 haps, heirloom brooches with white cut cameos 
 on yellow ground and the like, and showing a 
 penchant for layer cake, tea and tatting. It 
 was a society without veneer, with an interest 
 in serious things, with a Puritan dislike of frills 
 and furbelows and without much fun. That 
 petrified intolerance known as the New England 
 conscience ran through it all; and it seemed to 
 me, as I mingled with the grave assemblage 
 that it always kept the end of the passage in 
 view. The feast and the skeleton were never 
 separated." 
 
 That is just the way it seems to me; in their 
 church hymns one always feels the funereal 
 element; and with their "petrified intolerance" 
 they destroy the very essence of life — which is 
 love. 
 
 I have so long lived away and apart from 
 this type of Christian that I had grown to think 
 the species extinct. Dwelling among "New 
 Thought" and "Theosophical" and "Great 
 School" people, who believe in joy as an ele- 
 ment of religion, I had forgotten much of the 
 horror of the old creeds; and so it all came 
 upon me again with a shock of surprise. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 85 
 
 I would sooner go begging my bread from 
 door to door, homeless, friendless, persecuted 
 and despised by men, than give up my belief 
 in immortal life, in a God of Love and Light, 
 in the ministering of angels, the guidance of 
 invisible helpers. 
 
 I know I am an immortal soul; I know 
 I have always lived, and will always live, 
 passing on from sphere to sphere, from cycle 
 to cycle — pausing at great periods of time to 
 "contemplate" God in Nirvana — and yet again 
 going forth as His expression. And this faith, 
 this knowledge, fills me full of joy. 
 
 Life is so great a privilege, its opportuni- 
 ties for usefulness, for happiness, for achieve- 
 ment, for pleasure, so immense that there is 
 ever a song in my heart. 
 
 Perhaps, because I wake always with this 
 song of gratitude in my soul I do not find it 
 necessary to make Sunday a particular day 
 of praise giving. At all events I dare to laugh 
 and be glad on Sunday, and since all days are 
 holy days to me, so Sunday is holy. It is good 
 to rest from hard labor on that day, good for 
 man and beasts and' it is good to contemplate 
 the higher purposes of existence, apart from 
 the wage earning, money getting, and purely 
 material phases of life. 
 
 But it is not good to make the day one of 
 
86 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 funereal gloom, of dull melancholy, of dismal 
 psalm singing. 
 
 It is not good to tell a little child to hush 
 its laughter, and it is not good to compel 
 young people or people who labor early and 
 late six days of the week to relinquish the 
 innocent sports, games and relaxations of life. 
 
 God is Light! God is Love! Life is a privi- 
 lege. 
 
 Rejoice, oh, my soul, and be glad! Sing, 
 dance, laugh and give praise; not one day 
 of the seven, but seven days of the seven. 
 
 Glory to God in the highest! 
 
 THE PASSING OF A PRINCESS 
 
 There, is one name which, when spoken in 
 Honolulu, or, indeed, in any part of the Ha- 
 waiian Islands, brings a tender look to every 
 face, a look which is like the reverent lifting 
 of a hat. That name is Kaiulani. 
 
 Born to wealth and station, reared with 
 every advantage, beautiful and beloved, Prin- 
 cess Kaiulani passed early to the royal mau- 
 soleum to sleep with her ancestors. 
 
 I walked one day in wide spreading grounds, 
 under the shadow of lordly palms, where her 
 childhood was spent. Tropical vines, flower- 
 ing in audacious colors, flung bold arms about 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 87 
 
 unresisting trees and made a riot of strange 
 bloom. 
 
 Splendid peacocks swept down the spacious 
 paths, beside the handsome white-haired host, 
 as he came to greet his guests. Soft fountains 
 played and refreshed the air with cooling 
 sounds. The month was February, the weath- 
 er July. 
 
 We sat under a wonderful banyan tree, 
 made historic by the pen of Robert Louis 
 Stevenson. 
 
 Later we sipped tea in a great room filled 
 with portraits of kings, queens, princes and 
 princesses, rulers and potentates, all interest- 
 ing from a historical point of view, but one, 
 oft repeated, from -^childhood to young woman- 
 hood, was of peculiar and pathetic interest. 
 
 Kaiulani, daughter of our stately host, Gov- 
 ernor Cleghorn, and his wife, Likelike, sister 
 to the late king. 
 
 Kaiulani was heir apparent to the throne of 
 Hawaii, and she had grown from childhood to 
 young womanhood, thinking of herself as a 
 future queen. 
 
 Governor Cleghorn had made his magnifi- 
 cent estate what he deemed a suitable home 
 for a coming queen, and he had sent Kaiulani 
 to Scotland and England and France to edu- 
 cate her as befitted her position. While she 
 
88 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 was abroad the great change came to the 
 Hawaiian Islands, which turned them from a 
 kingdom to a territory of the United States. 
 
 Kaiulani was only a young girl; she was not 
 a philosopher or a deep student of altruistic 
 forms of government, and so the blow fell upon 
 her with severity; it destroyed her dearest 
 hope, her most cherished ambition, and one 
 year after annexation she died. 
 
 Everybody in Honolulu and in the Ha- 
 waiian Islands loved ' ' Princess Kaiulani. ' ' When 
 she went away to Scotland to attend school 
 Robert Louis Stevenson wrote in her album: 
 
 "Forth from her land to mine she goes, 
 The Island maid, the Island rose. 
 Light of heart and bright of face, 
 The daughter of a double race. 
 Her islands here in Southern sun 
 Shall mourn their Kaiulani gone; 
 And I, in her dear banyan shade, 
 Look vainly for my little maid. 
 But our Scots Island, far away, 
 Shall glitter with unwonted day: 
 And cast for once their tempests by, 
 To smile in Kaiulani's eye." 
 
 And to these pretty lines, Mr. Stevenson 
 appended this exquisite bit of prose, more po- 
 etical than his poetry, as always was his prose: 
 
Honolulu.— Type of Native Beauty. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 89 
 
 "Written in April to Kaiulani, in the April 
 of her age, and at Waikiki, within easy walks 
 of Kaiulani's Banyan. When she comes to my 
 land and her fathers, and the rain beats upon 
 the window (as I fear it will), let her look at 
 this page- — it will be like a weed, gathered and 
 pressed at home, and she will remember her 
 islands and the shadow of the mighty tree, and 
 she will hear the peacock's screaming in the 
 dusk and the wind blowing in the palms, and 
 she will think of her father sitting there alone." 
 
 That was written in 1889 — and the father of 
 Kaiulani still sits there alone. 
 
 As we walked under the great banyan tree 
 and down the avenues bordered by wonderful 
 palms, and every specie of tree and vine and 
 flowering shrub known in the tropics, Governor 
 Cleghorn said softly: "I selected all these trees 
 and arranged these grounds for Kaiulani. I 
 wanted the domain to be a rest home for her, 
 and these walks to give her cool shade in her 
 promenades." 
 
 But only visitors walk now where Kaiulani's 
 slender feet trod for a few brief years. 
 
 "She died of rheumatism of the heart," her 
 father said, "a year after the annexation of Ha- 
 waii. You see, she had been educated with 
 the idea and expectation of becoming Queen. 
 She was the nearest in line and had been offi- 
 
90 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 cially announced heir apparent. It was hard 
 for all Hawaiians to accept the passing of the 
 monarchy, even those who realized that it was 
 inevitable and for the best. It was particu- 
 larly hard for Kaiulani, who had been reared 
 with the expectation of becoming our Queen. 
 
 "It might really be said that she died of 
 annexation. Her interest in life passed with 
 the monarchy." 
 
 Everywhere were portraits of Kaiulani. She 
 was beautiful, as are almost all these "daugh- 
 ters of a double race." 
 
 The Polynesian blood, mingled with that of 
 the English, Scotch, American or Irish, pro- 
 duces a peculiarly attractive type of beauty, and 
 education and culture had added their refining 
 charm to the young Princess. 
 
 As we walked down the long avenues and out 
 to the main thoroughfare, followed by the 
 haughty peacocks, who seemed to want con- 
 vincing proof that we were not loitering in the 
 grounds, a penetrating melancholy permeated 
 the sunshine of the brilliant day, and never 
 did life speak more clearly of the transitory 
 nature of happiness which is based on human 
 ambitions. 
 
 Later in the day we stood by the royal mau- 
 soleum, where Princess Kaiulani lies buried be- 
 side her mother and her uncle, the late King 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 91 
 
 of the Hawaiian Islands, and other members of 
 the royal family, and again the words of the 
 old Persian poet came to mind: 
 "And this, too, shall pass away." 
 Yet somewhere, I am sure, the sweet spirit 
 of Kaiulani has realized its dream and some- 
 where she is ascending thrones. For to each 
 of us, in God's good time, must be given our 
 heart's desire. 
 
 KAIULANI 
 Dreaming of thrones, she grew from child to 
 
 maid, 
 While under royal palms soft fountains played; 
 She saw herself in Time's appointed hour 
 Ruling her kingdom by love's potent power, 
 Her radiant youth imperially arrayed. 
 Where tropic suns were tempered by sweet 
 
 shade, 
 Protecting love, her pleasant pathway laid, 
 And there she dwelt, a Princess in her bower, 
 
 Dreaming of thrones. 
 Marauding changes brutally invade 
 Her island home; and yet Time's hand is stayed. 
 Her name has left the fragrance of a flower, 
 And in the regal state that was her dower 
 She sleeps in beauteous youth that cannot fade, 
 
 Dreaming of thrones. 
 
93 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 THE COLOR LINE IN HONOLULU 
 
 The average high school graduate in America, 
 if asked to describe the difference between 
 brown skinned and black skinned races, would 
 be unable to draw any distinction. 
 
 They would all come under one term "colored 
 people." 
 
 But in Honolulu one quickly grows to realize 
 how great is the distinction between the Poly- 
 nesian and the African. When there is a possi- 
 bility of being believed, the man or woman 
 possessing negro blood denies it; but the man 
 or woman of Polynesian blood, boasts of it. 
 
 Perhaps the significant fact can be traced to 
 the cruelty of the white man who first enslaved 
 the African* and for centuries made him a beast 
 of burden. The Polynesians have never been 
 slaves. They have been savage, but they have 
 ruled in their savagery. The ex-Queen Liliuo- 
 kalani lived in the handsome residence, which 
 had been her early home, just a moment's walk 
 from our little bungalow. Through Governor 
 Cleghorn we were given audience with her one 
 morning. The native maid met us at the open 
 door and conducted us down the hall to the 
 bright reception room, where the stately dame 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 93 
 
 sat awaiting us. A little maid of honor, pretty- 
 as a bronze statuette, stood behind her chair; 
 and in a retiring room the older servitors were 
 in attendance. 
 
 The Queen was attired in a royal blue silk 
 holiku with neck and sleeves of native made 
 lace. She was much handsomer than her pic- 
 tures indicate, and although across the border 
 line of seventy, she appeared little more than 
 fifty. 
 
 She talked interestingly of the days of the 
 monarchy, of her experiences in travel, when 
 she was entertained by all the rulers of the 
 world, and related incidents of historical value. 
 She graciously permitted me to look at the 
 lines of her very beautiful hands (wherein I 
 saw the whole story of her turbulent life), and 
 asked me to autograph one of my books, which 
 I had presented her through Governor Cleg- 
 horn. She showed us the Royal Kahilis — 
 curious ornaments resembling long feather dus- 
 ters made of rare feathers of native birds 
 now extinct. These ornaments stood beside 
 the Queen's chair, and had been used in the 
 Throne room (Himself had been eyeing them 
 longingly, thinking what delightful souvenirs of 
 Hawaii they would be for our collection). 
 
 Then we made our bows and left the lonely 
 woman to her reveries. A childless widow, 
 
94 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 with old age in the foreground, and all her glory 
 and power and wealth in a rapidly receding 
 past, she seemed a pathetic figure in our newly 
 annexed territorial domain. But with the pa- 
 thos was dignity, and a certain poise which 
 prevented sympathy from becoming pity. 
 
 Next in interest, as types of the upper class 
 Polynesians, were Prince and Princess Kawan- 
 anakoa. The Prince (recently deceased) was in 
 reality not a prince of the blood; he was created 
 a Prince by the King, whose consort was the 
 young man's aunt. A handsome cultured young 
 man, scarcely thirty, he had always been a 
 child of fortune, and his deportment was that 
 of the cultured cosmopolitan. Early in his 
 twenties he married an extremely beautiful 
 young heiress, a half Scotch girl, whose mother 
 was a full blooded Hawaiian belle, and whose 
 father was Col. Campbell, many times a million- 
 aire. 
 
 Close your eyes and let your imagination run 
 riot, as to your ideal of a Hawaiian Princess, 
 and you can picture no more beautiful and 
 royal young creature than Princess Kawanan- 
 akoa was when I met her. She came into the 
 box at a theatre party given for us by a hos- 
 pitable resident of Honolulu, and she seemed 
 to radiate life, light, joy, youth and splendor. 
 She had been married six years and was the 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 95 
 
 mother of three children, yet she was only 23. 
 Before her education was completed in the 
 States, she met the young Prince during a visit 
 home, and the immediate romance culminated 
 in marriage when she was scarcely seventeen. 
 Both inheriting large wealth, both occupying an 
 exalted position on their Island, both beautiful 
 with first youth and opulent personal charms, 
 they lived a fairy-book life for the first few years 
 after their marriage. At the time of my visit 
 there was a cloud on their horizon. Money 
 losses had come to the Prince, and his health 
 was failing. He died a few months later, and 
 the funeral obsequies included most of the old 
 weird Hawaiian customs. 
 
 It will be interesting to watch the future of 
 this beautiful young Hawaiian widow, still in 
 the morning of life. The Princess was tall, and 
 therefore at this early epoch of her life, her figure 
 but slightly indicated the change from voluptu- 
 ousness to obesity, which comes to almost every 
 Polynesian woman after twenty-five, and often 
 earlier if maternity has done its maturing work. 
 
 She was what every observer would call 
 superb in her carriage and form. Her color 
 was that of the dark brunette, but a peculiar 
 pallor indicated other than Anglo Saxon blood 
 in her veins. Luxurious hair, almost black, 
 framed a face of softly rounded features, and 
 
96 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 her eyes and teeth gave brilliancy to her expres- 
 sion. "Himself" was fascinated by her voice, 
 the soft Polynesian voice to which cultivation 
 had added its charm. Her manner was that 
 of an eager, excitable child, trying to "be good" 
 and quiet and dignified. The joy of life ex- 
 pressed itself in her every act and word. The 
 Princess like all Honolulu women adored the 
 United States, and longed to make her home in 
 New York. 
 
 A great many Anglo Saxon men have married 
 Polynesian women and "lived happily forever 
 afterward." But these men have remained on 
 the Islands — like the father of the Princess and 
 others prominent in the social life there. Ameri- 
 cans who became habituated to the Hawaiian 
 point of view, cease to draw a color line; but 
 this breadth of view does not remain with them 
 in the States. The more a man loves his bronze 
 skinned wife, the more painful would he find 
 the slights and insults to which she would be 
 subjected in the United States, and the situa- 
 tion would become intolerable. 
 
 An interesting story is told of one of the great 
 plantation magnates, a Scotchman who mar- 
 ried a handsome native woman. His beautiful 
 half-breed children were being educated in 
 California, and the father, while on a visit there, 
 entered a hotel, and with his wife and children 
 
r ' 
 
 HONOLULU.— PRINCESS KAIULANI. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 97 
 
 took seats at the dining room table. After a 
 few moments the head waiter approached, and 
 whispered in the ear of the sugar magnate. 
 
 "Colored people are not allowed in this hotel," 
 was what he whispered. The doughty Scotch- 
 man restrained his temper and quietly withdrew. 
 A few hours later he appeared, alone, and called 
 all the hotel employees together. 
 
 "I have bought this hotel," was his astonish- 
 ing assertion," and I take charge of it this after- 
 noon. You will arrange a table for my family 
 to occupy whenever we are here." 
 
 To this day that hotel is one of the resources 
 from which the widow draws her large income. 
 But all Anglo Saxons who marry native women 
 are not millionaires, and there are many de- 
 serted wives in Hawaii, whose husbands went on 
 a visit to the States, and promised to send for 
 their consorts when their business affairs were 
 settled. But like badly made coffee — they never 
 settled. 
 
 One very beautiful young woman had divorced 
 a deserting American husband and married 
 again another American. He was in the States, 
 and she was eagerly awaiting his cable telling 
 her to come to him when I left the Island. Twice 
 he had cabled, but only to postpone a day set 
 for sailing. In all probability the unfortunate 
 woman was again a deserted wife. 
 
 7 
 
98 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 I met a radiantly beautiful and cultured young 
 girl, who had been educated in an American 
 college, and possessed all the attractive qualities 
 which make a belle. I wondered if she hid in her 
 heart that dream so dear to every Island maid 
 the world over — marriage with some man of 
 social prominence from the great world. She 
 was eminently fitted to adorn society, but her 
 skin was relentlessly old oak in color. What 
 man would dare appear with her in a New York 
 theatre or drawing room? 
 
 As in the rest of the civilized Christian world 
 to-day, there is in Hawaii a much larger pro- 
 portion of ambitious young girls, who have 
 acquired an education, and social accomplish- 
 ments, than of young men. This leaves the 
 Hawaiian girl superior to the marriageable men 
 of her own land, but barred by color from marry- 
 ing a man whose business or inclinations necessi- 
 tate living away from Hawaii. After all the 
 color problem, even there, is not settled. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 99 
 
 FOREIGN MISSIONS 
 
 On both the voyage to and from Honolulu, a 
 goodly percentage of the passengers were mis- 
 sionaries, en route to, or returning from the 
 Orient. 
 
 My acquaintance with foreign missionaries 
 had been slight, and this was the first oppor- 
 tunity to study them at close range. I must 
 say, to be honest, that they were, intellectually 
 considered, a disappointment. Among nearly 
 one hundred men and women, only three im- 
 pressed me as being up to the standard one ex- 
 pects to find in a public school graduate. Being 
 much interested in Oriental religions and philos- 
 ophies, I thought it an excellent opportunity 
 to gain some information on the subject from 
 those who had studied it at close range. Mis- 
 taken hope! One man gazed at me with mingled 
 disgust and reproach, and refused to admit that 
 such a term as "Oriental religion" could be used. 
 It was all rank heathenism and idol worship to 
 his mind. 
 
 Another asked me to explain the meaning of 
 "Karma." 
 
 Another thought reincarnation and trans- 
 migration of souls was one and the same thing, 
 and so I gave up trying to add to my knowledge 
 
100 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 on this subject from information gained through 
 the missionaries. It seems to me a great mis- 
 take for a physician to attend a patient without 
 knowing all about his condition, and equally 
 a mistake for a missionary to attempt conversion 
 of pagans without knowing all about their be- 
 liefs — and the origin of their religion. Aside 
 from this as an education to be gained, while 
 practising the profession of a missionary, such 
 a study is important. 
 
 I found these people very earnest and very 
 sincere, and what they lacked in liberality of 
 thought they made up in patience of purpose, 
 and singleness of heart in their one subject to 
 Christianize the world. 
 
 The most intellectual and charming woman 
 among them, and the most liberal, went first to 
 China as a physician, married a missionary, 
 and remained there in the mission work. 
 
 As usual on a long sea voyage, there was a 
 dance given the last night before coming into 
 harbor, and the missionaries, as if to show their 
 disapproval of this worldly function, called a 
 special prayer meeting. But the woman physi- 
 cian slipped away, and tripped the fantastic toe 
 for half an hour, and was no doubt benefited in 
 mind and body by this diversion and unharmed 
 spiritually. 
 
 Just as I felt that the missionaries needed to 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 101 
 
 be broadened in their minds, so I found I needed 
 to be broadened by knowing more of their work 
 and achievements. 
 
 I had always felt the foreign mission move- 
 ment an intrusion on the rights of individuals 
 to worship the Creator of the Universe in their 
 own way, and that the money used in this field 
 of endeavor was sadly needed at home, where we 
 have so much ignorance, and cruelty, and crime. 
 
 Talking with the missionaries, however, and 
 studying the history of the Hawaiian Islands, 
 before and since their advent, I grew into a 
 realization that this work was an important 
 part in the progress of humanity at large. 
 
 It is the missionary movement which has 
 transformed the Fiji Islands from horrible can- 
 nibalism to their present kindly and semi-civil- 
 ized state, and however we may talk of the loss 
 of "charm" which has come to the Hawaiian 
 Islands through the missionaries, yet when the 
 first missionary came to Honolulu, on the Island 
 of Oahu, he found a nude queen lying drunk 
 under a tree (intoxicated with some native 
 brew) and two drunken consorts at her side. 
 
 The queen became a convert to Christianity 
 and left a name to history, bright with the 
 lustre of good deeds, noble actions, and large 
 human charities. 
 
 In China, the missionaries are helping to free 
 
102 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 women from the tortures of the deformed foot, 
 but this is slow work owing to the slavery of the 
 Chinese woman to tradition and custom. One 
 woman missionary who had lived with her hus- 
 band in the interior part of China for 20 years, 
 seemed to think this work promising because of 
 this conversion of 250 natives in a score of years. 
 
 In one of these converted families a little girl 
 of six years cried pitifully, and finally persuaded 
 her mother to bind her young feet in the tortur- 
 ing shoe, because the other children laughed at 
 her for having natural extremities. 
 
 And all the agony which followed, she bore 
 with that stoicism which great heroes and vain 
 women equally display. 
 
 The hygienic and medical work done by the 
 missionaries is of greater value to the race, 
 according to my ideas, than the work of con- 
 version from one faith to another. 
 
 Especially valuable is the medical treatment 
 given women in the Orient, in China, Japan and 
 India, and the education accorded them in 
 proper care of their bodies. 
 
 Never until all women are free from slavery 
 of all kinds — deformed feet, smothering harem 
 veils, and confining bars, sweat shop, factory 
 and mine prisons, and humiliating financial de- 
 pendence — will the race become what God means 
 it to be. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 103 
 
 The missionaries are helping to bring about 
 this freedom. 
 
 Heaven speed their work, at home and 
 abroad. 
 
 One of the most delightful men we met while 
 in Honolulu was Burton Holmes, the world 
 famous traveler, writer and lecturer. American 
 in feature and cosmopolitan in his appearance 
 and manner, a Parisian in perfection of dress, 
 English in his well modulated voice and accent, 
 he was withal delightfully witty in repartee, 
 and a most agreeable partner in a dance. 
 
 At one of the smart functions given in Hono- 
 lulu, I became enthusiastic at the charm of the 
 place, and of that particular festivity, and gave 
 voice to my sentiments, while waltzing with Mr. 
 Holmes. 
 
 "Oh, yes," he said, "except that it is not all 
 what it used to be in the old days of the King. 
 The trail of the missionary is over it all." "But," 
 I protested, "how can you say that? listen to 
 this glorious wild Hawaiian music, the twang 
 of the instruments, the thrill of the men's voices 
 as they sing. What is there to remind one of the 
 missionary there?" "Oh, but it does," he said. 
 "Even in their dance music now-a-days I get 
 an echo of "Yes We Shall Gather at the river," 
 and "Onward Christian Soldier." 
 
 Again speaking of the great cities of the world, 
 
104 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 Mr. Holmes said: "New York is the only big 
 city where horse cars may be seen now. They 
 go up 29th St., and back on 28th St., because 
 they are ashamed to be seen coming down the 
 same track." 
 
 The day before our departure from Honolulu, 
 there was a tap at our bungalow door in the 
 morning, and in blew — literally "blew" — the 
 typical American hustler, Mr. Alexander Hume 
 Ford, magazine writer, traveler, promoter of 
 progress, and general agent of success for the 
 world. I had not seen Mr. Ford for ten years, 
 during which time he had been around the world 
 length-wise, cross-wise and diagonally, several 
 times. In less than ten minutes after he entered 
 the door our peaceful bungalow seemed to be- 
 come a combination literary bureau, dramatic 
 agency, shipping, railroad and information office 
 and athletic club. Mr. Ford had only reached 
 Honolulu from Australia the previous evening, 
 but he had already sketched out plans for beau- 
 tifying the city, enlarging its commerce and 
 increasing its popularity as a winter resort. My 
 head swam as he outlined his ideas to me, and 
 then he proceeded to tell me a few things he pro- 
 posed to do before I left the following day. 
 Knowing me to be a swimmer, he had made ar- 
 rangements to teach me the exhilarating sport 
 of riding the waves, at Waihihi beach, on a plank; 
 
Bridge at Honolulu. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 106 
 
 to collaborate in a great Hawaiian drama; to 
 visit the Kaiulani school and to have the Gov- 
 ernor of the Island read my verses there; to bring 
 Burton Holmes with his moving picture camera 
 to photograph us all; and finally to introduce 
 old Hawaiian customs in the departure of our 
 ship the next day, in which native boy drivers 
 and a Hawaiian band were to feature for the 
 benefit of the Holmes camera. 
 
 All these things were to happen during 24 
 hours, but the billow riding, and the drama 
 writing, had to be eliminated greatly to the 
 regret of Mr. Ford. 
 
 I demurred at the visit to the Kaiulani school. 
 
 "It is impossible to induce the Governor on 
 such short notice to read my verses there," I 
 said. "Not at all," replied the sanguine Mr. 
 Ford. ' 'I know he will come. It only just oc- 
 curred to me that this is the 9th anniversary 
 of Kaiulani's death. Gov. Cleghorn always de- 
 votes the day to her memory at the Royal 
 Mausoleum. Now it will be very gratifying to 
 him when he knows that we planned this little 
 visit and reading in honor of his beloved and 
 lamented daughter." 
 
 Mr. Ford dashed out of the door, only to 
 return beaming and triumphant in less than an 
 hour's time. 
 
 "It is all arranged," he said, "the Governor 
 
106 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 will be at the Kaiulani school by the time we 
 reach there. Burton Holmes is on his way now. 
 It will be an interesting and beautiful occa- 
 sion." And so it proved. The Governor's party 
 and our own met en route, and we were greeted 
 by the entire school of several hundred children 
 and the staff of teachers, gathered in front of 
 the commodious building. Mr. Ford had her- 
 alded our coming, and a brief programme was 
 consequently prepared. 
 
 There were fifteen nationalities represented 
 in the school, of every grade of color, and the 
 words, "One Flag, One Country, One God," were 
 repeated in English, Japanese, Chinese, Samoian 
 and Hawaiian, the entire army of scholars point- 
 ing to the Star Spangled Banner with military 
 precision, and religious solemnity, which im- 
 pressed us deeply. Then the children marched 
 into the schoolroom, and the principal made 
 a brief and touching reference to Princess Kaiu- 
 lani, and presented Governor Frear, who read 
 my little tribute to the royal maid's memory 
 with much feeling. 
 
 Handsome, famous and popular Jack Atkin- 
 son also made an address suitable to the occa- 
 sion. Afterward Mr. Holmes aimed his moving 
 picture camera at the party as it emerged from 
 the school followed by 500 children; while Mr. 
 Ford's genial face beamed with approval be- 
 cause there was "something doing." 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 107 
 
 A curious and pathetic character in Honolulu 
 is a mildly demented Hawaiian, who for a period 
 of five years or more has spent a portion of 
 each day worshiping before the Statue of King 
 Kamehameha which stands in Capitol Square. 
 
 At certain hours of the day he is always to be 
 found there, standing or sitting, and frequently 
 kneeling to kiss the bronze feet of the statue. 
 
 I had never chanced to see the man, and ex- 
 pressing a wish to do so, Mr. Ford immediately 
 planned to gratify my curiosity. "Why, he is 
 an old friend of mine," he said, "and this is just 
 about the hour he will be at his self-imposed 
 duty. Let us walk around and see." 
 
 And sure enough, there was the crouching 
 figure sitting at a short distance from the statue 
 gazing at it with adoring eyes. A simple, vapid, 
 inoffensive face turned at Mr. Ford's greeting, 
 and smiled an empty smile; but no words issued 
 from the weak mouth. 
 
 Led by our irrepressible conductor to the 
 street corner where I stood, the pathetic lunatic 
 stood staring idly into space while Himself 
 snapped his camera on the three of us, greatly 
 to his own delight. Himself remarked it was 
 hard to decide which simpleton looked most 
 simple at that particular moment. 
 
 All that Mr. Ford had planned for a "moving 
 picture" on the departure of the boat the next 
 
108 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 day occurred, just according to his directions. 
 There were 67 passengers leaving Honolulu, and 
 each passenger wore at least one "lei" on his 
 hat, and another on his neck, the gift of friend- 
 ship; and some of us were walking flower shops. 
 I staggered under wreaths that hung from my 
 hat, neck, shoulders and arms, almost all com- 
 posed of the beautiful yellow flowers known to 
 be my favorite Hawaiian bloom. 
 
 Mr. Ford had brought up ten native diving 
 boys, clothed only in a loin cloth and wreaths; 
 and these boys presented me with their flowers, 
 and received a wreath from me in return. Mr. 
 Holmes' camera was busily at work, and the 
 Hawaiian band was playing "Aloha Oi." The 
 sun was radiant, friends were everywhere, and 
 the scene was one never to be forgotten. 
 
 "Himself" was keeping out of the range of 
 the camera and watching the scene from nearby 
 cover, and then the boat sailed out, and we 
 flung some of our wreaths back to friends on 
 the pier, and the diving boys began their won- 
 derful leaps into the clear waters of the harbor 
 after coppers. The most daring leaped from the 
 top of the masts, a distance of 60 feet, their 
 lithe brown bodies keeping erect in the descent 
 to the sea, and reappearing after a moment's 
 submersion, holding the coin high in air and 
 clamoring for more as they swam beside t 1 ie 
 ship far out into the bay. 
 
Honolulu. — Herself and Ah-Lui. 
 
 ;.;• 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 109 
 
 Aloha Oi, lovely Honolulu. Still faithful to 
 the belief that Jamaica was more beautiful in 
 scenery and climate than Honolulu and its en- 
 virons, we yet acknowledged the deeper charm 
 in the Hawaiian life. Its pleasures, its people, 
 its sights and sounds, all lent greater interest 
 to our winter's sojourn than those we had found 
 in any other land. 
 
 The Hawaiian National Song of Greeting and Farewell 
 ALOHA OE 
 
 By H. M. Queen Liliuokalani 
 
 1 ! i I j j i I 
 
 
 
 i. tla - a - * - heo 
 1 . Proud'- !» swept 
 
 ka o • - a ■ . - ii3 
 (he rain t-luud b\ the 
 
 m 
 
 li Ke 
 
 13 
 
 Hsi 
 
 B±J UJ^ 
 
 fjJj oL 
 
110 
 
 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 Chorus- 
 
 \ - lo - ha 01- a - lo • ha. oe E be o • na - o » na no-ho i - ka li - . - - pa A 
 
 F.ireivell lo tbee ftirf-well tit, tbee ^Tboo rbarroinL'iioi'-uiiuctiu-ii.jiuungibe tow - • ers, One 
 
 f.mJ em -brat" a lio-i a-c au tn - til ue'meet a - gain. 
 
 r-n J tiiu • brace be - Tore I mm' de - part L'ti - - bi we' meet • a -' gaic , 
 
 Used by ptcsiisioE «f a St fluaafi ULtUOKAUIW. 
 
 Copyright by 
 
 Wall, Nichols Co., JB&nolulu 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 111 
 
 JAMAICA AGAIN 
 
 It was early in September that Himself sug- 
 gested our third winter cruise in the West Indies, 
 beginning with Jamaica, and ending in Bermuda, 
 and with the gap between to be filled in by such 
 of the greater and lesser Antilles, as time and 
 ship service permitted. 
 
 It was on January 9th that we embarked at 
 New York on the English Royal Mail ship 
 Tagus, with the dear and bright goal of Port 
 Antonio again our destination. 
 
 Never was there a prettier winter day shining 
 over Manhattan Island than that January 9th, 
 and never were there four days of fairer sailing 
 on smooth seas. Our dream of arriving in our 
 beloved port and seeing it at radiant moon or 
 gorgeous sunset, ended in coming into East 
 Harbor at nine o'clock in starless darkness, and 
 groping our way down the ladder and into the 
 small launch by the flickering artificial light. 
 East Harbor at Port Antonio never seemed 
 habitable to me; always it suggested the back 
 yard; and though Hotel Titchfield is architectur- 
 ally beautiful from every approach, yet its 
 stately front entrance is as much more attractive 
 than its back door, as a beautiful woman's face 
 
112 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 appeals more than her coil of back hair. Never- 
 theless it was a joy to again enter its fair halls 
 through any door, to look down its cool green 
 vistas and out upon its spacious balconies and 
 to be greeted by old friends in office, elevator 
 and dining room. And it was a joy to be shown 
 into our dear old room, and to look out on that 
 exquisite remembered panorama, and to be able 
 to say with the same conviction on the spot which 
 had actuated us at a distance, "Yes, Port An- 
 tonio is the most beautiful place we have ever 
 seen." 
 
 And we had seen much of the world and many 
 places, in the three intervening years since our 
 last visit to Jamaica. A few hours later another 
 haunting memory was revived, as drifting into 
 our open windows came the clear childlike voice 
 calling, "Neenah, Neenah, Neenah!" 
 
 It was our parrot friend, still living and still 
 calling, and all unconscious that we had re- 
 membered her voice in its varying range of 
 harmonies and discords for three years. And 
 now we seemed to have taken up our life again 
 just where we left it before, its broken chords 
 becoming a harmony by the voice of "Neenah." 
 
 We had planned to visit many new places in 
 Jamaica, to take many jaunts and to become 
 acquainted with regions still unfamiliar to us; 
 but the lotus spell of Hotel Titchfield seized 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 113 
 
 upon us, and we lived our month of days as in a 
 trance. We drove to "Blue Hole," and re- 
 newed our acquaintance with its interesting 
 chatelaine, Dame Fisher; and we met her great 
 niece, a pretty brown girl of fourteen, who 
 told us she was reading Lorna Doone, and who 
 discussed it more understandingly than any 
 white girl of that age we had ever known. She 
 was a pupil of Mr. Plant, that second Booker 
 Washington, whose influence in developing the 
 best in his people, is more far reaching than 
 even he knows. 
 
 One day we decided to go in state and call on 
 "Neenah." Thus far she had been to us a voice 
 only , but a voice that was so "temperamental," 
 so vibrant and full of harmony, that it had 
 followed us over seas and through strange 
 lands. Now we were determined to see the 
 feathered source of this voice. A bright Ameri- 
 can girl joined us as we sallied forth, and when 
 we told her of our errand she said, "How em- 
 barrassing it would be if you found it was not 
 a parrot after all, but somebody's half-witted 
 child you were listening to all these years." 
 
 However, no such embarrassment assailed us, 
 but "Polly" herself in splendid feather peered 
 at us from between the bars of a great cage, 
 standing in a covered arbor at the rear of one 
 of the nearby bungalows. So large and roomy 
 
114 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 was the cage, that I felt like blessing the invalid 
 lady who had provided so decent a home for her 
 prisoned pet. The cruelty and lack of humanity 
 which the average civilized Christian shows 
 toward caged birds, puts them on a level with 
 savages, who torture shipwrecked mariners. 
 The canary bird, born for generations in cap- 
 tivity, may find moments of joy in life in such 
 cramped quarters as those usually given him, 
 but the parrot born free, and brought from his 
 native forests to a life of solitary confinement 
 in a cage, must suffer unrecognized agonies in his 
 narrow quarters. The parrot is by nature a 
 social and domestic bird, and can we wonder 
 if he becomes petulant and often vicious in the 
 life forced upon him? 
 
 Added to other indignities, the parrot, no 
 matter whether male or female, is invariably 
 dubbed "Polly!" 
 
 "Neenah" surveyed us gravely, with her head 
 on one side, walking from wire to wire in pecu- 
 liar parrot fashion. Not a word would she 
 utter, and in her unfathomable eyes I vainly 
 sought the history of her past and the identity 
 of that "Neenah" to whom she perpetually 
 called each afternoon. 
 
 Afterward, some indiscreet person with the 
 hammer which destroys illusions, tried to con- 
 vince me that it was "Amelia" which the parrot 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 115 
 
 called. Now science tells us that were there 
 no ears there would be no sound. Therefore to 
 our ears "Neenah" had become an accustomed 
 beloved sound; and so whatever the oldest resi- 
 dent of Port Antonio may say, our parrot's 
 afternoon call is "Neenah." 
 
 Once we drove — a party of 24 in all — through 
 seven miles of gorgeous mountain scenery, to 
 the Rio Grande River, where twelve bamboo 
 rafts and twelve ebony colored raftsmen waited, 
 to take us on a two hours' jaunt down the river. 
 Through swift rapids and around sharp curves, 
 swirling near the rocky walls in places, and often 
 wet to the cuticle by the unapologizing waves, 
 the rafting trip down the Rio Grande proved 
 novel and enlightening, beside revealing new 
 phases of the never-ending beauties of Jamaican 
 scenery. 
 
 One day we were visitors during a session of 
 the Court in Port Antonio. 
 
 A Chinaman, a Coolie, and several Negroes 
 were sworn. The colored men kissed the Bible; 
 the Coolie took his oath over a glass of water, 
 swearing "By the Sacred Waters of the Ganges," 
 and the Chinaman lighted a taper and blew it 
 out, signifying that he desired to be so extin- 
 guished from existence, if he swore falsely. 
 
 And then the three of them proceeded to 
 swear to such contradictory statements, that all 
 
116 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 of them left the impression on their listeners of 
 appalling liars. 
 
 The trial was of a Coolie man, for having sold 
 rum on Sunday; and after the confusing array 
 of testimony, we went forth believing that how- 
 ever temperate or intemperate, guilty or not 
 guilty the parties concerned might be, that all 
 were absolutely ignorant of the meaning of the 
 word TRUTH. 
 
 We were reminded of the impression given 
 by an eminent English author a hundred years 
 ago, regarding the lack of truthfulness among 
 slaves. He said religion, which had only been 
 recently taught the Negroes, seemed to culmi- 
 nate in an idea that they could swear to a lie to 
 incriminate an enemy, and that kissing the 
 Bible justified the act. 
 
 With the exception of these experiences, our 
 month at Port Antonio was but a repetition of 
 pleasures enjoyed before, yet none the less sweet 
 and memorable; perhaps the more so from repe- 
 tition, as a lace handkerchief taken from a per- 
 fumed box and sprayed with sweet scents gives 
 forth double fragrance. 
 
 Every evening after sundown, walking along 
 the spacious porticos of Hotel Titchfield, we were 
 bathed in such delicious odors, that our curiosity 
 led us to investigation of the source of the 
 incomparably seductive smells. We found they 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 117 
 
 arose from bushes growing profusely about the 
 lawns, the "Night Jessamine," so called because 
 this spiced flower gives out its fragrance only 
 after nightfall. 
 
 The weather during the month of our third 
 year in Jamaica sadly misbehaved. We had 
 eleven days of continuous clouds without 
 any sun; the thermometer fell as low as 
 63 degrees one night, and remained at 67 all one 
 day; and for eight days there was continuous 
 rain. We did not mind it ourselves; with our 
 delightful surroundings, our books, our writing, 
 and our philosophy of enjoyment of the' 'Now," 
 we were well contented. But we were unwilling 
 that transient guests should see our much-lauded 
 winter Eden with a veil over her face. We 
 felt as a fond parent feels when a pretty child 
 misbehaves before company. 
 
 There was, beside the weather, a shadow over 
 Jamaica; the shadow of Messina, Sicily. Be- 
 cause of that recent catastrophe, the world re- 
 membered anew the disaster which had befallen 
 Kingston two years before; and hundreds of 
 travellers who had planned a tour in the West 
 Indies, abandoned the idea, fearing to enter 
 what is believed to be the Earthquake Zone. 
 Many friends wrote us expostulating letters on 
 the subject. But we are not of "those who 
 through fear of death do all their lives enter into 
 
118 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 bondage." It is foolhardy to build a home at 
 the side of an extinct volcano; but it is weak to 
 fear an excursion to that volcano, lest it awake 
 to new life at that moment and swallow us. 
 
 In all the annals of history, Port Antonio never 
 suffered serious damage through earthquake or 
 tidal wave. At the time of Kingston's great 
 calamity, Port Antonio only shuddered in sym- 
 pathy. Beautiful Hotel Titchfield groaned, and 
 for a moment writhed in anguish. But that 
 was all. No buildings fell, no lives were lost. 
 Therefore, though this winter was one succes- 
 sion of earthquake shocks in various parts of 
 the globe, we felt no fear at Port Antonio. 
 
 A man of my acquaintance once wrote an 
 absurd quatrain which read: 
 
 "What is to be is sure to be, 
 Whenever it comes to pass, 
 
 And what can't be, will never be, 
 And so keep off the grass." 
 
 We applied this philosophy, and so kept off 
 the grass of Fear in the West Indies. 
 
 Among the pleasant people met at the Titch- 
 field, the noteworthy couple was Sir Henry and 
 Lady Blake. Sir Henry was for eight years 
 Governor of Jamaica, and dearly loved by its 
 people. He had also been Governor of Ceylon, 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 119 
 
 and the Bermudas, and was now visiting in the 
 West Indies. It was our privilege to enjoy 
 several conversations with both Sir Henry and 
 his wife; and it was a delight to find them both 
 as cultured, broad minded, liberal, tolerant and 
 appreciative as their advantages in life had 
 been unusual. 
 
 This is not always the case; one frequently 
 finds people who have had great opportunities 
 in the way of wealth, travel and association 
 with humanity at large, who have become mere- 
 ly bundles of conceit and intolerance and silly 
 pride, but this more frequently occurs among 
 the "new rich" and those whose successes have 
 come in one generation, than among those born 
 to honors. 
 
 An American who feels any pride in his own 
 country and any desire to maintain that pride, 
 is constantly subjected to painful awakenings if 
 he travels about the world. 
 
 Whether in the Winter or Summer resort 
 hotels of his own or foreign lands, he is sure to 
 encounter the type of American which puts our 
 country in an unenviable light in the eyes of 
 cultured foreigners. 
 
 "The type" is scarcely comprehensive enough 
 to cover the ground; for America can produce 
 more types of unpleasant personalties than any 
 other land on earth, probably because of the 
 mixed bloods running riot in American veins. 
 
130 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 First and flamboyantly foremost of the types 
 met in travel is the suddenly rich family. The 
 fortune may have been enjoyed ten, fifteen, 
 twenty years, but it was acquired after habits 
 had been formed and manners had been per- 
 mitted to go untrained, and the prominence of 
 wealth inspired no ambition save for display. 
 Mr. and Mrs. Sudden Rich indulge in morning 
 jewels, in many motors and yachts, and they 
 may be seen walking out of the dining rooms 
 of the best hotels and parading the verandas 
 violently brandishing the toothpick. 
 
 No amount of travel, sight-seeing and op- 
 portunities for improving their minds and man- 
 ners succeeds in changing the vulgarity of their 
 deportment. They boast always and every- 
 where of the superiority of America over every 
 other country, and talk much of their posses- 
 sions and the cost of living. 
 
 Almost as offensive and more exasperating is 
 the moneyed family which stands "first" socially 
 in some small American town, and which has 
 enjoyed, and used to a certain degree, oppor- 
 tunities for a superficial kind of education and 
 culture — the education which leads to the proper 
 use of nouns, verbs and adjectives, and the cul- 
 ture which includes a few social accomplishments 
 but which leaves heart and soul untouched, and 
 the mind only awakened to petty personal am- 
 bitions and to inordinate conceit. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 121 
 
 It is impossible for the big family in a small 
 town, as a rule, to grasp the idea that its posi- 
 tion in the great world is about as important as 
 the position of a fly on the Eiffel Tower. Such a 
 family in a resort hotel is sure to hold itself 
 apart, to draw a line marked "exclusive" about 
 itself, and to ignore the polite bow and smile 
 which every well-bred foreigner or American 
 traveller accords to the transient visitor at hotel 
 tables, or in casual encounters. It does not 
 realize that this haughty and exclusive air at 
 once brands it as provincial and limited in its 
 horizon. Never is the thorough cosmopolitan 
 of wide experience, and of sure social position, 
 detected in assuming this silly and pretentious 
 attitude of unapproachable exclusiveness, toward 
 fellow travellers. It always emanates from the 
 village "leader" who has been too self -centered, 
 and too self-satisfied with small triumphs, to 
 realize how large is the world and how the great- 
 est thing in the world, is kindness in the small 
 occurrences of life. Young women of this type 
 abound in America, and their especial occupation 
 in travel is always evident, and often audible, 
 criticism of other travellers. 
 
 It never occurs to them or to their parents 
 and guardians that a higher type of womanhood 
 and a better phase of Christianity would be 
 shown by a gracious word, a pleasant look and a 
 
122 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 kindly act toward humanity. Only in America 
 does this young woman prevail; but she prevails 
 to an alarming extent; and she marries (be- 
 cause in her town and "set" is always found 
 some admirer of the "position" of her family), 
 and she grows into maturity without ever dis- 
 covering how unfounded are her airs, and how 
 unlovable are her qualities; and she brings into 
 the world another generation which becomes 
 more arrogant than herself with unaccountable 
 conceit and unfounded pride. This type of 
 woman is almost invariably prominent in her 
 church, and a "Lady Bountiful" where charity 
 can increase her opportunities to shine in a 
 limited horizon. 
 
 The arrogance of royalty and titles in Euro- 
 pean lands is often spoken of with scorn in 
 America; but how much more ridiculous and 
 presumptuous is the arrogance of money and a 
 pigmy position in a small American town! It 
 is no wonder that our foreign neighbors laugh 
 our pretensions to an "aristocracy" to scorn 
 when they are based on such tottering and 
 flimsy claims to human superiority. 
 
 There is only one "superior" quality in the 
 world — and that is worth of character. When 
 we find this, coupled with brain, education, re- 
 finement and culture, we have a foundation for 
 "aristocracy." If wealth — clean wealth — is 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 123 
 
 added, it gives elegance to the aristocracy; just 
 as good clothing enhances beauty of person, 
 but does not create it. 
 
 In an empire or a monarchy, servility is born 
 and bred in the minds of the masses toward the 
 aristocracy. No one stops to inquire into the 
 claim of a Lord, a Prince or a Duchess to assume 
 a superior air. But so confident are these 
 people, as a rule, of their position, that they 
 usually leave such airs to the small tradesman, 
 or Manufacturer away from home. 
 
 In a journey through many lands the most 
 unapproachable fellow traveller encountered 
 was an American heiress; and the most affable 
 and agreeable woman was the daughter of a 
 long line of titles. 
 
 It is not our very rich — our multimillionaires 
 in America— who are doing the most to create 
 class distinctions in our republic. 
 
 Many of these people have had sufficient 
 experience in the world to realize their own 
 limitations, and to make them agreeable men 
 and women to encounter casually. In their 
 large charities they come often to an understand- 
 ing of human nature which is educational. 
 
 But it is the newly rich folk of the smaller 
 towns, people who never see Newport or upper 
 Fifth avenue, and know New York only as 
 shopping guests at the Waldorf-Astoria twice a 
 
124 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 year, who adopt the most intolerable airs at 
 home and abroad, and who wrap themselves 
 about with a mantle of exclusiveness; and these 
 are the people who slowly but surely are bringing 
 about the American Revolution. 
 
 In every interior town, especially the manu- 
 facturing towns, of America they are found 
 by the score, forming what they believe to be 
 the "smart set" of their city; wearing modish 
 clothes, driving in motors, talking airily about 
 "common people," criticising their neighbors, 
 and by every refinement of cruelty endeavoring 
 to put down any aspirant for social honor or 
 intellectual supremacy who is not in their "set." 
 
 The Czar of Russia, the Kaiser of Germany 
 and the King of England combined, would not 
 attempt such royal airs as these sons and daugh- 
 ters and grandsons and granddaughters of suc- 
 cessful tradesmen and manufacturers when 
 traveling in their own land or abroad. 
 
 Ridiculous, pitiful and absurd as they make 
 themselves in the eyes of a discriminating pub- 
 lic, yet they are powerful enough to affect the 
 struggling masses as a slow match affects a fuse. 
 And some day the explosion will come. 
 
 It will not be the "Muck Rakers" or "yellow 
 journalism" which will bring this explosion; it will 
 be the intolerable insolence of the small rich 
 people of America, stirring to indignation and 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 125 
 
 resentment the striving masses of this great 
 republic, which is a republic only in name. 
 
 A dinner was given Sir Henry Blake at the 
 Titchfield and the proprietor asked me to write 
 a few appropriate lines for decorating the menu. 
 I was told that Sir Henry had built many miles 
 of good roads and many great bridges while in 
 office, that he was the best friend Jamaica ever 
 had, and that he was himself devotedly fond of 
 the Island. Limited to 12 lines and a brief 
 space of time the following verslet resulted: 
 
 JAMAICA. 
 
 The fairest Island in the seas, 
 
 The darling of the sun, 
 
 Her friends abide on every side, 
 
 But in her heart dwells one 
 
 Who loves her for her own dear sake — 
 
 Blake! Blake! Blake! 
 He decked her with colossal gifts 
 And flung them at her feet; 
 He showed her worth to all the earth, 
 In splendid bridge and street; 
 Then let his name the echoes wake — 
 
 Blake! Blake! Blake! 
 
 It was beautifully printed and set in an ex- 
 quisite menu card, by the inimitable genius, 
 Mr. Hadley, and was taken away as a souvenir 
 by the thirty men guests at the dinner. 
 
126 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 When Lincoln's birthday, February 12th, 
 came, Mr. Hadley again appealed to me to aid 
 him in making a souvenir menu for dinner. 
 The verses written below were written while he 
 held the forms for them: 
 
 LINCOLN, FEBRUARY 12, 1809-1909. 
 When God created this good world, 
 A few stupendous peaks were hurled 
 From His strong hand; and they remain 
 The wonder of the level plain. 
 But these colossal heights are rare, 
 While shifting sands are everywhere. 
 
 So with the race. The centuries pass, 
 
 And nations fall like leaves of grass. 
 
 They die — forgotten and unsung. 
 
 While straight from God some souls are flung 
 
 To live, immortal and sublime. 
 
 So lives great Lincoln for all time. 
 
 SLAVE TIME IN JAMAICA. 
 When we go no farther back than 100 years 
 and read the story of slavery in Jamaica, we can 
 but wonder at the great achievements of the 
 negro race since its emancipation in 1839. From 
 various ports in Africa, 408,000 negroes were 
 brought to Jamaica and enslaved in a space of 
 48 years. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 127 
 
 Thousands of these were enticed on ships by 
 the gifts of beads, belts, and gew-gaws, only to 
 find when they attempted to return to shore that 
 they were sailing out on wide seas to foreign 
 lands, the property of white abductors. 
 
 The cruelty which existed on these slave 
 ships reads like some monstrous fiction of a 
 diseased brain. 
 
 Yet it is historical truth, that men and women 
 were packed like sardines into these slave ships, 
 pinioned by their arms beneath a rail built for 
 that purpose, and so conveyed across high seas, 
 in sailing vessels crowded to their capacity. 
 
 That the majority were wild savages and 
 many of them cannibals, is also true; and that 
 in the long run the great law of compensation 
 will do its work, in bringing these people out of 
 the darkness of ignorance into the light of educa- 
 tion, is also true; but this does not excuse the 
 white man from the wholly selfish, brutal and 
 mercenary methods which actuated him in first 
 bringing the negroes to our shores. 
 
 In a government report from Jamaica occurs 
 the following sentence referring to the large 
 slave trade: 
 
 "What a field is here opened to display the 
 comforts and blessings of life, which this com- 
 merce distributes among so many industrious 
 subjects of the mother country." 
 
128 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 Unquestionably, the majority of slave hold- 
 ers were kind in their treatment of them. Slaves 
 were well fed, well housed, and well cared for 
 when ill, and not over-worked. 
 
 But wherever slavery exists, cruelty in human 
 nature is developed; since to be a profitable 
 trade, it necessitates buying and selling, and an 
 indifference to family ties and human affections. 
 When the selling of slaves to other countries 
 fell from 5,000 to 2,500 in four years, in Ja- 
 maica, consternation in "trade" prevailed. 
 
 Slaves were inventoried, and advertised for 
 sale along with mules and donkeys; and they 
 were generally believed to be without souls. 
 
 In 1816 the English author of that famous 
 old book, "The Monk" (known since as Monk 
 Lewis), visited Jamaica to investigate the con- 
 dition of estates to which he had fallen heir. 
 
 The subject of slavery was new to him, and a 
 perusal of his diary is interesting. He regarded 
 the negroes as human beings, and bemoaned 
 the fact that he found his slaves ignorant of 
 a God or a future life, and that not one of his 
 300 slaves could read a line. 
 
 Speaking of their immorality, and their light 
 view of robbery or murder, and their disregard 
 of the truth, he said: "It appears to me that 
 the only means of giving the negro morality is 
 through the medium of education." 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 129 
 
 He found Voodooism generally prevailing, 
 and the fear of the "Obeah" man taking place of 
 fear of a divine being. 
 
 He also found cruel masters in many places 
 in Jamaica. Mr. Lewis was himself notably 
 kind, and abolished the use of the whip on his 
 plantations, and discharged all overseers who 
 were detected in any unkindness toward the 
 slaves. 
 
 He relates the story of one planter named 
 Bedford, who was a human monster. Indulg- 
 ing in all kinds of cruelties to his slaves, he 
 sent those doomed to a mortal illness, to a 
 remote spot known as "The Gully," where they 
 were left to die uncared for, thus saving him 
 the expense of medical attendance and burial. 
 
 One such victim, however, recovered suffi- 
 ciently to make his escape and to obtain his 
 freedom, after which Mr. Bedford endeavored 
 to reclaim his services, but public indignation 
 caused him to desist, which goes to prove that 
 such monsters were exceptional. 
 
 But other cases of inhuman treatment of 
 slaves occurred, and caused many slaves to 
 attempt escape from their masters. 
 
 In 1800, one Pluto, a powerful negro accused 
 of being an "Obeah" man, escaped to the moun- 
 tains, taking several women with him, and es- 
 tablishing a robbers' cave and harem, which 
 
130 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 gradually grew in numbers and force, until it 
 menaced the surrounding plantations. At night 
 Pluto descended, and robbed and plundered 
 homes and individuals, and usually carried 
 away with him another wench to fortify his 
 harem. Through his love for rum, he was finally 
 captured and executed as an "Obeah" man. 
 Presuming upon the fear he had inspired in this 
 respect, he asserted on the day of his execution, 
 that he had arranged with destiny to bring a 
 devastating storm to Jamaica; and that he had 
 cast a spell upon the jailer, who would not sur- 
 vive the year. 
 
 Oddly enough the worst storm of a decade of 
 years laid waste Jamaica plantations; and per- 
 haps this fact helped to further frighten the 
 jailer, who died before the new year. 
 
 Although this occurred in the year 1800, 
 yet in this year of 1909, after the Church 
 of England has recognized that negroes have 
 souls, and after the Wesleyan Evangelists, 
 schools, and freedom for half a century, have 
 all done their work, yet Vaudouxism still ex- 
 ists in Jamaica. 
 
 It is an evil which dies slowly, and only 
 increased and enforced opportunities for edu- 
 cation can stamp it out. 
 
 Lady Nugent, wife of the Governor General 
 of Jamaica 1801 to 1806, speaks with regret in 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 131 
 
 her journal of the immoral effect upon white 
 men produced by slavery, and Mr. Lewis seems 
 startled by discovery that all his white over- 
 seers and bookkeepers had their favorite col- 
 ored "housekeepers" with variegated shades of 
 children and often their unconcealed harems. 
 The custom of colored mistresses of white men 
 engaged in Jamaican enterprises has not ceased; 
 but is less openly indulged, in this era. 
 
 The clarification of color in Jamaica is given 
 as follows: 
 
 A white man and negress produce a mulatto. 
 
 A white man and mulatto, produce a terceron. 
 
 A white man and terceron produce a quar- 
 teron. 
 
 A white man and quarteron produce a quin- 
 teron. 
 
 After that, all are legally considered white 
 and during slavery times were free born. 
 
 It is stated as an established fact that two 
 mulattoes cannot produce offspring. The legiti- 
 macy of any child born to such a union is ques- 
 tioned. Either mulatto, married to a white, 
 or to a negro, however, becomes fertile. 
 
 It was the rule of plantations in Jamaica dur- 
 ing slavery times, that the mulatto boys and 
 girls should not become field hands, but that 
 the boys should learn trades and the girls act 
 as house maids. So from the beginning, there 
 
132 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 was an incentive for the black women to be- 
 come the mistresses of white men. 
 
 Slavery was the friend to promiscuous asso- 
 ciation of the sexes; Women slaves were cen- 
 sured if they did not breed children as often as 
 nature allowed, and marriage bonds were not 
 known among them. 
 
 Can we wonder then, that it remains a difficult 
 matter, after the lapse of so short a period of 
 time, to inculcate moral ideas of the relation of 
 the sexes in these people? 
 
 Naturally strong in their animal instincts, 
 inheriting wild and untrammeled impulses from 
 their African forbears, and license and lawless- 
 ness from their white progenitors, should we not 
 feel it incumbent upon us to give them every 
 opportunity, with time and patience to reach a 
 higher state of development? 
 
 They did not become citizens of our world 
 through their own will or wish; they were stolen 
 from their own country. They were kept in 
 ignorance and bondage; they were encouraged 
 in immorality, and now in a half century we 
 suddenly become hypothetically proper and 
 moral and cry out against the instincts of the 
 colored race, which we declare are quite beyond 
 the reach of education. 
 
 "It is a race apart by itself," we say. 
 
 But while this is true, we are responsible for 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 133 
 
 this race in our world. We must suffer the con- 
 sequences of our own enormous misdeeds toward 
 this race. 
 
 In education lies the only key to the awful 
 problem. 
 
 A fine line of distinction is drawn in the use of 
 terms referring to dark skinned people of the 
 West Indies, and the United States. The 
 negroes are the pure blooded Africans. The 
 colored people are those in whose veins the blood 
 of white men runs riot. 
 
 Curiously enough, the colored people feel 
 themselves superior in every respect to their 
 black kinsmen. The lighter their color, the 
 greater their pride, and yet the black African 
 represents a purer race-type and has a more 
 moral pedigree, once we stop to analyze the 
 conditions surrounding each. 
 
 The recent discovery of a buried city in Abys- 
 sinia, of artistic and architectural beauty, shows 
 that • the ancient race of Negroes possessed 
 originality and constructive ability, and cul- 
 ture. 
 
 These qualities are curiously lacking in the 
 full blooded black people of Jamaica and the 
 United States. When Jamaica was owned by 
 the English and Spanish sugar planters, and 
 when it was a port for the great trading ships 
 of the world, its natural beauties were supple- 
 
134 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 merited by handsome and stately residences. 
 Now one may drive or motor for an entire day 
 about the Island, and see scarcely a residence 
 that is distinguished for its beauty or attractive- 
 ness. Only a few ruins even remain of the his- 
 toric mansions, while here and there, scattered 
 over the Island, are the broken walls and 
 foundations of old sugar mills. The chimney 
 of one of these, from which stately trees are 
 growing, is one of the picturesque sights of 
 Jamaica. 
 
 The dreadful squalor of the houses in which 
 the peasant population of Jamaica lives, is one 
 of the most discouraging features of the colored 
 problem. Hundreds of the aboriginal grass 
 thatched huts are to be seen in a drive through 
 the mountains and valleys; but less pitcuresque 
 and more unsightly are the hovels which serve 
 as residences in the villages and along the road 
 side. 
 
 The town of Port Antonio despite its glorious 
 situation, is disgraceful in its delapidation. Many 
 of Jamaica's villages are a blight on the face of 
 beautiful nature. Even the well-to-do colored 
 people who have progressed financially and in- 
 tellectually, toward a better civilization, lack 
 home making ideas. 
 
 In the house of one such woman, who was 
 pursuing a successful business, and whose sur- 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 135 
 
 roundings indicated prosperity, torn cheap lace 
 curtains, and soiled wood work (which would 
 have been white with the application of soap 
 and water) rendered the drawing room hideous. 
 Glimpses into bungalows and cabins by the way- 
 side, while driving or walking, invariably reveal 
 disorder and dirt. Yet there are exceptions to 
 this rule; in one little mountain cabin five miles 
 from a village I saw order, neatness and good 
 taste displayed in the arrangement and decora- 
 tions of the home; and love, courtesy and re- 
 finement characterized the deportment of the 
 hostess. A resident of the Island tells me there 
 is a marked improvement noticeable during the 
 last 20 years, but improved conditions ought to 
 be the prevailing ones, at this time, so many 
 years after the burden of slavery was lifted from 
 Jamaica. But educational opportunities have 
 not been plentiful, and the taxation imposed 
 by England, has been energy sapping and 
 poverty breeding. 
 
 Divorce is not frequent among the colored 
 people of Jamaica perhaps because so many 
 people establish family relations, without ob- 
 serving the little ceremony of marriage. It is 
 difficult to give the negro race ideals on this 
 subject, and the large percentage of partly 
 white children born each year to colored mothers 
 indicates that the influence of the white man 
 
136 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 is not absolutely toward morality: and always 
 with pride, and never with shame, the colored 
 mother displays her light skinned child, often 
 remarking "His father was white." 
 
 The effect of Americans upon the Island of 
 Jamaica, has been stimulating to trade, and to 
 the development of its resources and industries. 
 Jamaica owes a great debt of gratitude to Cap- 
 tain Baker, and to the United Fruit Company, 
 But the American example has not been admir- 
 able in all respects, in its results, upon the col- 
 ored people. It is a curious fact that wherever 
 American feet make a beaten path, the flowers 
 of economy, politeness and simplicity wither 
 and die. On our first visit to the Island of 
 Jamaica, the natives were noticeably polite and 
 courteous; everyone encountered on mountain 
 passes or in the village streets, courtesied, 
 smiled, bowed, or spoke a pleasant word of 
 greeting. Flowers were flung into carriages, 
 and the present of a half penny or a penny gave 
 delight. A copper was considered ample re- 
 ward for posing for a kodac. Today they de- 
 mand one or two shillings, for such a service; 
 their flowers are no longer offered, and if bought, 
 are placed at florist prices; and where ten gave 
 the pleasant greeting as they passed, one gives 
 it now. 
 
 America's brusque manners, and money stand- 
 ards have been adopted by them. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 137 
 
 The rhetoric used by the colored people of 
 even the most humble classes (for there are 
 social grades there as elsewhere) is astonishing 
 in its pedantic tendencies. In the United 
 States, the same peculiar love for many sylla- 
 bled words exists, among the negroes; but fre- 
 quently (if not oftener) these words are im- 
 properly applied. 
 
 In Jamaica I seldom heard a long or unusual 
 word misused; and I have stood in silent wonder 
 while my chambermaid, or bell boy, made re- 
 marks which savored, in diction of a careful 
 study of an Encyclopedia or Standard Diction- 
 ary. 
 
 In wider and more thorough educational 
 advantages, lies the hope of the colored race 
 both in America and the West Indies. 
 
 More money, more schools, more teachers, 
 better salaries, is what the Island needs. 
 
 The East Indian Coolie population of Ja- 
 maica lends a most artistic touch to the monot- 
 ony of the native type: slender limbed, delicately 
 formed people, with clear cut handsome faces, 
 eyes of great lustre, and long straight hair, 
 their attire adds to their attractions. The men 
 are clothed in a one-piece graceful garment, 
 which was once white, and may probably be- 
 come so again in time; and if by chance you see 
 it when first donned, it makes a pleasing picture 
 
138 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 finished by the turban head dress. The deer- 
 like legs and slim feet are bare. The Coolie 
 women are rarely as handsome as the men; 
 but they present the appearance always of 
 having prepared themselves for a costume ball. 
 Their gay colored skirts, and long mantle 
 falling from the crown of the head to below 
 the waist, makes a most effective picture. 
 Anklets of silver, bracelets below and above 
 the elbow, necklaces, and "brow laces" and ear 
 rings, leave still another place to decorate. The 
 left nostril is bored, and a jewel is inserted. 
 The workmanship of this jewelry is fine and 
 odd, and it is hand executed, and is largely 
 sought by tourists. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 139 
 
 THE CRUISE AND THE CIRCUS. 
 
 There came a day, when at the end of a 
 month, the lotus dream, of pleasure and peace, 
 at Port Antonio, was broken; and we awoke to 
 the realization that we were to exchange the 
 luxurious comforts of Hotel Titchfield, for the 
 uncertain accommodations, of a Cruising mer- 
 chant steamer. Much as I love sailing forth to 
 new ports, with no purpose and no responsi- 
 bility, save to follow where Himself leads, yet 
 this giving up of the flesh pots of Egypt, cost 
 me an effort. It was the beginning of the very 
 gayest season of the winter; and brilliant func- 
 tions, dear to my frivolous feminine heart, all 
 culminating in a costume ball, had to be sac- 
 rificed, together with our delightful quarters, 
 and homey associations. 
 
 Nevertheless I packed away all fair raiment, 
 in what we termed "The Bermuda Arc," and 
 bravely set forth with as little baggage as de- 
 cency and cleanliness would permit, to take 
 passage on "The President." 
 
 It was an eighteen hundred ton boat, with 
 only fourteen first-class state rooms; and it was 
 bound for St. Thomas, and would make three 
 ports in Haiti, two in Santo Domingo and two 
 
140 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 in Porto Rico, taking on cargoes of coffee, cocoa, 
 sugar, tobacco and cotton. 
 
 All these places were but names and dots on 
 maps to me; and there was a certain pleasurable 
 excitement, once we embarked, in knowing that 
 we were to see these "dots" develop into actual 
 localities. Our little boat proved to be spic 
 and span in cleanliness; and our stateroom was 
 far more comfortable than many a one we had 
 occupied on larger ships. But the "Ladies' 
 cabin" was like a doll's house; the deck space 
 was limited; and the dining saloon seemed 
 more suited to a boarding house than to an 
 ocean steamship, carrying tourists and pleasure 
 seekers. 
 
 Every stateroom, first and second class, was 
 filled, and down stairs were twenty-six steerage 
 passengers all belonging to one family of Spanish 
 Gypsies en route for Santo Domingo, accompan- 
 ied by two trained bears and a monkey. 
 
 Soon after sailing from Kingston Harbor, the 
 story was abroad that our passenger list in- 
 cluded a circus company on a winter business 
 trip in the West Indies. 
 
 We began looking about among the thirty or 
 more passengers, trying to identify in our own 
 minds, those people we have all been accus- 
 tomed to see from circus stalls, but have seldom 
 observed at closer range. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 141 
 
 Sorry indeed is the lot of one who has never 
 known the joy and excitement of a first circus; 
 and but half lived in emotion, has been the life 
 of any man or woman, who has not at some 
 early period of existence, contemplated with 
 ecstacy, the possibility of running away from 
 home, and becoming an expert bareback and 
 trapeze performer. 
 
 There had been such a period in my own 
 childhood, and I recalled the thrill which trav- 
 ersed my small frame, when I imagined reaching 
 such perfection in my (mentally) chosen career, 
 that, attired in a spangled gown, I could stand, 
 poised stork like, on a flying steed, and kiss my 
 fingers to a wildly applauding audience. 
 
 And now here I was, cheek to jowl with these 
 very performers who had been my early envy. 
 
 But how to locate them? A rough sea caused 
 the usual disappearance of the majority of 
 women passengers for a day or two, but before 
 they disappeared I had seen a pale and tired 
 looking woman, of fragile physique, sitting on 
 deck, and giving a Radiant Baby his natural 
 sustenance in the natural way, and near her stood 
 a proud looking young father, watching the 
 proceeding with a contented smile. 
 
 Then the pale little mother disappeared, but 
 the Radiant Baby, whose name was nothing less 
 than Virgil, was carried about by the proud 
 
142 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 father, and again by a quiet and dignified 
 woman, who proved to be the Radiant Baby's 
 aunt; and whose vigorous young daughter of 
 twelve looked like a blond Hebe in spectacles. 
 
 Rumor had it that these were all circus 
 people: but as for us, we classified them as the 
 mother, and the father, and the aunt, and the 
 cousin of the Radiant Baby, Virgil, who had 
 become the ship's baby and everybody's darling. 
 
 So amiable and philosophical a baby of six 
 months, not to mention his precocity, never lived 
 before, I am sure. Temperamental, too, was he; 
 and wise in color lore. Always springing to my 
 arms with adorable smiles, once he drew back 
 with quivering lips and refused my embrace. 
 "Because," explained his father, "you are 
 wearing a black gown, and Virgil strongly dis- 
 approves of black." 
 
 Then there was the handsome young French 
 girl, with the face one finds on an old Greek coin, 
 and her stalwart Italian husband: a model pair 
 quietly devoted. And there was the big, good- 
 natured man, who was Virgil's uncle-in-law, and 
 a boy Adonis who was his own uncle, and the 
 elderly man with a sober face, all said to be 
 "circus people." But we got none of the spirit 
 of the circus of our youthful remembrance from 
 these everyday folk, with their family ties and 
 their quiet ways. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 143 
 
 Down stairs, in the steerage, were six mik- 
 white horses and two weirdly intellectual mules, 
 all part of the same company. 
 
 And then one night, after a whole week of 
 cruising, and stopping at strange ports, and 
 going ashore in small boats, we came to Santo 
 Domingo, close alongside the big pier, and we 
 heard much movement and stir; and the beauti- 
 ful milk-white horses and wise mules came forth 
 and were led away and we were told the "Circus" 
 was going to give a performance in town that 
 night. 
 
 A few hours later we were sitting in a "pri- 
 vate" stall, close to the improvised circus ring, 
 and the band was blaring, and the circus "su- 
 pers" were bringing out a big globe and putting 
 up a "teter board" (such as we had, of old, num- 
 bered among our most valued possessions in 
 childhood), and suddenly out came a dainty 
 little figure, all in white silk tights, and with a 
 bravely plumed hat set well back on her small 
 head. Lightly as a feather she floated upon this 
 globe and began to roll it under her slender feet 
 up the length of the "teter board" and down 
 again, all the while smiling and blowing kisses 
 to the audience of varigated colors. 
 
 Now, wonderful to relate it was no other than 
 the tired and fragile little mother of the Radiant 
 Baby Virgil. 
 
144 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 Then out came the whitest of all the milk 
 white horses; and into the ring that object of 
 childhood's mingled fear and admiration, the 
 "Ring Master," with his cracking whip, and 
 next, before our wondering eyes, leaped the 
 agile form of "the most famous and fearless bare- 
 back rider of the world," a woman in a spangled 
 gown. The Ring Master, the ogre of our child- 
 hood, cracked his whip, the milk-white horse 
 accelerated his rapid pace, the "most famous 
 woman equestrienne of the world" pursued him 
 with the fleetness of a deer; she grasped his flow- 
 ing mane with one hand, and lo! she stood poised 
 upon his back on one foot and smiled and waved 
 gay hands to the audience, even as I had dreamed 
 of doing in a dim past, my noble ambition flag- 
 ging only at thought of the terrible Ring Master. 
 
 And now behold! Here was the Ring Master! 
 no longer an ogre, but the kind husband of the 
 equestrienne and the good-natured uncle-in-law 
 of the Radiant Baby; and "the most famous 
 woman bareback expert in the world," who was 
 she? Alas! not the mysterious fairy of our child- 
 hood's dreams, who had run away from a con- 
 mon-place home of wealth, to enter on the won- 
 derful and exciting career of the circus as of old 
 we love to think of her. 
 
 She was, in sooth, no other than the amiable, 
 middle-aged aunt of the Radiant Baby and the 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 145 
 
 mother of the blond Hebe in spectacles — the 
 blond Hebe, who had shown us to our reserved 
 box — all unconscious that her voluptuous young 
 beauty was drawing the bold glances of many 
 men of mixed bloods in the motley throng which 
 composed the Santo Domingian circus audience. 
 
 And then came two special acts in quick suc- 
 cession; an expert tight-rope performance, in 
 which a young Adonis distinguished himself by 
 dancing the Merry Widow waltz on a taut wire, 
 and the conquest of the weirdly intellectual 
 trick mule, by an acrobat in a mask and bag; 
 and these marvellous beings proved to be just the 
 proud father and the fond young uncle of the 
 Radiant Baby Virgil! 
 
 Next came the handsome young French girl 
 with the face of a Greek coin; and her stalwart 
 Italian husband, both handsomer and more 
 classic than ever, in their flesh-colored-tights; 
 and what feats of prowess were theirs; perform- 
 ances calling for strength and agility, which 
 must have required the unremitting labor of a 
 lifetime. To me there has always been some- 
 thing admirable and beautiful, in this domina- 
 tion of the human body by the will, which sets 
 itself the task, and never falters in the effort 
 toward attainment. 
 
 The intellectual feats of geaasus do not stir me 
 with the same enthusiasm which the trained 
 acrobat inspires. 
 
 10 
 
146 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 For rarely does the intellectual genius owe his 
 accomplishments so much to persistent effort, 
 and unremitting will power, as does the athlete 
 and the acrobat. Of times too, we find the liter- 
 ary, the artistic, and the musical genius, a self 
 indulgent gourmand, or a sensual sot; but never 
 the acrobat, for control of the body necessitates 
 control of the appetites and passions. 
 
 After we had all embarked again upon our 
 ship, I talked with the circus performers of their 
 work, and interesting it proved, to listen to their 
 histories and their ambitions, and to obtain their 
 point of view. 
 
 The woman bareback rider and her two 
 young brothers had been born in the circus ring, 
 so to speak. 
 
 Their father was an old circus man, and he 
 began to train his children for the work in their 
 infancy. The aunt of the Radiant Baby had 
 made her first appearance as a bareback rider 
 at the age of eight, and the wire-walker and the 
 ruler of the trick mule were acrobats at ten. 
 
 The equestrienne had reached a time of life 
 when she was longing for a more peaceful ex- 
 istence. She hoped to soon retire. No, she 
 had not educated her daughter, the blond Hebe, 
 for the "profession." Neither had her brother 
 any intention of educating the Radiant Baby, or 
 Miss Golden Locks (Virgil's eight-year-old sis- 
 ter) for the circus life. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 147 
 
 "Not because we think our profession isn't 
 good enough for children," said Virgil's father, 
 with a certain proud defence in his voice, "but 
 because there is no longer any demand for 
 quality in our line of work; circus managers want 
 only quantity. 
 
 "We have given our lives to making ourselves 
 experts in the business. But along comes some 
 Cheap Jack who has trained for six weeks in a 
 circus act, and he gets as big a salary as the best 
 artist among us; it's discouraging, and we don't 
 want our children to go into it." 
 
 Meanwhile never was the double influence of 
 inheritance and example more fully illustrated 
 than in Miss Golden Locks. 
 
 Other little maidens on the ship walked up 
 stairs; she bounded; other little maids stepped 
 over door sills, she leaped; and from every pos- 
 sible pendant thing she improvised a trapeze 
 or a turning-bar and swung herself in midair. 
 
 And the Radiant Baby? With the vigor of 
 the bullfighter in his six-months' spine and a 
 world of ambition in his precocious eyes, can 
 even the classic name of Virgil keep him from 
 the profession of an acrobat? 
 
 To the girl with the face of the Greek coin I 
 said: "You must long at times for a quiet life 
 and to give up this gypsying career and all your 
 hard work." 
 
148 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 She looked at me in astonishment. "Never," 
 she replied, "whenever I have an idle week I am 
 ennuied, bored; I love the life." 
 
 "You have been long in it?" I asked. 
 
 "Always," she answered. "My grandparents 
 and my parents were all acrobats. I cannot re- 
 member when I began to train for this life. 
 And I have always loved it. I would not want 
 any other work." 
 
 Then I asked the father of the Radiant Baby 
 about his wife. "Was she born in the profes- 
 sion?" I queried, "like you and your sister and 
 the French girl?" 
 
 "Oh, dear no," he answered. "She was a 
 school teacher when I married her. Not until 
 after our little girl was born did she think of 
 such a thing as becoming one of us; she grew 
 very lonesome with my long absence, and one 
 day she told me she was practicing a circus act; 
 and so she learned the globe-rolling turn, and 
 that gave her a chance to be with me." 
 
 Somehow the little story went to my heart. 
 She was so frail and so timid; just a little every 
 day sort of wife and mother, and I could imagine 
 how she had fallen in love with the handsome 
 young wire-walker and trapeze performer while 
 the circus visited the country village where she 
 taught school; and then came the lonely months 
 of separation and the desire to be with her 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 149 
 
 husband; and then the wish to be of help, not 
 hindrance; and so the little circus turn was 
 evolved out of the heart of love. 
 
 A pretty little story surely; and all the pret- 
 tier because the parties involved saw nothing 
 unusual in it. 
 
 And the sober-faced elderly man we had seen 
 about the ship! 
 
 Who was he? 
 
 Why, he was the Clown! 
 
150 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 HAITI. 
 
 Whatever hope one may entertain for the 
 future of the African race, after studying the 
 conditions in the United States and Jamaica, 
 a visit to Haiti leaves but one opinion possible. 
 
 There is small hope for the race save as it is 
 guided, directed and assisted by the Anglo 
 Saxons. 
 
 Haiti is the spot on which was erected the 
 first European fort in the West Indies. It is 
 called La Navidad or "The Nativity" in honor 
 of the day Columbus came ashore at Guarico 
 or Cape Haitian. This fort was destroyed and 
 the garrison massacred, before the return of 
 Columbus in 1494. 
 
 A colony of French people settled in Haiti 
 later, and it became known as the "Little Paris 
 of America" and was remarkable for its ele- 
 gance and prosperity. 
 
 In 1697 the French had through treaty be- 
 come possessed of large tracts of land and had 
 established splendid plantations and imported 
 negro slaves to work their estates. Extreme 
 cruelty is related of these slave owners; and at 
 the beginning of 1791, the negroes who had in- 
 creased to a formidable army, combined in an 
 
Haiti. — A Shopping Street. 
 
 Haiti. — Only Piece of Art Work. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 151 
 
 insurrection, and attained, under the leader- 
 ship of Toussant L'Overture, their freedom, and 
 the ownership of Haiti. The French were mas- 
 sacred, and those who survived were driven out 
 of the Island. Later Napoleon recaptured Haiti 
 but was unable to retain it, and after years of 
 bloody wars, and frightful atrocities, Haiti be- 
 came finally the possession of the slaves; and 
 it is today, after more than one hundred years, 
 owned and ruled by the descendants of the 
 slaves who were imported by the French. 
 
 Every right minded student of human nature, 
 every lover of justice, must feel great sympathy 
 for these people, and as he reads the history of 
 Haiti, he must rejoice, theoretically, that the 
 slaves obtained the Island. 
 
 But alas, and alas, for his state of mind when 
 he visits Haiti and investigates the conditions 
 which have been produced by this freedom of 
 the Haitian negroes. 
 
 The splendid plantations of coffee, cotton, 
 and dyewood, have become wild fields; the 
 beautiful roads built by the French, are almost 
 impassable for any but the pedestrian or eques- 
 trian; the strong bridges are broken and de- 
 cayed, the cities where wealth, civilization, and 
 commerce produced beauty and comforts, have 
 degenerated into conglomerations of hovels, 
 where filthy streets and filthier human beings 
 
152 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 send foul stenches to pollute the soft air. From 
 the harbor these Haitian cities greet the eye, like 
 exquisite pictures against the gorgeous back- 
 ground of mountain ranges; but approached 
 they strike the nostrils and the vision with 
 brutal disillusionment. 
 
 The old plantations of coffee and cotton re- 
 main the source of supply for the natives. Un- 
 cared for and uncultivated, yet so rich is the 
 soil, and so wonderful the climate of Haiti, that 
 the harvests are plentiful. 
 
 Those who care to work, go into the mountains 
 and fields, and gather coffee, cotton and cocoa. 
 These products are sold to the commission mer- 
 chants, who are obliged to pay to the Govern- 
 ment officials a duty of $3 for every hundred 
 pounds before exporting. This duty goes into 
 the pockets of the officials; and so Haiti has no 
 fund for keeping up its highways and its bridges, 
 and no means for establishing a system of 
 sewerage, or lighting its town with electricity. 
 
 The city of Jackmel (the second Haytian 
 city in size) might be made one of the most ex- 
 quisite and delightful winter resorts of the 
 world, were America or England at the head of 
 the Haitian government. The superb bay, is 
 partially surrounded by coral reefs; the moun- 
 tains rise behind it, magnetic, and alluring, the 
 brilliant hued waters, afford amusement for the 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 153 
 
 lover of boating or fishing, but there is not 
 where to lay the head, and scarcely where to 
 set the foot, for any civilized being who wan- 
 ders into Jackmel searching for comfort. 
 
 The Government provided Jacmel with an 
 electric light plant, but there was not sufficient 
 money to maintain it, or sufficient enterprise to 
 insist upon its completion, and so it was aban- 
 doned after two weeks time, and its useless poles, 
 unattached wires, and unlighted globes add to 
 the general effect of ruin and dilapidation every- 
 where seen; testimonials to Haiti's lack of system. 
 
 No white man is allowed to own property, or 
 to have a voice in the Government of Haiti. 
 
 A few strangers have succeeded in gaining 
 some privileges, however, and wherever the 
 white man's wedge has entered there may be 
 seen progress and improvement. 
 
 In 1850 an exploring and enterprising French- 
 man by the name of Vital came to Haiti. He 
 liked the climate and he entered into arrange- 
 ments with the natives which resulted in his 
 being allowed certain concessions, enabling him 
 to rent property and erect buildings. The 
 finest and most attractive dry goods establish- 
 ment in Jacmel is conducted by Madam Vital, 
 and her goods are bought direct from Paris. 
 All the children of this family have received an 
 American and European education, and the 
 
154 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 oldest son, Mr. I. B. Vital, has been for eight 
 years the American Consul agent of Jacrnel. 
 
 It was our privilege to drive with this cul- 
 tured young man to his country house three 
 miles from Jacmel, at Boudoin. 
 
 A more sylvan retreat with more alluring 
 environments, could not be imagined; but the 
 almost inaccessible roads made the journey 
 painful for man and beast. These roads with 
 ordinary care for the last half century, would 
 have remained fine thoroughfares. French taste 
 and cosmopolitan culture, were everywhere evi- 
 dent in both the town and country house of Mr. 
 Vital; proving that enterprise, industry and a 
 desire for beauty, can overcome even the seem- 
 ingly insurmountable obstacles to comfort and 
 cleanliness, which exist in Haiti. 
 
 The One newspaper published in Jacmel is 
 "L' Abeille" (The Bee). It is a small four page 
 weekly, and it breathes the spirit of progress, 
 freedom and national pride. 
 
 In an editorial of last April it said: "We boldly 
 stand for the interests of the people, and the 
 country; not for those of a few individuals. 
 Our financial conditions are not such as give us 
 the influence which we desire, but it is gratifying 
 to think that soon our country will manifest a 
 notable amelioration of its troubles, and the cost 
 of living will be lessened." 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 155 
 
 This hope was due to the faith which existed 
 throughout Haiti in the honor and uselfishness 
 of the new President Mr. Simon. Almost every 
 one of the preceding rulers of the Black Republic 
 has been exiled, assassinated, or driven to com- 
 mit suicide by outraged and infuriated subjects. 
 
 The Republic has been dominated by ignor- 
 ance, indolence and thievery, and its people 
 have been unable to rise above the conditions 
 imposed upon them by those in power. 
 
 Mr. Simon is the idol of the hour and he seems 
 to have the interests of his country at heart. 
 
 The "New Council" met in Jacmel and made 
 the following report, which was published in the 
 "Bee," in April 1909: 
 
 "Somewhere about 1877-1878, under the late 
 Desilus Lamour, at that time Communal Magis- 
 trate, of lamented memory, this town was often 
 offered as a model to its sisters of the Republic, 
 both in respect to the regular carrying on of its 
 administration and its sanitary condition. Ac- 
 cordingly I ought to hasten to point out that at 
 that epoch, the deficit of the Budget of this 
 administration was filled without difficulty by 
 the District Counsel, by means of a part of the 
 percentage which it deducted from the State 
 receipts. This then is the time to wish for the 
 re-establishment of that useful institution, all 
 the more so that it appears in black and white in 
 our fundamental Pact. 
 
156 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 "Now, since the Government has taken upon 
 itself to fill this deficit, let us hope that it will do 
 it in the interest of the town. 
 
 ' 'I will remind you, Gentlemen Councilors, that 
 since the fire of 1896, the town of Jacmel has 
 not been lighted. It was only in 1906, ten years 
 later, after having acquitted certain important 
 debts which the town had previously contracted 
 for the Communal service that we were able to 
 begin the lighting of perhaps fifty lamps. It 
 was after the installment of this lighting which 
 took place in May 1906, that the Legislative 
 body in October of the same year, granted us a 
 monthly subsidy of two hundred piasters. 
 
 "The new Council is undoubtedly inspired with 
 the best intentions. If it finds all. the co- 
 operation which it has a right to expect, being 
 the outcome of the popular will, it will place 
 this unhappy town upon a footing worthy of its 
 former renown. As for you, my dear colleagues, 
 I do not think it out, of place to remind you that 
 it is the duty of all of us to march hand in hand 
 and for the greatest good of the town. We 
 would wish that it were always so, in order to 
 remain more and more worthy of the free suf- 
 frages of our fellow-citizens. This would also be 
 one way of proving to all those who struggled 
 'per fas et nefas' in order to paralyze, even to 
 prevent our advent here — an advent, however, 
 
Haiti. — In The Market Place. 
 
 Haiti. — The City of Aouin. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 157 
 
 full of disinterestedness — that they were doing 
 it without plausible reason; it would be proving 
 once more to every bold and fiery journalist 
 that our fellow-citizens made no mistake in 
 calling us to look after their interests; that any 
 campaign of this kind against us would be rather 
 absurd and derisive. I need not tell you, my dear 
 colleagues, that our fellow-citizens have placed 
 all their trust in us and if they have been for- 
 tunate enough this time to do it, it is owing to 
 that new era of liberty which was brought to us 
 with the Government of General Antoine Simon. 
 
 "Yes, it must be recognized, this new era is not 
 only a great relief to us, but a wholesome balm 
 for our nerves which for many years have been 
 numb. 
 
 "For, in truth, what was our condition before 
 this happy change? That of caged birds, of 
 prisoners in a dungeon. 
 
 "Oh let us bless Heaven a thousand times for 
 having freed the Republic of this deplorable, 
 this odious state of things! 
 
 "I will not conclude without expressing the 
 wish of receiving, inventoried, all that belongs 
 to the town, that it may be known in what con- 
 dition the reins of this administration are handed 
 over to us. 
 
 "Meanwhile, Gentlemen, let us cry with a 
 unanimous voice: 
 
158 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 "Long live the President of Haiti! 
 
 Long live the Communal Institution!" 
 
 There is something inexpressibly pathetic in 
 the effort of a few earnest citizens in each town 
 of Haiti striving against the corruption of 
 officials, and the ignorance and indolence of a 
 vast majority of the people. If their industry 
 and perseverance were equal to their rhetoric 
 we might hope they would succeed. 
 
 However behind the age Haiti may be in 
 many things, it seems to have kept step with 
 America, England and France, in the matter 
 of Divorce. In one copy of "The Bee" ap- 
 peared the following notices: 
 
 Announcement 
 
 The undersigned has the honor to announce 
 to the public, that he is no longer responsible 
 for the conduct of his wife, born Marietta Gar- 
 rard, who has abandoned his home; and against 
 whom he has instituted divorce proceedings for 
 reasons which will be shown. E. N. Frederique. 
 
 The undersigned has the honor to announce 
 to the public, that he is not responsible for the 
 acts of his wife, born Rossana Auguste, who has 
 left the marital bed and board, etc. Signed, J. 
 Vaugelas. 
 
 The undersigned, Diogene Iohoir, proprie- 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 159 
 
 taire, living at his domicile in the rurale section, 
 de Fond Melon, declares to the public that he 
 is no longer responsible, etc., for the acts of his 
 wife born Marthe Janvier, etc., etc. 
 
 It was whispered that the majority of edu- 
 cated Haitiens, those who had traveled in 
 Europe and the States, are dissatisfied with 
 their condition in Haiti and long for annexa- 
 tion. 
 
 America does not need Haiti; but Haiti needs 
 America or England, as a sick soiled child needs 
 a nurse and a bath. It has been so sick and so 
 soiled for a century, that it can hardly be ex- 
 pected to have strength enough to restore itself 
 to health and cleanliness. 
 
 President Antoine Simon has a harder task 
 ahead of him than Hercules performed in clean- 
 ing the Augean stables. 
 
 VAUDOUXISM IN HAITI. 
 
 Quite apart from the screaming, dirty throng 
 of the market place in Aux Cayes, Haiti, a 
 strange looking man at once repelling, and com- 
 pelling, by force of his combined ugliness and 
 strength, sat cross-legged before a smouldering 
 blaze. Now and then he stirred the contents 
 of a steaming pot. He seemed indifferent to 
 the gaze of the throng, and yet an observer knew 
 
160 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 that he was conscious of it, and that in some 
 way he felt himself superior to those who moved 
 about him. The man was of powerful build; 
 and his large head was covered with wooly hair, 
 peculiarly knotted, and of a hideous red colour, 
 which suggested clotted blood. His features 
 were wholly African, and his skin was mahog- 
 any, shading into ebony tones. 
 
 The few unclean rags which composed his 
 costume, were worn with a certain dignity. 
 
 The crowd surged about him, buying, selling, 
 haggling and chattering a curious French dia- 
 lect, yet always leaving a free space about the 
 squatting figure. 
 
 There was something weird, sinister and 
 dreadful in his appearance, which made him 
 remarkable, even in that mob of dreadful 
 people. Who, and what was he, this squalid 
 and disgustingly unwashed semi-savage, in the 
 Black Republic of Haiti? That question pre- 
 sented itself a half dozen times, after the man, 
 and the city on the coast of Haiti, had passed 
 from sight. 
 
 It was several days later, that an answer to 
 this query, blood curdling in its possibility, 
 presented itself to mind. 
 
 I chanced upon the book of Sir Spencer St. 
 John, entitled "Haiti the Black Republic." Mr. 
 St. John had been a resident of Haiti, occupying 
 
Haiti. — Entrance Gate of Boudoin, Mr. Vital's Country 
 Place at Jacmel. 
 
 Haiti. — A Fellow Passenger on Voyage. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 161 
 
 an official position, for more than ten years. 
 In his chapter on Vaudoux practices and rites, 
 the author describes the priests who preside over 
 these savage ceremonies, as "men noticeable for 
 their peculiarly knotted hair." 
 
 A man who is selected by the devotees of 
 Vaudouxism, to be their priest, is called "Papa 
 Loi;" and his consort becomes their priestess, 
 and is "Mama-loi." 
 
 They are regarded with awe and reverence 
 by the multitude; and they, in turn, pay rever- 
 ence to the "sacred serpent," kept in secret 
 temples and churches, and consulted in all im- 
 portant matters for direction and guidance. 
 
 To the Vaudoux priest, the serpent is the 
 expression of supreme wisdom and power. 
 
 This belief, has come down from unrecorded 
 ages, through the African race; and its rites and 
 ceremonies have been associated with revolting 
 crime, and indescribable obscenity. They begin 
 with drunkenness, proceed with licenciousness 
 and end, often with murder and canibalism. 
 Religion, education and law, have all united in 
 an effort to drive this evil from America, and 
 the West Indies, but investigation proves that 
 it still exists, in a great degree in America, and 
 thrives in Haiti. The "Obeah" of Vaudoux- 
 ism, is believed to possess secret charms and 
 
 spells which he exercises on his enemies, or for 
 11 
 
162 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 a "consideration," upon the enemies of his pa- 
 trons. He is supposed to be able to bring death 
 and restore life at will, and to destroy the crops, 
 or produce the "wasting away," of the victim 
 selected for his practices of Black Magic. He is, 
 of course, skilled in the use of subtle poisons. 
 The records of criminal courts in Haiti contain 
 accounts of trials, where no less than twelve 
 persons have been proven to be participants in 
 the sacrifice of "The Goat without horns" to 
 the serpent Deity. 
 
 "The goat without horns," is a human being: 
 (usually an infant or young child.) 
 
 Twenty years ago a girl of twelve was the 
 victim; she was hung by her feet to the ceiling, 
 and her throat cut. One of the witnesses con- 
 fessed to having sliced a piece of flesh from the 
 dead girl's hand, before the body was dissected 
 and cooked, for the favored initiates of the 
 order. 
 
 All this was done by order of "Papa" and 
 "Mama-Loi" to propitiate the serpent Diety. 
 A man known as the "Loup-garoux" is com- 
 missioned by the Vaudeux priests to procure 
 victims for these sacrifices. Infants are stolen 
 from the cradle, and young children from their 
 homes, to be used as human offerings on Vaud- 
 eaux altars. The sacrifice of human life is un- 
 questionably decreasing at these carnivals and 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 163 
 
 goats and fowls are substituted, but that it 
 still occurs in Haiti cannot be doubted. 
 
 "The Obeah man" is a continual menace to 
 his neighbors and a stumbling block to progress. 
 
 In Kingston, Jamaica, this winter of 1909, a 
 man was sentenced to two years in prison for 
 Obeah practices. 
 
 In New Orleans, Louisiana, the Obeah man 
 still puts his Vaudoux "spell" upon his chosen 
 victim. Miss Helen Pitkin of that city has 
 given a very graphic and artistic description of 
 him and his rites in her novel "An Angel by 
 Brevet," issued by the Lippincott's three years 
 ago and Miss Violet Hauk in a novel, "The Girl 
 in Question," has fully embodied the Haitien 
 horrors of Vaudouxism. Until my visit to the 
 Black Republic, I had supposed Miss Hauk's 
 novel to be mere fiction, and fancy. 
 
 If in the midst of such civilized centres as 
 Louisiana and Jamaica, the Vaudoux evil can- 
 not be eradicated, how vain the idea which is 
 trying to be forced upon the public, that it has 
 ceased to exist in Haiti. Driving through the 
 suburbs of a small Haitien town just at early 
 twilight, we heard strange, barbaric music, pro- 
 ceeding from an inclosure. As this inclosure 
 was formed by a dilapidated wall, we were 
 curious to peep behind it, and see the music 
 makers, but the American resident of the town, 
 
164 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 who was our companion, gravely suggested that 
 we drive on. 
 
 "These people would resent any curiosity on 
 our part," he said, "in fact it would be dangerous 
 to show ourselves among them at one of these 
 festivities." Becoming curious, I questioned 
 why; but while my questions brought forth no 
 absolute assertion of the existence of the Vau- 
 doux society in that town, they caused the 
 American resident to display such reticence and 
 nervousness, that it was substantial evidence in 
 the affirmative. Compelled to reside in the 
 town for an official term of years, he did not wish 
 to make himself a target for the hatred of these 
 people, by useless interference with their super- 
 stition. That night a Catholic priest who was a 
 passenger on our ship, went over to the Haitien 
 town to pass the night with brother priests, 
 stationed in this parish. Questioned the next 
 day as to what information he had gained on 
 this subject he confessed to some peculiar ex- 
 periences . 
 
 Weird music, loud chanting voices, and sounds 
 of strange revels disturbed his sleep. His com- 
 rades told him that it was a meeting of the 
 Vaudoux worshippers practicing for a later 
 rite, and that despite the combined efforts of 
 church, school and state, they could not stamp 
 out this evil. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 165 
 
 I have since talked with other priests of dif- 
 ferent cities of Haiti, as well as with several 
 officials who have resided for periods of years 
 in the Black Republic. All declared the Vau- 
 doux evil a crying one, and stated their inability 
 to grapple with it. The Haitien negroes are 
 kind, gentle and amiable people, outside of the 
 domain of religion and politics. Robberies are 
 unheard of, and strangers can traverse the deep- 
 est forest without receiving anything but kind- 
 ness at the hands of the natives, if they attend 
 strictly to their own affairs. But let it once be 
 suspected that you are spying upon their 
 Vaudoux ceremonies, or trying to interfere with 
 their political ambitions, they do not hesitate to 
 put you summarily out of existence. It is whis- 
 pered that one of the leading officials of Haiti 
 is a Vaudoux worshipper, and that he keeps 
 1 'sacred serpents" in a temple where he goes to 
 receive "inspiration and direction" at times 
 when the cares of his public life press heavily 
 upon him. 
 
 In the towns where education has began to 
 blaze the trail of progress, this medieval super- 
 stition has lost its hold to a great extent: but in 
 the vast stretches of mountain regions the, 
 "Loup-garoux" is known and feared, and there 
 the Vaudoux priest and priestess are supreme 
 in power: and there the sacrifice of animal, fowl, 
 
166 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 and sometimes "the goat without horns" is 
 made at the time of the great carnivals. 
 
 To one who has passed a few days in any of 
 the Haitien cities, and who has seen the awful 
 conditions which universally prevail, any tale 
 seems believable, which connects the people with 
 ignorance and superstition. 
 
 There are always a few to be found in each 
 city and hamlet, who are working up toward 
 the light, and reaching out to a better civiliza- 
 tion. I met and talked with three bright faced 
 intelligent young women, who were teaching at 
 Aux Cayes. They informed me that there were 
 nine schools in that town of six thousand people, 
 besides some private schools. The teaching is 
 all given in French, which is the language of the 
 Island. English is taught as an accomplishment 
 in the higher grades. 
 
 These young women were excellent repre- 
 sentatives of the best class of colored people, 
 and seemed well fitted for the position of in- 
 structors of the young; yet in an address recently 
 delivered by Mr. Simon the new president of 
 Haiti, he mentioned with censure, the fact that 
 "ignorant men incapable of reading or writing, 
 were occupying positions as teachers in some of 
 the schools of Haiti." 
 
 I asked an American Consul, a Catholic priest, 
 and a school teacher, why the citizens of Haitien 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 167 
 
 towns were not awakened to the need of cleaning 
 their streets. The dishonest and rapacious 
 Government, which heavily taxes its people, 
 and gives them nothing in return, was named 
 as the main cause; secondarily came the hope- 
 less indolence of the natives. In truth, these 
 causes should be reversed. No evil government 
 could prevent a man of any pride from cleaning 
 the garbage from his own front yard. 
 
 H aiti has its literature. It has produced poets, 
 historians and writers of no mean order. Pierre 
 Faubert, Corioleau Ardouin, and one woman 
 Virginie Sampeur, all have given the world verses 
 worthy the name of poetry. 
 
 But like most of the talented men and women 
 of Haiti, these geniues have been mulattoes not 
 pure blacks. In one hundred years the Black 
 Republic has not produced a half dozen talented 
 men or women of undiluted African blood. The 
 fact seems significant. 
 
 Church, mission and school, are all doing 
 something toward the improvement of Haiti, 
 no doubt. 
 
 But it is a question whether their efforts are 
 sufficiently strong, to save the land from ret- 
 rograding back to the conditions of darkest 
 Africa, if no controlling intellectual power takes 
 the helm. 
 
168 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 A REMARKABLE KING. 
 
 The most remarkable King who ever sat upon 
 a self created throne, was King Henry I. of Haiti, 
 who ruled from 1811 until his suicide thirteen 
 years later. 
 
 Henry I. had been a slave, and became a gen- 
 eral in the Revolution of 1791; under the great 
 and brilliant black man, Toussaint Breda, known 
 as L'Ouverture (The Way of Escape), who led 
 the oppressed slaves to freedom. There had 
 been centuries of this oppression — ever since 
 1509, when the first slaves landed. History 
 tells us that upon the arrival of these cargoes of 
 "live stock" the merchants sometimes made an 
 offer for the whole and then retailed them out, 
 should their offer be accepted. At other times 
 the master, or supercargo of the vessel, had them 
 sold at public auction, or disposed of a part, 
 and carried the remainder to another market. 
 These marchants who dealt principally in this 
 commodity used to provide themselves with a 
 long room, for the reception of these poor crea- 
 tures, where they were placed altogether, like 
 so many horses or mules, the floor being littered 
 down with trash. They were fed twice a day 
 and driven to water like a herd of cattle morning 
 and night. 
 
 They were branded by hot irons, with the 
 
Haiti. — Market at Jacmel. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 169 
 
 initials of their owners, and for refusal to work, 
 laziness, a pretense of illness, an attempt to run 
 away, or other misdemeanors, they were sub- 
 jected to many violent and cruel punishments. 
 
 Now the spirit of the French Revolution was 
 in the air, and they realized that they were 
 500,000 strong, and they united in a supreme 
 effort to drive the French from Haiti. If their 
 methods were the methods of the Barbarian 
 from darkest Africa, can we wonder? What 
 example had been given them by their Christian 
 captors, to instill the new commandment, 
 "Love one another" into their hearts? Hor- 
 rible massacres and wholesale butchery were the 
 "war tactics" of LeClerc and Rochambeau, the 
 French leaders; and Dessaline and "Chistophe," 
 the black generals sent a deluge of blood through 
 the beautiful valleys of Haiti. 
 
 In 1804 the French were all massacred or 
 driven from the Island; and in 1811, Christophe, 
 the mulatto general, proclaimed himself Em- 
 peror, and was crowned Henry I. of Haiti. 
 History tells this of the black King. 
 
 Christophe Henry L, King of Haiti, was born 
 a slave in that Island of the West Indies, from 
 which he takes his name, and was still a slave in 
 San Domingo in the year 1791. The early 
 friend and faithful adherent of Toussaint, he 
 bore a considerable resemblance to him in char- 
 
170 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 acter. His military talents were very respect- 
 able, and his courage unshaken; his disposition, 
 until spoiled by power, humane and benevolent. 
 In the exercise of all the social virtues he has 
 been eminently distinguished; he was a good 
 husband, a good father, a steady friend, and 
 strict in the observance of all the duties of re- 
 ligion and morality. Contrary to the common 
 custom among his black countrymen, he at- 
 tached himself in early life to one woman, whom 
 he never forsook, and that woman, in 1811, was 
 Queen of Haiti, beloved by all ranks and con- 
 ditions. Gifted with strong natural talents, he 
 soon acquired the habit both of speaking and 
 writing well. His color and features were com- 
 pletely Negro; but his countenance was repre- 
 sented as very intelligent, agreeable and ex- 
 pressive. Christophe possessed the north side of 
 the French part of Haiti. He was crowned on 
 the 2nd of June, 1811. He altered the name of 
 his Capital from Cape Francois to Cape Henry. 
 He began to build a palace which was to be in 
 the center of the fort, upon which neither skill, 
 nor labor, nor expense, was spared to render it 
 impregnable. He had about 10,000 troops all 
 Negroes. This amazing undertaking, it has 
 been said would have taxed the courage and re- 
 sources of the greatest monarch in civilization; 
 yet it was accomplished by a half savage, self 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 171 
 
 made king, only recently a slave. All the ma- 
 terials for constructing the fort and palace were 
 brought from the forests; the architects and 
 master builders were brought from foreign 
 lands. 
 
 "Sans Souci," as this structure was called, is 
 declared to be the most wonderful architectural 
 creation south of Cuba. This palace and fort 
 can be seen at a distance of 20 miles from the sea, 
 covering the lofty mountain La Ferriere, near 
 Cape Haiti. 
 
 King Henry had nine royal palaces constructed 
 and eight chateaux. He proclaimed his consort 
 a Queen, his children princes of the blood, and 
 had a long list of dukes, counts and barons and 
 chevaliers, all children of negro slaves. 
 
 The reign of this black king would make a 
 wonderful setting for a comic opera, and it oc- 
 curred at so recent a date, that all necessary 
 material could be produced with authentic 
 incidents. 
 
 King Henry built himself a tomb in the center 
 of his castle, a climb of two hours through heavily 
 wooded hills, from the palace where he shot him- 
 self, and up the steep slope his body was carried 
 and left in its lonely sepulchre. The castle is 
 said to contain 300 cannon; every one had to be 
 hauled up the mountain by gangs of men; and 
 many of them died from exhaustion and from 
 
172 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 the King's cruelties; for with his "royal" state 
 came royal tyranny and love of power. 
 
 Some very remarkable letters are on exhibition 
 which passed between the French Government 
 and King Henry. The Island of Haiti was so 
 fertile, and the plantations left by the massa- 
 cred and exiled French so fruitful, that King 
 Henry accumulated treasure to the amount of 
 thirty million dollars, which was stored in his 
 treasure vault in the castle of the fort. 
 
 The French, after a period of years, in the 
 reign of Louis XVI 1 1, began to concoct schemes 
 to gain possession of the Island. Most diplo- 
 matic and specious pretexts were offered, for 
 restoring slavery in Haiti and making King 
 Henry a general over all the troops. In reply to 
 this offer, "the Grand Council of the Haitien 
 Nation" wrote a lengthy letter to the King, from 
 which the following extracts are taken: 
 
 ADDRESS TO THE KING. 
 
 "Sire: 
 
 In the annals of the world no example can be 
 found of an overture for peace, accompanied by 
 such frightful and disgraceful circumstances as 
 that made by the French General, Lavaysse, in 
 the name and as the agent of his Majesty, Louis 
 XVIII. And to whom does this vile agent dare 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 173 
 
 to address this declaration of the atrocious in- 
 tentions of his government? To your Majesty, 
 the conqueror of the French, the defender of 
 liberty and independence; to you, Sire, who have 
 devoted your whole life to the maintenance and 
 defense of the indestructible and eternal rights 
 of men; to your Majesty, who has always taken, 
 as the rule of your conduct and actions, the honor 
 and glory of the Haitien people. He dares to 
 propose to you to descend from a throne where 
 you were placed by the love and gratitude of 
 your fellow-citizens. Oh! extravagance, and 
 insolence, and infamy! He dares to suspect 
 your great soul of such an enormous perfidy! 
 To whom do they dare to speak of masters and 
 of slaves? To us— to a free and independent 
 people, to warriors covered with noble wounds 
 received in the field of honor! 
 
 Barbarians! They think us unworthy of the 
 blessings of liberty and independence. They 
 think that we are not capable of sublime senti- 
 ments, or of those generous impulses which form 
 heroes. 
 
 But before any Frenchman gains a footing 
 here, let Haiti become a vast desert, let our 
 towns, our manufacturers, our dwellings be- 
 come a prey to the flames. Let each of us 
 multiply his force, redouble his energy and his 
 courage, in imolating to our first jury thousands 
 
174 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 of these tigers who are alienated from our blood! 
 Let Haiti present nothing but a heap of ruins! 
 Let terrified countenances meet nothing but 
 sights of death, destruction, and vengeance! 
 Let posterity have to say, on beholding these 
 ruins: 'Here lived a free, a generous people; 
 tyrants wanted to strip them of their liberty, 
 but they resolved to perish sooner than part 
 with it.' " King Henry, in answer to the ad- 
 dress of the Grand Council of the Haitian Nation, 
 made the following reply: 
 
 "Haitians! Your sentiments, your generous 
 resolution are worthy of us; Your King shall 
 always be worthy of you. Our indignation is 
 at its height! Let Haiti, from this moment, be 
 only one vast camp; let us prepare to combat 
 those tyrants who threaten us with chains, 
 slavery and death. Haitians, the whole world 
 has its eyes fixed upon us: our conduct must 
 confound our culminators, and justify the 
 opinion which philanthropists have formed of 
 us. Let us rally; let us have but one and the 
 same wish, that of exterminating our tyrants. 
 On the unanimous co-operation of our union, of 
 our efforts, will depend the prompt success of 
 our cause. Let us exhibit to posterity a great 
 example of courage; let us combat with glory and 
 be effaced from the rank of nations rather than 
 romance, liberty and independence." 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 175 
 
 King Henry ordered his private secretary to 
 answer the letter from France article by article. 
 The answer forms an octavo pamphlet of twenty- 
 eight pages, full of energy and information, and 
 does great credit to its author, who bears the 
 title, Chevalier de Preseaux. 
 
 All of these letters are most astonishing in 
 their elegance of diction and power of reasoning, 
 when we remember they were composed by men 
 who had but recently been slaves. But how 
 discouraging to contemplate the condition of 
 Haiti today, almost 100 years since these letters 
 were written. Superstition, cruelty, sloth, filth, 
 are the qualities which stand unpleasantly pre- 
 eminent among the Haitians of today. And 
 those noble exceptions who rise in an effort to 
 save their land, are trodden under the feet of 
 ignorance and greed. 
 
176 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 SANTO DOMINGO. 
 
 In a curious book, called "The Wanderings of 
 a Soul," I once read the supposed narrative of a 
 disembodied Spirit, which had worked its way 
 up from regions of darkness (whither its sins 
 had consigned it) to realms of hope, and finally 
 to higher heavens of Light. This story occurred 
 to me, as we awoke one morning after a week in 
 Haitien towns and found ourselves entering the 
 harbor of Santo Domingo. 
 
 Our minds, our eyes, our nostrils, had been 
 filled with the repulvise and the offensive for 
 so many days that we had fallen asleep in our 
 berths, feeling we were souls lost in regions of 
 shade; and now, behold, we had risen in a night, 
 to realms of hope. 
 
 The pier was crowded with a decently dressed 
 and orderly throng of people; rows of well-built 
 warehouses were directly in the foreground, sug- 
 gesting thrift and prosperity: neat vistas of un- 
 encumbered streets led back to picturesque ruins 
 of historical structures; ruins of the Columbus 
 era. 
 
 The air was fresh and dry; the winds active 
 and exhilirating; the sun blazing with tropical 
 vigor. 
 

 
 
 
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 Jill 
 
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 Santo Domingo. — Carnival Carriage. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 177 
 
 The throng at the pier seemed to be there 
 for a purpose; for some object. There was no- 
 where visible the spirit of the loafer and mendi- 
 cant; no suggestion of the idle barbarian which 
 had been everywhere prevalent in Haiti. 
 
 "Surely we have awakened in another world," 
 we said. "This cannot be a part of the Island 
 of Haiti, and only a day distant from the Black 
 Republic?" 
 
 But so its was. 
 
 The Island of Haiti is four hundred miles long 
 and one hundred and thirty-five wide, in some 
 parts. It lies between the Atlantic Ocean and 
 the Caribbean Sea, and it is divided into two 
 Republics, one-third Haitien, the remainder 
 known as Santo Domingo. 
 
 Columbus discovered this island of Haiti on 
 his first voyage, December 6, 1492. He es- 
 tablished the city of Santo Domingo on his 
 second visit in 1493. 
 
 His "brave followers" exterminated the native 
 Arawaks in a brief period of time. The men 
 were massacred wholesale, while the younger 
 women were kept to bear children, and become 
 slaves to the conquering Spaniards. The Indian 
 type of face is still to be seen in some of the in- 
 habitants of Santo Domingo today; descendents 
 of those unhappy women, who lived to see their 
 tribes exterminated and to suffer every possible 
 
 12 
 
178 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 cruelty and indignity at the hands of the "vali- 
 ant" Spaniards. Most of the butchery was done 
 in the name of religion. To convert and save the 
 poor Arawaks was the burning desire of the in- 
 vading Spaniard. Rather than have them 
 live "unconverted" they butchered them. But 
 before they were murdered they were always 
 baptized. 
 
 In 1505 negro slaves were brought to Haiti. 
 
 In his delightful book, "The Cradle of the 
 Deep," Sir Francis Treves says of this event: 
 
 "It was the squalid beginning of a terrible 
 end; these miserable beings could hardly crawl 
 out of the boats where they had been cramped 
 for weeks in a putrid hold; their bodies were in- 
 dented by the marks of the planks; huddled 
 together like frightened animals, they whisked 
 flies from the sores left by the lash of the whip. 
 Some died; all were famishing for food; all were 
 wide eyed with alarm." 
 
 Can we wonder that the descendants of these 
 wretched beings, who own the Island of Haiti 
 today, are incompetent to cope with existing 
 conditions?" 
 
 Yet Santo Domingo never fell utterly into 
 the hands of these people as did the "Black 
 Republic" of Haiti. 
 
 The influence of the conquering Spaniard has 
 always held the supremacy. The city boasts of 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 179 
 
 families where the Spanish blood has been kept 
 unadulterated through all these centuries, but 
 such families are few indeed. The black man 
 is not obtrusively evident; but the yellow and 
 the brown men are everywhere, and in all classes 
 of society. 
 
 Standing on the deck of our ship we were 
 shown the very Silk Wood Tree to which Colum- 
 bus tied his boat, and close to the wharf rose the 
 stately ruin of Castle Colon, the magnificent 
 chateau and statehouse built by Diego, the son 
 of Christopher Columbus, in 1509. 
 
 Walking among these ruins afterward, the 
 necessity for some governmental provision for 
 their preservation impressed us. They should 
 be saved from further decay; they should 
 be made sanitary and inviting, instead of 
 foul and fearsome; they should have a 
 caretaker, whose duty it is to show travelers 
 about and to explain the history of this oldest 
 structure, built on the shores of the New World. 
 
 This is a duty which Santo Domingo owes to 
 the whole world and to its own pride. 
 
 Sir Francis Treve speaks of Santo Domingo 
 as "ill smelling and unsanitary." 
 
 We did not find it so. We found thrift, re- 
 pair, progress, everywhere in the city of ancient 
 lineage. The contrast between it and the 
 "Black Republic" was as great as between 
 
180 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 Southern Spain and Gibraltar, separated as they 
 are by a half hours' drive, and centuries of 
 progress. Yet since Sir Francis wrote his book, 
 the influence of America has been brought to 
 bear on Santo Domingo. 
 
 We do not wish to flap noisily the wings of 
 our American Eagle; or to loudly boast; but 
 Justice and Truth demand that due credit be 
 given where it belongs. 
 
 Justice and Truth demand, also, that large 
 credit be given the officials and the people of 
 Santo Domingo for their great and beautiful 
 efforts, constantly increasing, to keep the Re- 
 public abreast of the times and in step with the 
 march of progress. Santo Domingo has been 
 torn with bloody wars, and bruised by bad rulers. 
 Two years ago it became so deeply involved in 
 debt that it was necessary to appoint a wise con- 
 troller of its finances. 
 
 This position fell to the United States, and 
 wonderful results ensued. Every month the 
 American Collector of Ports sends $100,000 to be 
 applied on the national debt, yet despite this 
 drain the income of the Republic is greater than 
 ever before in its history. It is therefore able to 
 mend its roads, to repair its bridges, and to 
 clean and improve its streets. All this is being 
 done and by the Republic itself. That American 
 influence and example play their part goes 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 181 
 
 without saying. It seems unfortunate that any 
 Santo Domingan can hesitate in acknowledging 
 its debt of gratitude to America. Santo Domin- 
 go is filled with a spirit of hospitality. If it pos- 
 sessed a modern hotel, conducted on American 
 ideas of comfort and hygiene, the place would 
 make an ideal Winter resort for Americans. 
 
 The first gold sent to Spain from the new 
 continent came from Santo Domingo. There is 
 every reason to suppose that its mountains are 
 rich in undug gold. 
 
 It was our good fortune to witness a Flower 
 Fiesta in Santo Domingo. Oddly enough, just 
 a year previous to the day, we were present at 
 a similar festivity in Honolulu, where five na- 
 tions were represented. A month previous to 
 that we had seen the great annual Rose Carnival 
 at Pasedena, California. While both of these 
 occasions were more elaborate, and the proces- 
 sion of greater length, there was a peculiarity 
 uncommercial spirit pervading. the Santo Do- 
 mingo Fiesta, which lent it a more poetic charm. 
 
 Five national poets, in truth, read poems to 
 the "Queen of the West Indian Carnival." The 
 happy young woman bears the wonderful name 
 of "Aurora Ponce de Leon" and possesses the 
 sumptuous Creole beauty which belongs to such 
 a name. She is said to be a direct descendant 
 of Santo Domingo's first famous Governor. 
 
180 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 Americo Lugo was the 'poet laureate of the 
 occasion and is chief of the national poets on the 
 island. It was my pleasure to meet the young 
 man, and to be presented with copies of two of 
 his books, and with a MS. copy of his prose poem 
 dedicated to the Queen of the Fiesta, "Aurora 
 First." 
 
 Arturo Pellerano Alfau is the name of the 
 editor and proprietor of the only daily paper 
 published on the island of Santo Domingo. I 
 met him at the home of the very delightful 
 American Minister, Mr. MacCreery. 
 
 Mr. Alfau is a native of Santo Domingo, and 
 a man of strikingly handsome and impressive 
 personality. He enters heart and soul into 
 whatever tends toward the best interests of his 
 people and the best development of his land. 
 There was something touching and pathetic in 
 the pleasure and gratification displayed by this 
 big, strong man at hearing words of sincere 
 praise from strangers regarding his country. 
 
 The attitude of many Santo Domingans 
 toward the United States partakes of the mingled 
 hatred and jealousy which has characterized 
 the feeling of every country assisted or domi- 
 nated by us in the past. Yet always the broader 
 and more enlightened and consequently more 
 just, citizens of each country are free from 
 these ignoble jealousies. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 183 
 
 In Mr. Alfau's paper, "The Daily List," re- 
 cently appeared the following editorial: 
 
 "The famous Monroe Doctrine is the firmest 
 base on which the powerful Republic of America 
 rests. It guarantees that the United States 
 shall not interfere with European affairs or enter 
 into offensive or defensive wars of other coun- 
 tries. 
 
 "It also refers to the duty and right of the 
 United States to forbid European powers any 
 claims on American soil which would be a menace 
 to the nation. 
 
 "This doctrine is often attacked without being 
 understood, but it certainly insures peace, order 
 and progress, the stability of the Government 
 and international public duties. Understood in 
 this way, we have nothing to fear from the 
 people or the Government of the United States." 
 
 The color lines are so faintly drawn in Santo 
 Domingo as to be scarcely perceptible. While 
 the pure Castilian still exists, he is not sufficiently 
 numerous to form an exclusive class. 
 
 The President of the Republic is a mulatto, 
 and men and women who look white prove to 
 be "near white" frequently by unhesitatingly 
 marrying into families of pronouncedly African 
 extraction. 
 
 In the Flower Fiesta beautiful girls who were 
 distinctly Spanish in their slender grace sat 
 
184 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 side by side with those whose features and color 
 proclaimed the darker blood. 
 
 In one family is oftimes found the delicate 
 Castilian type, while in another member, a 
 brother or a sister, the clearly indicated descend- 
 ant of Ethiopia is seen. 
 
 But those distinctions cause no class prej- 
 udices in Santo Domingo. The majority rules, 
 and is respected. This majority is the color 
 element. 
 
 One of the most tactful and well qualified 
 men for a Foreign Ministership is our American 
 representative, Mr. MacCreery, in Santo Do- 
 mingo. It seems a misfortune to the country 
 as well as to womankind that such a man should 
 be a bachelor. With a wife as gracious and 
 diplomatic as himself, and with a good Ameri- 
 can hotel, Santo Domingo might become a 
 center for fashionable America in its migrating 
 season. It possesses every desirable quality. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 185 
 
 PORTO RICO. 
 
 When our good little trading cruiser reached 
 Ponce, on the Island of Porto Rico, one of our 
 pleasant table companions, the corporation at- 
 torney of Denver, Colo., taking a winter's voy- 
 age for pleasure, a young merchant traveling for 
 business purposes, and Himself and myself, left 
 our pleasant associates and our cramped quar- 
 ters, for a motor-trip across the mountains. 
 This journey leads over the admirable old 
 Spanish military drive, and ends in San Juan, 
 a distance of 84 miles. 
 
 We obtained a very good machine and excel- 
 lent chauffeur, and leaving Ponce at 9 a.m., we 
 wound up and around and down and about the 
 mountains, over what might well be called the 
 spiral driveway, arriving at San Juan between 
 4 and 5 in the afternoon. 
 
 The greater part of the day was clear and 
 glowing, and the views obtained as we rose from 
 height to height, was incomparably beautiful. 
 Even when the clouds, jealous of the sun's de- 
 votion, clasped the mountain peaks in close 
 embrace and bathed their brows in starry tears, 
 the effect was splendid in the extreme. Higher 
 and higher we climbed, exhilirated with the 
 
186 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 panorama and gratified with the consciousness 
 that no starving beast was being hurt in wind or 
 limb by our ascent; but one thought did obtrude 
 itself as we rolled over the perfection of road- 
 ways, as smooth as a suburban boulevard, in 
 that we were enjoying the result of slave labor. 
 
 This Military Road, like all the roads in Ja- 
 maica, was built by the slaves. Their descend- 
 ants, however, are so greatly in the majority 
 in the Islands, that the main benefit of that 
 thankless toil falls where it belongs. 
 
 The magnificence of the scenery in our new 
 territory in Porto Rico, was a surprise and an 
 inspiration to the four Americans who spiraled 
 about those lofty mountains — our veritable 
 Alps — clad in tropical verdure, instead of gleam- 
 ing snows. Range after range, peak after peak 
 became visible from the highest altitude of almost 
 4,000 feet, and once, far in the distance we caught 
 a glimpse of the peacock blue sea, between the 
 mountain ranges. 
 
 Down in the valleys for miles stretched, what, 
 to an imperfect vision would have seemed a foam 
 capped river with waterfalls here and there; 
 but it was something far more prosaic, however 
 unusual. It was miles of tobacco plantations, 
 covered with cheese cloth to protect the plant, 
 from insects and a too hot sun; a curious sight 
 indeed, framed on either side as these plantations 
 were, by lofty mountains of shaded greens. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 187 
 
 Again we saw what at first resembled a 
 mountain on fire, save that no smoke rose from 
 the vast space of red flame. Nearer approach 
 showed us that it was a whole grove of stately 
 trees in gorgeous blossom; the well named 
 "Flamboyan" tree. Farther on we came to a 
 portion of the road whereon for a fourth of a 
 mile some woodland fairy, had spread a crimson 
 carpet for our spinning wheels; the fallen blos- 
 soms of this tropical tree. 
 
 Inexplicably beautiful notes of strange new 
 birds dropped from hidden recesses of the forest, 
 like precious ore resolved into liquid sound. 
 
 And what monstrous iniquity, what devilish 
 cruelty, lurks in the human mind that could con- 
 ceive the hunting and the caging of these little 
 feathered atoms of the voice of God! 
 
 Yet such creatures exist. 
 
 San Juan, the city, was something of a dis- 
 appointment to us. Every West Indian town 
 is beautiful seen from the harbor; not all are 
 beautiful, closely approached. 
 
 San Juan seems to squat itself beside the sea, 
 like an indolent Creole. It lacks distinction, 
 but it assures you that it is not unacquainted 
 with broom and bath. 
 
 There are not quite so many black people 
 as you are accustomed to seeing in the Islands 
 left behind; but the Spaniard is everywhere in 
 evidence, as he has the right to be. 
 
188 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 Exclusive Spanish families still rule the social 
 world in San Juan, and form a circle to which it 
 is not always possible for the rich American to 
 purchase an open sesame. 
 
 Yet much social gaiety exists in the Ameri- 
 can colony of San Juan, and everywhere, in all 
 avenues and departments of life, the American 
 is forging his way. 
 
 The Americans have, in eight years time, built 
 just twice the length of good roads built by the 
 Spaniards in 400 years (and built them without 
 slaves). 
 
 When Porto Rico came under American con- 
 trol it had 400 schools. Now it has 1,700. The 
 schools are scattered all through the rural re- 
 gions, and every few miles as we drove over the 
 mountains, we came upon the neat building with 
 its waving American banner, which spoke of the 
 wonderful future awaiting this colony in the 
 next half century. There is a society for the 
 Protection of Animals in San Juan, but it lacks 
 vitality, force and money. Wherever the Latin 
 blood is found, there too is found appalling in- 
 difference to the suffering of animals and fowls. 
 The crack of the whip and the clatter of horses' 
 feet driven mercilessly over the hot pavements 
 under a burning sun marred the rest and relaxa- 
 tion I had hoped to find in San Juan before 
 joining "The President," and proceeding on our 
 cruise. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 189 
 
 I repeatedly begged one driver I had engaged 
 to put up his whip, and let his willing horse trot 
 along unmolested. I had engaged him by the 
 hour, and I was in no haste. After the third 
 sullen defiance of my request, I reached over and 
 administered a sharp slap on the fellow's cheek. 
 For the remainder of the drive his horse was free 
 from the lashing of the whip. Sometimes it re- 
 quires an object lesson to teach certain types of 
 mind that you are in earnest in your determina- 
 tion to protect animals against more brutal 
 animals. 
 
 There are no women's clubs in San Juan; but 
 in Ponce a thriving club exists. The larger city 
 keeps closely to its Spanish traditions; the 
 smaller one is more inclined to accept American 
 innovations. 
 
 Spanish is still the language of the Island. 
 The grown people are too old, the children are 
 too young, after eight years only of American 
 rule, to make the change of tongue emphatic. 
 But all the school children are learning English, 
 and in a quarter of a century Porto Rico will be 
 an American territory in sound, as well as in its 
 visible thrift and cleanliness. There is crying 
 need now of an American hotel where travelers 
 may find real comfort. 
 
 The seeker of the beautiful finds his ideal of 
 restful homes in the suburban residences about 
 
190 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 San Juan: homes made especially appealing to 
 refined tastes, and offering every inducement to 
 the tourist to leave further journeyings for 
 another season, and to remain in Porto Rico. 
 
 More attractive to me were these homes, and 
 the American schools, and the great chains of 
 good roads built by the United States, than the 
 grim forts with their appalling dungeons and 
 incredibly cruel catacombs. These monuments 
 left to commemorate here — as in almost every 
 city in Europe — the demoniacal spirit of revenge 
 which dominated the Spaniards for centuries, 
 speak loudly today in their grim silence, of the 
 mighty progress of the human race toward 
 higher standards. 
 
 What nation on the face of earth today would 
 carefully plan and boldly construct, prisons 
 where no light or sound could penetrate, and 
 where the wretched inmate would be forced to 
 crouch with his chin upon his breast, an iron bar 
 across his body, while he slowly starved to 
 death ? 
 
 Yet in Fort Cristobal at San Juan, six such 
 death traps were constructed by order of the 
 Spanish Government at the end of the 18th 
 century — not two hundred years ago. 
 
 These dungeons were employed to "punish" 
 political enemies and traitors, and foes to the 
 accepted creed of Spain. Out from the dark 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 191 
 
 door that leads to these awful hell holes, one 
 word seems to blaze forth in letters of living 
 light to shine over our present era 
 That word is 
 "Progress." 
 
193 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 ST. THOMAS. 
 
 At the Island of St. Thomas, a night distant 
 from San Juan, we parted company with our 
 dear little ship "The President," and said good- 
 bye to the fine body of men composing its officers 
 and crew. Strong, virile, manly men, every one 
 of them, from the handsome young captain with 
 rosy cheeks and turquoise eyes and snow white 
 hair, down to the willing, cheerful, accommodat- 
 ing stewards. We had given them a difficult 
 task, for which they had not been prepared; 
 but many a proud ship sails the high seas for no 
 other purpose than to cater to the comfort of 
 pleasure seekers, which does not treat its pas- 
 sengers so royally as we were all treated by the 
 valiant little merchant cruiser of the Caribbean 
 coast. 
 
 "Vive Le President" of the Hamburg Ameri- 
 can line! 
 
 With the memory of many ship tables in mind, 
 I recall but one company of voyaging comrades 
 to be compared with the little circle which com- 
 prised our table on The President. 
 
 There was a member of Parliament from 
 Canada, traveling for pleasure and education, 
 and to escape the rigors of his native land in 
 
St. Thq.mas. — Madame Minecke. 
 
 St. Thomas. — Harbor View From Ma Folie. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 193 
 
 winter; there was a "gentleman from In- 
 diana," retired from business, and rinding dis- 
 traction and recreation; there was a young 
 man from Boston, seeking health after a long 
 illness; there was a corporation attorney from 
 Denver, adding to a long list of journeys and 
 travel experiences, and there was a Catholic 
 priest, also seeking health. Himself and my- 
 self completed the circle. I felt always as if I 
 were hostess at a dinner party; and our meal 
 hours were full of pleasant conversation and 
 repartee. 
 
 After dinner a few of us frequently gathered 
 at the table of the tiny cabin, and indulged 
 in the distraction of cards: an accomplishment 
 so recently acquired by myself, that my pride 
 in being able to tell the King from the Jack, was 
 only equaled by the despair of my partners 
 when I failed to recognize a Right and Left 
 Bower as valuable possessions in ' ' Five Hundred, ' ' 
 the one game I had learned. 
 
 But at St. Thomas, this pleasant circle dis- 
 persed, after thirteen delightful days and nights 
 of cruising. 
 
 On the morning we left Kingston, Himself had 
 shown me a little blank book, and with a sig- 
 nificant look he had said: "In this book we are 
 to record in Black Ink, every complaint made 
 on this cruise. Half the book belongs to you; 
 
 13 
 
194 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 half to me; and neither is to see what the other 
 has recorded until the end of the voyage. It is 
 to be a hard and trying experience, and if we 
 have the Black Entries in this book in mind, it 
 may cause us to be philosophical and use self 
 restraint." Shortly afterward when I remarked 
 that I wished the captain would hurry out of 
 the harbor, as it was getting hotter every minute, 
 I was shown the blank book, and Himself sat 
 down to make the first entry. 
 
 But it did not appear again during our thir- 
 teen days on "The President," which fact proves 
 that we both behaved in an exemplary manner. 
 
 Awakening in the morning and finding our- 
 selves in the harbor of St. Thomas, with her 
 chief city, Charlotte Amalie, directly in the fore- 
 ground, we exclaimed with delight at the beauti- 
 ful prospect which met our eyes. 
 
 The harbor at St. Thomas is spacious and in- 
 viting, and its capitol city looks with its freshly 
 painted white houses, red roofs and green foliage, 
 like a bouquet of flowers from a Dutch garden, 
 set in a big bowl of water. 
 
 Of St. Thomas we had heard much, and it was 
 with interest we contemplated our four days 
 sojourn there, before going on to the turning 
 point at St. Kitts. 
 
 Now this chronicle of sailing in sunny seas 
 claims to be nothing but personal experiences, 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 195 
 
 impressions and adventures, and what I am 
 about to say should not, therefore, influence 
 any reader contemplating a similar cruise, from 
 visiting St. Thomas and remaining two weeks, 
 if he has so planned. 
 
 One of our ship acquaintances, met again later 
 on the journey, assured me he had found St. 
 Thomas delightful from every point of view, 
 and much preferable to San Juan. 
 
 But my four days in that little Dutch bowl 
 set in a circle of hills, are one memory of mental 
 misery and physical discomfort. We had brought 
 all our baggage ashore with the intention of re- 
 arranging and repacking, before setting forth 
 anew. I am not one of those admirable women 
 who can travel around the world with a dress 
 suit case and a chatelain bag. Trunks cling 
 to me and stick like burrs, when I try to shake 
 them off. So I do not try. Decent and frequent 
 changes of apparel I find as necessary en voyage 
 as at home. And the more than 200 lbs. avoir- 
 dupois which Himself carries about the earth, 
 demands vehicles for masculine garments, as 
 well. However we may determine to reduce 
 our belongings to the smallest possible compass, 
 when we set forth on a journey, we invariably 
 find ourselves wrestling with many trunks, and 
 buying baskets and straps in addition, before we 
 have proceeded half way to our goal. Now 
 
196 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 although we had determined to leave the "Ber- 
 muda Arc" untouched until we arrived at this 
 point of our wanderings, here we were in St. 
 Thomas, both fortunately agreeing upon the 
 necessity to open and repack all our baggage. 
 
 So we were delighted when we found ourselves 
 in a commodious room with space and to spare 
 for our belongings. 
 
 That moment of delight was my last. There 
 is room to move about on an Arizona desert, but 
 that does not mean repose or pleasure. Our 
 room lacked every possible convenience. There 
 seemed to be miles of ugly wall space, but no 
 bureau, no dresser, no hooks, no wardrobe, no 
 clothes press, for garments. The beds were 
 commodious, but they contained no comfort; 
 the long French windows opened on a stony 
 paved street which glared back at the gazer 
 with an uncomfortable stare, and thundered a 
 deafening protest to every passing cart. Mobs 
 of children in varied colors shrieked their declara- 
 tion of independence of parental control all day 
 long, and sailors who had freely sampled Santa 
 Cruz rum, made riotous love to dusky maids, 
 from sunset to dawn. 
 
 Born without "nerves," those dreaded foes to 
 happiness seemed to develop in the St. Thomas 
 atmosphere, so that the spotless cleanliness of 
 the town, the interesting shops, the great beauty 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 197 
 
 of the scenery, all failed to give me pleasure. 
 Only one impulse dominated me — to get away 
 from St. Thomas. 
 
 Unwilling to leave so picturesque a place with 
 only memories of mean annoyances, we resolved 
 upon heroic efforts to arouse ourselves to ad- 
 miration. High up on one of the mountains we 
 were told of a spot known as "Ma Folie," from 
 which was obtained a very magnificent view of 
 the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, with 
 all the groups of the Lower Antilles and the 
 Virgin Islands spread out to the view of the ad- 
 venturous climber. 
 
 Only mules, goats and pedestrians made the 
 ascent, and the path was long, rough and steep. 
 But the following morning, we two, reinforced 
 by a brave third, crept our way by the light of 
 matches, from the dark hotel, down into the dim 
 street, and forged toward the trail to Ma Folie. 
 
 Up a long flight of brick-laid stairs to the 
 north, out through a winding roadway rapidly 
 narrowing to a path, we began the ascent, ac- 
 companied by the increasing vanguard and 
 heralds of the advancing morning. 
 
 Darkness changed to lustrous shadow; the 
 shadow bloomed into opal-tinted dusk; the dusk 
 removed her seven veils one by one as we toiled 
 up and up, over rough and ever rougher paths, 
 panting for breath and pausing to renew our 
 forces, until, lo, as we attained the final summit. 
 
198 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 dusk tossed aside her last veil and revealed the 
 splendid face of Dawn! 
 
 And now it was no longer "Ma Folie" whereon 
 we stood, but "Ma Gloire." As if to reward us 
 for our long hour of climbing, nature provided 
 us with a sunrise of unusual magnificence. 
 
 Castles, ships, forts and faces, were all pic- 
 tured in radiant clouds, through which the 
 tropical sun forced its way, blazing in gold 
 armor and shining with spears of light. 
 
 Below us, bright with riotous greens and blues, 
 two mighty seas were spread, and a hundred 
 islands reached up fair faces to be admired, and 
 there were ships in the harbors, and at our feet 
 far below lay the red roofs and white walls of 
 Charlotte Amalie, the Capital of St. Thomas. 
 At the left on a summit below us, "Blue Beard's 
 Castle," of doubtful history, stood outlined 
 against the blue sky, and at the right the more 
 ancient and authentic ruin of "Black Beard's 
 Castle," a structure reared in the days of the 
 Buccaneers, by one Edward Touch, of Spanish 
 Town, Jamaica, as villianous a cutthroat and 
 pirate as ever sailed fair seas. And so, after 
 all, we had risen above the petty disappointment 
 and irritating annoyances of St. Thomas, and 
 climbed to a pleasurable memory. 
 
 Of the lame sinews, and weary limbs after- 
 ward, let us be silent. The dance was worth 
 the piper's bill. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 199 
 
 ST. CROIX AND ST. KITTS. 
 
 Something like forty miles south of St. 
 Thomas lies the little island of St. Croix (called 
 too, Santa Cruz) and famous for its rum. 
 
 The guide book says it is also famous for a 
 delightful climate, but a hotter place than we 
 found it, could not be reached this side of the 
 grave, I am sure. 
 
 The Island is only nineteen miles by five and 
 Himself remarked that it was evidently in- 
 tended as a "Golf Course," for St. Thomas. 
 
 The only memorable thing we saw in St. 
 Croix was an old cement stairway, which Him- 
 self kodacked. Its lines were graceful in the 
 extreme and it lent a dignity and charm to an 
 otherwise glaringly, commonplace street. 
 
 Some of our passengers (three men) took a 
 fifteen mile drive in St. Croix and reported the 
 scenery as pleasing, but devoid of the variety 
 found in mountainous islands. Their condition 
 on their return indicated the strength of the 
 native rum which they informed us they had 
 sampled. The information was superfluous. 
 
 Despite its diminutive size, St. Croix has re- 
 ceived marked attention from earthquakes, cy- 
 clones and tidal waves in times past. 
 
200 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 And it feels its importance accordingly. 
 
 At St. Kitts we had planned to take the 
 "Sobo" the Halifax steamer which makes Ber- 
 muda on its return from the West Indies. Our 
 boat reached St. Kitts in the early morning; 
 and Himself hurried out to obtain news of the 
 Sobo before I was fully awake. But my awak- 
 ening came with sudden force, when he returned 
 after a few moments to tell me the startling 
 news; the Sobo had gone and what was more 
 distressing, neither the Sobo or any other boat 
 from the West Indies would be allowed to land 
 passengers at Bermuda again this season owing 
 to strict quarantine laws. There had been a 
 few cases of yellow fever in the Barbadoes, and, 
 although the Sobo was free from infection as an 
 iceberg from moths, it could not carry passen- 
 gers to Bermuda because it had paused at Bar- 
 badoes. 
 
 Himself who had set forth on this cruise with 
 the noble resolution to make the best of what- 
 ever occurred, fell completely from grace on this 
 occasion and I'm quite sure the little "Blank 
 Book" went overboard. I never heard it men- 
 tioned again. It was not large enough, he knew, 
 to contain all the black marks he had invited. 
 
 As our ship remained only an hour in the har- 
 bor, we were obliged to go ashore at once, with 
 all our baggage and to settle ourselves some- 
 
St. Kitts.— Group of Natives. 
 
 St. Kitts. — Watching the Pelicans Diving. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 201 
 
 where before we undertook to decide our future 
 plans. Realizing that another experience of 
 such discomfort as awaited me at St. Thomas 
 would be no more likely to occur again so soon, 
 than two lightning strokes on one tree, I set 
 forth bravely if not blithely to hunt a resting 
 place, while Himself interviewed steamship offi- 
 cials in Basseterre. 
 
 I found two hopeful looking rooms inside a 
 building of most unattractive exterior. One 
 room opened on the sea, the other on a green 
 garden and there were hooks and dresses and 
 wardrobes to heal a feminine heart, which had 
 been torn by their absence in St. Thomas. And 
 when Himself and our trunks arrived, the rest- 
 ful unbeautiful rooms soon began to wear that 
 feeling of "homeiness" which we could not for 
 one moment conjure into the desolation and 
 disorder and riot of our St. Thomas apartment. 
 
 Walls not only have ears, but walls ha /e tem- 
 perament, dispositions and vibrations, which 
 help to make or destroy a home. The outside 
 of our "Sea Shore Hotel" at St. Kitts, mis- 
 represented its cozy and comfortable interior, 
 as a bad complexion and ungroomed hair may 
 misrepresent a sweet natured kind hearted 
 woman. The Sea Side Hotel, by all odds the 
 best place in St. Kitts, for a traveler to find cool 
 breezes and peaceful rest, needs a "beauty 
 
202 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 doctor" to make it presentable to the eye. So 
 in truth does all St. Kitts. Its streets are clean 
 and its odors are not unpleasant; but its houses 
 all seem freckled and uncombed, and give the 
 village a look of dilapidation and despondency. 
 
 Basseterre lies at the foot of Monkey Hill, 
 between Brimstone Hill and Mount Misery. 
 Both are extinct volcanoes. Their heads wrap- 
 ped in shawls of clouds. 
 
 They suggest grim giants, brooding over past 
 deeds of violence; the spirits of old pirates and 
 buccaneers, doomed to sit in solitude and see 
 fair ships sail their seas, unmolested with their 
 goodly cargoes. 
 
 As yet again they seem like the demon spirits 
 of earthquake, eruption and tidal wave, only 
 waiting their chosen opportunity to again 
 destroy the proud works of man. 
 
 St. Kitts has suffered little in comparison with 
 many of the West Indian Islands from the cata- 
 clysms of Nature, yet she has known disaster 
 from earthquakes in the past, and may know it 
 again. 
 
 The fallen city, like the fallen woman, finds 
 absolute immunity from her old weakness, 
 difficult to attain. 
 
 My first, and I trust, last, earthquake ex- 
 perience, was destined to befall me at St. Kitts. 
 Wakened suddenly from a sound and dreamless 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 203 
 
 slumber at a quarter before 1 a. m. on March 
 8, 1909, by the shuddering of my bed, I was 
 instantly conscious that I was experiencing an 
 earthquake. The bed seemed to be in the grasp 
 of some giant, who was shaking it from side to 
 side. I ran across the hall to die, if die I must, 
 with Himself. The vibrations ceased before I 
 reached the door, and then I was prepared to 
 meet skeptical laughter when I should make my 
 assertion that an earthquake had occurred. In- 
 stead I found Himself seeking me — to announce 
 the fact that he had been tossed from sleep to 
 startled wakefulness by the pitching of his bed, 
 which faced the west. Securing my bag of 
 toilet articles and an ulster, so I could escape in 
 the streets with decorum if the second scare came 
 I remained awake with Himself an hour or two, 
 watching for the disaster which did not come. 
 
 In the morning assured by the servants that 
 they had felt no earthquake, we began to wonder 
 if we were twin victims of an hallucination; but 
 the nervous condition of our good landlady at 
 the breakfast table convinced us of the reality 
 of our experience. She had been terrified into 
 nausea, and had not closed her eyes after the 
 shake until near dawn. The newspapers chron- 
 icled the event as the worst shake in over 40 
 years on the Island. 
 
 My greatest diversion in St. Kitts was watch- 
 
204 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 ing the diving of the pelicans in front of the 
 Sea Shore Hotel. These homely headed yet 
 picturesque birds congregated in flocks, and 
 often as many as seven circled and wheeled in 
 one small space in the air, directly opposite our 
 windows, and made their marvelous dive into 
 the billows after fish. Reappearing they sat 
 contentedly on the waves, until the fish was 
 gulped into the food sack below the throat. 
 Then they rose gracefully, made another circuit 
 in the air, and again plunged down, one wing 
 below the other until just above the billows, 
 when a sudden head first attitude was taken, 
 and the big ugly beak cleaved the water. 
 
 St. Kitts has been for the greater portion of 
 its existence since its discovery, a British pos- 
 session. The French helped the English destroy 
 the Caribs, and then the English drove out the 
 French, and about all that remains of their 
 occupancy, is the name of the town — Basseterre. 
 
 As early as 1680, and as late as 1840, St. Kitts 
 and its near young sister, St. Ives, were renowned 
 for their brilliant social life. Hot Springs dis- 
 covered at St. Ives, resolved that island into the 
 fashionable Spa. 
 
 And nowhere in European centers, could be 
 found more splendor of apparel or greater gayety 
 than on this little West Indian Island during its 
 season of glory. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 205 
 
 Looking on the streets of Basseterre St. 
 Kitts or Charles Town Nevis, with their pre- 
 ponderance of colored citizens and their paucity 
 of interesting sights or people, it is hard to im- 
 agine them filled with rich merchants, and the 
 fair women folk of wealthy traders, with the 
 bravely caparisoned officers of ships, and the 
 pride of fashionable Europe's belles and beaux. 
 
 After having studied many steamship guides 
 for winter travelers, and talked with every man 
 in Basseterre who knew what an ocean vessel 
 was, Himself decided that our best course lay in 
 taking the "Corona," due the day after our 
 arrival, to New York, after eight long days at 
 sea, reaching New York, March 13th. Now, we 
 did not want to go back to New York so early. 
 March is detestable in New York; but with yel- 
 low fever in the lower islands, and with nothing 
 to attract us for a long stay in St. Kitts, and 
 with no chance to obtain our month's mail wait- 
 ing at Bermuda, until we returned, we felt we 
 should accept this alternative. So, as soon as 
 the Corona came into the harbor, we proceeded 
 to visit her, and find what accommodations could 
 be secured. 
 
 Not one inch of space was purchasable. Every 
 stateroom and cabin was engaged. Walking 
 through the ship we saw through the open door 
 of a large stateroom, a pale attenuated young 
 
206 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 man lying on his back seemingly asleep. His 
 face impressed me curiously, and I found my- 
 self wondering after I left the ship, if the young 
 man was ill. 
 
 That afternoon at 2, the "Corona" sounded 
 one whistle, yet the boat was not due to leave 
 until midnight. A few hours later, at sunset, 
 the officers and crew came ashore, bearing the 
 corpse of the young man, a youth of 21 who had 
 died at 2 p. m. of tuberculosis. It was in the 
 vain hope of curing this malady that he had gone 
 to the West Indian Islands. He was buried in 
 Basseterre, and the tragic news was cabled to 
 his waiting mother in Maryland. 
 
 All that night, wonderful with the radiance 
 of a full moon, I found my sleep broken with 
 thoughts of this lonely death and burial. 
 
 There is little in St. Kitts to interest strangers. 
 It has a few old houses in the suburbs, and a 
 drive of ten miles and a weary climb in the hot 
 sun, brings one to the immense old Fort on Brim- 
 stone Mountain, which cost the Island an enor- 
 mous sum to erect and which never even smelled 
 powder afterwards. Splendid views are to be 
 obtained by those who care to climb any of the 
 mountains back of Basseterre. But our St. 
 Thomas adventure in that line of sight seeing 
 proved sufficient for me. 
 
 We satisfied ourselves with long restful hours 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 207 
 
 in the public library at Basseterre, and with 
 books and writing materials in our sea aired 
 room at the hospitable home of Mrs. France, who 
 in her youth had been one of the quality folk of 
 Basseterre. On Sunday eve I astonished Him- 
 self by announcing that I was going to church 
 with Miss France. He wondered if I had ex- 
 perienced a change of heart, and if I no longer 
 found my own ideal of God and religion too big 
 for "the creeds of churches," as I had always 
 asserted. 
 
 Then I explained a certain pretty story had 
 been told me by Mistress France — oh, a very 
 very pretty story, which had its setting in St. 
 George's church, long and long ago, when Dame 
 France, now a grandmother of well grown boys 
 and girls, had been a child of ten. 
 
 In those days West Indian maids married 
 young; and so it befell that "Mary Jane" the 
 sister of my hostess, was a beautiful widow at 
 seventeen, after two years and eight months of 
 married life. Now the maid who marries at 
 fourteen does not experience a profound pas- 
 sion and the wife who is widowed at seventeen 
 does not desperately grieve, especially if her 
 lord has been a gay English rake, and disloyal 
 to his child bride, while clothing her in silken 
 sheen. So no one need exclaim with wonder 
 when it is said that the beautiful young face 
 
208 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 which peeped from its widow's cap, was not 
 worn with sorrow or haggard with tears; but 
 that it was dimpled, and prone to smile on small 
 provocation, and that the gown of black crepe 
 to the arm pits, was worn in a way which did 
 not hide the adorable curves of budding young 
 womanhood. 
 
 Sitting demurely in her pew beside her aunt, 
 who was no other than the wife of the honor- 
 able Mr. Crook, President of the Island at St. 
 Kitts, the child widow, while seemingly de- 
 voutly attentive to the sermon, knew, never- 
 theless, that the gaze of a handsome man of 
 military bearing was fastened on her face, all 
 through the long service. But not one glance 
 from her sapphire eyes, did they accord him, 
 although he waited to watch her pass down the 
 aisle, and his own eyes were like two magnets 
 as they focused on her lovely face. On the 
 succeeding Sunday morning and the next and 
 the next, the same man of military bearing 
 appeared in the same pew at St. George's, 
 evidently bent on the same purpose, to gaze at 
 and admire sweet mistress Mary Jane. And 
 then tongues began to wag! Gossips began to 
 nod, and watch and tell tales! and predict 
 events! and through it all Mistress Mary Jane 
 kept her childlike look of innocence, and 
 failed to understand the whispers, and the 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 209 
 
 smiles and winks of Madame Grundy. Ap- 
 pealed to for her opinion of the handsome 
 stranger (who so it was discovered, came riding 
 down 10 miles from Brimstone Fort each Sun- 
 day to attend divine service) Mistress Mary Jane 
 declared she had not sufficiently observed him 
 to form an opinion, and forthwith she changed 
 the topic of conversation to one, may be, less 
 near her heart. But the next Sabbath, for- 
 sooth, was there not a bit more starch in the 
 flowing ends of her widow's cap ? And then one 
 day there was great excitement at Lousach, 
 the estate of Hon. Mr. Crook, President of St. 
 Kitts, for a handsome young man in full dress 
 uniform, came riding to the very door of the 
 house and he dismounted, his sword clashing 
 at his side, and tossed his reins to the groom: 
 and, boldly as Lord Lochinvar who came from 
 the West, he strode up the steps and raised the 
 knocker and sent a reverberating echo through 
 the big country house. Then his stalwart form 
 disappeared within the opened door. 
 
 Once within, the military stranger, produced 
 his card, and asked for Mistress Crook, and 
 Mistress Crook who had seen his approach from 
 the window of her room, read his name and went 
 below to receive the "Lieutenant of the Royal 
 Engineers," stationed at the Fort on Brimstone 
 Hill, and to hear his manly statement, "Mad- 
 
 14 
 
210 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 ame, I come to sue for the heart of your beauti- 
 ful niece, Mistress ,Mary Jane. I have loved her 
 since first I saw her face in your pew at St. 
 George's Church!" 
 
 "But we do not know you sir — you have not 
 been presented — Mistress Mary Jane is young." 
 
 "Far too young to remain a widow," aptly 
 interposed the Lieutenant of the Royal Engi- 
 neers. "As for myself, I can produce, all re- 
 quired credentials; and proof of my ability to 
 give your fair niece the care she deserves. At 
 least let me speak with her in person before you 
 send me from your door." 
 
 Then there was much hesitating and parley- 
 ing, for Mistress Crook did not much approve 
 of this unconventional way of wooing — tradi- 
 tion being stronger in her nature than romance. 
 But at length the wooer won, alas his one brief 
 victory, over convention; and Mistress Mary 
 Jane, clothed demurely in black and with a 
 freshly starched widow's cap flapping its long 
 ends as she walked, came beautiful and blush- 
 ing, to meet the Lieutenant of the Royal Engi- 
 neers and to listen to his plea. 
 
 "I am ordered back to England" he said. 
 "I must soon away. I would not go and leave 
 you; I love you; it is as if I had always loved you. 
 Believe me no man so loves twice in a lifetime; 
 nor is any woman so loved twice. Be my wife 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 211 
 
 and go with me to England." But Mistress 
 Mary Jane, frightened it may be by such ve- 
 hemence, and quite too young despite her 
 widowhood to understand so great a passion, 
 played the coy and indifferent maid; and said 
 neither yea nor nay. 
 
 Much I grieve not to end this pretty tale as 
 it should end, with the beautiful widow becom- 
 ing a beautiful bride, in the very church where 
 she won the heart of the gallant Lieutenant of 
 the Royal Engineers. 
 
 But tradition and custom, and conventional- 
 ity together, perhaps, with a foolish little child- 
 widow's lack of individuality, prevailed over 
 sentiment; prevailed too, over a strong man's 
 love and desire. The gallant Lieutenant of the 
 Royal Engineers sailed away to England alone. 
 
 "Mary Jane" did not cease to be a widow 
 until she was twenty-five. 
 
 She lives today not a thousand miles from 
 New York; an old lady — who despite her second 
 widowhood, perchance carries a secret regret in 
 her heart that she sent the handsome Lieuten- 
 ant back to England alone. 
 
 And so I went to St. George's church, and I 
 fear I thought more of pretty Mistress Mary 
 Jane and her military lover than I thought 
 of the service of the Church of England. 
 
212 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 ANTIGUA. 
 
 After three days in St. Kitts, we decided on 
 taking a ship which would land us in Trinidad* 
 and from there proceed by boat direct to 
 New York. Antigua was our first port after 
 leaving St. Kitts. 
 
 The Island of Antigua was one of the fore- 
 most to favor the emancipation of slaves. 
 
 It is a beautiful and fertile Island 188 miles 
 square with 20,000 acres under cultivation. 
 Sugar is its main source of income. 
 
 It does not possess the majesty of many of 
 the West India Islands, having no mountains; 
 but its roads are excellent for driving and wheel- 
 ing, and many of its homes are attractive. 
 
 Entering the harbor, the City of St. John 
 makes a pleasing picture for the eye. Directly 
 in the foreground lies a beautiful little island, 
 perhaps half a mile from the landing pier at St. 
 John's. It is an abrupt eminence a few acres 
 in circumference, all under a fine state of culti- 
 vation; and to the casual eye the buildings resem- 
 ble a large country house with rambling wings. 
 
 This is, in truth, an old fort, situated on what 
 is known as Rat Island; and it has been for 
 years the home of the lepers of Antigua. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 213 
 
 There were thirty inmates when we saw the Is- 
 land; all black. They are cared for by the Gov- 
 ernment, and are given this comfortable Island 
 with its agricultural occupations, and the best 
 medical skill, to alleviate their miseries. 
 
 They look out on a world of beauty, in a 
 climate incomparably delightful. They are cer- 
 tain of shelter, raiment and care as long as they 
 live. But what sorrow and misery must be theirs 
 nevertheless, knowing themselves doomed to 
 lifelong imprisonment, and a slow dreadful 
 death, upon this Island which deserves a more 
 euphonious name. Nevertheless, instead of in- 
 dulging in useless sympathy for these unfortu- 
 nates, we should rejoice that science and skill 
 and humanitarianism have so advanced, since 
 Bible days, that such provision is made for the 
 victims of this historic scourge. 
 
 Redonda Rock, also near Antigua, called for 
 our special attention. It is a thousand feet 
 high, and devoid of all verdure. 
 
 Yet two pretty young ladies on the ship 
 which bore us from St. Thomas to St. Kitts, 
 were en route to this barren rock. One was the 
 daughter and one the niece of a Canadian man 
 of affairs, who was engaged in exporting phos- 
 phate of aluminum from this rock. He was the 
 only white man there, and the young ladies 
 would be obliged to reach the eerie where he 
 
214 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 made his so-called "home" by means of a large 
 basket lowered and lifted by ropes. It was 
 their intention to pass a whole month at, or 
 rather on, Redonda; an experience out of the 
 usual, if not interesting from any other point 
 of view. 
 
 Anchoring quite two miles out in the harbor 
 of St. John, we were met and carried ashore by a 
 Government tug, a welcome change from the 
 dirty row boats, rowed by dirtier natives, which 
 usually swarmed about the ships in harbor, like 
 flies about a sweetmeat. 
 
 Ofttimesthemen owning these boats came to 
 blows in their efforts to obtain the patronage of 
 sight seers, and once I was nearly knocked off 
 the ship ladder, in a rough sea, by two contend- 
 ing oarsmen, each declaring his boat had been 
 engaged for my use. 
 
 One tried to prevent my descent into the rival 
 boat, and the other tried to force me into his; 
 and Himself, standing behind me on the shaky 
 ladder, was in immediate danger of being pre- 
 cipitated into the sea by the fray. Fortunately 
 peace was declared at that moment by the ap- 
 pearance of two more travelers who engaged 
 one boat, and so saved the day: and also saved 
 two passengers from a possible undesired bath. 
 At Antigua we found a good hotel, The Globe, 
 and enjoyed the first appetizing breakfast of 
 weeks. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 215 
 
 There too we found a fine assortment of beads 
 to add to our collection made in many lands. 
 In all the West Indian Islands, the natives string 
 the seeds of plants and fruits, into charming 
 rosaries and chains: and at Antigua there was a 
 large variety and some fascinating strings of 
 small shells and fish scales besides. 
 
 Haiti alone, of all the islands we visited, of- 
 fered no such souvenirs to tourists. 
 
 We found an excellent library in St. Johns, 
 where we spent several hours. One old volume 
 contained much material for thought relative 
 to slavery days in Antigua. It told of a cer- 
 tain plantation magnate who had his cook and 
 his washwoman both chained to their labor, 
 the chain reaching from kitchen and laundry to 
 the house, and both chains attached to a weight 
 of 56 lbs. This was to prevent the slaves from 
 any attempt to escape into freedom. Here is a 
 copy of a letter written from this island to a 
 friend in England in the days of slavery: 
 
 Antigua, Jan. 15, 1736. 
 "Dear Friend: 
 
 "We are in a great deal of trouble in this island. 
 The burning of negroes, hanging them up on 
 gibbets alive, racking them upon the wheel, etc., 
 takes up all our time; from the 20th of October 
 to this day, there have been destroyed sixty-one 
 
216 . SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 intelligent negroes, most of them carpenters, 
 or tradesmen, coopers and masons. 
 
 "I am almost dead with watching and working, 
 as are many more. They were going to destroy 
 all the white inhabitants of the island. 'Count/ 
 the king of the negroes, 'Tomboy,' his general, 
 and 'Hercules,' his lieutenant general, who were 
 all racked upon the wheel, died with obstinacy. 
 Mr. Archibald Hamilton's 'Harry,' after he 
 was condemned, stuck himself with a knife in 
 eighteen different places, four of which were 
 mortal. Colonel Martin's 'Jemmy,' who was 
 hung up alive from noon till eleven o'clock at 
 night, was then taken down to give information. 
 Col. Morgan's 'Ned,' after he had been hung 
 up seven days and seven nights, his hands 
 grew too small for his hand-cuffs, he got them 
 out and raised himself, and fell down from a 
 gibbet fifteen feet high, he was revived with 
 cordials and broths in hopes to bring him to 
 confess, but he would not, and was hung up 
 again, and in a day and a night expired. Mr. 
 Yeaman's 'Quasby Coouali' jumped out of the 
 fire half burnt, but was thrown in again, and 
 Mr. Lyon's 'Five,' jumped out of the fire, and 
 promised to confess all, but it took no effect. 
 In short, our island is in a poor, miserable con- 
 dition, and I wish I could get any employment 
 in England to do." 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 817 
 
 In a Blackwood's Magazine of 1853, I found 
 the following extract from a New York Herald 
 of January 26, 1853: 
 
 "A bill has been reported in the Virginia 
 House of Delegates which provides for the ap- 
 pointment of overseers, who are required to hire 
 out at public auction, all free persons of color to 
 the highest bidder, the amount to be paid into 
 the State Treasury. This sum will be used to 
 send all free people of color beyond the State 
 Circuits. 
 
 "After five years, all free people of color re- 
 maining in the State will be sold into slavery to 
 the highest bidder." 
 
 Despite the "problem of the colored race" to- 
 day, it seems to have been a more serious prob- 
 lem in the days of slavery. 
 
 Antigua has always since its colonization been 
 the Governmental headquarters of the Leeward 
 Islands. These Islands are St. Kitts, Nevis, 
 Barbada, Montserrat, Dominica, Antigua, and 
 the Virgin Islands. Some 12 miles from St. 
 John's there is a nook in a wooded glen, known 
 as "Ding-dong-dell." A legend attaches itself 
 to this spot. 
 
 In 1640, the wife of the Governor was ab- 
 ducted by the Caribs and taken to the mountains 
 of Dominica. The Governor recovered his wife 
 after some days, but in a brief period he lost his 
 
218 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 mind, brooding over the thought of her possible 
 fate while a prisoner: and one version of the 
 legend has it that he built a lonely house in 
 Ding-dong-dell and compelled his wife to live 
 out her life in this solitary spot alone. Another 
 states that the wife withdrew to this spot of her 
 own wish. Nothing remains of the house now, 
 nor of the "Dell" but a tangled wood; yet the 
 story evidently sprung from some tragic oc- 
 currence connected with the days of continual 
 tragedy in the West Indian Islands. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS »19 
 
 DOMENICA-MARTINIQUE. 
 
 Were I to give my impressions of Rosseau, 
 the capital of Domenica, I should say simply 
 that it was a hot, steaming mud hole, surround- 
 ed by miserable hovels, and entirely inhabited 
 by barefooted negroes. Quite as accurate a 
 description as that given by many a foreign 
 tourist who makes a flying visit to America. 
 
 We spent two hours in Domenica, and they 
 were all the hours of rain we saw between Ja- 
 maica and Trinidad. It was early morning, 
 only negroes were in evidence, and the town 
 looked bedraggled and forlorn. Meantime the 
 streets were noticeably free from litter of all 
 kinds, and the shops were neat and orderly. 
 
 We could not, however, imagine a civilized 
 white person living in this town and when told 
 that 300 whites and 8,000 colored people formed 
 its population, we wondered where the white 
 contingency made its abiding place. 
 
 A few hours later, our table companions from 
 the "President," the corporation attorney from 
 Denver, and the M. of P. from Manitoba, joined 
 us on the "Dahomey" after a sojourn of several 
 days in Rosseau. 
 
 Now imagine our surprise, when they related 
 
220 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 this tale: Arriving in Rosseau at early candle 
 light, they were directed to the home of Mrs. 
 Gordon, as the desirable hostelry of the town. 
 Entering the open door they found themselves 
 in the presence of a goodly party of white 
 people in full evening dress. Through a vista 
 in an adjoining apartment was discerned a 
 table artistically appointed ready for ten or 
 twelve guests and sounds of music from some 
 hidden recess fell upon ears, accustomed to the 
 screams of boatmen and the shriek of steamboat 
 whistles. Until a late hour at night they 
 heard music and revelry, and the pleasant 
 tones of cultured men and women in converse. 
 
 Added to this, they were provided with the 
 luxuries of running water, a plunge and a 
 shower bath, all the comforts of civilization, 
 left behind in Jamaica. It was a matter of 
 utter astonishment to learn that this little mud 
 hole town of Rosseau possessed the best water 
 system of any of the Leeward Islands. But 
 the explanation was simple. 
 
 Domenica has the heaviest rain fall of all the 
 West Indian Islands. Three hundred inches 
 in one year is not unusual. Given that 
 as a base of action, a few enterprising citi- 
 zens supplied the brain and energy to 
 provide Rosseau with water privileges. Do- 
 menica is a volcanic island, and its scenery, 
 
Dominica. — Street in Roseau. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 221 
 
 so declared our friends, is more magnificent 
 and awe inspiring than the scenery of 
 Jamaica. But to enjoy these spectacles pro- 
 vided by opulent nature, indolent man has 
 made no such roadways as are found all over 
 the beautiful Island of Jamaica. Indeed there 
 are few wheeled vehicles in Domenica; all jour- 
 neying is done on horseback or on foot. 
 
 Like Jamaica, the island is remarkably free 
 from serpents and insects. 
 
 The white population of this lovely Island of 
 Domenica hardly exceeds one per cent. 
 
 The Imperial Department of Agriculture has 
 made the Botanical Gardens of Rosseau famous. 
 Domenica was once owned by the French. The 
 great battle between Rodney and De Grave, took 
 place near Rosseau, in 1782. The French fleet 
 was destroyed and since that time Domenica 
 has belonged to the English. 
 
 It seems a misfortune that with the wonderful 
 fertility and healthful climate, and superb 
 scenery, that it cannot be made as attractive 
 to white settlers as Jamaica. 
 
222 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 MARTINIQUE 
 
 Our ship paused almost within voice call of 
 the dead city of St. Pierre. This was an act of 
 courtesy on the part of our captain, who changed 
 the regular route to gratify the wish of his pas- 
 sengers to see the victim of Mt. Pelee's wrath. 
 The top of Mt. Pelee was as usual hidden in a 
 deep gray cloud. Yet even so it appeared un- 
 utterably sinister and forbidding to our sight; 
 but what words can describe the impression 
 made by that skeleton city where 40,000 people 
 were destroyed in a few moments' time! 
 
 Until the catastrophe at Messina this was the 
 most colossal disaster which had occurred through 
 any cataclysm of nature since the flood. 
 
 St. Pierre before the eruption of Mt. Pelee, 
 was the most unique island of the West Indies. 
 It had retained the spirit of France to a curious 
 degree; and its women had perpetuated the 
 French characteristics with an added beauty 
 and fascination peculiar to the Creole; while the 
 African mixture was refined by the Latin inocu- 
 lation. 
 
 On this island, Josephine, the Empress of 
 France, was born; and it was on St. Pierre that 
 Lafcadio Hearne lavished some of his most 
 opulent words of praise. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 223 
 
 In St. Pierre one found less of the colored ele- 
 ment, and more of "color," to use an artistic 
 term, than in any of the other West Indian 
 cities. 
 
 Renowned for the beauty of its women, it is 
 not uncharitable to believe that it was also re- 
 nowned for its absence of high ideas of moral- 
 ity. 
 
 Morality, as we understand the word, and the 
 Tropics are antagonistic terms in any part of the 
 world. The equator is the girdle of Venus; and 
 on her altars of pleasure, humanity is prone to 
 offer up all its sterner principles. It may not 
 be true that Martinique was the wickedest city 
 in the world, as has been said; but since through 
 all West Indian cities, licentiousness stalks 
 naked and unashamed (as he who passes 
 through their thoroughfares for even a day can- 
 not fail to know), it is a probable supposition 
 that Mt. Pelee buried more vice than virtue 
 under its boiling tons of lava 
 
 While not one home or house was spared, 
 the white pedestal of the statue of the Virgin, 
 stood unmolested and unscarred. It shines 
 there today, just above and aside from the 
 gray ghost of a town, the one structure small 
 or large, sacred or profane, that has survived 
 the holocaust. 
 
 To the purely scientific and philosophical 
 
224 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 mind, it seems merely an odd accident of fate. 
 For the superstitious mind, it carries a deeper 
 significance. 
 
 More desolate and appalling than the ruins 
 of old Rome, Pompeii, or the Herculaneum, this 
 shadowy city of Martinique seemed to us, proba- 
 bly because its people were of our day and gen- 
 eration, and all the intimate details of its des- 
 truction were familiar to us. 
 
 Just such a fate may any day befall any of 
 the cities, set at the base of volcanic mountains. 
 
 There are no extinct volcanoes. 
 
 There are only slumbering volcanoes. 
 
 When our ship reached Barbadoes, we were 
 told it would remain in harbor the entire day. 
 Passengers could go ashore and visit the town 
 if they desired to do so, despite the fact that 
 yellow fever prevailed to a slight degree on 
 the island. 
 
 Having no fear of epidemics of any kind, and 
 desiring some personal impressions of Barba- 
 does, I expressed a wish to join the party pre- 
 paring to go ashore immediately after breakfast. 
 But here Himself laid down the law, in his own 
 gentle yet decisive manner. 
 
 "We do not set foot in Barbadoes," he said. 
 "We run no foolish risk of an encounter with 
 the yellow fever mosquito." 
 
 "But she is a lazy female insect, and never 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 225 
 
 stirs out till sun set," I said. "A resident of the 
 Island has told me all about her. She sits 
 around the whole day in a striped mother hub- 
 bard gown, and goes out just at nightfall to fill 
 herself with blood. It is not an evil murderous 
 instinct either, which prompts the poor thing! 
 It is purely maternal affection. She cannot lay 
 her eggs until she has fed on blood." 
 
 "Well, at the risk of being thought heartless 
 and cruel to the mother mosquito and refusing her 
 sustenance for her family, I must decline to go 
 ashore or to let you go." Himself replied. Of 
 course that settled the question. While I 
 thought he was unnecessarily cautious, there 
 could be no pleasure in going ashore unless the 
 pleasure was mutual. 
 
 So we remained on the boat with several other 
 cautious travelers, and received our impres- 
 sions of Barbadoes from the more adventurous 
 investigators who returned in mid-afternoon, 
 with the usual interesting tales intended to make 
 stay-at-homes ashamed and envious. 
 
 But when we landed in the harbor at Trini- 
 dad our day of triumph came. Only those who 
 had not gone ashore at Barbadoes were absolved 
 from medical inspection and allowed to land at 
 once; and all those who had touched foot on the 
 quarantined Island were obliged to deposit $20 
 with the health officer as a guarantee that they 
 
 15 
 
226 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 would report every day for 4 days at 9 A. M., at 
 the harbor office in Trinidad to be examined for 
 evidences of the fever. 
 
 So Himself was, as usual, right and, as usual, 
 my reward came from obeying him, even though 
 that word had been omitted from our marriage 
 service. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 227 
 
 TRINIDAD. 
 
 When nature indulged in one of her great 
 cataclysms, and produced the West India 
 Islands, she bestowed gracious attention upon 
 the approach to Trinidad. Never any port 
 offered a richer feast to beauty seeking eyes, 
 than this entrance to the Bay of Paria presented 
 on the morning of our passage through the 
 Bocas. There are two of these passages, the 
 two "mouths" of the Bay of Paria. Our ship 
 entered by the Little Bocas, the most beautiful, 
 but only safe in daylight, owing to its many 
 hidden reefs. The little Bocas is a long corridor 
 between majestic rocks, leading from the Carib- 
 bean Sea into the Bay of Paria. The view from 
 the ship as it enters the Bay presents an em- 
 barrassment of riches. "Another Paradise," 
 you think as the panorama of exquisite islands 
 and alluring villas unfolds with the gleaming 
 towers of the Port of Spain in the distance. 
 
 "What lofty residence is that set on a sea 
 washed island in the foreground?" you ask, and 
 the answer awakens you to the fact that you are 
 not entering the Port of Paradise, but the har- 
 bor of sinning souls. The lofty residence, is the 
 Convict Prison of Trinidad from which no es- 
 
228 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 cape is possible, guarded as it is by schools of 
 man-eating sharks, the police patrol of the 
 Caribbean Sea. You breathe a little prayer, 
 "Peace to all created things," and turn your eyes 
 to fairer structures. On beautiful islands, out 
 of the embrace of loving palms, smile restful 
 bungalows. For a song you may possess one 
 of these for a month, if you will — and learn the 
 meaning of real idleness. Or you may pass them 
 by, as we did and push on to the Port of Spain. 
 After distracting you siren-like, with its beauty, 
 the Bay of Paria gives you the most difficult 
 landing in the world. Owing to shallow water, 
 ships anchor two miles from the Port of Spain, 
 and passengers, and baggage and cargoes are 
 carried ashore in row boats. With a rough sea 
 below and a broiling sun above, the picturesque 
 phases of the situation are sometimes forgotten 
 by travel worn wanderers. Not until the broad 
 cool verandas of the Queens Park Hotel are 
 reached, does nervous irritation with boatmen, 
 and cabmen give way to nobler sentiments of 
 appreciation of scenery and climate. 
 
 Never since we left our beloved Hotel Titch- 
 field, at Port Antonio (joy and success attend it) 
 had we found so much comfort and beauty com- 
 bined, as here in the Queens Park Hotel at 
 Trinidad. 
 
 Our rooms faced the North, with an imposing 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 229 
 
 mountain background. Between the mountains 
 and hotel, lay the famed Savanna, a curious 
 center, where fashion, cow pasturage, a race 
 track for horses, a grand stand, a foot ball field, 
 and a small cemetery, all play their part. Every 
 afternoon from four to six, the smart people of 
 Port-of-Spain's 60,000 inhabitants, drove about 
 the Savanna, dressed in their best attire. Al- 
 ways the peaceful-eyed cows wandered over its 
 ample precincts, and grazed upon its rich grass 
 (at one shilling a head per month, to the benefit 
 of the City Treasury). On certain days great 
 races filled the grandstand with the lovers of 
 that sport, and on the Saturday afternoon fol- 
 lowing our arrival a football contest between the 
 Protestant and Roman Catholic teams, made 
 the Savanna a scene of such noisy festivity that 
 wads of cotton were necessary to save ear drums 
 from injury. I have heard the cheers of twenty- 
 thousand people at great Yale-Harvard games 
 at Yale Field, New Haven, but never such a 
 din and furor of noise as cannonaded the air 
 on the Savanna at Port of Spain, Trinidad. 
 
 Trinidad is only 10 degrees from the Equator, 
 and consequently we expected a climate of tor- 
 rid temperature. Hot it is — broiling hot away 
 from the ever blowing mountain winds, but so 
 cool and refreshing in this breeze, that one who 
 goes to Trinidad in search of winter comfort 
 
230 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 may always expect to find it, if he will keep out of 
 the noon-day sun and in the current of air, 
 which cools the heated blood, but never gives 
 colds. And always are the nights beautiful 
 with conditions for sleep. The temperature 
 ranges from 75 to 88 in the winter season. Dearly 
 as I love Jamaica, I can understand how one 
 who sought distraction as well as summer climate 
 might find a winter in Trinidad more interesting 
 than a winter in Jamaica. No other city in the 
 West Indies can compete with the Port of Spain 
 as a city of entertainment. It is cosmopolitan 
 in its variety' of nationalities, and one hears 
 French, Spanish and English all spoken in the 
 streets and cafes. I have referred in another 
 chapter to that intangible something we call 
 "charm," which hangs about the Hawaiian Is- 
 lands; a charm which increases the further one 
 goes toward the Orient, I am told. A charm 
 which lends a halo to poverty and even misery 
 and dirt, in Southern France and Italy, and 
 Sicily, and which encircled the strange and un- 
 civilized town of Tangier like a cloud of incense. 
 The charm is not found in Germany; it is not 
 found in America, England or Holland; and it 
 never exists where the African race is dominant. 
 The East Indian coolie contingency, despite 
 its low caste characteristics lends a touch 
 of it to Jamaica. A still larger and more 
 
Trinidad. — Coolie Woman at Door of Her House. 
 
 Trinidad. — Egrets in the Garden of Queens Park Hotel. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 231 
 
 prosperous population of these people gives 
 a picturesque individuality to the streets 
 of Trinidad. One day I saw a sketch for a color 
 artist on the main shopping thoroughfare of Port 
 of Spain. A Coolie woman, slender and erect, 
 passed by, her graceful shawl drapery of pure 
 white, fringed with gold hanging diagonally from 
 her pretty head to below the left knee. She 
 wore a thin gold hoop in her classic nose — the 
 engagement ring of the Coolies — and in her left 
 nostril shone a jewel set in dull gold — the mar- 
 riage seal. Crossing her path, came a colossal 
 Juno in ebony: a black woman clothed in a 
 gown of screaming scarlet over which were scat- 
 tered white polka dots the size of a nickel. A 
 bright green bandana turban, and a saffron 
 yellow neckerchief completed the costume 
 which was far more effective and even artistic, 
 than those hideous cheap suits sold at every 
 bargain counter in America. Just beyond 
 walked a Coolie man all in white, his greyhound 
 legs showing bare and graceful below his short 
 trouser trunks. Black women balancing heavy 
 baskets on their heads were everywhere. And 
 further on just boarding a car was a girl, beauti- 
 ful as a dream of old Castile, exquisite in face 
 and form, clothed in dainty mull and lace, but 
 with the blood of some slave ancestor staining 
 her beauty to unwashable brown. Of this 
 
233 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 tragedy of mixed blood in the West Indies and 
 all it entails, only those who visit the islands 
 can conceive. Out of the 60,000 inhabitants of 
 Port of Spain, a scant 1,000 absolutely devoid 
 of African ancestry can be found, and far happier 
 is he or she whose unmistakable type lends no 
 chance for denial, than one whose modified 
 features and paler color, leads him to the hope- 
 less and never-ending effort at emulating what 
 he is not and never can be, an Anglo-Saxon. 
 It is not considered good form to talk of "color" 
 in Trinidad, and those residents who speak 
 frequent disparagements of the black race often 
 hide a turned down leaf in running over their 
 ancestral books — a leaf which does not bear close 
 inspection. Alas and alas, that even unto the 
 third and fourth generation descends the sin of 
 the white man who took his black slave to con- 
 cubinage. Trinidad is an island of vast re- 
 sources. Its wonderful Pitch Lake yields 800 
 tons a day of this valuable road-making ingre- 
 dient; and its cocoa plantations are among the 
 greatest and most fertile in the world. 
 
 The great need of Trinidad is a good mountain 
 hotel, such as Jamaica supplies at Moneague and 
 Mandeville. Properly built, properly construct- 
 ed and made accessible by a good road, and a 
 motor car service, a mountain hotel would prove 
 a paying investment the year around at Trini- 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 233 
 
 dad. In the winter it would be patronized by 
 tourists, in trie summer by its many wealthy 
 residents. Then indeed Trinidad would become 
 a well equipped rival of Jamaica as a winter re- 
 sort for Americans. Trinidad has never suf- 
 fered from earthquake or hurricane; its one mis- 
 fortune lies in not having rendered itself immune 
 from the scourge of yellow fever, which at inter- 
 vals makes its dreaded visitation upon the island. 
 May the spirit of our ever lamented Col. War- 
 ren, the Colossus of Hygiene, inspire some great 
 man to rise and cleanse all the West Indies from 
 this danger, as he himself cleansed Havana 
 before he passed on to the realms of eternal 
 purity and beauty. 
 
234 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 THE BIRDS OF TRINIDAD. 
 
 "QU'EST-CB-QU'IL-DIT?" 
 
 Qu'est-ce-qu'il-dit, Qu'est-ce-qu'il-dit, 
 Listening there as we talk together, 
 
 Bold eavesdropper in yonder tree, 
 Never abashed by the hottest weather, 
 
 How do you happen to make so free, 
 
 With each newcomer, Sir "Qu'est-ce-qu'il-dit"? 
 
 Qu'est-ce-qu'il-dit, Qu-est-ce-qu'il-dit, 
 Strutting about in your vest of yellow, 
 
 Why do you ask what he said to me, 
 
 Why should I tell you, impertinent fellow? 
 
 Two is a company, can't you see — 
 
 And three is a multitude, "Qu'est-ce-qu'il-dit." 
 
 All my life birds have been closely associated 
 with dear experiences and memories. There 
 was a meadow lark and a bobolink and a thrush 
 who played each his important role in my early 
 life on a Wisconsin prairie, and to hear those 
 birds today is to renew the lost emotions of 
 early youth, its imagined sorrows, its imagined 
 joys, its real hopes, dreams and ambitions. 
 There was a first listening to the Southern 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 235 
 
 mocking bird — under peculiar circumstances in 
 a romantic environment, and always that en- 
 vironment, and those circumstances exist again 
 when the mocking bird sings. 
 
 The Ting-a-ling bird must ever mean the 
 little English inn on the summit of Mount Dia- 
 bolo, at Meneague, Jamaica, and the "boom- 
 boom" of a native bird at dawn in the moun- 
 tains of Hawaii is part and parcel of my mem- 
 ories of an adorable Winter in the bungalow in 
 Honolulu. So now, blending into the recollec- 
 tions of fair torrid days of rest, at the end of a 
 long month of wanderings, is the sweet, imper- 
 tinent voice of the "Qu'est-ce-qu'il-dit" bird of 
 Trinidad. I had heard of this bird, wearing a 
 brown coat and a yellow vest, and flying from 
 tree to tree with his ever repeated question, 
 "What does he say?" — uttered in three distinct 
 French syllables, and I had wondered if it was 
 the vivid imagination of some French tourist 
 who first gave this interpretation of the bird's 
 note. 
 
 But I had not been an hour in my room at 
 the Queens Park Hotel when, just as Himself 
 had completed a remark to me, I heard the 
 question of this bit of feathered curiosity, tossed 
 down from a branch of a tall tree. 
 
 "Qu'est-ce-qu'il-dit? Qu'est-ce-qu'il-dit?" 
 pausing just a brief second after each inquiry as 
 
236 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 if waiting for an answer. Much quarreling and 
 wrangling and disputing I heard in that same 
 tree afterward among the birds; and did not 
 doubt that many exclusive and reserved mem- 
 bers of feathered society were indignant at the 
 intrusive curiosity of "Qu'est-ce-qu'il-dit." 
 
 Glancing down from a south window on a 
 little garden between two wings of the Queens 
 Park Hotel, I one day spied what looked like 
 caricatures of fowls done in pottery. There 
 were seven of these images, all snow white, each 
 standing in a different posture, like the storks 
 on a Japanese frieze or jar. Confident they 
 were china fowls, and wondering at this peculiar 
 idea of garden decoration. I suddenly started 
 in surprise when first one and then another of 
 the china bird "images" moved. 
 
 They were all living "Egrets," or white her- 
 ons. 
 
 The nearer I approached the more unreal 
 these birds seemed; less like china, but more 
 like phantoms. Never have I seen any other 
 living thing so ethereal and ghostlike as these 
 fowls. Their necks were little larger than pipe- 
 stems! Their legs resembled knitting needles, 
 and their alabaster bodies looked more fragile 
 than the leaf of a calla lily. Their almost color- 
 less and unwinking eyes added still greater un- 
 reality to the general effect. Yet were they 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 237 
 
 beautiful beyond description, with that beauty 
 which lies ofttimes in the grotesque and unusual. 
 These fowls were in perfect health and were two 
 years old. They had been secured from nests 
 in the marshes of Trinidad where they breed, 
 and had grown and thrived on their natural 
 food of raw fish and raw meat ; a most astonish- 
 ing diet for such ephemeral looking creatures. 
 
 In Trinidad where these birds are most 
 numerous, no suffering is connected with the 
 process of securing the delicate feather, known 
 as the Aigrette. 
 
 The taking of the aigrette from under the 
 birds' wings is no more painful than the plucking 
 of the ostrich plume or the elimination of a hair 
 from the human head. Unless the aigrette is 
 pulled by man, it turns black and is removed 
 by the bird herself. The fishermen who secure 
 these aigrettes for merchants do so in a man- 
 ner so adroit that the bird never knows what 
 has happened until it is over. 
 
 The men wade into the marshes to their arm- 
 pits; they place a large tropic leaf the size of a 
 parasol over their heads. On this leaf is scat- 
 tered raw meat or fish to attract the birds, and 
 as soon as they alight the fisherman reaches 
 through the leaf, grasps their legs, quickly pulls 
 out the aigrettes and lets the birds go. 
 
 The killing of birds to secure their plumage 
 
238 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 for hats is an abomination and a shame to all 
 womankind in the eyes of the Creator. Un- 
 fortunately in other parts of the West Indies 
 this slaughter goes on in the interests of fashion: 
 and the aigrette which decorates the beauty 
 means suffering and death to our feathered kin, 
 in nine instances out of ten. 
 
 The owner of the white heron told me an 
 amusing story of the vanity of these ethereal 
 creatures. 
 
 "If you place a large mirror before them," 
 he said, "they will all congregate and stand the 
 entire day taking different poses, and evidently 
 admiring themselves." I saw several of them 
 during my stay at the hotel poised on the 
 edge of a large basin of water gazing into its 
 surface where their delicate and grotesque 
 beauty was reflected. 
 
 Himself solved to his own satisfaction the 
 phantom quality of these birds. 
 
 "I think," he said, "they are the souls of black 
 women whose whole lives were one impassioned 
 plea to the Creator to be white. So they have 
 come back to the land where they toiled and 
 suffered — white, idle and happy in being al- 
 lowed to contemplate their snowy reflections." 
 
 Who knows? 
 
Trinidad. — The Prison Island in Harbor. 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 239 
 
 CARIBBEAN TRAGEDIES. 
 
 The Caribbean Sea, and the West India Is- 
 lands have been scenes of innumerable dramas 
 and tragedies. The buccaneer, the pirate and 
 the slave owner who were actors in these scenes, 
 no longer exist. 
 
 All those dramas of land and sea are in the far 
 past. With the exception of the "Black Re- 
 public" there is no bloodshed, no slaughter of 
 human beings, no pirating and buccaneering, 
 or looting of towns, taking place on the shores 
 of the Caribbean Seas. 
 
 But there is a silent tragedy continually being 
 enacted on every one of the West Indian Islands; 
 a tragedy which must continue to be enacted 
 for hundreds of years to come and must affect 
 thousands and tens of thousands of unborn 
 souls. 
 
 I refer to the tragedy of mixed blood. When 
 the Spanish race brought over the first African 
 slaves, in 1509, miscegenation, the greatest evil 
 which ever befel the black or white race, took 
 root in the West Indies. With it began the 
 deterioration of the African race, and with it 
 began such a series of calamities and sorrows 
 for the world, as only a series of volumes could 
 contain if related. 
 
240 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 I 
 
 It is a curious fact that the one race in the 
 world which universally strives to conceal and 
 deny itself when mixed with other bloods, is 
 the African. All over America, may be found 
 proud families who boast of some Indian fore- 
 bears. To descend from Pocahontas is thought 
 to be a distinction. So great a distinction that 
 pretense often lays claim to what veracity could 
 not prove, if the family tree were climbed for 
 evidence. The Chinese, the Japanese, the Pole- 
 nesian — all pride themselves upon their blood. 
 A beautiful woman in Paris when asked of her 
 nationality, tells with evident pleasure that her 
 mother was half Polynesian, half Chinese, and 
 that through her American father the character- 
 istics of three nationalities belong to her. 
 
 But never has any instance been known where 
 concealment was in any degree possible,or where 
 the question was open to the least doubt, that 
 one with African blood boasted of the fact. 
 
 It is difficult to understand why this should 
 be so. The Indian tribes in the West Indies — 
 the Carib's especially — were savage cannibals, 
 quite as barbarous as any of the Africans. They 
 boiled their enemies, ate their flesh, and saved 
 the fat to annoint their children and they held 
 women in low esteem, making them little more 
 than beasts of burden. Yet any man or woman 
 in the West Indies who possesses a few drops of 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 241 
 
 Carib blood hastens to inform you of the fact; 
 and any man or woman in whose veins runs a di- 
 lution of negro blood; would rather die than own 
 to it, if denial will lead to possible belief on the 
 listener's part. 
 
 In the effort at concealment continually being 
 made in the West Indies by people descended 
 from a mulatto, or an octoroon, or a still more 
 remote type, lies the tragedy of the age. Even 
 among the mulattoes who show all the African 
 characteristics, this ceaseless effort goes on. 
 Woolly locks are parted and pulled into pitiful 
 bunches and fastened with combs and hidden by 
 knots of ribbon, and brown faces are powdered, 
 and black hands concealed under white gloves, 
 all bespeaking the heartaching and breaking 
 passion of the poor woman to make herself what 
 she can never be. 
 
 The pride of any woman of African descent, 
 in straight hair, causes her to display such 
 locks to their utmost, and on every possible 
 occasion. Women may be seen in public 
 places with loosely falling hair, or with only a 
 ribbon tied about the unbraided mass. Often 
 their favorite diversion is to sit at an open win- 
 dow, brushing and combing these unkinked 
 locks, so happy in their possession that African 
 features, and a mahogany skin are for the time 
 forgotten. 
 
 16 
 
242 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 The white man's sin is everywhere evident in 
 the West Indies ; and where it is not evident, it 
 often lurks, a greater menace to happiness than 
 when unconcealed. 
 
 In one of the West Indian schools, among 
 500 children of varied hues (all colored) a boy 
 of ten was noticeable for the pale yellow of his 
 hair, the startling whiteness of his skin, and 
 the blue of his eyes. Inquiry proved, how- 
 ever, that he came from African stock. Well 
 educated and placed in western circles, he 
 might easily at the age of 25, pass as a white 
 man. 
 
 Regarded from any standpoint the life of 
 such a boy is full of the elements of tragedy. 
 If he associates with people of color, he will be 
 regarded as a white man out of his proper 
 sphere and if he conceals his lineage and mar- 
 ries a white woman, another of these sorrowful 
 dramas will be enacted which are constantly 
 occurring in the West Indies. While I was 
 there one of the American Consuls received a 
 letter from the States regarding the family of a 
 young lady visiting in the North. The girl is 
 beautiful, a slender brunette, and highly accom- 
 plished. Her family has money and position. 
 While the letter gave no reason for the inquiry, 
 the Consul understood that the young woman 
 had interested some son of a Northern mother 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 243 
 
 who felt impelled to investigate the girl's lin- 
 eage. 
 
 "Of course I declined to mix in such a purely- 
 personal matter," the Consul said. "In my 
 position it would be wholly out of place, yet, 
 while I could have said only the most compli- 
 mentary things of this young girl and her im- 
 mediate family, I would have been obliged, if 
 forced to tell the truth, to say that her father's 
 ancestry led into the domain of color. His 
 grandfather, a red haired Scotchman, took a 
 handsome mulatto slave for a mistress. One 
 son she bore him was light colored and very 
 bright and the Scotchman (who was married 
 and the father of several girls) adopted his octo- 
 roon son and raised him with every advantage. 
 This octoroon was the grandfather of the young 
 girl now residing in the States." 
 
 "But there would really be no danger in a 
 union with such a remote descendant of the 
 race," I said, "surely the blood becomes so 
 diluted that none of its unpleasant character- 
 istics would be liable to appear." 
 
 "So I thought," the Consul replied, "until I 
 came here to live. But I have been a personal 
 witness to several proofs to the contrary. For 
 instance, one English girl met and married the 
 son of a wealthy West Indian planter, during 
 the first year of my Consulship. The father 
 
244 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 of the young man was born in England and had 
 married on the Island. The son was sent to 
 England and educated. After his marriage he 
 settled here. One year later a blonde baby was 
 born to them; The image of its mother. But 
 in two years time an undeniable negro boy ap- 
 peared, dark skinned, flat nosed and kinky 
 haired. The young father himself had been 
 kept in ignorance of his mother's mulatto an- 
 cestry." 
 
 Of course these cases are exceptional. Where 
 one child "throws back" to use a stock breeding 
 term, and reveals the African traits, a score are 
 born where the blood has become diluted and 
 the negro has become extinct in the race. 
 
 I have no doubt that in hundreds of proud 
 families in the Southern States today, and in- 
 deed in families scattered all over America, 
 there runs a vein of negro blood, all unknown 
 to them. 
 
 But so long as the negro himself wants to 
 change his color, so long as the mulatto and 
 the quadroon and the octoroon seek to obliter- 
 ate all evidences of their African origin, this 
 subject of mixed bloods will make sorrow in the 
 West Indies. 
 
 Born of great volcanic labor pains of Mother 
 Earth, passionate creations of some vio- 
 lent force in nature, these beautiful Islands 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 245 
 
 seem themselves like gorgeous Octoroons, des- 
 tined to tragic experiences. Earthquakes, hur- 
 ricanes, tidal waves, eruptions and revolutions 
 in rotation periodically disturb their brief 
 seasons of repose. Never do they know real 
 peace, real calm, absolute safety, and con- 
 tinual prosperity. 
 
&46 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 THE HOMEWARD VOYAGE 
 
 The beauty and restf ulness of the Queens Park 
 Hotel, and the charm of Trinidad, tempted us to 
 linger until every vestige of Winter's reign de- 
 parted from New York. 
 
 But after ten weeks of travel in tropical climate 
 (and with the recollection of two boats where 
 life had not been a dream of comfort), a desirable 
 ship for our home going was the first considera- 
 tion. 
 
 And so it resulted that we set sail one hot, Hot 
 March morning, for the eight days voyage to 
 New York, on board the Surinam, a Holland 
 American boat, that proved to be the perfection 
 of cleanliness and comfort. 
 
 There were but eight passengers, and only one 
 woman beside myself. She never appeared at 
 the meal hour, being in deep sorrow over the 
 death of a relative; so again I found myself 
 hostess at the ship's table; the handsome officers 
 and six men passengers, composing our dinner 
 party each evening. 
 
 The voyage was not marked by that same 
 spirit of comraderie, however, which makes the 
 memory of the cruise on "The President" so 
 lasting. Possibly the men were less interesting, 
 
SAILING SUNNY SEAS 247 
 
 and possibly the fact that we were all sailing 
 back to chill Northern weather, and into cold 
 Atlantic waters, instead of forth to summer lands, 
 in suuny seas, explains the difference. Our 
 holiday experiences were behind, instead of be- 
 fore us; we were all bent upon individual pur- 
 poses, instead of united in one idea of relaxation 
 and pleasure, as when bound for the West In- 
 dian shores. 
 
 Then too, with the excitement of the winter's 
 cruise over, I began to realize its hardships, and 
 the depleting effects of so much physical exer- 
 tion in a tropical climate. I was conscious of 
 being very tired. 
 
 With every expectation of happy reunions 
 and joyous hours ahead of me, I yet felt a pecul- 
 iar and unaccustomed depression of spirits as 
 we neared New York. 
 
 To amuse myself I tried a little card trick, 
 asking whether good luck and good cheer awaited 
 me on shore, and invariably the answer came in 
 the negative. 
 
 A few hours after our arrival we learned of 
 the illness of a near and dear friend, one whose 
 lovely face was the last to smile farewell to us 
 from the dock, as we had set forth on the Tagus 
 in early January. 
 
 A few weeks after our arrival in New York, 
 she too sailed out suddenly, at early dawn to the 
 
248 SAILING SUNNY SEAS 
 
 Port of all Souls. Alone and with no voice to 
 bid her bon voyage, and with no hand to wave 
 her farewell, she went upon her long journey, 
 leaving inexpressible sorrow in the hearts of 
 those who loved her. And they were many. 
 
 TO ONE WHO WENT AWAY. 
 
 Martha, the world seems smaller, since you went 
 And there are lonesome places everywhere; 
 Though Spring walks with us, and the earth is 
 
 fair. 
 Accustomed tasks bring not their old content: 
 Life wears her robe as one who hides a rent, 
 And Pleasure smiles as one who masks despair. 
 Yet, since your going, something new and rare, 
 With all the elements of Space is blent. 
 
 There is a friendlier feeling, in the far 
 
 Unmeasured distances that lie above, 
 
 And round about the earth. Each radiant star 
 
 Seems like a center of responding love. 
 
 The Silences have grown more eloquent, 
 
 Since in the stillness of the Dawn, you went. 
 
 The End. 
 
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