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YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

ALBERT H CHILDS
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THE AMERICAN TROPICS

The American Tropics
NOTES FROM THE LOG
OF A MIDWINTER CRUISE

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS

BY
WILLIAM THOMAS CORLETT

CLEVELAND
THE BURROWS BROTHERS CO.
1908

Copyright, 1908, t>y Wm. T. Corlett.

CONTENTS
Chapter I. — Southward on the Atlantic — Finding
Ourselves — Crossing the Sargossa Sea — First Landing,
at St. Thomas — Charlotte Amalia.
Chaptek II. — Porto Rico and Sau Jnan — St. Kitts
— ^Dominica, the Home of the Caribs — Martinique;
the Euins of St. Pierre; Fort de France.
Chaptee III. Baxbadoes the Populous — Trinidad —
First Glimpse of South America — Pitch Lake — The
Carnival and a Leper Hospital.
Chapter IV. — Sailing on the Caribbean — Glimpses
of the Spanish Main — Venezuela and Its Capital —
Venezuelans and Their Government — Over a Spur of
the Andes — Vegetation in the Torrid Zone.
Chapter V. — The Dutch West Indes — Colon the
Pestilential — The Canal Zone — Hq-w the Work Goes
On — The Ancient City of Panama.
Chapter VE.- — ^Shipboard Types — An Indignation
Meeting — The Approach to Jamaica — Bangston and
Environs — Concerning the Earthquake — On Jamaica's
Eoaclways — The Jamaica of Now and Then — Spanish
Town — 'Two Famous Parks — Port Antonio — The Race
Question. Chapter VII. — Cuba the Liberated— Santiago as a
Promised Land — The Harbor as a Temporary Resi
dence — Havana; Some Improvements and Some Mem
ories — The Day They Celebrate.
Chapter VIII. — The Bahamas, the Isles of June —
Old Pirate Havens — Nassau and Its Sea-Gardens —
Watling's Island (San Salvador) — Back to the Realm
of the Frost King.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

An Amateur Exploring Party .

"He Had a Stateroom on the Upper Deck, ^"f '"«¦
pagt

Frontispiece
Deck
Mounting Aloft

and I Found Him .
At St. Thomas Harbor
Modern Merchandising in Porto Eico
In the Suburbs of Porto Eico .
One op the Finest, Porto Eico .
The Astronomy Class ....
Pelee and Euins of Martinique
Street and Cathedral, Fort de France
In the Shopping District, Bridgetown
Walking on Great Pitch Lake, Trinidad
Avenue op Palms, Port of Spain
Caracas prom Miraploees .
Gran Hotel Klint, Venezuela .
Eailway Station, Venezuela
Farm House and Stables, Venezuela
Wharf at Colon 
Types of New Dwellings, Canal Zone
As It Was, Canal Zone
A Street op the Ne-wer Panama
An Old Church, Panama
Apter the Earthquake, Kingston .
Another E^ngston Instance
Irrigation Ditch, Bog WAlk, Spanish Town
El Morro, Santiago
The Cathedeal, Havana
In the Shopping District, Havana

142337 39
424650 6065707592
100106
109
115 126
130136138151154162175188
191

THE AMERICAN TROPICS
CHAPTER I
THE moming was clear and cold, with
a crispness in the air that turned
one's thoughts immediately to fur
coats and steamer rugs. There was the usual
commotion, the running to and fro one al
ways sees on an ocean steamer clearing for a
long voyage. On deck and below there was
the same eager, elbowing crowd of friends
of the departing, blocking companionways
and obstructing the handling of luggage.
Everybody was talking in a high key, when
suddenly — ^yes, startlingly so — the whistle
blew with sueh a long, deafening, over-
powerful, ear-splitting sound that, the very
ship -vibrating, a cannon would scarcely have
been heard. My friend was saying: "Do
you  " when a most helpless expression
overspread his face; he endeavored to finish
the sentence, until, discouraged, his lips
ceased to move and he stood looking at me
as if stricken with palsy. It was eleven
o'clock; those not booked for the trip had

The American Tropics

gone ashore, the band struck up. Tes, we
were mo-ving — ^backing out of the slip into
the broad North Eiver, dotted -with ice floes.
Then there was much wa-ving of handker
chiefs and peering of anxious faces to catch
the last good-bye salutes as the huge mon
ster of the seas turned gracefully and
steamed slowly down the bay.
Who has not decided in his O'wn mind at
a first glance at his fellow-passengers on an
ocean liner that the assembly is absolutely
uninteresting, and been surprised afterward
upon an inspection of the passenger list to
find Herr von This and Herr von That reg
istered, together with a sprinkling of Barons
and a Baroness or two? Besides these, we
had an Ober-schatsmeister of some provin
cial German city, an Herr Vice-President
der Oberrechnungskammer Busse and Ms
Frau Gemahlin, and a KaiserUcher Begier-
ungsrat Herr Dr. Hochwald von Schack.
Mr. George Fitzsimmons Earl and valet
were of course there, and Mrs. Gotrocks
[12]

A Midwinter Cruise

Chester-Jones and maid. I wondered where
these people were, expecting them to shine
out with unusual splendor in the motley
gathering. Slowly we passed through the Nar
rows and Sandy Hook loomed up ahead as if
to dispute the right of way, but we com-
promised^as is the custom of pilots when
there is a prospect of striking land ahead.
Just as we thought the ship 's course was set
to plow through the high sand ridge, it be
gan to veer to port, at first impercep
tibly, then hard and harder until Sandy
Hook was rounded. Almost everybody on
deck was armed with a camera and quite
naturaUy took a snapshot at the Goddess
of Liberty, who, strange to say, stood un
moved, gazing into the distance as if she had
more weighty thoughts. A guileless looking
person, possibly from the middle west, or
Vay do-wn east, and e-vidently somewhat
hazy about the points of the compass, took
a snapshot at Coney Island in the distance
[13]

The American Tropics

far beyond range, and asked a bystander
if the white object was the Sun Building;
when told that it was the White Elephant she
looked incredulous but finally considered it
worthy to make a note of.- At noon we were
at sea, and a cold sea it was on that Thurs
day, the last day of January.
After gazing thoughtfully, almost sadly,
at the last landmarks, which seemed to wave
their fond adieus as they disappeared from
sight, one naturally devoted his attention to
his immediate surroundings. My friend the
Columbia professor had a state-room on the
upper deck, and I found him, satchel in hand,
mounting aloft and looking in vain for his
number on the state-room doors in the -vicini
ty of the smoke-stacks. He was directed
downward and investigated the next deck,
the promenade deck, and still did not find
his number. Finally he wandered do-wn to
the saloon deck where I was located and saw
a sign at the head of the stairway pointing
downward: "Zum obern deck." He has a
[14]

'he had a STATEROOM ON THE UPPER DECK, AND I FOUND HIM . . MOUNTING ALOFT.

A Midwinter Cruise

happy faculty of seeing the ludicrous and
remarked that the decks must have been
named when the ship was upside do-wn. He
seemed never to become accustomed to going
down when he was supposed to go up, for
every down-stairs, he observed, is marked
as leading to upper something.
The sea was smooth ; I overheard some one
say there was no sea, but this I could hardly
believe. At one o'clock the first luncheon
was served; it was a solemn, uncomfortable
repast, every one staring at his neighbor op
posite -without the least sign of cordiality
and eating as if he had come aboard for that
express purpose; yet vnth many one could
imagine an uncertainty in this preoccupation
as if he -were not quite sure of his power of
endurance. Then there was the usual don
ning of golf caps, yachting caps and various
head coverings; together with ulsters of
many shapes and colors, indicating more or
less the taste and social environment of the
wearer. At four o'clock a long table was
[IS]

The American Tropics

spread on the lee deck, which was also the
sunny side of the ship, and tea, coffee, sand-
-wiches and sweets were served. Soon the
evening sun sank into his watery bed on our
right — we were steaming southeast. After
dinner, which was served at seven o'clock,
the air was milder so that when walking on
deck an overcoat was not needed. There was
a choppy sea, but with a reputed steady boat
of 12,000 tons no discomfort was felt by the
ship 's crew, and even some of the passengers
were present to hear the Captain's speech
at dinner. A truthful report of the effort
would not describe it as highly brilliant, nor
was its effect enhanced by finding expres
sion in English, since it was very e-vident
that the Captain was not bom to that tongue.
However the incident was not looked upon
with disfavor, and the speaker was more ob
viously relieved than were his auditors when
the duty was disposed of.
An arrangement previously made with the
bath steward for 6:45 a. m. proved almost
[16]

A Midwinter Cruise

superfluous, as the port-hole in my room was
in the ceiling over my bed and leading to the
promenade deck. Of course it was open and
promptly at four o 'clock I was deluged by a
stream of water intended to wash the deck —
but I am fond of sea-water. Besides it gave
me an early opportunity to note that it was
several degrees warmer than in New York
the moming before.
The second day out, the first of February,
was mild, moist, with patches of rain. The
sea continued choppy. We were off Hatteras,
but far to the eastward. The sea-gulls
which had followed us had disappeared with
the night.
On the third day it was warmer with a gen
tle rolling sea, and at night the stars shone
out with unwonted lustre. Orion was the
most familiar constellation on account of his
bejewelled sword-hilt and belt, but Sirius
was the most bevritching gem of the heav
ens. The North Star and the Dipper were

[17]

The American Tropics

nearer the horizon. Our general direction
continued southeast.
The fourth day marked an epoch in ship life.
The officers appeared in white duck, and the
lowest of deck-hands donned a white suit,
or at least a straw hat. This latter embellish
ment was often grotesque and transformed
the traditional Jack-tar into the conventional
harvest hand of an American farm. With
this official transformation, he who had not
brought along at least a white cap and his
last year's summer suit presented a sorry
spectacle. My mind was occupied in devis
ing a suitable means of revenge on the person
who settled my wavering mind on leaving
by saying "By all means take along a steam
er rug."
But in this soft, seductive air re
vengeful thoughts make little headway. It
was easier to lean over the railing and look
at the beautiful indigo blue of the water,
watching the spray from the ship spread
out like white lace-work on the silken
surface as we moved along. The sea was al-
[18]

A Midwinter Cruise

most flat and glassy, while gently rolling, pro
ducing undulations like the breathing of the
huge monster that it is. Apparently there
were many new arrivals this morning. The
deck chairs were nearly all occupied. The
woman from the Far West — or some other di
rection equally significant — who sat opposite
had come to life, although showing the
-withering effects of a sea voyage to one not
yet immune. As the day wore on and the
surface of the deep settled to a more stable,
more horizontal condition, hope revived in
many a breast and the erstwhile silent were
heard again. Fields of sea-weed could now
be seen; such observation, you remember,
cheered the faltering spirits of Columbus's
men on his first voyage. Only three ships
had been sighted since leaving Sandy Hook.
It was so warm at eleven o'clock that the
mere exertion of writing made one perspire.
The whole environment was soothing, sen
suous, delightful; some one was improvising
on the piano, and the vague melody bore
[19]

The American Tropics

one's thoughts away to the Isles of Balm.
During the first two days we were in
communication with the Marconi station at
Cape Cod and New York, but now we were
beyond the reach of news from the outside
world. My friend the Columbia professor
remarked that the line of tbe horizon seemed
more circumscribed and the earth's plane
smaller; so our observations being confined
to a limited area the minutest details of the
ship-world assumed proportionate import
ance. Gossip replaced the daily paper. The
wonderful mysteries which surrounded us
passed unheeded, however, by a very large
number, who buried themselves in books
covered -with printers ' ink, or more apatheti
cally whiled away the time with cards. It
has often occurred to me as strange that more
people do not prefer to enjoy luxurious loaf
ing at home, instead of subjecting themselves
to the many annoyances of travel, when ap
parently they derive so little from it.
Tbe only serious duty of the day, after
[20]

A Midwinter Cruise

taking a smart trot and a ride of a few miles
on the camel in the gymnasium, was to pro
cure tickets for the land excursions. Here,
too, I heard some one remark that he was all at
sea. But none of us realized how completely
we -were adrift until we took up the subject
of these excursions and endeavored to de
termine something definite concerning them.
The printed circulars "were assuring, of
course, and held out attractions not hereto
fore offered, but old travelers are wary of
excursions of all kinds ; so the Columbia pro
fessor, the doctor, and myself selected only
those which, from our lack of definite data
as to trains, we felt compeUed to choose in
order to be sure of re-embarkation. To be
left, Crusoe-like, on an island with a Carib
population is a situation not especially pleas
ant to contemplate. To tarry longer than
exigencies required in the unsettled states
which compose the Spanish mainland seemed
scarcely judicious — so we erred, if err we
did, on the side of safety. [21]

The American Tropics

As the day wore on and the sun neared
the water-line, the clouds took on at first a
golden then a reddish-purple tint, which
changed to the most peculiar greenish color.
It was the first time I had ever seen green
clouds. They were not confined to any par
ticular part of the heavens, but were general,
although most massed towards the horizon
and most marked in the east opposite the
sunset glow. We stood watching them slow
ly roll and change into various forms, aU
tinted with a rainbow green. The effect
lasted until nightfall.
The ship presented now her fuU comple
ment of passengers, some of them very much
in evidence. With land ahead and the bul
letin's announcement that breakfast would
be served at six in the morning and that im
mediately thereafter we were to land, no
chair at dinner was vacant. I resolved to
rise early for the distant -view of St. Thomas,
and to catch a gUmpse of the first land seen
since lea-ving the Atlantic Highlands, but
[22]

A Midwinter Cruise

my resolutions went awry and I was not on
deck until we had dropped anchor in the
beautiful amphitheatre-like harbor of Char
lotte Amalia, about a mile from shore. We
were welcomed by a self-appointed reception
committee which surrounded our ship in
small boats of various shapes and sizes. The
nominal occupation of these native boatmen
is landing passengers, but as we were towed
ashore by our own steam launches in the
ship's boats, they were left to other de-vices,
mainly diving for coins thrown from
our decks. They certainly were expert swim
mers and seldom aUowed a coin to reach a
very great depth before overtaking it. As
they wore no clothing worth mentioning, and
as they did not trust their companions,
each one, immediately on reaching the sur
face, deposited the coin in his mouth for safe
keeping. The cheeks of some of the more
successful in time bulged out to the storied
aldermanic fullness. As the first representa
tives of the Islands of the Blest they attracted
[23]

The American Tropics

keen interest. One usually detects more of
the African than the American in their physi-
ogomies and there is so marked a divergence
from any definite type that, -with their color,
which varies from mahogany to ebony, they
readily revealed their mixed or mongrel ori
gin. The to-wn of Charlotte Amalia, popularly
called St. Thomas, the only one of any im
portance on the island, is built on three hiUs,
the general surface of the land sloping up
ward from the sea and finally merging into
the mountainous interior. The island is
thirteen miles long, with an average width
of only three miles. To the right as you
enter stands Bluebeard's Castle surmount
ing a dome-shaped hill. The central hUl is
graced by the gray form of Blackbeard's
Castle. The hill to the left is near the docks
and seems to be given up to modem struc
tures of more utility. The to-wn -with its pic
turesque environment is charming and as
we approached the landing the dark-skinned
[24]

A Midwinter Cruise

officials attired in white duck presented a
natty appearance. They were courteous, as
was the population, which turned out to see
us. I was surprised to find EngUsh spoken.
In fact it seemed to be the prevailing tongue,
although the official language is Danish. It
is somewhat of a national disgrace to us that
the island of St. Thomas belongs to Denmark.
The air is humid, wdth rain clouds passing at
frequent intervals.
It seemed quite unnecessary to take a
carriage, so we engaged the services of a
young man to conduct us about the to-wn.
When one has the time and strength it is
better to walk, as many opportunities are thus
afforded of coming in contact -with the peo
ple and of observing a thousand and one
things that in driving might pass unnoticed.
Our guide, attired in an immaculate white
duck suit -with patent leather shoes, was
twenty-two, unmarried, black as a Nubian,
but -without the negro's features. Moreover,
[25]

The American Tropics

he was educated, spoke understandingly,
though guardedly, of the "Swettenham af
fair" when asked if he had heard of it, and
seemed eager to conduct us to the cable
office to read the latest bulletins. We pUed
him with all sorts of questions as we saun
tered along, and gathered, no doubt, an
amazing lot of misinformation, ranging in
subject from pickaninnies to pomegranates,
and from religion to the revenue of the is
land. Although not what one might truth
fully call a walking encyclopedia, he seemed
especially weU versed in local mythology
and appeared unduly eager to conduct us
to Bluebeard's castle; but we found the
streets leading thereto so full of life (every
woman seemed to have a new baby which
she carried astride on her hip) and the Col
umbia professor became so hopelessly ab
sorbed in the artistic ensemble and so inter
ested in the flora offering on aU sides abun
dant opportunities for study, that naturally
our progress was retarded. The doctor, too,
[26]

A Midwinter Cruise

who was rear guard at the time, had cer
tain well matured procli-vities accenting a
penchant for obtaining information direct
from its fountain source. So when the guide
slackened his pace he was asked, without
any warning, something like this : ' ' Will you
kindly elucidate more in extenso the present
trend of popular political thought?" Be
fore he eould reply his questioner continued :
"Did the consensus of opinion acquiesce in
the proposed transfer of allegiance from
Denmark to the United States?" The only
immediate visible effect on the guide was the
vdlting of his coUar, although when we dis
pensed with his services he demanded an ex
tra amount, which we promptly paid.
The view from the round tower of Blue
beard's Castle is imposing; it commands the
spacious harbor, the headlands in the dis
tance, as also the town with ita red-tiled
roofs and the surrounding country. Around
the Castle are numerous pieces of cannon
of various shapes and sizes, all sho-wing age
[27]

The American Tropics

and deteriorated by rust. They belong to
the old buccaneer days. Many of them stand
upright like posts ; as to whether or not they
were thus placed to mark the last resting
place of Bluebeard's seven wives we did not
obtain authentic information.
It is said that an underground passage
formerly existed connecting this stronghold
with that of Blackbeard, a brother pirate on
a neighboring hiU less than a rhile distant
and just beyond the center of the town. Ad
joining is the white stone villa of the ItaUan
consul, with its beautiful garden. February
is spring-time here and many of the flowers
were just in bloom. A more charming home
would be hard to find than this luxuriously
embedded, though simple, cottage, looking
down on an indigo sea. We did not call at
the American consulate, but those who did
reported that they found a cultivated negro
family. Doubtless a more appropriate ap
pointment and one fitter to blend -with the
environment than would be one invoMng a
[28]

A Midwinter Cruise

pitch-fork senator with Swettenham procliv
ities. Particularly interesting were the tropical
plants and trees, their green foliage and
bright flowers harmonizing with the delicate
reds, greens and blues of the buildings, all
soft in subdued light, but lighting up with a
blaze of glory in the bright sunshine; the
castor bean -with its broad, dark-green pal
mate-peltate leaves, growing to a height of
from eight to ten feet; small trees of pome
granate -with their beautiful red trumpet-
shaped flowers and their round apple-like
fruit; the sweet-smelling thomed acacia,
-with here and there a gooseberry tree, its
light green fruit clinging fungus-like from
its branches. The fruit we were told would
not be ripe until June. Stately, broad-limbed
mahogany trees, giant trees and others as im
posing, overhung the broad avenue along
which we passed. Of course there were majes
tic palms which seemed as natural to the
place as camels to the desert — date palms,
[29]

The American Tropics

cocoanut palms, and another which waa
pointed out as the mountain cabbage palm.
A species of locust, th,e carob-tree, with its
long, tongue-like pods, was also very plenti
ful and presented a striking appearance. It
is known here as woman's tongue tree, prob
ably because Moses is supposed to have used
the pods in sweetening the bitter waters of
Marah. "0 for a thousand tongues to tell;"
and here they were — ^women's tongues, too!
Abutting a small park stands a hospital of
two stories and beyond, in a narrow street,
a school was in busy session. We had pre
viously passed a Roman Catholic school in
connection -with the church, but here was a
counterpart of the little red school house
with its young woman teacher, having the
traditional birch resting across her lap. It
looked so promising as a source of informa
tion that one of us proposed that we enter.
The buUding is situated slightly back from
the street, and, like many structures in warm
countries, has an open front, so that our en-
[30]

A Midwinter Cruise

trance, camera in hand, was less formal than
it might seem to be. Teacher and taught were
black, or at least of a rich mahogany color.
A reading class of the larger boys was recit
ing, and, standing where I could look over a
boy's shoulder, I was able to follow them
as they in turn stood up and read. It was
difficult to understand on account of their
peculiar intonation. On the street and when
by themselves they use what is called "flat
English," a patois which makes it more dif
flcult for them to conform to even the simple
diction of an English flrst reader. An es
pecially interesting feature to us was the
teaching of less advanced classes by older
boys who looked more like miniature slave-
drivers with their inevitable birches than
embryos in pedagogy. Aside from the rod
as a means of enforcing discipline, an ex
pedient was adopted which I had never be
fore seen: that of standing the pupil on the
floor before the whole school with his eyes
shut. With three hundred and flfty pale-
[31]

The American Tropics

faced and much clothed tourists in town, and
the arrival of two war-ships in the harbor
firing salutes, no wonder the row of six mis
creants who stood surreptitiously blinking at
us felt the punishment most keenly, for it
seemed more dreaded than the rod. We were
told that the teacher received forty dollars
a month and that attendance at school was
compulsory, a fine of ten cents a day being
imposed for absence between the ages of
seven and thirteen.
The merchants, especially the post-card
and photograph shop-keepers, did a thriv
ing trade while we were in town. They were
most courteous and liberal in their dealings
so far as I could see. An instance wiU suf
fice: one of my friends, though inured to
metropolitan life, became so pro-vinciaUzed
by the quiet indolence and familiar faces of the
long voyage, that in the throng of the shop
ping street and in the momentous process of
selecting post-cards he departed tranqmlly.
leaving his camera on the counter. In time,
[32]

A Midwinter Cruise

wishing to use it, he became aware of its ab
sence, and, retracing his steps, found it just
as he had left it. Fortunately we did not en
counter any green goods men or exploiters
of native gold bricks.
Formerly sugar cane was largely culti
vated, but with the abolition of slave labor
in 1848 this industry subsided. Bay mm is
made here in large quantities and it is of
superior quality. The grazing of cattle is
said to be one of the main industries. The
island is not especially fertile, nor are its
people overburdened -with wealth, as in the
good old buccaneer days.
Yet with its healthfulness, its cUmate and
its transcendent beauty, it is in truth one of
the Islands of the Blest. 0 happy, peaceful
Charlotte AmaUa, queen of the summer sea!
"Where cocoas gro-w-, and mangoes,
And groves of feathery palm,
And nightingales sing all night long
To roses breathing balm."

[33]

CHAPTER H
THE novelty of the situation being some
what abated, the ship 's world began to
arrange itself much as it does on terra
firma. Men and women -with congenial
minds or with like tastes and embeUishments,
conspicuous or otherwise, formed acquaint
anceships which rapidly matured under the
favoring influences of the tropics into co
teries more or less exclusive. There was the
professional politician from Indiana who
could be heard several times a day — "My
plurality as sheriff was 39,000, while Roose
velt only got 40,000," etc. Another, the
capitalist, whose place of residence seemed
to be unsettled, after a few introductory re
marks, brought up the subject of prospective
investments which had brought him south
ward. I could not dispel the illusion that
"the capitalist" had taken advantage of a
short lull in the Grand Circuit proceedings
[34]

A Midwinter Cruise

to quit the turf for a time, possibly to re
cuperate his failing health or fortune — ^but
my impressions are only impressions.
Of course the congenial man was there
who knew everyone on board, was very at
tentive to the ladies — excepting, possibly, hia
wife — ^had been in every place worth seeing,
and who, had an election been held, would,
without the formality of the usual caucus
proceedings, have cut do-wn the sweeping ma
jority of "the sheriff" ten to one. He was
what they call a good mixer. He not only
penetrated the mystic circle of the "smart
set" but soon assumed the role of leader,
covering it as it were with a mantle of re
spectability, of leaming, and, like the dome
which graces the temple of astronomy on
Mt. Hamilton and shines afar, his influence
was paramount. Before his able leadership
began, the smart set had been mainly dis
tinguished by a feat of one of its dashing
beauties, who kicked off the Captain's cap
when he appeared on the hurricane deck to
[35]

The American Tropics

investigate the Mlarity foUowing the im
bibing of a few bottles of schaumwein. It
was said that the sun-cured, salt-dried old
Captain of this staid KjaiserUche ship looked
surprised at his reception and said: "Lady,
you embarrass me. ' ' But none of these Uttle
eccentricities occurred after the smart set
organized "The Knights of the Southern
Cross," whose ostensible object was watch
ing, from the hurricane deck, this beautiful
constellation rise from its watery bed at mid
night and project its holy emblem over a sin-
cursed world. Aside from these various
types which at least lent the charm of va
riety, the indi-vidual who must do something
was in e-vidence. His acti-yities took the form
of raising a subscription and collecting a
fund for the stokers and other employees of
the Kaiserlicheamerikanischepackbootactien-
geseUschaft, whose duties did not necessari
ly compel the passengers to pay their sal
aries. The run from St. Thomas to San Juan
[36]

A Midwinter Cruise

takes five hours, but with luncheon and dis
tant headlands to occupy one's attention, we
were steering along the coast of Porto Rico
before we realized it. Then the frowning
old fortress loomed up in the distance. It
seemed strange to see the American flag
floating from this old Spanish stronghold.
With our glasses we could see soldiers in
khaki suits walking about on the ram
parts. To the right on a rocky island is a
whitish building which I afterwards leamed
is the Leper Hospital (with twenty-eight in
mates), admirably situated for an isolation
hospital ; then we rounded El Morro and en
tered the broad harbor or bay where numer
ous craft lazily basked in the evening sun.
Yes, we were at Porto Rico. How often of
late years when our eyes beheld the name
had we endeavored to picture with the
mind's eye some vague outlines of its appear
ance ! San Juan stands high on a bluff with
an undulating surface extending upward and
backward from the sea. On the opposite side
[37]

The American Tropics

oi the bay one can make out wooded low
lands, backed by the serrated outline of
mountains. The band struck up "America,"
while the ship stirred up the mud; in fact,
there was an impression that we were stuck
in the mud, but this was an error, for after
changing her position, as if to rest more
comfortably, the engines ceased throbbing
and the anchor dropped.
The town is built mainly of masonry in
the old Spanish style, the buildings abutting
the sidewalk, the streets narrow. More
people live in the business section than is
common in American cities. Few glazed win
dows are seen except in the more modem
houses in the suburbs. Wooden shutters are
used instead, and during the evening these
are thrown open showing the family sittinr^,
reading or entertaining apparently as uncon
scious of being observed as if they were in
the seclusion of a castle with portcuUis and
moat. In fact the contrast between a San
Juan dwelling vsdth its front thrown open
[38]

A Midwinter Cruise

directly on the street and the walled privacy
of an English house is most striking.
Life is less strenuous here than in an
American city, but people seem to get along
quite as well and get as much enjoyment
from Ufe as we do. Naturally, the change
from Spanish to American regime made a
certain amount of uncertainty inevitable, and
society may now be considered still unsettled.
The older people who had regal pri-vileges
and emoluments must feel the difference with
disappointment. A comparatively small
number, I imagine, are thus affected, while
the younger generation and some of the more
intelUgent of the people less favored by for
tune, are glad of the change. The ma
jority of the islanders are probably
now dominated less by priests than by
politicians, who, like weeds in new-tilled
ground, if not discouraged at the root, grow
faster for the upheaval. Neither is the pro
moter conspicuous by his absence, and one
hears of schemes promising large returns and
[39]

The American Tropics

investments paying a high rate of usury.
The island seems to be prosperous, but its
greatest hope for the future lies in the weU-
equipped schools — and there are many in
San Juan and Ponce — established by the
American government. Spanish is the lan
guage used, but EngUsh is taught and many
of the younger people make some attempt at
speaking it.
The streets in San Juan not only serve as
roadways, but they, -with the parks and
squares, are places of meeting. Everything
is in plain -view, the shops show all their
wares, and the band plays in the plazas Sun
day afternoons and on certain evenings. It
seemed strange on inquiring one's way of a
poUceman wearing the United States army
uniform and armed with a club and pistol to
find that he spoke no English. I was told
that some of the people object to having the
streets thus patroUed by policemen who are
in fact United States soldiers. "We have al
ways gotten along without them, ' ' they say,
[40]

A Midwinter Cruise

"and why not now?" It would not be dif
ficult to find men, and women, too, in any of
our cities in the north who would make the
same plea for untrammelled license. Aside
from the street Ufe, the old Spanish forts,
the Governor's palace and Casa Blanca, built
by Ponce de Leon, are of interest to the tour
ist. El Morro stands on a promontory over
looking the sea and has a most picturesque
setting. We obtained permission to go
through the forts and were given a soldier
who seemed equaUy unfamiUar -with both re
treat and English, so we were compelled to
go the entire rounds, entering dungeons, de
scending into moats and mounting towers
until we were unfit for further duty the rest
of the day. In several languages, including
that of signs, we asked him to show
us out, but he persistently failed to grasp
our meaning; on the contrary, it seemed in
variably to remind him of some remote keep
or tower he had overlooked and thought we
[41]

The American Tropics

-wished to see. We were finaUy sho-wn out
and were driven to Fort San Cristobal, but
we contented ourselves with photographing
the gate and the policeman on guard; we
had no desire to be shown through.
The Governor's Palace is likewise beauti
fully situated, overlooking the harbor and
the sea. At present it is the residence of
General Magoon. It was carnival time and a
masked ball at the National Theatre was the
attraction of the evening, but the Fort had
made such a lasting impression on us that we
preferred to stay at home and watch the
rockets and illumination from the ship. It
is strange how quickly one develops a home
feeling for a ship !
The next morning, rain, and the wettest
rain one could imagine: but we had tickets
for the land excursion and visited a sugar
factory at Carolina, an old town an hour by
train from San Juan. The trolley line takes
one far into the country. This trip -with
a short drive on the far-famed Military Road
[42]

A Midwinter Cruise

which leads across the mountains to Ponce
completed our work for the day. Of course
the vegetation is tropical, but left more or
less in a wild state — ^which is also tropical.
The soil is black and seems very productive.
Sugar-cane and bananas are most generally
cultivated. Coffee and tobacco are also
grown — in fact the former gives employment
to twenty per cent, of the inhabitants of the
island. We saw some large plantations of
cocoanut trees. The average yield is about
a hundred to a hundred and twenty nuts per
tree, which harvest sells for about a dollar.
The trees begin to bear at the age of seven
years. We heard of a plantation with 37,-
000 trees, gi-ving a revenue of $37,000 a year
— we wondered if it were so.
This was really the first good opportunity
to shop and many of us bought souvenirs of
drawn linen, laces and hats. Not that the
hats were any better than could be procured
at any other place, but the weather was warm
and what is lighter than some varieties of
[43]

The American Tropics

Porto Rican straw? Then, those who had
forgotten to bring along summer clothing or
had been served with a misfit at St. Thomas
had an opportunity of trying again at San
Juan. We liked Porto Rico and were loath
to leave it; but we hope to retum, although
Americans who had been there a long time
said we would soon tire of it ; there is so little
variety and one grows weary even of the
glorious sunshine.
A more perfect morning would be difficult
to imagine than Thursday, the seventh of
February. I arose betimes and breakfasted
before the echo of the bugle call had pene
trated the various fastnesses of the ship,
and at half-past eight was seated, field-glass
and camera in hand, on the hurricane deck,
when the mud-clogged anchor was dra-wn up
on the forecastle deck and we swung grace
fully northward and put to sea. El Morro
stood out proudly in the clear air and never
flinched as a hundred cameras clicked a part
ing shot at its gray -walls — ^needless to say
[44]

A Midwinter Cruise

it was taken many times over, whatever hon
orable record it may have had in the past.
All day there was a strong trade -wind
from the south-east which stirred up the
white-caps; on shipboard no noticeable ef
fect was produced, except that the tempera
ture was made more agreeable. Our course
was southeast. We passed St. Croix, dis
covered by Columbus on his second voyage in
1493, to our starboard side about three o 'clock
in the afternoon, near enough to see the to-wn
of Christiansted, in which could be made out
two churches, three or four smoke stacks
from sugar factories, and, on the hiUs be
yond, what appeared to be water towers.
Through our glasses the buildings looked
clean, as if recently buUt, although this prob
ably was an optical delusion. St. Croix or
Santa Cruz belongs to Denmark. The gen
eral outUne of the island is hilly. Blue
Mountain (1,100 feet) near the center is the
highest peak. It is twenty-three mUes long
and six miles across at its -widest part. It
[45]

The American Tropics

lies forty miles south-east of St. Thomas.
Other islands were passed to our port, or left,
notably St. Kitts (British), but so far away
that we were able to discem only the gen
eral outUnes of smoky mountains. In some
parts it is said to be very fertile. It contains
about sixty-eight square miles and has about
30,000 inhabitants. It was discovered by Co
lumbus, who named it after his patron saint,
St. Christopher.
At about eleven o'clock in the even
ing the two upper stars of the Southem Cross
were visible, and at midnight the whole con
stellation stood out plainly above the water
line. I gazed long and thoughtfuUy, recaU-
ing the time I had first seen the Cross at Oriz
aba in southern Mexico. The North Star and
the Dipper could be seen in the opposite di
rection about four degrees from the horizon.
We were within seventeen degrees of the
equator. The f oUo-wing moming at dawn we found
ourselves opposite Dominica (British). Mt.
[46]

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THE ASTRONOMY CLASS.
A Midwinter Cruise

Diablotin (Little Devil) was fast asleep, his
head buried in a pillow of clouds or noxious
sulphur fumes. A good view could be ob
tained of the island's clear-cut, rugged out
Une, and later the sun lit up the verdant
slopes and revealed its shaded ravines and
dark chasms. It is twenty miles long by
sixteen at its widest part, ani contains about
two hundred and ninety-one square miles.
Besides the distinction of having the high
est mountain (5,314 ft.) in the whole chain
of the Lesser Antilles, it also has the
proud distinction of beiiig the home —
the last home — of the once powerful race
of Carib Indians, who disputed inch by inch
the followers of Columbus in their march of
extermination. They inhabited the islands
of the Caribbean Sea as well as the northern
coast of the South American continent,
which was later called the Spanish Main
(land). It may be further said that these natives did
not appreciate in the highest sense the mis-
[47]

The American Tropics

sionary methods of the sixteenth century, but
gave an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,
so to speak, with fair success until the intro
duction of measles, which proved to be a
weapon their susceptible bodies were unable
to withstand. In exchange tobacco was in
troduced into Europe, but apparently with
less deadly results. The Carib settlement is
on the windward or Atlantic side of the Is
land, but of the mUlions existing at the time
of Columbus's discovery only a few hundred
of this proud race remain of pure Caribbean
blood. A boiUng lake, due to volcanic dis
turbances, is situated about two thousand
feet above sea level and is one of the attrac
tions of Sabbath Island.
At nine o'clock the hazy, bluish-purple of
Mont Pelee (4,500 ft.) could be made out
ahead. As we neared the island of Martin
ique, a French possession, the sun became so
hot on the hurricane deck that -without the
strong trade wind it would have been almost
unbearable. At first the peak of Mont Pelee
[48]

A Midwinter Cruise

was hidden in cloudland, but as we came
alongside one could see what appeared to be
steam issuing from various crevices near the
summit. Then we passed opposite and suf
ficiently near to see distinctly the huge gorge
formed by the rushing waters of the volcanic
lake, La Soufriere, liberated on the eventful
morning of May 5th, as a prelude to the more
eventful morning of May Sth, 1902. No ves
tige could be seen of the prosperous sugar
mill which was situated near the shore in the
track of this formidable torrent.
It was a subUme, awe-inspiring spectacle.
Ahead with our glasses the low waUs of St.
Pierre could be made out. I knew a volcanic
eruption had devastated the prosperous city,
but I was unprepared for the total obli-vion
which had been wrought in about three
minutes of that awful day, when thous
ands of people lay scorched or smothering
beneath the hot ashes. The scene was one of
complete desolation and only the white forms
of a few tourists, whose yacht lay anchored
[49]

The American Tropics

near the shore, could be seen crawling like
ants over the crumbling walls already green
with a luxuriant vegetation of less than five
years. On landing in small boats on an ex
temporized wharf, we were brought in im
mediate contact with and could appreciate
more vividly, the effect of this cataclysm of
nature. The city of St. Pierre occupied a
plain but slightly elevated above the sea, ex
tending backward less than a mile, and not
more than t-wice this distance along the coast.
Surrounding are high hills and mountains,
some of the former green with sugar cane al
though not a habitation was in sight. To the
left, about nine or ten miles away, the cloud-
capped volcano of Pelee arose in majestic
grandeur. Little effort has been made at re-
habitation. A few of the streets have been
cleared and show the square stone pave.
ment, gutters and narrow sidewalks. The
houses stood directly on the street, compact
ly built of brick, cobblestones and mortar.
Near the beach the warehouses stood, and the
[SO]

.o M

A Midwinter Cruise

square block pavement extends to the wa
ter's edge. Here and there are large iron
rings for the mooring of ships, together with
posts, made by sinking the breech ends of can
non barrels into tbe earth. The latter serve
as firmer fastenings for larger craft. Even
of the larger buildings few retain any fea
tures by which they may be recognized. The
Cathedral, however, presents a facade com
prising the arched doorway and a portion of
the outer walls. The Jardin des Plantes is
buried under cinders and overgrown -with
rank vegetation. No trees are left, but here
and there a half -bumed trunk tells of the in
tense heat which accompanied the downfall
of ashes, cinders and stones. The story of
the eruption was told by but few eye-wit
nesses, because but few sur-vived. Mont
Pelee had the habit of acting queerly at
times, but not for a life-time had any erup
tion occurred sufficiently serious to endanger
the inhabitants of St. Pierre.
For some weeks the mountain had been
[51]

The American Tropics

wearing his smoke-cap and there had been
strange tremors of the earth. This increased
from day to day and the volcano threw out
steam and huge volumes of dust, but not un
til May 5th was there anything to cause
alarm. On that day there was a tremendous
explosion, accompanied by the eruption of
vast quantities of steam, smoke, mud and
cinders, followed by the on-rushing waters
of La Soufriere which had been liberated
and bore everything before them, furrowing
a huge gorge down the mountain side to the
sea. Of a hundred and twenty men employ
ed at the sugar factory at the time, including
the owner's son, not one escaped and not a
vestige of the mill was left.
This quite naturally aroused the people
of St. Pierre and a commission of local scient
ists was sent to the seat of disturbance, as
near the summit as they could go. Return
ing, they reported that the inhabitants had
nothing to fear, that the worst was over.
While there was great perturbation among

[52]

A Midwinter Cruise

dwellers in the whole north end of the island
and many thought of flight, yet through the
assurance of some of the less cautious and by
the publication of notices in the newspaper,
stating that there was nothing to fear and en
couraging them to pursue the even tenor of
their way, most of the inhabitants of St.
Pierre remanied, together with many who
had sought refuge in the town. While these
disturbances continued at intervals, a picnic
was arranged for the Sth of May to make the
ascent of the mountain — needless to say it
never occurred.
At this time there were many boats oi var
ious kinds at anchor in the roadstead; one
of these, an Italian steamer, was taking on a
cargo of sugar. Her Captain, familiar with
the Vesuvian eruptions, became alarmed by
the increasing violence of Pelee and asked
for his clearing papers. These were refused
by the port officers, who would not permit
his departure until the cargo had been taken
aboard. He threatened to sail without them,

[53]

The American Tropics

whereupon two officers were sent to detain
him. It was then four o'clock on the after
noon of May 7th, and but half a cargo was
aboard. Finally he informed the officers that
he would sail before sunset; if they wished
to go ashore this was their opportunity ; if not
he would take them along. Seeing his deter
mination they went ashore. Far at sea he did
not hear of the appalling disaster, the great
est that has ever befallen the American con
tinent, but leamed it upon reaching Italy a
fortnight or more later.
The next moming. May Sth, 1902, the sun
was obscured by smoke and volcanic dust;
a thunder-storm on Pelee with "vi-vid Ught-
ning added to the impression of impending
doom. At eight o'clock there was a tre
mendous explosion which shook the earth and
someone cried out: "Mont Pelee has blo-wn
his head into the sky!" What else was said
no man knows, for almost with the rapidity
of sound the blast of heat, dust, cinders and
molten rocks struck the town, and of its
[54]

A Midwinter Cruise

30,000 people but two were afterwards seen
alive: an aged woman who happened to be
in an underground room or cellar, and who
died some few weeks later from exposure
and neglect, and a criminal confined in a
dungeon, who was liberated by a rescuing
party and subsequently exhibited himself in
various American cities. AU but two of the
ships were burned or sunk by the impact.
The commander of one of the ships that es
caped was standing on the bridge when the
eruption occurred. He saw a cloud of fire
sweeping from the mountain side and made
an effort to escape by rushing inside the chart
house. An instant later, before he had time
to shut the door and windows, the blast
struck his ship, careening and nearly swamp
ing her with burning cinders. He was almost
smothered^ his hands and face were badly
burned and many members of the crew who
were exposed were killed outright. Only
those in closed rooms escaped the effect of the
blistering heat. With a few of those who
[55]

The American Tropics

were able to respond to his orders, the ship's
cables were slipped and he signalled for full
steam ahead. Fortunately three or four in
the engine room were not seriously dis
abled and after some delay in freeing the
steering gear, they succeeded in clearing the
roadstead and in seven hours reached the
harbor of Castris on the northern coast of
St. Lucia, about sixty miles to the south. The
captain and surviving sailors were found so
badly burned on arriving at the port that
they were sent to the hospital, and more than
one hundred tons of ashes were removed
from the ship, showing the imminent peril to
which they had been exposed — only by the
most prompt and heroic action were they
saved from destraction. Sad indeed was the
spectacle — and how changed the gay creole
city, once the deUght of all who knew her!
Not mountain's roar, thought I, nor hail of
fire henceforth wUl terrify your Ughtsome
heart — ^for dead and buried beneath six feet

[56]

A Midwinter Cruise

of ashes overgrown with green lies St.
Pierre. As the sun went down, fatigued with
climbing over fallen walls, we struck out on
a narrow footpath, thinking it led to the
beach, but finding ourselves threading our
way through dense vegetation, some appre
hension was felt lest the deadly yellow viper,
the fere de lance, might be encountered.
Just as our courage was beginning to wane,
the gentle swash of waves was heard ahead.
A few steps and our ship stood out huge and
black, silhouetted against the bright twilight
of the westem sky.
Steaming along the coast southward the
lights of Port de Prance were soon glimmer
ing near the water's edge. The following
moming, anchored in the open bay, our ship
was surrounded by the usual flotilla of small
craft with chattering, dusky occupants. At
a glance one could see the effect of the more
intimate mingling of races, Negro, Indian
and Caucasian, than is seen in the north, or
[57]

The American Tropics

even in the British West Indies. In more
than ninety per cent., I was told, negro blood
predominates. Few had even a suggestion of
clothing, an abandon also not tolerated in
most communities. While their wants are
few yet they have a keen thirst for coin
which they dived for even to considerable
depth. French is the language of the Is
land, though they garble it into a pecuUar
patois, which is not readily comprehended
by unaccustomed ears. Fort de France, of
a few thousand inhabitants, is situated on
low land, which during the rainy season must
be wet and swampy.
Few are the attractions offered to de
tain the traveler in the capital city of Mar
tinique. The statue of Josephine, once Em
press of the French, stands in the center of
a Savane of several acres immediately sur
rounded by a half dozen tall palms. It was
presented to the people of Martinique by her
grandson. Napoleon III, and is a beautifully
executed piece of white marble representing
[58]

A Midwinter Cruise

the wife of the great Napoleon in the full
flush of womanhood attired in a costume of
the time. She is looking away from the
town southward across the ridge of hills to
a spot some five miles away where on the
23rd of June, 1763, she was born. The su-
crerie, in which, after the destruction of the
"Grande Maison" by the hurricane of 1776,
she lived is still sho-wn and even the house
in which she was bom is pointed out, al
though some doubt as to the verity of the
association must be entertained. The statue
seemed to be somewhat out of place and the
more I saw of the town and its people the
stronger the impression grew. As a race it
must have degenerated during the past cen
tury and a half. Creoles there are still and
some not devoid of physical charm, yet it is
essentially a negro population -with the Af
rican rapidly gaining the ascendency. It is
estimated that fully sixty per cent, of the
births are illegitimate.
It was mid-day as we wandered through
[59]

The American Tropics

the narrow streets, past the attractive li
brary building, to the post-office, which was
closed for its noonday siesta, so we were di
rected to a green-grocer's opposite to buy
postage stamps. The Cathedral was open
but empty, and the only feature of note was
its hurricane-proof spire made of open iron
work. The market was alive with people,
women with huge baskets on their heads,
gossiping, and men bartering or seeking the
shade. Donkeys laden and children playing
in the street completed a picturesque gather
ing which, in the etemal sunshine, appeared
truly Quest Indienne.

[60]

STREET AND CATHEDEAL, FORT DE PRANCE.

CHAPTER HI
ONE hundred and forty miles as the
peUcan flies or as the trade-wind blows
and you come to the most thickly pop
ulated island in the world, Barbadoes, which
stands out in the Atlantic farthest to the east
ward like a bulwark protecting this great is
land chain. Lea-ving Martinique at nightfall
we took a southeasterly course and at day
break the foUo-wing moming entered Carlisle
Bay and dropped anchor less than a mile
from Bridgetown. The island is less moun
tainous than those we had previously seen,
ha-ving only a very few low mountains, more
hills, and for the most part an undulating
surface. It comprises an area of one hundred
and sixty-six miles, most of which is under
cultivation, and has a population of 200,000,
or about 1,200 to the square mile. Bridge-
[61]

The American Tropics

town, the capital and chief emporium, has
about 35,000 people. Barbadoes belongs to
Great Britain and, were it not for the African
complexion of the inhabitants, would seem
more British than does Britain herself.
On landing one is impressed by the white-
coated, white-helmeted mounted poUcemen,
and the 'igh 'atted cab drivers in a Uvery
of dark material ornamented with gUt but
tons, just as one sees them in Piccadilly or
Hyde Park, except that the ensemble shows
the effect of wear and weather of many sea
sons. The landing of three hundred and
fifty tourists, with the dazzUng — almost
blinding! — sunlight and the mercury just be
low the boiling point, had a demoralizing
effect on the dozen or more cab drivers in
waiting. Prices soared to the limit and re
mained there until our departure. We
found, ho-wever, strict order maintained. A
cabby who could not well bear up under the
exciting influence of rum and sudden pros
perity, was seen between two sturdy cops,
[62]

A Midwinter Cruise

shuffled along, noisy and gesticulating, to
durance vile.
Almost every one we saw appeared to be
doing something. I was told this was com
pulsory on account of the poverty of the is
land. There was no evidence of a noon-day
siesta; everybody seemed to be leading a
strenuous, though simple, life. African as
over ninety per cent, of the inhabitants are,
they are longer removed from the influences
of the jungle than are the blacks of the
southern states of America. This seemed the
greatest and almost the only safeguard the
place possesses, for the representatives of
the "mother country" appeared quite unUke
the 'Courteous and efficient, though at times
distant, Britons of officialdom as seen in most
of the capitals of the world. Their lot, if
they possess the flner qualities common to
their race, must be most depressing in a coun
try of so overwhelmingly African a popu
lation. Farly HaU, the house of the Governor,
[63]

The American Tropics

presents a pleasing appearance, surrounded
by dense tropical foliage ever green, with
here and there a flowering shrub or tree of
wondrous beauty. In striking contrast to
this is the Civil Hospital, which, like the cabs,
seemed reduced to the last extremity of ex
istence. Man wants but little here below,
however, and especially in Barbadoes where
the necessities of life are easily suppUed. A
congenial climate for the dark-skinned, the
bread-fruit tree spreading its broad-leaved
branches and growing fruit over the road
way and the cot, thus affording nourishment
with the least exertion and a grateful shade
to lie in. The chief industry is the cultiva
tion and manufacture of sugar; rum comes
next in importance. But the former has de
clined of late years under the competition
of beet-root sugar which is now so generally
grown in northern countries ; it is said that,
as a consequence, the island does not enjoy
a very high degree of prosperity. As in
Holland wind-miUs are utiUzed for motive
[64]

A Midwinter Cruise

power, here they are used in grinding sugar
cane. The Ice House is the popular rendezvous
for tourists in Bridgetown. It is a combina
tion of restaurant, bar and hotel, with its
main entrance from a grocery or general
store on the ground floor. Its specialties are
rum swizzle and flying fish, which might have
been more keenly relished but for the ex
ceUent larder and immaculate ser-vice of
"our boat." The fish tasted much Uke Eng
Ush sole; they were larger than those we
saw skimming the water's edge. Yams which
tasted like sweet potatoes were also served.
It is stated that the manufacture of ice ia
another of the products of this estabUshment,
but aside from the "swizzle" I neither saw
nor felt any suggestion of this department.
Some of Bridgetown's streets are attract
ive and the dwelUngs in-viting, but there is
no e-vidence of wealth and everything seems
to have been handed down from our great
grandfather's time — almost cmmbling with
[65]

The American Tropics

age. One must bear in mind that the island
was settled by the EngUsh (not their best
specimens in numerous instances) long be
fore American cities had passed the log-
cabin stage. Codrington College, founded
over two hundred years ago, is to "Bim-
shire" what Oxford is to England, and sup
pUes to the "Bims" of scholastic bent the
means of acquiring a fairly liberal education.
There is at least one thing which might be
adopted in some communities -with profit— the
aboUtion of that farce, a jury trial, which so
often places legal proceedings in America
in a bad light. Two magistrates determine
the case here, and I beUeve with more equity
than obtains under the jury system.
As the sun neared the western horizon we
felt that we had had a fuU day. From the
deck we watched the huge fire-ball approach
the water Une, sink below it, then came an
afterglow of a few minutes and it was
night —

[66]

A Midwinter Cruise

"The sun's rim dips; the stars rush out:
At one stride comes the dark.''
It was reported that a young lady of our
ship had been prostrated by the heat while
riding in the country, and although the at
tack proved to be not serious, it reminded us,
if such reminder were necessary, that we
were no longer in the temperate zone. Yes,
it was hot; but the faithful trade-wind ren
dered li-ving in the shade very agreeable. I
had long since dispensed with superfluous
clothing and at night my only coverlet was
the breeze which came from an electric fan.
Dressing for dinner now became a serious
problem and only by standing in line with the
fan could my collar be induced to retain any
semblance of respectability.
That night our course was south-west and
at 11:20 o'clock the Southern Cross stood
just above the sea mist on our port bow. At
midnight it was well up and four hours
after had almost traveled its visible
arc although it did not set until later. At
[67]

The American Tropics

six 0 'clock the day was breaking and the dim
outline of low mountains or hiUs could be
seen on both sides of the ship, the coast of
South America on our starboard bow, and
to port some small islands near Trinidad. At
sea, morning is the pleasantest time of day,
especially in the tropics. I sat on the hurri
cane deck enjoying the cool north-east trade-
wind after a sweltering night in my cabin;
no dew was perceptible, all was quiet; the
moon was in her last quarter and Jupiter,
the morning star, stood out large and bright
casting a shimmer on the rippling waves.
Ahead on our port side was a light that never
fails to guide the mariner into the Dragon's
Mouth. A water bird which looked Uke a
crane, flying northward to the open sea, was
the only living thing in sight. A speck on
the surface of the deep indigo blue ahead
proved to be the pilot boat, then a golden
halo appeared beyond the blue headlands in
the east. It was a quarter after six, the en
gines ceased throbbing and the ship came to
[68]

A Midwinter Cruise

a standstill. The pilot, a full-blooded negro
with a white cap and Unen coat, climbed over
the gunwale, the great heart of the ship
again began to throb. At half-past six the
eastern glow had vanished in the broad light
of day; three minutes later the sun peeped
above the blue hills of Trinidad and another
tropical day began. We had entered the
Dragon's Mouth. The time and place re-
caUed the fact that it was also Sunday, Trini
ty Sunday, on the 31st of July, 1496, that
Columbus sighted the island and named it
in honor of the day, La Trinidad. Skirting
its shores, endeavoring to flnd a suitable
landing, he entered the gulf at its southern
opening, the Serpent's Mouth (Boca del Si-
erpe) ; had he approached from the north
and attempted to enter the Dragon's Mouth
he might not have succeeded on account of
the strong currents which render it extreme
ly hazardous for sailing craft.
The Gulf of Paria is of a light, somewhat
turbid, green color and the air was hot to a
[69]

The American Tropics

superlative degree. Fortunately we reached
La Brea Point at nine in the morning, thus
avoiding the extreme heat of mid-day. De
serted by my companions and recei-ving but
slight encouragement from the guide-books
or pre-vious "trippers," yet to me the great
Pitch Lake, discovered by that hardy
gallant of Queen EUzabeth 's Court, Sir Wal
ter Raleigh, was one of the chief attractions
of the trip and of sufficient importance to
induce me to brave the heat and toil.
A walk of a mile, or to be exact 4,000 feet,
up an easy grade lined with morning-glories,
yellow cassia and white hibiscus, with fields
of pineapple gro-wing to perfection, brings
one to Pitch Lake, which Kingsley likened
to the very fountains of Styx. The walk is
over a hard roadway, said to have been
formed by the overflow of the lake, although
it looked as if it had been made by depositing
the pitch in the ordinary way, as no evidence
of anything like an overflow could be made
out. The lake looks Uke an ordinary bog or
[70]

A Midwinter Cruise

swamp -with pools of water and tufts of wild
grass, excepting that its surface is hard or
nearly so, and upon closer inspection the pe
culiar formation occasioned by the oozing to
the surface of the thick, black bituminous
substance can be seen. It covers an area
of about a hundred acres and its depth has
not been fathomed. Already more than a
million tons have been taken from the lake
by the present company, yet no impression
has been made on the supply. The pitch
oozes imperceptibly and keeps the surface
nearly level. The workmen engaged in
picking it out told me that after remo-ying
it all day the excavations thus formed were
full the following morning so that one could
not see that any had been removed. The
supply comes from a bituminous stratum
forced upward by the pressure of the super
imposed earth and appears to be inexhausti
ble. Standing on an islet of pitch surrounded
by water it looks Uke numerous cone for
mations which on reaching the surface flat-
[71]

The American Tropics

ten and spread out like mushrooms. One is
surprised to see tufts of long wild grass
growing and even small fish have been seen
in the water fissures and pools. In conversa
tion with a negro I was told wages were six
cents an hour and board costs from twenty-
five to thirty-five cents a day. Work was not
constant, which I thought seemed to his Uk
ing ; he further said that he came from Mont-
serrat and had been working at the Pitch
Lake for six months. All the darkies of the
West Indies look longingly to the Panama
Canal Zone, where wages are higher, as their
Eldorado — "But how's yo gwine ter git
dar?" was the puzzUng question.
Retuming to the ship on a choppy sea
stirred up by the brisk -wind, I did not fuUy
realize the intense heat to which I had been
exposed until noticing that my clothing, which
was the thinnest procurable, was saturated
vrith perspiration. I had taken the trip leis
urely, too, and under a sun umbrella.
At two o'clock we passed the newest and ¦
[72]

A Midwinter Cruise

largest gun-boat in the British navy, the
"Dreadnaught," and in a few minutes were
at the chief town of the British possessions in
the West Indies, Port of Spain. On account
of the shallow water we anchored nearly
two miles from shore. Even at this distance
we stirred up considerable mud and tub
baths were discontinued until we were again
on the open sea.
Sunday in Port of Spain is marked by due
decorum, as becomes a staid English town.
It is not wholly an exemplary place, how
ever, probably on account of its heterogeneous
make-up. The electric tram cars were run
ning, and many, especially those who had
not -visited Pitch Lake in the moming, rode
about the town or strolled along the shady
walks of the Botanical Gardens and some at
tended church in the evening. In both the
AngUcan and Roman CathoUc Cathedrals
negro choirs furnished the music and natural
ly black or coffee-colored sMns largely pre
dominated in the pews. While the African
[73]

The American Tropics

race comprises a large majority, yet the in
habitants seemed more cosmopolitan than
those of Bridgeto-wn. EngUsh, Hindus, South
Americans, Chinese, Portuguese, Spanish
and a few French were seen. It is said that
the two latter fraternize but to a Umited ex
tent with those of other nationaUties. The
East Indians, or coolies, as they are caUed,
live by themselves and apparently -within
themselves. It is computed that as many as
50,000 or more find employment in Trinidad.
They are more industrious and frugal than
the African, although not able to perform the
feats of strength which the negro occasion
ally exhibits. The coolies are procured by
government agents in India and contract to
remain for five years. I was told they receive
about a shiUing a day, and most of them in
the course of four or five years amass a
competency which enables them to return
to their native land (at the company's ex
pense) and live in comparative affluence
thereafter. They are expert gold- and sUver-
[74]

AVENUE OP PALMS, PORT OF SPAIN.

A Midwinter Cruise

smiths and their earnings are put into curi
ously -wrought ornaments such as bracelets,
which are worn by the Hindoo women on
their arms, -wrists and ankles. Necklaces,
ear-rings and nose-rings are also wom, to
gether with a button-like stud or rosette
which is fastened on the side of the nose. In
short the Hindoo la-vishes all his wealth on
his wife, constituting her his savings bank to
draw on should occasion arise.
Some large shops and stores are found in
Port of Spain. Here began the first serious
outbreak of the Panama hat fever; sporadic
cases had been seen at previous ports of call,
but not until we reached Trinidad did it
amount to an epidemic. At first immunity
was conferred by former attacks, but finally
it mattered little how many Panama hats one
already possessed, he had a desire to possess
more, which in some of the more susceptible
took on a mild form of delirium. Had quar
antine been estabUshed early and the af
fected, or aU those already possessing or hav-
[75]

The American Tropics

ing a marked desire to possess a Panama,
been segregated to the aft cabin and poop
deck, a general epidemic might have been
averted. The most conspicuous infections of
Port of Spain occurred in two Southern gen
tlemen who procured two Panamas for one
hundred dollars. Thenceforth they were the
pride of the deck. The young woman -with
ravishing eyes and gorgeous cardinal hat and
belt to match was outshadowed — ^yes, com
pletely outshadowed.
Better than walking in Trinidad, even in
midwinter, is riding on an open electric tram.
The breeze when the car is in motion is de
lightful, but when it stands five or ten min
utes waiting to pass a car going in the op
posite direction as it does at frequent inter
vals, the heat stimulates every pore in your
body into a veritable fountain. Although, it
was carnival time and the cars were weU
filled, the conductors were invariably oblig
ing and vrilling to give information. Nor
were they the only ones who were courteous.
[76]

A Midwinter Cruise

A young man on hearing me ask to be let
off at the Governor's Palace volunteered to
conduct us, saying it was a short walk be
yond the terminus of the car-line. I thank
ed him, saying I would not put him to such
inconvenience. "But I am going that way,"
he repUed, with every e-vidence of good
breeding, and as we were desirous of coming
in contact with the better element in the
community, we gladly accepted his guidance
through the Botanical Garden to the Govem
or 's Palace. Meeting a coolie juggler he had
him perform some very clever sleight-of-hand
tricks which he afterwards explained to us
for a small consideration. Negroes flock
around a juggler like flies around a molasses
barrel and I could not but remark the strik
ing mental superiority of the East Indian.
He exhibited with pride numerous letters of
commendation from titled people and others
of high degree at whose houses he had fur
nished entertainment.
Our proffered guide was a native Trini-
[771

The Aynerican Tropics

dadian, twenty-one, dark, with straight black
hair, and was employed in a physician's of
flce. His father came from Venezuela; his
mother was a native of Trinidad. He hoped
to obtain one of the three or four scholarships
given in Port of Spain, which would enable
him to secure a complete medical course in
London, including living expenses and fees
for final examinations. We were more than
pleased with him and admired his noble am
bition. On asking him to accept a gratuity
as a mark of our appreciation he most gra
ciously but modestly declined.
To one interested in the flora of the tropics
the Botanical Gardens offer a paradise of
variety and rank luxuriance. Here grow the
stately palms, the princes of the vegetable
kingdom, ever in evidence and of a thousan.i
and one species, furnishing to man a store
house of utilities such as food, shelter, cloth
ing, timber and fuel, tannin, starch, paper,
sugar, oil, wax and wine; mango trees with
their dense, glossy foliage and luscious fruit,
[78]

A Midwinter Cruise

gro-wing to a height of thirty to forty feet;
huge wide-spreading silk-cotton or ceiba trees
which remind one of live-oaks; noble am-
hersts (Amherstia nobilis) growing to a
height of forty to fifty feet, with large bright
Vermillion flowers spotted with deep yellow;
the gorgeous "fire flowers" or poui trees
(Tabebuia Pentaphylla) with large golden-
yellow flowers, the most striking of the giants
of the tropical forests, and Traveller's trees
with their taU trunks surmounted by a tuft
of fan-like leaves (Urania speciosa). There
were also flowering shrubs and climbing
vines, the most conspicuous of the former be
ing the poinsettia with its large deep red
stellate flowers. Then again there were
names more familiar from their household
associations, such as nutmeg trees, which
look like small hickories, growing to a height
of about fifteen feet (the nuts likewise look
like green hickorynuts) ; cinnamon, clove and
coffee trees, the latter about twenty feet in
height, with Brazil-nut trees, cannon-ball
[79]

The American Tropics

trees, leopard-wood trees and the never-faU-
ing bread-fruit tree, its spreading leaves and
large fruit resembling green grape-fruit.
Besides the Governor's Palace there are
some stately residences facing Queen's Park.
On the opposite side of the Park is the hotel.
Queen's Park, or the "Savanna," contains
about two hundred acres. It is set off' by a
few fine banyan, saman and giant ceiba trees,
together with bamboo clumps and green
sward or wild grass. It is utilizied for
cricket, golf, horse racing and other forms
of recreation. On the day of my -visit a fine
herd of Jerseys was grazing here. This re
minds me that our northern breeds of cattle
do not long thrive in the tropics. A peculiar
species with a camel-like hump on the with
ers is used for inbreeding.
Numerous drives over well-kept roads may
be taken, the one leading to the reservoir be
ing the most beautiful.
Although the last three days before Lent
began on Sunday, it was not until the fol-
[80]

A Midwinter Cruise

lowing day that King Carnival was given full
sway and held in his hand the keys of the
municipality. Bands of masked merry
makers in various fantastic garbs marched
the streets preceded by music — or what was
intended for music. At noon the shops closed
and bedlam was let loose. A troop of negro
minstrels might be seen marching rapidly
with gaudy costumes, their long swallow-tail
coats fiuttering in their wake. Banjos, gui
tars and tambourines were most in evidence,
with various extemporized instruments, rat
tle boxes and horns. An Indian chief came
boldly up Frederick Street with scarlet
paint and feathers, brandishing a tomahawk
and bow and arrows, followed by a motley
array of nondescripts. Dancing maidens in
gay attire -with white masks, came at fre
quent intervals, monsters and men in tar and
feathers, harlequins, all day and half the
night until one longed for quiet — and found
it only on board ship, I was told the better
class of inhabitants regretted that custom
[81]

The American Tropics

allows the rabble to monopolize the first day,
after which some of the more refined and gor
geous turnouts may be seen.
On a tram-car, through narrow, dusty,
crowded streets, I rode through the cooUe
village, with the sun temperature 150 de
grees Fahrenheit, and alighted at the en
trance of the Lazar House — the Leper Asy
lum of Trinidad. Entering an arched gate
way where a negro porter in blue uniform re
ceived my card and rang a bell notifying the
Sister Superior of my approach, I then came
to a park of about six acres ; on the opposite
side stands a second arched gateway leading
to a courtyard of about an acre, shaded by
flowering trees and shrubs with a large pump
in the center and walled in by different
wards of the hospital. Here a second porter
conducted me to the reception room opposite
the entrance where I registered my name and
was met by the Sister Superior.
Segregation of lepers is not compulsory
in Trinidad, provided the affected do not
[82]

A Midwinter Cruise

conspicuously endanger the lives of others
either on account of occupation or environ
ment. The Asylum is supported by the gov
ernment and is presided over by a religious
order or sisterhood, most of whose members
are French; it has two small churches, an
English and a Roman Catholic, one on each
side of the administration building. The
estate surrounding the hospital fumishes em
ployment to those able to perform light
manual labor and is a pleasant diversion in
the blank existence of its two hundred and
sixty inmates. Neither high stone walls nor
the porter at the lodge entrance, however,
was able to keep out King Carnival, although
his presence was doubtless connived at by
the management. A procession of girls and
women with masks and tambourines started
to cross the court, headed and flanked by
some of the nurses, but they all beat a pre
cipitous retreat on seeing that my camera
was being adjusted. As we passed through
the park in front of the hospital there was a

[83]

The American Tropics

row of half-a-dozen musicians from the male
ward seated on a bench; on the green close
by under the shade of a huge ceiba tree a
bevy of girls were taking their places for a
dance, but as our presence seemed to retard
their innocent revelry, we departed just as
the church bell was toUing the death-kneU
of one of their number. One remembers
more easily in a leper hospital than else
where that it is appointed unto aU men once
to die.

[84]

CHAPTER IV
AT daybreak on the twelfth of February
we weighed anchor, and before any
one knew it the ship had cleared the
Dragon's Mouth; at breakfast we were
steaming westward -with the trade wind on
the indigo blue of the Caribbean Sea. The
white-caps rolled like the white horses of
Neptune, leaping and tossing their manes in
the distance, but the steamer pursued the
even tenor of her way and everybody wel
comed a day of rest. There were few early
risers, the fatigue of sight-seeing and the
intense heat restrainuig even the largest
purchasers of silver bracelets and other
finery from comparing specimens and prices
of their collections. We had an exciting
race with a school of, apparently, porpoises,
but I was told they were a species of perch
called barracoudas; whether shark, porpoise
or barracouda, they were very numerous and
certainly were rapid swimmers, and leaped
[85]

T

'he American Tropics

above the surface in the most frolicsome way.
At ten o'clock we passed the island of Mar
garita, once famous for its pearl fisheries
which were a source of considerable wealth
during the sixteenth and seventeenth cen
turies. The only serious consideration of the day
was the momentous subject of clothes — and
that in a cUmate where clothes are Uttle
needed and by many of the natives little
worn. How would it be in the moimtains
of Venezuela, was asked; would the ninety
or more tunnels, the ride in windowless
steam cars with dust and smoke, incapacitate
a suit for all future use? Then again, what
if we were invited to meet the President of
the United States of Venezuela ? These and
other questions came up for adjudication.
No one could think of carrying more than
was absolutely necessary, but what was
necessary was a pons asinorum to the vrisest.
The following moming I was called be
fore dayUght, five o'clock; breakfast was to
[86]

A Midwinter Cruise

be served at six and at seven we were to
set foot on South American soil. The trip
was certainly strenuous and we began to
look forward to the time when we could go
home and rest. But who would miss the
glories of a tropical night just before dawn?
The Southem Cross was at its best, dipping
to the west, its lowermost star, which is of
the first magnitude, was over our port bow
about a hand's breadth above the horizon.
To the north on our starboard quarter the
Pole Star was about the same distance above
the water-line, with the Dipper just above
the horizon. All were remarkably brilliant.
Then there appeared indistinctly a row
of lights ahead, at first peeping then flicker
ing on the water-line ; it was La Guayra.
The Venezuelan coast at this point is pre
cipitous and the country mountainous, green
vegetation alternating with red clay, with a
narrow beach on which the town is situated.
Most of the houses are of rubble stone and
mortar, white, pink and blue, one or two
[87]

The American Tropics

stories high, -with red-tiled or corrugated
iron roofs and strong, iron-barred windows,
while the unpaved streets are narrow and
winding. The people are dark and smaU;
they seem to have a restless, discontented
look and are much given to jewelry and
cigarettes. Few negroes were seen, but you must re
member it was only a quarter past seven in
the morning. From our deck the diminu
tive locomotive and train of cars s-witching
and backing, restless though apparently ac
complishing nothing, looked more like toys
in a play-room than the equipment that was
to carry us over the mountains 3,099 feet
above us and, after two hours of -winding and
crossing deep chasms, land us at the capital
snugly ensconced in the beautiful valley of
Caracas less than ten miles away. The rail
way is a narrow guage and about twenty-
three miles long, built and operated by an
English company. Each coach seats twenty-
three passengers. [88]

A Midwinter Cruise

After leaving La Guayra the train skirts
a valley through dense foliage of banana
and other tropical gro-wth, soon rounding
a headland far above where a panorama
of the town ahd sea is obtained. This is re
peated at a stiU higher level and finally the
line strikes the side of a deep valley which
it foUows most of the way. The scenery is
grand and variegated, and, considering the
difficulties to be overcome, the ride is not un
comfortable. The mountains are an eastem
spur of the Great Andes range. The best
¦views are to the right. This is not a country
for automobiles, nor wagons for that matter ;
pack trains take the place of vehicles, and
burros with hea-vy loads on their backs,
threading their way over stony mountain
trails, with horsemen at intervals, make a
picture such as we used to see in the geog
raphies of our boyhood days. Here and
there a man with a machete stops to gaze as
the train sweeps by. FinaUy the panting en
gine regains its breath, which tells us that
[89]

The American Tropics

we have passed the highest point; soon we
near the terminus, adobe houses appear in in
creasing number and thus an insidious en
trance to Caracas is made.
The capital rests in a large basin or val
ley, twelve miles long and about three miles
at its widest part, surrounded on all
sides by hills and mountains. It has more
than 100,000 inhabitants, most of whom call
themselves whites, but only about one per
cent, can show an untarnished escutcheon of
white blood. There is a plentiful supply of
negroes who were originally imported into
the country as slaves, while the mass of the
population is a mixture of Indian, negro and
Spaniard. Caracas was founded in 1567, its
population in ISIO was estimated at 50,000,
but it made little progress during the nine
teenth century on account of the devastating
influences of war, earthquakes and pesti
lence. The most severe seismic disturbance
occurred in 1812, with great loss of life and
property. Some years afterward the city
[90]

A Midwinter Cruise

was decimated by cholera, while war, sup
posed to have been terminated when Spain
acknowledged the independence of Venezuela
in 1845, has proven endemic. From a super
ficial view it appears that the people are
scarcely equal to self-government in its true
sense, and the mailed hand of authority is
needed to insure stabiUty.
Apparently the country 's moneyed men are
not those whose ancestors have bequeathed
them a competence, nor are merchant princes,
if such exist, much in evidence, nor their
captains of industry. Political power seems
to be the golden road which leads to afflu
ence and distinction. Those with whom the
tourist comes most in contact — cab drivers,
porters, waiters, shop-keepers — conceal most
effectively any tendency to cordiality the.y
may entertain, while of the better element
we saw but little. In the few opportunities
we had of obser-ving them, they seemed to
possess marked distinction, the women par
ticularly impressing me -with a grace and
[91]

The American Tropics

quiet elegance of manner that speaks the
refining influences of many generations, con
trasting most favorably -with "our o-wn" so-
called smart set. On the other hand, those
who are supposed to represent the great ma
jority and hold the reins of govemment
bear evidence of having had riches suddenly
thrust upon them — or at least placed vrithin
their reach. The only class seemingly con
tent and in full accord with its environment
is the priesthood, Uving today as it did yes
terday, well fed, well clad and well housed,
its position and emoluments apparently se
cure. It is from the outlying hUl-tops that the
city is most attractive, and its main points of
interest stand out in grateful contrast to the
monotonous mass of two-story, Ught yeUow,
tile-topped buildings, with rough cobble-
paved streets running at right angles. One
or two street car lines -with small, dilapidated
mule-cars cross the city. The contrast be
tween the government buildings and plazas
[92]

CARACAS FROM MIEAPLORES.

A Midwinter Cruise

constructed and maintained at the public ex
pense, and those occupied by private indi-
"viduals is greater than is usually seen even
in autocratic countries. Of the former the
most noteworthy is the Capitol, built in the
form of a square on the site of a con
vent of the CarmeUte friars and cover
ing an area of more than two acres. It con
tains the House of Assembly where the Na
tional Congress meets, together with the Uni
versity, National Library and Municipal
Palace. Close by is the Municipal Theatre,
which receives a subsidy from the govem
ment, and the Masonic Temple, said to be
one of the finest in South America. Caracas
also has a Pantheon where lie the remains
of her illustrious dead. These buildings are
either constructed of or painted to resemble
light-colored stone, varying in design ac
cording to their several uses as weU as the
time of their erection, and, while not whoUy
devoid of architectural beauty, owe their
chief grandeur to their dust-colored, dust-
[93]

The American Tropics

covered commonplace environment. Most of
the public buildings and many other improve
ments were consummated during the dicta
torship of Guzman Blanco, 1870 to 1882, who
hypothecated the national revenue by these
large expenditures and subsidies. It is said
that Blanco while thus beautifying the city
was not wholly unmindful of his o-wn inter
ests — but the tongue of slander speaks aU
languages with fluency. The Cathedral, said
to have been built about 1614, with its cam
panile and mellow-toned bells, faces the Pla
za Mayor, and while not especiaUy imposing,
is yet in full accord with the place and bears
some evidence of antiquity and the struggles
it has withstood. These buildings either
face or adjoin the main square, caUed Plaza
Bolivar or Plaza Mayor, which contains an
equestrian statue of Bolivar, the first libera
tor of Venezuela as well as of Columbia, Peru
and Bolivia. Since his time (he died in
1830) numerous liberators have arisen, but
as their claims to this distinction consist in
[94]

A Midwinter Cruise

liberating their country from their predeces
sors in office, they are not liable to be long
remembered by posterity.
It must be remembered that Venezuela was
the only part of the American continent that
Columbus ever saw. Most appropriate,
therefore, is the statue of the great explorer
on an eminence overlooking the city from
the west.
There seems to be no desire on the part of
the chief executive of the United States of
Venezuela to live in La Casa Amarilla, or
The Yellow House, which is the official resi
dence of the president. The present presi
dent 's predecessor, Jacinta de Crespo, erected
a spacious palace, Miraflores, on an elevation
overlooking the valley and the town. As it
was unoccupied, some of our party paid an
additional tariff and were given rooms in
this beautiful structure. Large, stately and
impracticable though it appeared, -with its
carved marble sinks and mosaic-floored kitch
en, in Miraflores one would scarcely look for
[95]

The American Tropics

the home of a true and honest Uberator. WhUe
Bolivar devoted his life and his considerable
fortune to the ser-vice of his country his suc
cessors have surrounded themselves "with a
lavish display, and if rumor be true, consid
erable wealth, which does not consort weU
with the impoverished public exchequer or
the obvious poverty of the people. Crespo
may have been an exception, as many be
Ueve. Sleeping in a real palace, in a picturesque
country, even if conveniences were inade
quate or defective, had a peculiar charm.
Not that it was especially in-viting, or even
comfortable, to sleep on the thinnest of ticks
and under the thinnest of coverings. The
weather, which had been fine and warm in
the moming, became cool and wet in the
afternoon and during the night the tempera
ture fell to 54 degrees Fahrenheit. I called
for an additional coverlet and found on re
tiring an extra blue drilling sheet which
was not sufficiently warm for comfort. The
[96]

A Midwinter Cruise

sudden fall in the temperature was not de
void of danger as I contracted a severe cory-
za. But I had the satisfaction of kno-wing
that the cold was as unusual as was, to me,
sleeping in a South American palace. One
chamber is particularly worthy of mention,
the earthquake room, constructed -with iron
beams to prevent the masonry from falling.
Breakfasting in Miraflores, too, had its draw
backs — especially when one breakfasts at
six o 'clock in the morning — ^because in a land
of manana almost everything you want has
not arrived. After my experience at the
Gran Hotel Klint the previous day, I took
the precaution to order before retiring and
looked forward to a simple though palatable
breakfast of fresh eggs and caffe con leche
as I remembered it served in Mexico ; but at
the critical moment the Venezuelan hens
and the Venezuelan cows or the Venezuelan
muchacho failed, and we broke fast on
bread and bananas with coffee that tasted
like an infusion of tobacco. [97]

The American Tropics

We visited President Cipriano Castro 's ac
tual residence, the "Villa Zoila" on the at
tractive Avenida del Pariso (Paradise Ave
nue) in the outskirts of the town. The
President and his family were away so we
had an opportunity of going through the
place at leisure. Constructed of wood and
much stained glass, it was less massive than
other buildings we had seen. The furnish
ings and objects of art gave me the impres
sion of having been coUected hurriedly rather
than accumulated — as if the General had
commanded one of his henchmen to gather
so many wagon-loads of household goods;
the result may be imagined.
The Republic of Venezuela has copied
largely from her elder sister, the Unite.l
States of North America. In fact much of
the enthusiasm of Bolivar may have been
fired by his visit to North America before his
military career began. The Plaza Washing
ton, ornamented like the Plaza Bolivar with
mosaic walks and numerous plants and trees,
[98]

A Midwinter Cruise

has in its center a statue of George Washing
ton. Our party, being mainly from the United
States, was given a concert by the MiUtary
Band on the Plaza Bolivar tbe evening after
our arrival. Whether it was because I was
far from home, or because the band was un
usually good I cannot say, but never did
music sound sweeter or more soul-stirring.
There was a -vivida vis animi to it that made
a strong impression on us. The concert fur
nished an opportunity of further studying
the people of Caracas and it was quite ap
parent that we likewise were objects of curi
osity. Aside from impressions already men
tioned, I was particularly struck with the
number of boys between the ages of twelve
and fourteen seen promenading, cane in
hand, ogling the women or stopping frequent
ly to stare more deUberately at the rows of
seats occupied by native ladies and gentle
men. It reminded me of the old roues at

[99]

The American Tropics

the Grand Opera House in Paris, very out of
keeping with the callow period of youth.
As to the hotels (and I mention them vrith
regret) there are the Gran Hotel, the Gran
Hotel Klint, and the Gran Hotel de Vene
zuela, each in some respects worse than the
other. But the statement that
"Who'er has travell'd life's dull round,
Where'er his stages may have been,
May sigh to think he still has found
The warmest -welcome at an inn!"
is abundant evidence that Shenstone never
was entertained at an "inn" in Venezuela.
Even Johnson, the great patron of inns,
must have palled had he -visited Caracas.
The shopping tendency was not generally
gratified in the South American Republic.
Naturally a few Panama hats and some old
pieces of jewelry were picked up, but so few
tourists invade this mountain stronghold of
discomfort that the merchant was scarcely
alive to the lucrative possibilities of tourist
traffic. Fakirs were there in abundance, as
[100]

A Midwinter Cruise

well as itinerant venders of cancelled postage
stamps. Games of chance furnish amusement or a
livelihood to many Venezuelans. On arriv
ing we were given a card of admission to a
"Club," which set forth in an elaborate way
that aU the privileges of the club would be
extended to us during our stay. Here,
thought I, is genuine hospitaUty. With a
few friends I -visited the so-called club and
found a few rooms with various gaming de-
-vices, but not a semblance of any of the com
forts of a club as generally understood.
This might occur though in New York or
LeadviUe, not to mention Monte Carlo.
Although Caracas is an interesting place,
yet when the hour of departure drew near
I was as eager to move on as were the iron
horses hitched tandem to the train. Stand
ing on the paved esplanade in front of the
Miraflores to take a parting -view, the town
lay buried in the white mist of early mom
ing, the air was cooled by the breath of the
[101]

The American Tropics

mountains, and neighboring peaks, penetrat
ing, and visible above, a stratum of cloud,
looked like islands on an undulating sea of
mist. The clear tones from the Campanile
below announced the hour of seven and in
thirty-four minutes the "special" was
threading its way to the sea.
Prom the impressions obtained in a short
¦risit one is not surprised that the main utili
ties of the Republic are controUed by for
eigners. The great Venezuelan RaUway,
connecting Caracas with Valencia, a distance
of about ninety miles, is owned by Germans.
The difficulties of railway construction in
Venezuela may be realized when one consid
ers that it took six years of assiduous labor
to complete the road. There are eighty-six
tunnels and two hundred and twelve bridges.
From what had been said about the "long
trip" I undertook it with some misgi-vings,
but was agreeably surprised to find modern
day coaches with glass windows and comfort
able, cane-upholstered seats.
[102]

GRAN HOTEL KLINT, VENEZUELA.

A Midwinter Cruise

After leaving Caracas the train soon
plunged into a long tunnel, the first of the
eighty-six; it seemed interminable and was
almost stifling with smoke. I began to com
prehend why the courage of so many had
failed and felt that the prediction that we
would finaUy emerge in the guise of chim
ney sweeps would in all probabiUty be real
ized. We passed along the banks of the
Guaire through cultivated fields of maize,
which was about two feet hi^h, sugar-cane,
bananas and what looked like cabbage,
onions and other garden products, all in a
high state of cultivation. Artistic cottages
were passed, barn-yards with fowls, black
razor-backs and donkeys. In the picturesque
white -rillages churches soft in color are al
ways the most prominent buildings and ap
parently tbe foci around which the to-wns
have gro-wn. At Las Adjuntas the line
leaves the river and soon enters the tortu
ous valley of San Petro with its extensive
coffee plantations. Looking ahead as we
[103]

The American Tropics

rounded a sharp curve Los Teques was seen
far above, and after numerous windings the
train began to climb upward until finally
the straggling outposts of the to-wn were
passed and at half -past eight o 'clock the sta
tion was reached. From this point the road
makes a gradual descent and some of the
wildest mountain scenery of thd trip was en
countered. On leaving Caracas the best -views were to
the right ; now the grand panorama of moim
tains and deep ravines was seen to the left.
The striking contrast between bright sun
shine and deep shadow, with numerous varia
tions in light and tint, created an effect never
to be forgotten. A panorama of nature in all
her subUmity, vast and silent, inhabited only
by the condor and the omnipresent buzzard,
denizen of towns and mountain wastes, the
black-vringed scavenger of the tropics. Al
though we had passed eighty-four tunnels
so short were they (the first excepted) that
they were scarcely noticed. No dust had
[104]

A Midwinter Cruise

thus far been encountered, but as we gradu
ally reached a lower altitude the heat which
during the morning had not been uncom
fortable began to assert itself. First I dis
carded a thin "sweater," then a waistcoat,
but not until Victoria was reached at noon
did an opportunity present itself to remove
an extra stratum of under flannels. Even
here the opportunity did not present itself,
nor, was it presented; I created it in the soli
tude of an adjoining jungle. The extra
clothing would have been worn, however, and
no extemporized boudoir utiUzed, had I been
aware, as I afterwards was, that the proprie
tor of the station restaurant, while wander
ing in this woodland the week before, had
been fatally bitten by a poisonous serpent.
As we descended to the lower levels the
earth again became red and we were in the
midst of the dense tropical vegetation of the
torrid zone. Coffee plantations, sugar-cane
and bananas seemed to be the chief products.
Most attractive of aU was a luxuriant -vine,
[105]

The American Tropics

the norantea or combretum, which climbs
with its large blossoms of red and gold cover
ing huge trees of the forest vrith a mantle of
bloom, gorgeous beyond description.
At Victoria we remained an hour and a
half for luncheon. It proved to be a veri
table tourist picnic, seated at long tables un
der the shade of mahogany, banyan and
"fire-flower" trees, with other varieties less
familiar. The natives were not permitted to
enter the station enclosure, so they crowded
against the fence and seemed to enjoy the
spectacle as much as we did. They were
mostly negroes and doubtless were of the
idle element, such as may be seen at any
American railway station.
Aside from the luxuriant foliage the place
gloried in a street car line, very Uke others
we had seen in Venezuela. Prom this
point we agaiu traversed extensive mahogany
forests, passed cattle ranches and cozy sta
tions covered with gorgeous mantles of bou-
gaiuvilla, a purplish-pink flowering shrub
[106]

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gQ
J^BBraj^^^^j^^^^^vw; 3^B ^P^
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^ffi^PMgl^^^^^^^^^^^'' IhH Bi
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W^^^&^^^ ^^^Kt K:
tsd
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j\ -it. ''^i "^^JS^^SBj jt
S \ ^^JflHHlHr^^^H Ir^
V'tfi. . .cjflr'
>«*j=*=^^p^
A Midwinter Cruise

that runs riot over buildings and fences, pre
senting a solid mass of bloom. The next
to-wn of importance is Cagua, of 5,000 in
habitants, whose principal industry is the
raising of poultry and pigs. During the last
three hours of the trip it was hot and dusty,
and about three o'clock the beautiful waters
of Lake Valentia appeared to our left. The
lake is 1,362 feet above the sea level and
covers an area of 273 square miles. After
skirting its shores for a few miles, the city
of Valentia (next to Caracas in size, having
about 36,000 inhabitants) is reached. It has
more of a metropolitan air than the towns
we had passed and seemed to be enjoying
more prosperity than is normal in Venezuela.
There was a large delegation at the station to
see us; e-vidently a train load of American
tourists was not an everyday occurrence.
Here again there was a marked contrast be
tween those of high and low degree, those of
fair skins and those of the dark or mixed
types. One of the former especially at-
[107]

The American Tropics

tracted attention, not only on account of her
neat and well-fitting gown of pure white,
but also of her hair of a bright Titian tint,
lending a pleasing contrast to her black-
haired and dusky neighbors. As this be-vy of
attractive women came in range a dozen cam
eras clicked; at first they recoiled and a
young gaUant with a dash of negro blood in
his veins attempted to shield them from the
stares of so many lenses, but their good
nature prevailed, and the friendly interven
tion of one in their own station in life soon
made them not unwilling subjects.
We were now in the torrid zone and felt its
glowing heat ; strange fruits and flowers were
on sale, with an abundance of oranges, ba
nanas and pineapples. We had also reached
the terminus of the German raUway, but our
train was transferred to the English Une ex
tending from Valencia to Puerta Cabella, a
distance of thirty-four miles. During the
first few miles the grade is quite precipitous
— eight per cent, where the Abt Cogwheel
[108]

A Midwinter Cruise

System is used. The scenery was quite un
like the lofty windings over the Andes ; our
route now followed deep gorges, along foam
ing cataracts dashing onward to the sea,
and hills which seemed high only because
they were near. Dense forests were trav
ersed, -winding road-ways with long trains
of pack mules were seen, and picturesque
straw-thatched cottages and primitive inns
where the dashing caballeros are wont to
quench their thirst and where the weary
traveller might find a night's repose. While
nature is lavish in her gifts, yet withal it
seems a hard, cruel world to Uve in. More
fortunate, thought I, is the man who views it
from an open window as he glides along on
the iron rails.
At El Palito the sea level is reached and
for nine miles we followed the shore in an
easterly direction through jungle set off with
pale green or fawn colored cacti twenty or
more feet in height. FinaUy the unpaved,
unkempt streets and smaU court-yards of the
[109]

The American Tropics

seaport town of Puerto Cabella (port of the
hair, because a ship may be moored with a
cable of a single hair) was reached at six
o'clock in the evening. Few of my days
have been so full of interest, nor have I ever
been offered a comparable continued spec
tacle of the pleasing, the wonderful and the
awe-inspiring — a page in nature's physical
geography of the world. So intense, so un
consciously strenuous had been the day that
until I was seated in the boat waiting to be
towed to our floating house did I realize a
sense of listless fatigue. After dinner a ball
was given on board to the townspeople, but
comfortable in my cabin, luUed by the soft
hum of the electric fan and the distant
strains of the ship's band. South America
became what it still seems — a dream.

[110]

CHAPTER V
THE Dutch possessions in the Caribbean
Sea must be a source of annoyance to
the frugal burghers of Holland. Cura-
coa, their largest island and the seat of the
Dutch West Indian Government, has an area
of two hundred and twelve square miles and
comprises more than half of their West In
dian possessions, which aggregate a popula
tion of only about fifty thousand and pre
sent a yearly deficit of about sixty thousand
gulders. It was seven o'clock on the morning of
the fifteenth of February that land was
sighted off our starboard bow. Before our ar
rival — in 1527, in fact — ^it had been noticed
by the Spaniards, and in 1634 by the Dutch,
who, finding no one at home on landing,
took possession. Several nations played
shufi!le-board with the island until early in
the nineteenth century when it was restored
to the peaceful possession of HoUand. We
[111]

The Aynerican Tropics

had no serious intention of pre-empting the
island, besides, on coming nearer, evidence
of habitation became apparent, and in the
distance whitish dots and spires proved to be
the town of Willemstad with its snug har
bor expanding into a land-locked bay
around which the town is built. We did
not land but passed near enough to obtain a
good view of the quaint town with its light-
colored buildings in which pale yeUows
and blues predominate, -with a sprinkling of
red tiled roofs.
Curacoa is mainly noted for a Uqueur of the
same name, in which a wild orange, native
here, is one of the flavoring ingredients.
While enjojong your after-dinner glass of
Curacoa, however, you may as well know
that Uttle if any of the Uqueur is made here.
The principal export is salt.
At noon another island, Oruba, smaller
than Curacoa was passed, and later in the
day the smoke-like headlands of the Coajira
Peninsula of South America could be seen
[112]

A Midwinter Cruise

on our left. Little else of note appeared.
Going with the trade wind in a south
westerly direction, the day was hot, the hot
test we had had. The thermometer in the
ship's doctor's room stood 86 degrees Fah
renheit, with great humidity. One almost
envied the flying fish glistening above the
dark azure of the surface.
The second day was also hot and muggy,
but the sky was overcast, a most grateful
change from the glare of perpetual sunshine.
It takes several generations for the light-
skinned to become thoroughly accUmated to
daUy sunlight unmodified by clouds, and
even then there is a compromise, in which
the dark pigment appears in the skin to shut
out some of the Ught. This, being nature's
method, is doubtless the best, for until the
dark tint appears the indi-ridual suffers more
or less from too much light.
Towards morning of the third day, a Ught-
house to port showed our near approach to
land — ^the Isthmus of Panama. Finally the
[113]

The American Tropics

lights of Colon could be made out ahead
and at daybreak the translucent ultramarine
sea became a yellowish-green and finally tur
bid. At seven o'clock we dropped anchor,
completing our seven hundred and seventy-
eight-mile run from Puerto Cabella.
After a rest of two days and nights, the
prospect of visiting one of the great battle
fields in which the mental and physical
strength of man is contending with the in
finite forces of nature aroused even the most
apathetic. For twenty-six years the warfare
has been waged, with the loss of countless
human lives and milUons of treasure, but
still the conflict goes on. I had an indeflnite
notion of the operations, scarcely amounting
to an opinion, formed from conflicting re
ports of newspapers and magazines.
The day began with showers, some of
which amounted to heavy rainfalls lasting
half an hour or less, alternating with fitful
sunshine, as if this warfare had extended to
the very elements, or allegoricaUy, was a
[114]

A Midwinter Cruise

strife in which Despair and Hope contended.
On account of its location. Colon is one of
the wettest places on earth, having a yearly
rainfall of one hundred and forty inches.
This was one of the dry months, the rainy
season extending from May to December.
It does not take long to gain a fair con
ception of at least one of the great problems
that confronts the constructors of the Isth
mian Canal: that of maintaining human life
and health — a problem of sanitary science.
Elevated but a few feet above the sea level on
a small island of black muck; covered with
an impenetrable jungle of rank vegetation;
close to the mainland, which is of the same
general character for several miles, vrith
stagnant pools and sluggish streams — such
is the site and environment of Colon. But
Colon, or Aspinwall as it was formerly
called, in spite of its unfavorable location,
has felt the quickening hand of genius and
is being raised above the sink-hole in which
it has lain since its foundation in 1849, and
[US]

The American Tropics

bids fair to be no longer a hotbed of pesti-
leiice. I was particularly impressed with
the extensive sewage system and arrange
ment for the conveyance of pure water — al
most equalling in magnitude the construc
tion of a pipe line by the Standard OU Com
pany for conveying its products from the
Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean. The construc
tion of buildings has likevrise been changed.
In place of the low-lying, half -rotten wooden
dwelUngs, houses are elevated on pUes to
afford free ventilation, which with the sys
tem of drainage and clearing now going on,
must soon render the Atlantic terminus of
the Canal more habitable for the Caucasian
race. I even saw a large hotel-Uke struc
ture, three stories high, built of brick, near
ing completion.
Colon has many of the elements of a fron
tier tovm, and a very heterogeneous popula
tion, in which the Spaniard, more or less
removed, predominates. The buildings are
constructed mainly of wood and sheet iron,
[116]

A Midwinter Cruise

streets are unpaved, and the mud, like many
of the natives, is black. It is in no sense
attractive and one does not have a desire to
tarry long, however promising the future
may be. With the completion of the great
inter-oceanic waterway it may be found ex
pedient to change the location of its Carib
bean terminus.
To one who has given the topography of
the Isthmus little attention the exact loca
tion of the Canal Zone and its Atlantic or
Caribbean and Pacific termini is confusing.
We naturaUy think of the Isthmus between
North and South America as running north
and south, but if a map be consulted it will
be seen to form an arch extending from
west to east -with the proposed waterway
between Colon and Panama running in a
south-easterly direction. Panama conse
quently, although on the Pacific Ocean, ia
about forty miles east of Colon. The wes
tern terminus is in reality the eastern (Pan
ama) and the eastern is the western (Colon).

[117]

The American Tropics

American influences other than sanitation
were also discemable, and one felt a home
feeling on the special train that was to bear
us over the Canal route to the Pacific Ocean.
The island of Manzanillo upon which Colon
is situated seemed so little like an island
that it was diffcult to reaUze that the narrow
lagoon separated us from the mainland, as
other lagoons and morasses seemed equaUy
important. The railway soon enters more
attractive scenery, however, -with hills to the
left on which are located many of the maga
zines for storing material and a considerable
number of dwellings. The land forming the
roadbed is low and comparatively level for
twenty miles or more, after which a more
rolling or hilly surface interspersed with a
few morasses is encountered.
With the change of landscape, one is forci
bly reminded of the deadly pestilence that
held undisputed sway until the investigations
of those medical heroes, Ross, Reed, Carroll
and Lazear, revealed the cause and pointed
[118]

A Midwinter Cruise

out the way of preventing epidemics of yel
low fever and the omnipresent if less deadly
malarial poison. Scarcely had the train cleared
the unsavory settlement of Cristobal, a suburb
of Colon, before a cemetery was passed near
Monkey Hill to the left. Several other
graveyards were seen as we proceeded,
thickly dotted with wooden "gravestones"
which spoke more forcibly than could words
of the veritable death trap Panama has been
to the Caucasian race and particularly to
the unacclimated. Abandoned machinery,
dredges, locomotives by the score, stood rust
ing, covered by an ivy-like growth, a sad
comment on the mismanagement and cupid
ity of man. The farther we went the more
the place seemed like a junkman's paradise.
After leaving Colon the sky cleared and
on gaining higher ground the climatical con
ditions improved. Evidently the American
government has profited much by the failure
of its predecessors, the French, but we must
remember that sanitary science has pro-
[119]

The American Tropics

gressed to the extent of rendering possible
today what was undreamed of in 1881. The
French were thus greatly handicapped at the
outset. Already it became e-rident that tlie
present constructors had very wisely made
the Canal Zone not only habitable but attrac
tive. Nowhere -will you find laborers housed
so well, or more care given to their well-
being. A run of about seven miles brings you to
Gatun, a town of about nine hundred inhabi
tants on the Chagres River which is nari-
gable for small steamers to this point. Far
ther on the river becomes a stream of vari
able size according as it is the wet or dry
season. From a sweeping flood it falls to a
clear, gently flowing stream, which by cour
tesy is caUed a river. It is not unattractive
and as we proceeded we saw that its banks
were covered with a riotous profusion of
verdure — stately paUns, mahogany and ceiba
trees in a setting of impenetrable jungle of
vines and fems. Neither was the ride un-
[120]

A Midwinter Cruise

comfortable; the temperature varies but a
few degrees throughout the year, ranging
from seventy-four degrees Fahrenheit in
January to eighty-six in March, and seldom
higher than eighty-nine. The humidity ren
dered the air sultry, and on exertion one
perspired freely.
Although small settlements had been
passed, the largest and most picturesquely
situated was Emperador, or Empire, -within a
mile and a half of Culebra on the "Continen
tal Divide." Empire has a population of
four thousand and is mainly distinguished
by a hUl two hundred and fifty feet high on
which formerly stood an old fort, now oc
cupied by the barracks of the United States
troops which guard the Canal Zone. The
hill must have seen some stirring times in the
factional warfares which preceded the
United States occupation.
The first evidence of actual work in dig
ging the Canal was in meeting, side tracked,
a train-load of reddish rocks which were be-

[121]

The American Tropics

ing removed to a place of deposit. The ap
proach to the great diride, the back-bone
of the Isthmus, was effected without inci
dent; in fact, thus far it had impressed me
as a remarkably level country and admirably
adapted to canal purposes.
The Canal Zone is a strip of land granted
in perpetuity to the United States, ten
miles wide, extending over the proposed
canal route through the Republic of Panama,
together -with aU lands outside the Zo.tie
which may be found necessary in construct
ing or maintaining the Canal. The cities of
Colon and Panama are not included in the
Zone, but the United States is granted fuU
power in all sanitary regulations and if
necessary in maintaining order. The Zone
is under military control. The compensation
given the RepubUc of Panama was ten mU
lion dollars with an annual payment of two
hundred and fifty thousand dollars, begin
ning nine years from the time of ratification
of the treaty. [122]

A Midwinter Cruise

As we passed along the impression of see
ing so many graveyards and such piles of
abandoned machinery would have been de
pressing had it not been enUvened here and
there by the presence of trim soldiers in
khaki suits, groups of attractive cottages on
the hillsides, and the effective appearance of
the railroad and its equipment.
It was about eleven o'clock when we ar
rived at Culebra, a small station on the "Con
tinental Divide" about thirty-five miles
from Colon and twelve miles from Panama.
The celebrated Culebra Cut is less than a
mile from the main Une of the railroad and
is connected by a branch line. We antici
pated a tiresome walk or climb as the case
might be, but were agreeably surprised to
find our train backing alongside the cut to
a point where most of the excavating had
been done. Standing on the edge of the cut
it is difficult to realize the amount of labor
required in making the necessary excavations
at this point, which has fumished the crux
[123]

The American Tropics

of the labor problem if not of the whole
Panama Canal construction. Other prob
lems of caring for swollen streams, particu
larly the Chagres River during hea-vy rain
falls, the construction of dams, locks, etc.,
being less spectacular, particularly in the
dry season, appeal less forcibly to the cas
ual observer. The entire Isthmus is of vol
canic formation and at the Culebra Cut one
can form a fair idea of its geological charac
ter. In color it is dark red or maroon, of
soft stone which soon disintegrates when
wet or exposed to the air. Although it was
Sunday we had an opportunity of seeing the
men at work blasting rocks, scooping them
up with large steam shovels or dredges and
loading the mass into cars propelled by pony
locomotives. I was told that many of the
abandoned French engines were daily
brought into requisition, but not so with the
thousand and one useless articles ranging
from carpet tacks to pianos which were
dumped into the capacious warehouses faster
[124]

A Midwinter Cruise

than the dirt was excavated from the mam
moth trench. The ine-ritable result came when
the labor and material which originally cost
$400,000,000 was disposed of to the United
States for $40,000,000. Of this enormous
amount, it was said, probably on good author
ity, that one-third had been spent on the
Canal, one-third wasted, and one-third stolen.
When the French company abandoned the
project, it was estimated to be about two-
fifths finished.
We bad been but a few minutes at the
Cut when the colossal ditch was dotted -with
white go-wns, white suits and white umbrel
las, the dots looking Uke men and women in
miniature cUmbing its rocky slopes. I was
glad of an opportunity to talk with some of
the men employed on dredges and locomo
tives; with the less skilled laborers I was
unable to converse. On the whole the men
seemed satisfied with their work and pro
fessed as good health as they had had in the
States. Most of them had been laid off for
[125]

The American Tropics

two or three weeks during the past two years
from malarial poisoning.
At Culebra a fair idea can be obtained of
the actual work now in progress as well as
that done by the former constructors. The
old and the new stand side by side, unkempt
shacks which hardly deserve the name of
houses are huddled closely together and con
trast strongly with neat cottages painted
brown or green with white trimmings which
are scattered over the neighboring slopes,
presenting a pleasing picture. The modern
houses for the unmarried men have one large
sleeping room, with a dining and cooking
building close by. For families either sep
arate cottages or buildings divided into
apartments are provided. Open porches and
verandas screened to shut out the pestiferous
mosquito are seen on all buildings con
structed by the United States. Even on hills
where these dwellings are located they are
built on piles three or four feet high to allow
free ventilation and to prevent the accumu-
[126]

is.::.

til'^

A Midwinter Cruise

lation of moisture. Such a procedure is
necessary in a climate where the air is so
hea^rily charged with humidity. The heat
while not excessive is continuous, and those
unacclimated who are accustomed to short
seasons, varied by heat and cold, must regu
late their mode of U-ring to suit the changed
conditions. Breaking up the soil in a rirgin
country is always fraught with danger, and
those who still recall the pestilential fevers
attendant on the construction of canals even
in the, at present, salubrious States of North
America, can form some idea of the dangers
encountered in the Isthmus of Panama. At
the same time one must bear in mind that
conditions in relation to the prevention of
disease have changed, and most of the dis
eases most dreaded are now preventable.
Only under military or despotic supervision,
however, can the measures of prevention be
carried out in the heterogeneous gathering
of almost all races and conditions of men now
congregated in the Canal Zone. Even in
[127]

The American Tropics

well regulated communities, as observed in
England and the United States, the most
generaUy understood and easily preventable
of all infectious diseases, smallpox, can
not always be prevented. Only by an intel
ligent supervision with absolute authority,
therefore, can the work now so weU under
way go on unhampered by disease.
The appalling death rate consequent on
the construction of the Panama RaUway dur
ing the late forties of the last century stiU
lingers in memory, and many exaggerated re
ports, some of which emanate from dis
charged employees, of the unwholesomeness
of the Isthmus have from time to time been
given out, but under present conditions one
need not hesitate to make his abode here and
life may be accompanied by many enjoy
ments not easily procured in the temperate
zone. The management has -wisely given much
attention to the social side of Ufe, reaUzing
the truth of the weU worn saying, "AU work
[128]

A Midwinter Cruise

and no play makes Jack a dull boy ; ' ' accord
ingly it has instituted various forms of
amusement, including outdoor and indoor
games, in which the men are encouraged to
compete for trophies and prizes. Reading
rooms are also provided. Nor is the wander
ing minstrel neglected and occasionally a
theatrical troupe is secured. The Y. M. C.
A. has co-operated -with the administration
in various ways in endeavoring to surround
the men with wholesome infiuences.
So much has been said about securing la
borers for the work that I was interested
while mingling with the men to note their
nationalities. Fewer Chinamen were seen
than I expected, nor was the negro overmuch
in eridence. Bands of Italians and Span
iards, especially the latter, seemed to furnish
a large quota of the laborers. I was told
that the negro cannot be depended upon for
more than three days out of six, while of all
laborers the Northern, Spaniard is most to be
desired. The United States fumishes most

[129]

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oi the skilled workmen, and those employed
in handling machinery, engineers and those
of similar trades.
To the average sight-seer the ' ' Continental
Divide ' ' and the great Culebra Cut are some
thing of a disappointment. The highest
point being less than two hundred and ninety
feet above sea level, and the distance across
the Isthmus about fifty miles, it impresses
one as a level country. The mind does not
readily grasp the more technical features of
the work, so vridely and often so -wildly
spoken of in the political press.
The locomotive whistle finaUy collected
the scattered units of our party, hot and per
spiring. In the comfortable coaches the
"Continental Divide" was apparently soon
forgotten when the stewards from the weU-
stocked Kaiserliche Schiff filed through the
train with trays of sand-wiches and Apollin
aris water. As we approached the main line
the regular train stood at Culebra station
waiting for us to proceed. It was weU
[130]

A Midwinter Cruise

filled and, being Sunday, most of the men
and women were in hoUday garb. White
suits with dark skins predominated. People
seemed to enjoy themselves and it might
bave been Poughkeepsie, Elgin, or Newport
News, instead of the most ¦written about place
of the American Continent. A few unimpor
tant settlements were passed. When -with
in three miles of Panama the train passed
through a wide mangrove swamp, and on
emerging an imposing wooden structure, the
main Government Hospital, was seen on a
hiU to our right which proved to be Mont
Ancon, six hundred and thirty feet in height.
The hospital, which is situated in the suburbs
of Panama, was constructed by the French
company and is admirably adapted in loca
tion and equipment for the purpose for which
it was designed. It is still used as a hospital.
Before entering the city our train switched off
to allow us to see the great steamship wharf,
La Boca, with the greenish waters of the
Pacific Ocean spreading out in the distance.
[131]

The American Tropics

We also had an opportunity of seeing the
proposed Pacific entrance to the Canal. "Two
or three partiaUy submerged battlesbips near
an island in the distance we were told were
the derelicts of a maritime encounter be
tween Columbia and some of her warring
neighbors. One should approach the City of Panama,
the oldest on the American Continent, with
reverent steps, for here Ue the remains of
an iUustrious past awaiting the quickening
to a more glorious future. Panama, an In
dian word signifying abounding in fish, was
founded by Pedro Arias de Arila ki 1518 on
a coral and basaltic roek formation on a bay
of the same name, although by sailors once
known as the Bay of Calms. It enjoyed tho
blessings of plenty if not of peace for more
than a century, being the emporium for the
gold and silver mines of Peru and connected
with the Atlantic seaboard by an overland
traU. Among other things it gloried in hav
ing eight monasteries, one cathedral, two
[132]

A Midwinter Cruise

churches and a hospital. It was the focus
from which radiated the religion of Rome in
the Western World, its votaries planting the
cross and establishing missions along the Pa
cific slope northward to San Francisco, and
southward among the more precipitous fast
nesses of the Andes. Prosperity, however,
led to its destruction for it attracted the
covetous eyes of Sir Henry Morgan, a Welsh
pirate, who with his band penetrated its for
midable walls and for three weeks sacked and
pillaged the town, leaving in place of archi
tectural beauty, wealth and an organized
community, a mass of ruins, its gold dissi
pated and its surriving inhabitants led away
in bondage. But a location so advantageous
could not be abandoned, and three years
later, in 1673, Villacorta re-located the city
on a more secure site, five miles to the west
ward on a peninsula near the mouth of the
Rio Grande, where Panama now stands.
Only one of the ruins of old Panama re
mains, but of Panama as we know it there
[133]

The American Tropics

are many evidences of age. Many of the
narrow, dust buried streets, which during
the rainy season become almost impassable
quagmires have been paved with -ritrifled
brick or macadam and some have been -wid
ened. Others with cobblestone pavements
which fumished admirable breeding pools
for yellow fever-bearing stegomyia and the
malaria-bearing anopheles, and from their ir
regular surfaces were the acme of discomfort,
have been replaced by a more sanitary and
serviceable roadway. Water and sewer con
duits have been constructed and the whole
city has received a general and most thorough
renovation. It is just beguining to dawn on
the United States Government, in spite of
the strong opposition always encountered
from the uninformed and the professional
politician, that armies without sanitation are
in effectiveness only armies of straw. With
out sanitation the Panama Canal would be
an impossibility, and much credit is due the
present sanitary army corps, hampered as it
[134]

A Midwinter Cruise

stiU is by inadequate encouragement, for the
work it has done since the American occupa
tion in 1904. While sanitation has vouch
safed to all men the inalienable privilege of
life in Panama, there has also been a reason
able regard to the pursuit of happiness. At
tractive drives have been laid out and a com
modious hostelry, the Hotel TivoU, has been
bmlt on an eminence above, though adjacent
to, the city, for the accomodation of the of
ficers and others stationed here, as well as
for the accomodation of risitors who might
not find the average fonda to their liking.
Reference has previously been made to the
topography of Panama, which may be fur
ther illustrated by the impression gained by
two friends, who, arriring after nightfall, re
tired to a room in the Hotel Tivoli. Awaken
ing at sunrise they were surprised on look
ing out of their windows to see the sun rising
from the Pacific Ocean which they of course
expected to find in the west. Each pro
tested that he was awake, sober and sane —
[135]

The American Tropics

but there in the west was the sun, whose
conduct had always been considered weU
regulated and above reproach. If the orb
were actually consistent, it must at the close
of day set behind the hUls toward the Atlan
tic in the east. On inquiry, however, it was
found that the Bay of Panama at this point
sweeps around the city, and what appeared
to be a boundless main was in reality- but an
arm of the Pacific Ocean extending due east.
Thus was the sun exonerated.
While at present the city of Panama is a
salubrious and comfortable place to Uve, one
must not think that aU of its ancient glory
has departed. Few other influences than
that of time have changed its appearance,
while the moist and equable cUmate has lent
a softening effect which enhances it in the
eyes of the appreciative. It is true that' of
the old city but a single tower remains, that
of the Cathedral, but the new Panama is old
and sufficiently picturesque to warrant a

[136]

A STREET OF THE NEWER PANAMA.

A Midwinter Cruise

visit. Its approach from the ocean is said
to be strikingly beautiful.
The buildings have a character peculiarly
their own. Many of the older houses are of
three stories ¦with the two upper ones pro
jecting over the street. In some of the nar
rower thoroughfares the distance from one
house to another in the upper stories occu
pied as dwelluigs, permits of easy communi
cation, friendly or othervrise, ¦with one's
neighbors across the way. The lower floor
is given up to stores, shops or even stables.
The cro^wning feature of Panama, as of all
Latin-American cities great and small, is the
duomo or cathedral which was built in 1760.
It has two lofty towers said to be the highest
in Central America and a roof of mother-of-
pearl. During the century after its con
struction it suffered but little from seismic
disturbances, but six years after its restora
tion in 1876 it was badly shaken by an
earthquake which threw do-wn its facade.
Its restoration is now nearing completion, al-
[137]

The Artierican Tropics

though the contrast between the old and the
new is quite apparent.
There are two main squares or miniature
parks, ornamented profusely -with tropical
plants and trees, the Plaza de la Cathedral
and the Plaza Santa Anna. The former is in
the center of the city and is surrounded by
the Cathedral, the Bishop's Palace, the
ground floor of which is occupied by the
office of the Panama Lottery Company, the
Grand Central Hotel, City Hall and Admin
istration Building of the Panama Canal, to
gether with several banks. Of course the
Plaza has a band stand where a fine band
plays Sunday evenings — ^it would not be true
to the traditions of tropical America if it did
not. Another land-mark, the pride of the mu
nicipality and the RepubUc, is the Govern
ment Building which commands a beautiful
view of the bay and surrounding hills. In
the south-western part of the city there is
an old sea wall or rampart now utilized as a
[138]

A Midwinter Cruise

promenade, which commands an outlook of
distinctive beauty. It overlooks the to-wn
with Ancon HUl in the background and the
azure green of the Pacific, dotted with isles
and lazy going sail, spreading its peaceful
waters to the limit of vision.
To gain an idea of the Ufe of this most
cosmopolitan city, which on the completion of
the great inter-oceanic waterway wiU be
come the Mecca of tourists, one should attend
a promenade concert at the Plaza of a Sun
day eveiung, and later, if occasion offer, a
baU at the Commercial Club. Being more
accessible, society is more cosmopolitan than
in Caracas. The native ladies are more in
eridence than is usual in the City of Mexico,
but otherwise it possesses the general charac
teristics of the Latin race. Little drunken
ness is seen among the natives, but rum
rivals malaria among the foreign element.
Light wines and beer are not easily obtained.
Commercially, Panama is the most inter
esting place we had visited. From its cen-
[139]

The American Tropics

tral position and its advantage of a free port,
its bazaars contain the wares of almost every
clime, and at moderate prices — ^pro-rided one
has the time and ability to barter. Here
are Panama hats galore direct from the
source of manufacture in Ecuador, silk
from China, linen and woolens from England
and hardware from the United States, tropi
cal fruits from the Islands of the Blest, and
cigars from almost everywhere. Everybody
was on the qui -vive for Panama hats. I was
told at the office of the Hotel TivoU that the
Chinese merchants offered the best bargains
in this commodity. Accordingly I procured
a cab and went the rounds of the Chinese
hat stores. Unfortunately the buyers were
numerous and all but one of the stores or
bazaars as they are called were closed on ac
count of a Chinese hoUday. Neither love
nor money would induce them to open their
shops on this sacred day, so the few hats
that were offered were snapped up at high
prices. I found Panama the best market for
[140]

A Midwinter Cruise

cigars and procured at an ordinary saloon a
box of cigars that in price and flavor could
not be equaUed elsewhere. The weather
during our stay continued muggy and exer
tion could not be made ¦without effort and
copious perspiration. The impression gained
from a short ¦risit was favorable and when
tbe time came for lea^ring I wished to re
main. We were now about nine degrees, or less
than seven hundred miles, from the equator
and had reached our southern latitudinal
Umit. At this point the sun at no6n is north
of the zenith from the 13th of April to the
29th of August. From this point we were
"going homeward." Returning, as we had
come, across the Isthmus, an opportunity was
offered to allow impressions gained on the
outward trip to crystalUze into more definite
shape. The Isthmian Canal will be built. Climat
ical conditions are not especially unfavor
able, for the Canal Zone has an equable cli-
[141]

The American Tropics

mate and is never exposed to excessive heat.
Its position is such that labor and supplies
can be advantageously obtained, for both are
offered in abundance. The United States
Government has already improved the sani
tary conditions of the Zone and rendered it
as habitable as almost any part of the globe,
and wages are high. The experimental
stage has passed and a good start at the ac
tual excavating has been made. In regard
to the lock or the sea level construction
there is an unanimity of opinion, so far as I
could ascertain, in favor of the former. \
simple engineering problem confronts the
constructors. So much for the local conditions of the
spot. Conditions influencing the Canal con
struction outside the Zone are more compli
cated. These complicated and difficult prob
lems arise mainly from the machinations of
politicians and their friends, who desire to
derive profit and clamor when it is not forth
coming. With the vigorous poUcy inaugu-
[142]

A Midwinter Cruise

rated and maintained by the United States
Government, the construction of the Canal
is assured and I beUeve in a reasonable length
of time — the American people wUl not per
mit so great an undertaking to fail. Con
ceived by Angel Saavedra in 1520, the pres
ent route recommended by Antonio Galvao
in 1550, begun by the De Lesseps in 1881, it
wiU when completed redound to the lasting
credit of the United States for its actual con
struction and contribute materially to its
advancement, while rendering a perpetual
serrice to the cirilized world.

[143]

CHAPTER VI
ON a tropical sea sailing in the teeth
of the trade wind is far more pleas
ant than when the vrind is astern.
Going in a north-easterly direction we felt
the refreshing change and the dolce far
niente life on shipboard began to bring out
anew indiridual pecuUarities. It was pleas
ing to assume that for two nights and a day
after leaving Colon there would be nothing
to disturb the quiet repose and inactirity
which invites calm reflection. In this, how
ever, I was mistaken. At first, rumors of
dissatisfaction were heard which, as the day
wore on, culminated in a meeting in the af
ter cabin to take cognizance of various al
leged wrongs. First, the rumored differences
between the captain and the manager of the
shore trips called for adjudication. As
[144]

A Midwinter Cruise

neither of the supposed belligerents appeared
to present his case, it resulted in the signing
of petitions and counter petitions which were
to be forwarded to the Company, to the As
sociated Press and scattered to the winds by
the Marconi machine on the hurricane deck
to insure its being caught by passing craft in
search of news and thus given to the world.
Alas, that so much oratory and judicial acu
men should be destined to waste its vigor on
the ocean air ! But as nothing ever appeared
in print and as the outside world moved on
"without even a tremor, such was doubtless
the case. The agitation came, however, most
opportunely and served in lieu of the usual
entertainment night on the trans-Atlantic
liner. It also brought out latent talents and
acted as a safety valve to the enforced in
dolence of highly charged brain cells. Fur
thermore, it enabled people to become better
acquainted — whether they were or were not
on better terms afterward need not be dis
cussed at this time.

[145]

The American Tropics

The distance from Colon to Kingston is
five hundred and fifty miles. The second
night being cool I slept under a blanket -with
the electric fan at rest for the first time since
crossing the Tropic of Cancer. The follow
ing moming we expected to sight the Island
of Jamaica, land of rum and ginger, at an
early hour, but it was nearly seven o'clock
before the first dim, cloud-like outUne ap
peared over the port beam. At nine o'clock
the sky being clear, although softened by an
ocean haze, the lofty mountains of the in
terior loomed among the clouds which hid
their summits. We had been slowly skirting
the southern part of the island past Portland
Point, and about eleven o'clock began
threading our way between treacherous coral
reefs into the spacious harbor of Kingston.
To the right as we approached Port Royal
the wrecked Prinzessin Victoria Louise was
seen but a short distance away, vrith her bow
nearly submerged and her hull resting on
the rocks. It is always sad to see a craft
[146]

A Midwinter Cruise

undergoing slow process of dissolution, but
especially so was it in the case of this beau
tiful sea-palace, thus untimely abandoned, in
the prime of youth, to the elements which
she had at one time seemed so capable of
¦withstanding. Farther to the right resting
high on the beach at low tide the second vic
tim of the fleet, Prinz Waldemar, lay rust-
covered but otherwise apparently uninjured.
From the hurricane deck on that beautiful
day, the 19th of February, Kingston and its
enrirons presented a memorable picture.
Landward, a rather monotonous conglomer
ation of bricks and white coral masonry was
seen, relieved by occasional patches of green.
The surface gradually rises as it recedes from
the shore, when it becomes dotted -with more
scattered buildings, then come the green foot
hUls with valleys thickly wooded and flnally
the mountains towering grandly in the hazy
distance. Behind us lay the wide land
locked bay with the sea beyond dancing in
the glittering tinsel of eternal summer.
[147]

The American Tropics

Lest the third rictim should be added in
a harbor rendered extremely hazardous from
the great earthquake which had not wholly
subsided, we moved -with great caution, and,
nearing the Palisadoes and the paUn-bordered
extremity of Port Royal, the first evidences
of the recent great earthquake were seen.
Palms half submerged, their fronds -wither
ing, showed where the earth's crust had
sunken. We rounded this point, which is a
coral reef projecting from the mainland
where the ancient city stood, and reached
our dock at noon. The to-wn is situated on
a low, level beach extending backward about
a mile to where the land merges into the
foot hills and beyond towers the Green
Moimtain Range, its topmost peak being
7,500 feet, the highest in Jamaica. The for
mation suggests a huge amphitheatre.
Jamaica, the largest of the British West
Indies, is one hundred and forty-four miles
long, fifty in width, and contains four thous
and one hundred and ninety-three square
[148]

A Midwinter Cruise

miles. It was discovered by Columbus in
1494 and has been in the possession of Eng
land since 1655. The island is mainly noted
for its luxuriant tropical vegetation. Being
mountainous, the climate and its flora nat
urally vary according to the elevation. From
its easy communication -with the United
States it is a favorite winter resort for many
Americans. There is a heavy yearly rainfaU which
furnishes numerous springs and streams from
which it derives not only its vernal charac
teristics, but also its name, Xaymaca, an
Indian word signifying the land of woods
and waters. Its present population is about
700,000, less than 15,000 of whom are white.
Kingston, the capital and main, though not
the oldest, city, had a population before the
earthquake of 45,000, but at the time of my
risit many had taken refuge in other parts
of the island. It is known to have suffered
at least two severe earthquakes and numer
ous cyclones. Of the former the most not-
[149]

The American Tropics

able was that of 1692, when part of Port
Royal on which the city stood was submerged.
It is claimed that on certain days when the
water is clear, some of the old city with its
dwellings, churches, warehouses and forts
may still be seen, but this, Uke the native
rum, must be taken with due conservatism.
The last great terrestrial disturbance oc
curred on the fourteenth of January, 1907,
falUng Uke a death blow to the already mor
ibund island — moribund from a sociological
and commercial point of view. It is general
ly admitted, however, that -with the comple
tion of the Panama Canal conditions in the
West Indies will improve, and in no place
more than Jamaica.
The recent earthquake was described by
quite an intelligent cab-driver — called here
buggyman. The inquiry of my friend the
doctor, "Had the people of Jamaica any pre
monition of the impending disaster?" did
not eUcit an immediate reply, whereupon the
Columbia professor, noticing the pause, in-
[150]

^^¦k. H^^**

^

^^¦uRuK' « A

li^tfl

IL

^:;^^«H&fl

i-i',!

mKK&m

^^^U

^^^i'J^?> -^ ^^t^F^j^^iti *'>>4»J' »- ' ¦, --,
"
, ^'::^m^:MM
^HHfPP^l^^^^^^^pfi'
,- -. .- '¦ .-..„ ¦ -'¦' ' . " .",-
AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE, KINGSTON.
A Midwinter Cruise

terpreted: "Did you have any warning of
the quake before it came?" This had the
desired effect and he sketched it substantial
ly thus: "I was sittin' 'ere hin my buggy
com min' from railway station. Took a fare
for de tree 'clock train, sah, and had got
along just over dar [pointing -with his whip]
w'en haU of a suddint the 'orse stumble and
I see pavement mo^vin' hup and' down, sah,
an' I know it earthquake for sure." He
further said that the few dwelUngs around
him tottered and their walls began to fall.
From the business part of the town there
was a rumbling noise Uke distant thunder
vrith rising clouds of dust. This lasted about
a minute, or it might have been less, but it
seemed a long time — so long, he said, he
thought it would never stop.
As described by a merchant who was
seated in his counting-house on one of the
busy streets: "It came suddenly just as I
was sitting at my desk talking ¦with a cus
tomer; everything became shaky and the
[ISl]

The American Tropics

walls crumbled and feU about our heads,
with blinding, suffocating dust. I groped
my way to the street uninjured, but found
it almost impossible to find my way, nor did
I know where to go. Fortunately I remaiaed
in the center of the street untU it was over
and the dust cleared sufficiently for me to
pick my way to a place of safety, away from
the tottering buildings. Soon a fire broke out,
and the fire department, crippled as it was,
could do Uttle to control it. The man or
woman severely injured or caught in the
ruins had no chance."
The work of rescue was stiU going on at
the time of our visit. A roadway in the
center of the street had been cleared but
nothing habitable or in any way serriceable
was seen. Some fled to churches, the most
unsafe of all places, for of the churches of
Kingston but a single spire was left and it
showed the struggle through which it had
passed. Kingston was paralyzed, as well it might
[152]

A Midwinter Cruise

be, its people, half-crazed ¦with fear, were
startled anew from day to day by the quiver
ing earth. In the midst of this, pandemon
ium was suddenly let loose by the boom of
cannon and many thought the foundations of
the world had given way. But it was only
Da-ris's guns giving the Government salute
as the United States cruiser "Dixie," laden
with reUef suppUes, entered the bay on her
mission of peace and mercy.
As elsewhere intimated, John BuU in
cloudland on his native turf and in a con
genial setting is one of the most companion
able of men. But removed from the sub
dued Ught and cool air of merrie England
and placed in the glare of the tropics, my ex
perience is that he becomes the most crot
chety bundle of nerves imaginable. And on
this occasion, as far as one can ascertain,
there was developed a pronounced incompati-
biUty between the American Captain vrith all
good intentions and his bluster and noise,
and the overwrought Govemor of the strick-
[153]

The American Tropics

en island, probably possessing an over-sen
sitized conservatism. The result was mis
understanding and, somewhere, an appalling
blunder. The conditions existing some weeks later
the camera can best portray for Uttle but
ruins remained of the erstwhUe prosperous
and beautiful town. In our ramblings we
found that about half of the Post-office build
ing had been left standing and was stUl util
ized by the Post-office department. Across
the way an extemporized souveiur shop did a
thriring business. In the center of the city
stood tbe prison vrith its high, brick-walled
enclosure. Both the prison and the outer-
yard walls suffered severely from the shock.
On this account much apprehension was felt
by the inhabitants immediately after the
earthquake lest the inmates should escape —
as it was reported they were doing. Cap
tain Davis landed and marched his marines
directly to this point, restored order and
rendered such other aid as the situation
[154]

I

V --4: t?5li#
'- Xc4

JB H.AJ. .gA.-i.*fe-

A Midwinter Cruise

seemed to call for, until informed by the
Governor that his ser-rices were not needed,
in words even less diplomatic but to that ef
fect. The panic subsiding the inhabitants were
finally encamped in two main settlements in
the suburbs. An attractive drive outside the
town leads to this city of tents; farther on
we passed the barracks, now rendered use
less by falling masonry and breaks in the
walls, and turning, the road leads to the
beautiful grounds of the Governor's Palace,
at that time the residence of Governor
Swettenham. Just as we approached the
Palace a hea^vy shower, or more properly
speaking downpour, came -without warning
as occurs at times in the tropics, and caused
everyone to skelter for cover. Our driver
halted under a large outspreading tree, but
the colored sentry at the steps inrited us to
drive under the broad porte cochere.
The Governor was "not at home" as the
Palace was not considered safe for habitation
[ISS]

The American Tropics

and he and his family resided in a tent in the
rear. The sentry wearing his Majesty the
King's uniform was inclined to be loquacious
while glancing furtively at a coverless cigar
box with a few coins on the bottom which
sat on a stool near the risitor's book of
registry. Among other things, he said the
Governor's family was sitting in a room ad
joining the dining saloon when the shock
came; none were seriously injured although
much broken glass and plaster feU around
them. As in other West Indian isles be
longing to Britain the grounds surrounding
the Governor's Palace are rendered attrac
tive more from the broad expanse covered
with an exuberant growth of tropical verd
ure than from any special beauty of the
buildings. After the morning's drive it was an agree
able change to draw up at the Constant
Spring Hotel, which is six miles from Kings
ton and connected with the city by a tram
line. The hotel is a large rambling struc-
[156]

A Midwinter Cruise

ture vrith attractive grounds, facing a broad
savanna. From the cupola majestic pros
pects Ue outspread. There is always some
thing restful in a weU-conducted EngUsh
inn, and both restful and refreshing this one
seemed to be though far removed from its
parent stem. Something more than refresh
ing, however, was the rum fizz flavored -with
native limes which was served on the broad
veranda. The luncheon was like many
other luncheons and made us even more ap
preciative of our own ship's larder. This
building suffered considerably from the
earthquake, one corner with tons of masonry
fell away, rendering that part of the hotel
unfit for use. Everywhere cracked walls and
plaster told of the shaking up it had had.
Retuming to Eangston on a tram-car we en
countered the most accommodating conduc
tor we had seen since leaving Port of Spain,
and Uke his feUow workmen in Trinidad he
was not only white but an Englishman
thoroughly baked and brown. Seeing that
[157]

The American Tropics

we were on the lookout, camera in hand, he
offered to hold the car should we wish to take
any views — and he actually did it -without
our asking. Did I say the Briton in the
tropics is intolerable ? WeU, I know at least
two who are not.
There is little to detain the tourist in
Kingston, but two or three weeks may be
spent comfortably in driving, touring or
walking over the Island — ^pro-rided one Ukes
to walk in warm weather. One of the most
interesting places, as well as the oldest in
Jamaica, is Spanish To-wn, which was founded
in 1630 and caUed San Jago de la Vega.
Like many Spanish names this proved too
formidable for the EngUsh-speaking bucca
neers, who re-christened it as indicated.
These daring old sea dogs seemed to have
braved everything until they encountered
the Spanish language — ^this they never mas
tered. The seat of govemment was former
ly here and the Ught pink-colored King's
house and other public buildings formerly
[158]

A Midwinter Cruise

occupied by the colonial officials still remain
in good preservation. The streets are short
and to reach any point numerous turns must
be made. The Cathedral is probably the
most interesting place of all and its interior
weU repays a visit. It presents a modem
exterior, for part of its walls, as also spire
and roof, are of comparatively recent con
struction. It was originaUy built by the
Spaniards in 1523 as the Church of the Red
Cross, but was nearly destroyed in 1655.
In its restoration, unfortunately, it was great
ly modernized, although tbe crypt bears evi
dences of age. It probably is entitled to the
distuiction attaching to the oldest building
on the island, and, excepting the cathedrals
of Cartagena and Havana, the oldest church
on the American Continent. Formerly Ro
man Catholic, it is now Anglican and con
tains the remains of some of Jamaica's illus
trious dead. I read the epitaphs on several
slabs in the crypt dated as far back as 1640.
Here is one more legible than others:
[159]

The American Tropics

"Here lies Sir Thomas Lynch at ease and blest;
Would you know more ye world will speak ye
rest."
It is a satisfaction to think of Sir Thomas
thus comfortably prorided for despite his
name, though of many of his compeers one
finds no such assuring statement, nor does
history offer any plea in their behalf. On
the contrary "ye world" does not speak in
the highest terms of the average seventeenth
century buccaneer. In the streets of Span
ish To-wn and Port Royal were found, ac
cording to Byron Edwards, "the most ungod
ly people on the face of the earth." But
whUe virtue usually meets its just reward,
so also does -rice, and whether Sir Thomas
Lynch had a hand in it or not, we know that
those not executed on GaUows Point by one
of their o^wn number, Morgan, after he was
knighted by the grace of Charles the Second,
slid off into the sea with the earthquake of
1692, and were thus more decently if not
more summarily exterminated. [160]

A Midwinter Cruise

The active slave trade between the West
Indies and the west coast of Africa tended
Ukewise to give a bad name to the chief ports
where the slavers discharged their cargoes.
It is estimated that more than 600,000 slaves
were landed at Port Royal between 1680 and
1786. As a reminder of the active contention
which in the seventeenth century existed be
tween England, Spain, Prance and Holland,
stands Rodney's statue flanked by cannon
taken from the Ville de Paris to commem
orate his victory over De Grasse who com
manded the French fleet in 1781. There is a
neat looking inn in Spanish Town, the Rio
Cobre, near the river of the same name,
where one is presented on entering -with bas
kets of oranges and other tropical fruits.
But we tarried only long enough to secure a
buggyman with a superannuated horse to
drive to the celebrated "Bog- Walk" a cor
ruption of Boca del Aqua, mouth of the
waters. Of the picturesque drives I can re-
[161]

The American Tropics

call, none surpasses in point of beauty, and
what Germans would caU gemiithUchkeit,
the Bog-Walk of Jamaica. The "Hobby
Drive ' ' on the north coast of Devon ; the long
sweeps of the Yellowstone with their trails
of dust; that between Sorrento and Castel-
lammare bordering the Bay of Naples; the
"Prince of Wales' Drive" from the Lakea
of KiUamey to Glengariff and many others
have their charms ; some are beyond descrip
tion and each has some feature pecuUar to
itself, but tbe drive of nine mUes along the
Rio Cobre River from Spanish To^wn to the
Natural Bridge, the Gorge, and beyond to
the railway station, is unmatched outside
Jamaica and must be seen to be fuUy appre
ciated. The roadway is macadamized -with
white coral, and for the first few mUes trim
cottages and farm-houses surrounded with
forests of bananas are passed. Then the Ug-
num vitae, the wood of life, bearing beauti
ful blue flowers and wood which is used to
make policemen's clubs, may be seen on the
[162]

A Midwinter Cruise

roadside. We drove over a rapid-flovring
stream, an irrigation ditch, the driver called
it, vrith its banks lined vrith palms. Clumps
of flowering orchids and numerous other
plants enlivened the scene with a blaze of
blossom. Maiden-hair ferns in great profu
sion and giant ferns from eight to ten feet
high, the wUd passion flower, the hibiscus
and primrose, the -wild convol-vulus and the
iris, are seen everywhere. Through this
junglewood of bloom we came to deep defiles
vrith overhanging rocks of coral draped in
the rank luxuriance of the tropics. As a
cUmax to this beauty streak of nature comes
the natural bridge of coral rock hung -with
-vines and flowering plants, forming an arch
of strength and beauty sixty feet above the
waters of the Rio Cobre which it spans. At
this point the river is narrow and swift-
flo-wing. Retuming, a punk or flat-bottomed
boat may be secured on which to drift down
the stream.
Numerous other excursions with the bug-
[163]

The American Tropics

gymab may be taken ; those to the hill to-wns
or stations as they are called, are somewhat
fatiguing, but offer an opportunity of seeing
some striking scenery and the diversified
fiora of both the temperate and torrid zones.
Newcastle, the most spoken of, is the Jamai
can MiUtary Sanitorium and contains the
HiU Station cantonments where the few
troops on the island must spend part of the
time, because of its healthful climate. The
rank and file of the army finds this a doleful
place, and as most of the colored troops of
the Une are immune to anything the torrid
zone can produce, it is not spoken of -with
enthusiasm by the West Indian Tommy At
kins. Of greater interest, however, and more
easily reached, are the < celebrated Castleton
and Hope Gardens, the former being
the Governments' greatest botanic sta
tion for the cultivation of tropical trees.
It is situated on the Wag- Water River (for
merly Aqua Alta), and as it is only nineteen
[164]

A Midwinter Cruise

miles from Kingston it may be reached by
the buggyman. It contains much of the tropi
cal growth we had seen elsewhere but with
some additions which, -with its careful ar
rangement and classification, entitle it to be
considered, as it is, the botanist's paradise.
This and the Hope Garden Reservation of
two hundred acres near the foot-hills and
the government Cinchona Plantation of one
hundred and fifty acres, twenty-one miles
from Kingston, offer a greater variety of
vegetable Ufe than can elsewhere be seen
and even excels the horticultural coUection
at Port of Spain.
Tiiere are seven hundred miles of road
ways in Jamaica leading to every place worth
seeing and as they are excellent and the
buggyman omnipresent, the most satisfac
tory way of seeing the Island, provided
one has the time, is to secure the least ob
jectionable of these creatures and follow the
white streaks of macadam and one's o-wn in
cUnations. In so doing you will look down
[165]

The American Tropics

from mountain heights on yellow pastures of
guinea grass three or four thousand feet be
low, and, descending, pass impenetrable for
ests and emerge into valleys fragrant -with
spicy odors and gorgeous -with flowers.
Again you -will pass plantations, fruit farms,
sweet-smeUing pimento groves and foul-
smeUing sugar mills. Or by foUo-wing the
chain of roads which encircle the Island you
will cross roaring rivers dashing into foam
as their waters meet the surf. At other
places your road-way -will be flanked on
both sides with long rows of overhanging
paUns bo-wing gracefuUy. You may not
know whether they are salaaming to you or to
each other, but you -wUl enjoy it, it aU seems
so oriental. Again you -wUl see coffee plan
tations, orange orchards, and fields of the
ever-present banana.
Of course the inns may not hold out strong
inducements to this mode of travel and the
buggyman may be a land pirate, but these
are only minor inconveniences which may
[166]

A Midwinter Cruise

be reduced to a minimum if one has a bicycle,
or better, an automobile. With a bicycle
any inn will seem luxurious, and any bed a
bed of eiderdo-wn; besides you -will not be
fettered to the jehu with a "rig;" while with
an automobile you can add your quota of
dust to unin-riting inns, and halt only at the
best places.
RaUway lines connect Kingston with Min-
tego Bay on the northwest coast, a distance
of one hundred and thirteen miles, Port An
tonio on the north-east coast, seventy-five
miles, and Ewarton in the center of the Is
land thirty miles from Kingston. Tbe diffi
culties of railway construction in Jamaica
are great, but the winding lines through rank
vegetation, over mountains, through narrow
defiles, and over high trestles make for the
pleasure of the tourist and withal afford
the quickest and most economical way of
"doing" the Island. The railway carriages
are a compromise between the English and
American systems. There are first and sec-
[167]

The American Tropics

ond class compartments and in place of the
usual "smoker" there is a carriage near the
engine, not with stationary seats, but with
chairs and a table or two where one can en
joy fruit or liquid refreshments which may
be ordered of the colored waitress in atten
dance. Securing a ticket at some of the
smaller stations is quite a formidable affair,
especially if there be many waiting and the
purchasers have not the amount ready in
the coin of the land, which is neither -wlioUy
English nor American, although American
dollars are taken at their face value. The
deliberate way in which the ticket seUer con
ducts his affairs, however, insures him against
any danger of nervous prostration from the
mental strain of this monetary tangle. But
the experienced know there is really no need
of haste — ^for the train will wait.
Port Antonio has of late become a place
of commercial importance on account of the
American fruit traffic conducted here. In
fact the place is almost wholly built up with
[168]

A Midwinter Cruise

American capital. Because of this and the
direct communication -with New York and
Boston, many Americans prefer Port Antonio
to Kingston. There is further, to attract
American patronage, a mammoth -winter re
sort hotel. The Tichfield, conducted by
Americans and similar to the resorts on the
Atlantic seaboard of the United States. This
building suffered but little during the recent
earthquake, although cracked waUs and
plaster were sufficient to send many of its
inmates skeltering homeward on the first
steamers. The ¦riew from the Tichfield is
superb. In the distance to the rear, the
Blue Mountains blend with the soft azure
of the sky, while stretching out in front is
the broad expanse of the Caribbean Sea,
blue as the indigo with which some of the
craft, lazily sunning themselves in the off
ing, are probably laden.
The enrirons of Port Antonio are more
primitive than those of the older town of
Kingston. With a buggyman one can ex-
[169]

The American Tropics

plore native jungles hiding huts built by the
"wild men;" harmless they are, though in
many respects similar to their kind beyond
seas in Afric 's sunny clime. There are no
dangerous reptUes in Jamaica, which is com
forting to the curious traveler. In fact while
it excels in flora, its fauna is remarkably re
stricted, including only a few ingunas in the
forests, lizards and alligators in stagnant
swales and swamps, fresh water fishes in its
rivers, and birds of various kinds, a few ¦with
beautiful plumage.
No better place than Jamaica can be se
lected for studying the so-called race ques
tion. Por four hundred years the island has
been dominated by white men, who at an
early stage of its development, imported,
doubtless much against their will, an aUen
race of blacks to serve as slaves. This en
abled the main industries of the island to be
developed, while it also created two distinct
classes of society, the bondmen and their
owners. The latter amassed wealth and
[170]

A Midwinter Cruise

lived in affluence, buUding estates -with
"great houses" and spending much of their
time and all of their money in Europe,
mainly in the mother country, England.
This may have been well for the capitals of
Europe, but was debilitating to the infant
colony. Then came the agitation for the lib
eration of slaves, and in 1775 Jamaica, or
some part of it, petitioned the home govem
ment stating that "the trade to Africa for
slaves is neither consistent with sound poUcy,
the laws of nature, nor morality;" not until
1834, however, were the slaves liberated.
For seventy years, therefore, the negro in
Jamaica has enjoyed the advantages of free
dom. During this time the exchequer has
decreased as well as the relative size of the
white population. The blacks, on the other
hand, have not only multipUed with amazing
rapidity, but a few of them have acquired
a fair degree of understanding, and a still
smaller number some capital. On the whole,
then, the African is the gainer, having drawn
[171]

The American Tropics

largely in the process of civiUzation from
association with the European, and at the
same time, judging from the number of mul-
attoes, has drawn a considerable amount of
white blood into his veins. That he is capa
ble of self-government or that he would be
better under "home rule," no one, probably,
who has observed the opera bouffe govem
ment of Haiti will admit.
The one thousand pubUc and private
schools of Jamaica, a few preparatory col
leges and many churches, are slowly doing
their work in the uplifting of the African
race. That more effort is not required of
the negro is securing a livUhood is aganist
him. For high attainment or even the hope
of attainment comes only through ages of
toil. The church is more attractive to the
negro than the school, but the benches of the
latter are largely recruited from the former.
For the benefit of the negro, therefore, it is
to be hoped that matters -will remain as they
are ; as for the white man in Jamaica, he be-
[172]

A Midwinter Cruise

longs to a different zone, where generations
of struggling ancestors have endowed him
-with the brains and bra-wn which make him
the power among men that he is.
In spite of the natural beauty which at
tracts many to Jamaica, it was with feelings
of reUef that I saw our ship at sundo-wn
backing out of her sUp at Kingston Harbor.
Some apprehension had been felt for our
safety, as almost daily tremors of the earth
were felt. In the atmosphere of impending
doom which pervaded the capital at the
time, it was difficult to appreciate fuUy the
prodigality with wMch nature has endowed
the Island, while things terrestial seemed so
fleeting, so unstable, and the smile of the
land, though fair, seemed Uke the smile of
the siren which lures to ruin.

[173]

CHAPTER VIL
ON clearing Kingston Harbor some
beautiful sunset effects were seen.
There had been few on the whole
trip — ^none such as at times makes nightfall
glorious in the north, but then it may not
have been the season for beautiful sunsets.
It is a night's run from Kingston to Santiago
de Cuba and at daybreak the cloud-like out
line of land was seen on our starboard side.
The sky was overcast and it was much cooler,
with a fresh wind, although the sea was caUn.
Ulsters were needed for the flrst time since
warm weather was encountered, but as the
sun rose they were soon discarded.
The entrance to Santiago Harbor is reached
through a narrow channel, guarded to the
right by El Morro (the promontory), a com
bination of mediaeval fortress and castle,
and to the left by the rugged foothiUs of
the Sierras. The place is of interest mainly
from the memorable battle which occurred
[174]

A Midwinter Cruise

there July 3rd, 1898, between the American
squadron under Sampson and Schley and
the Spanish flotilla commanded by Cervera,
in which the latter was quickly demoUshed,
terminating the war with Spain for the "Ub-
eration" of Cuba. As we lay facing the en
trance awaiting the pilot, the pinkish-brown
pile of masonry, Ut up by the morning sun,
surmounted by the castle, towered above
us. About the only -risible e^ridence of ill
usage the fort has received during the four
hundred years it has frowned alike on bold
and timorous foe are the excavations or cav
erns in its rocky foundation made by the
waves. To the left, surmounting the Sierra
Maestro Range, stands Pico Turquino, eight
thousand feet above the sea. We were dis
appointed in not seeing some relics of the
vanquished squadron, they being strewn for
forty miles westward along the cost. We
lay to, however, sufficiently near to see the
tower in which Hobson was imprisoned after
the sinking of the "Merrimac" by himself
[175]

The American Tropics

and seven brave companions on the 3rd of
June, 1898, in an attempt to blockade the en
trance to the harbor and to prevent Cer
vera's escape. It was in the most exposed
rampart that Hobson was confined, and
the commandant is said to have informed
the American squadron that if they fired on
the fort he would be the most exposed. As
we passed the rock-ribbed fortress we could
see at close range ramparts receding in tiers
set off here and there -with overhanging sen
try boxes and -winding stairways leading to
the castle some two hundred feet above us.
All seemed as old as the rock on which it
stands, and picturesque beyond any fort we
had seen. A second fortress smaUer than
the first and separated from it by a sand
beach was passed, and the hills rose on both
sides of the channel, reminding one of a
miniature Hudson River scene for a distance
of about four miles, when the channel broad
ens into a land-locked bay sufficiently large
to accommodate several naries, prorided
[176]

A Midwinter Cruise

they are on friendly terms, and sufficiently
deep to sink them without disturbing navi
gation should they conclude to disagree. To
the right on a slope which terminates in the
mountainous interior stands Santiago, the
second city in size, and once the capital of
Cuba, built by the Spaniards in 1514. We
dropped anchor about a mile from shore and
were soon in line, cameras in hand, ready to
board the launches, but there was some de
lay, the officers at the bottom of the landing
stairs stating that we must wait for the port
medical officer. The sun grew hotter and
still the perspiring Une impatiently waited.
Finally a naptha launch carrying the Ameri
can flag drew up and there was a long con
ference between our ship's doctor and the
port health officer. Then more delay until,
finaUy, we were told that we were in quar
antine. Porty days and forty nights shalt
thou be imclean, according to the Mosaic
law — but the length of segregation has be
come modified and now varies according to
[177]

The American Tropics

the incubation period of the infective disease.
We had, however, the satisfaction of know
ing that we were in quarantuie for yeUow
fever, the most deadly pestilence of the trop
ics. On the other hand, some of the more
timorous became panic stricken; might not
the disease break out at any moment, said
one; might it not be already on the ship
although concealed, ventured another. It is
true we had called at infected posts and had
embarked two passengers at Colon, which
enjoys the distinction of being a veritable
incubator of yellow fever. People began to
realize that their color was unnaturally yel
low and it was conspicuously apparent and
had been for some time that all were more
or less brown. But the panacea came; the
ship was to be fumigated — and the effect was
magical. Somewhere in the hold sulphur
was burned; not much, for there was Uttle
need, but just enough to satisfy the law's
demands and to queU the anxiety of the tim
orous. Henceforth we were clean from a
[178]

A Midwinter Cruise

legal point of -riew, but not sufficiently
clean to land at Santiago. No ! that privUege
was denied us, but we might be permitted
to land at Havana, provided — Then we
gazed long and longingly at the sunlit town,
attractive in its reds and pinks and blues
and yellows. With our glasses we could
pick out the Cathedral with its towers, said
to be the largest on the island, the Marine
Park and the Plaza — ^the Plaza -with its band
stand. Some of the larger, more modern
buildings are of red brick covered -with
red tUes. We could even see the rows of
cabs and the restless movements of their
drivers. Fortunately we could not hear
what they said, but their disappointment
must have been keen — a harvest ripe and
awaiting the sickle, devastated by hurri
cane and inundated by flood. The effect as
we saw it was oriental, with a warmth of
coloring in keeping -with the atmospherei,
which from its protected and basin-like sur-
roundiugs was, as the sun reached the zenith,
[179]

The American Tropics

hotter than was at aU comfol-table. Bej-
yond the low range of hUls behind the to-wn
we could see (with our mind's eye better
than with our field glasses) San Juan HiU
seamed by overgrown trenches and sur
mounted by a monument; and farther away
El Caney with its dismantled block-house
where now, we were told, enwrapped in
sweet solitude the mocking bird trills his
notes in an atmosphere of peace, and the
husbandman turns soil once trod by the iron
heel. Before sundo-wn, however, we were
handed the long-looked-for and long-
whistlei-for documents which permitted our
departure according to the regulations of
quarantine. Just why we were detained all
day without being permitted to land or to
proceed peacefully on our way, -wiU, so far
as the passengers are concerned, probably
always remain one of the unsolved mysteries
of uniformed officialdom.
Night was falUng on the dismantled tur
rets of El Morro as we cleared the channel
[180]

A Midwinter Cruise

and put out to sea. Our course lay eastward
past Daiguiri (twenty miles) where Shafter
landed our troops for the invasion of Cuba,
which in turn resulted in the dislodgment of
Cervera ; and twenty miles farther we passed
Guantanamo where at anchor, like faithful
war dogs of the sea, lay the Atlantic squad
ron, blinking at us with eyes of fire. It may
be of interest to recall that this harbor was
given us for the assistance rendered Cuba
in her struggle for "freedom." It is the
finest land-locked harbor on the south coast
and rivals Nipe on the north, being from
half a mile to four miles wide and ten miles
long. As a strategic point, especially after
the completion of the great Panama Canal,
it can hardly be excelled. Adjoining,
shrouded in the sable mantle of night, are
the Cobre, or Copper, Mountains, reputed to
be rich in mineral wealth, especially iron and
copper; and not far off are the rich timber
lands and the most productive coffee plan
tations of Cuba. [181]

The American Tropics

We began to realize that we were lea-ving
the tropics; the air was cool and as we sat
on deck long into the night wraps and
ulsters were not uncomfortable. Finally the
Faro Concha Ught on Cape Maisi, the east
ernmost tip of Cuba, about one hundred
miles from Santiago, was sighted and we left
the night watch at four bells trusting the
ship's officers to round the point, or more
properly double the cape, safely. Some were
disappointed in not being able to proceed to
Havana by rail, but most of us were quite
content, accepted the ineritable with easy
grace, and were soon lulled to sleep by the
great rhythmic throbs of the ship 's heart.
The distance from Cape Maisi to Havana
is far greater than I had realized and aU
of the following day our course stood north
west with an occasional headland or moun
tain in the interior of Cuba peeping over our
port rail. The island is 760 miles long by
135 miles at its widest part and has an area
of 43,300 square miles, vrith a population
[182]

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of 1,500,000 or less. The northern coast is
known to be almost uniformly low and flat,
indented by numerous bays and dotted with
570 islands or coral keys ; while on the south
coast there is a veritable galax;y of islets
which number 730 — the Isle of Pines being
the largest -with an area of 1,214 square
mUes. The saU from Santiago to Havana, by
way of Faro Concha Ughthouse, takes more
than two nights and a day, and it was not
until nine o'clock of the second day that
El Morro of Havana was sighted and at ten
we entered the harbor between Morro Castle
and the Punta Battery, steamed past Fort
Cabanas and the sunken "Maine" and drop
ped anchor in the land-locked bay. It is
not many years since Havana became the
Mecca of southem tourists. Previous to this
the island seemed almost as remote as Spain
itself and quite as foreign. The transforma
tion wrought by tbe American occupation
during the past few years has largely been
directed toward sanitation — of which the
[183]

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place stood much in need. Those who recall
the Havana of a decade or two ago would
be surprised at her cleanliness and the ab
sence of odors which formerly greeted the
new arrival. From time immemorial the
Cuban capital has been associated with the
idea of disagreeable olfactory sensations and
dreaded epidemics. It was formerly said
that ships required no pilot, as the narigator
in entering had but to follow his nose, and
its deadly miasms were known to be more
formidable to the unacclimated, whether
friend or foe, than Spanish bayonets or El
Morro's guns. With this condition acting
as a constant menance to our shores, the
problem of the American Government next in
importance after establishing peace and, ap
parently, a stable government, was, as in
the case of Panama, to purge the place of its
plague spots by modern sanitation. That
this is no sinecure will be apparent when one
considers that the soil on which the town
is built is saturated with the refuse of cen-
[184]

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turies, and the stagnant harbor has been a
dumping pool for four hundred years. But
Havana the beautiful has washed her face
and at least looks clean, and the sea breezes
which sweep over the town and stir up the
white dust, are no longer befouled by emana
tions of decomposing and decomposed mat
ter. The task of reconstruction, or rather of
construction, has just begun, for while an
abundance of pure water now flows into the
capital there is no adequate system of sewage
for a city of, say, about 250,000 inhabitants,
and the muck-bottomed bay awaits only the
opportunity to yield up in abundance from
its storehouse of infection. But to the aver
age tourist the quaint, almost uncomfortable
hotels are just as they were of yore, except
ing that their prices are higher, and while
the house-cleaning process has possibly ren
dered Havana less picturesque, yet quite
enough remains of the laissez faire to sat
isfy the most ardent mediaevalist.
The city was founded in 1519 on a spa-
[185]

The American Tropics

cious land-locked harbor which afforded a
safe haven at a time when typhoons were
not the greatest danger encountered on the
high seas. The scene of strife from the be
ginning, it has ever since participated in the
varying fortunes of war. In the last half
of the sixteenth century the Spaniards began
the erection of Morro Castle and the Bateria
de la Punta on the opposite entrance to the
harbor to defend the city against the inva
sions of the French, English and Dutch. It
had previously been reduced to ashes by the
buccaneers in 1528 and sacked by Sores the
pirate in 1556. These fortiflcations were not
completed in their present form until 1625.
Fort Cabanas dates from a later period
(1762), and was erected because of the tak
ing of El Morro by the EngUsh.
No city of the American continent is richer
in historic interest than Havana. It was
selected by Ocampo in 1508 as a careening
harbor or natural dry dock for his ships,
hence the name "habana," haven. From
[186]

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here Cortes set out in 1519 on his voyage of
conquest to Mexico, and from this port Pam-
philo de Narvaez sailed in 1528 for Florida,
where he was foUowed eleven years later
by DeSoto, who traveUng westward in search
of El Dorado, the mythical land of gold, dis
covered the Mississippi River instead and
was dro-wned therein. In 1762 the English,
assisted by the Colonial troops from New
York and New England, captured the city,
but it was returned to Spain the following
year in exchange for Florida.
OriginaUy Havana was a walled city, but
the town has far outgro-wn its stone girdle,
now for the most part demoUshed. Rem
nants of the old wall may still be seen in the
Plaza de Armas, near the prison, and in the
rear of the post-office stands tbe oldest fort
ress, constructed in 1558. The space within
this once walled enclosure may be recog
nized by its narrow winding streets, while in
the newer parts broad thoroughfares and
gardens render the locality more salubrious
[187]

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as a place of residence. The buildings are of
stone with a plentiful use of marble, one or
two stories high, with iron-grated windows,
some (without glass) much like those in
other Spanish towns. The Cathedral erected
by the Jesuits in 1724 possesses some claim
to architectural beauty, but it is in such close
proximity to other buildings that it does not
appear to advantage. It is mainly noted,
however, for its interior and the niche in
which the remains of Columbus are supposed
to have rested from the time of their removal
from Santo Domingo in 1796 to their final
departure for Seville in 1899. It is now
thought that the bones of Columbus stUl
repose in the Cathedral at Santo Domingo,
and those of his son, Don Diego, were re
moved by mistake and deposited in the Ca
thedral at Havana. Tacon Market, erected
in 1836, is an imposing structure and the
Tacon Theatre, built two years later, has a
seating capacity of 3,000. These structures
were named in honor of General Miguel Ta-
[188]

THE CATHEDRAL, HAVANA.

A Midwinter Cruise

con who was Governor of Cuba from 1834
to 1838. The bull ring and the cock-pit still
furnish the most popular amusements of the
Cubans, although jailai has a firm hold on
the public taste and rivals base-ball in our
country. Tram-cars traverse the city, and
take one through the narrowest, most tortuous
streets to the deUghtful suburb of Cerro, the
most beautiful street in Havana, lined with
attractive vUlas and gardens, as weU as to
Vedado, Marianao and the Cuban cemetery.
The cabs of Havana (and those of Naples)
are in a class by themselves. At one time,
it is said, they numbered 6,000, and even
now -with the modern competition of the
electric tram, they are as plentiful as mos
quitoes in New Jersey and their charges vary
according to circumstances — from twenty-
five cents to all the money the passenger
chances to have with him. As in all Span
ish-American cities it is useful to have some
practical knowledge of the Spanish language
— or at least a few words in your vest pocket,
[189]

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so to speak, to utilize in case of necessity.
Boarding a tram-car one night to return to
our ship, we were in doubt regarding the
route the car was taking ; soon, plunging into
narrow, winding streets, our orientation be
came still more uncertain and we consulted
the conductor who evidently considered it of
sufficient importance to think about, but
would not hazard a reply on the spur of the
moment. Soon the whole car seemed to be
deeply interested in our needs — I tried boat,
ship, steamer, bateau, schiff and dampfer, but
everybody gave it up. It was a conundrum,
of course, but new to them. The word
vapor would have reUeved our anxiety long
before the turn which brought us out on
the quay in full view of our objective point.
While there are numerous small plazas
ornamented by statues, the Parque Isabel,
now called Parque Central, is the fashionable
center of the city. Here the band plays
and the people take the air. The Prado and
the Paseo de Tacon, leadiug from the center
[190]

IN THB SHOPPING DISTRICT, HAVANA.

A Midwinter Cruise

of the city to the Punta and more recent
Malacon, at the west entrance to the harbor,
is the most pretentious boulevard and fol
lows the line of the old city waU. Here,
too, or close by, are the principal hotels and
places of amusment, together with the Gov
ernment buildings and the residence of the
Governor-general, with a fine statue of Co
lumbus in the courtyard. Farther on is the
Malacon overlooking the harbor entrance
and the sea. In the Plaza de Armas there is
a statue of Ferdinand VII. The shopping
streets, Obsispo, O'ReUly and Obrapia lead
off from the Prado and are so narrow that
a-wnings are stretched across the street af
fording a shade and conspicuous places for
signs. Mantillas, embroideries, fans and
Panama hats are the articles most pur
chased by tourists. The best Panama hat
bought on the trip was procured here for
$35.00. The best bargain counters are found
in the markets, where every commodity is
displayed for sale. Of the hospitals the St.
[191]

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Lazaro for lepers is most noted. It was
founded in 1861 by a leper who left his for
tune as a perpetual endo-wment to the insti
tution. The property thus endowed, I was
told, has since enhanced greatly in value. I
flrst visited the hospital in 1891 in company
with Dr. Burgess, then the American Consul.
A marked change has taken place since that
time. Instead of being an asylum, as it then
was, it has taken on more of the air of an
institution for treating and caring for the dis
ease with modem methods. Formerly seg
regation was not compulsory and of the
estimated two hundred lepers in the city at
the time of my first risit, but eighty-seven
were in the St. Lazaro.
The wealth of the island is derived mainly
from sugar and tobacco, while grazing is car
ried on to a certain extent. Tobacco is
grown mainly in the Pro-vinces of Pinar del
Rio, Havana and Santa Clara, in the western
end of the island. A comparatively smaU
acreage, however, (100,000 out of a total of
[192]

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28,000,000) is devoted to its production. The
finest quality is grown in the Vuelta Abajo
district, which covers an area of about ninety
miles in length by ten in -width. The average
yearly crop for the whole island is about
62,173,800 pounds, with a total valuation of
more than $22,000,000.
In Havana there are many of pure Cas
tUian blood, but throughout the island there
is a more general mingling of races. Un
like many of the islands we had visited the
population of Cuba is preponderatingly
white or nearly so, only about a third being
unmistakably black. The aborigines, the
Indians, have as a race been exterminated.
That their blood, mingled -with that of the
African and the Spaniard, contributes to form
tbe typica] Cuban is apparent to the most
superficial ethnologist. A distinct contrast
is observed between the Cuban and the Bar
badian, much to the disparagement of the
former. In both there is the same admixture
of European blood with the native and the
[193]

The American Tropics

negro, but the European from the north is
quite a different individual from the fierce-
eyed being who ranges from the fastnesses
of the Pyrenees to the sunny slopes of the
Mediterranean. Of course there are fine, cul
tured people in Havana, far more than else
where on the island, but I am writing of the
prevailing types. The Cuban bears a strong
resemblance to his brother encountered on
the north-eastern spur of the Andes, and
whether he can ever be induced to conform
to the usages of the United States, with which
he is now so closely identified, is a question
for time to answer. To the casual observer
it seems that he needs, as in Mexico and
other Latin-American Countries, a ruler with
a strong arm and an iron heel. Cuba has
had strong rulers with powers despotic, but
none who ruled for Cuba and the Cubans.
When Columbus first landed on the island,
which he named Juana, he remarked on the
gold ornaments worn by the natives which
excited the cupidity of his followers. They
[194]

A Midwinter Cruise

were given to understand that it came from
"Cubanacan" in the interior, and Cubana-
can, since abbreviated Cuba, has been until
quite recently the land to which the favor
ites of the Spanish cro^wn bave gone in quest
of gold. Por four hundred years everything
in Cubanacan has been subordinate to her
revenue, the bulk of which has been trans
ported to the source of power in Madrid.
But a new era for Cuba has come, hopes long
deferred may now be realized and possibili
ties arise which heretofore have been only
dreamed of.
We were to leave at noon; the town and
shipping in the bay were gay with flags and
bunting, the people were in holiday attire,
for it was the 24th of February. From forts
and a thousand housetops fluttered the flag
with a single star. All excepting those in
tending to stop over were again on board.
The band struck up the Cuban national air
and as the clocks on shore were heard strik
ing the hour of twelve, the guns from El
[195]

The American Tropics

Morro and Cabanas let loose followed by
those of the "Pilgrim" and the "Dixie." As
their smoke cleared away we swung slowly
around the twisted mass of iron which is
all that remains of the "Maine," steamed
past the roaring batteries of Morro and
Punta and put to sea.
"Cuba libre" is a reaUty and this festive
display and commotion in commemoration
of her day of freedom did not impress us as
a formal and soulless hoUday, but rather as
one which actually responded to popular
feeling. And with this thought we left her.

[196]

CHAPTER VIIL
TO the Bahama Islands belongs the dis
tinction of having been the first land
sighted by Columbus in the New
World; a further and less proud claim to
fame is furnished by their record as a ren
dezvous of unsavory pirates for more than
a century. First occupied by the English in
1629, they were mainly held by the bucca
neers until after the American War of In
dependence. Furthermore they afforded an
asylum for the Loyalists, or those Colonists
whose sympathies were with the crown in the
American Revolution, and finally they
sprang into prominence as a refuge for
blockade runners and others during the
American Civil War. At present they are
scarcely known, with the exception of New
Providence, which has become a winter re
sort for Americans. Stretching south-east
ward from the Florida coast for a distance
of nearly seven hundred miles, they form
an Atlantic barrier to the Mexican Gulf and
[197]

The American Tropics

finally merge into the AntiUean chain. In
number they exceed three thousand although
not more than forty have, so far as is known,
ever been inhabited.
The largest of the group is Andros Island
which is ninety miles long by twenty to
forty miles wide and contains about five
hundred square miles — the smallest has never
been named. There are many small islets,
called cays, and others still more diminutive
which must remain content with the gen
eric term of rocks. Andros Island, in com
mon with others of the group, is low,
swampy, thickly wooded and is intercepted
by the only fresh water streams and lakes
found in the Bahamas. These abound in
ducks and other wild fowl, and the island
would be a sportsman's paradise were it not
for the mosquitoes, compared with which
their Jersey cousins are said to be silken-
winged messengers of peace. The greater
part is still unexplored, and the negroes have
a superstition that the wooded interior is
[198]

A Midwinter Cruise

inhabited by "Yahoos" or wild Indians. Its
present population is about 3,400. We saw
Andros and a few small islets from a dis
tance the day after leaving Havana, and her
coral strand, reflecting the noon-day sun,
shone white and glistening. Soon after the
island of New Proridence appeared under
our bows and at one o'clock we dropped
anchor about a mile from Nassau under the
protection of a narrow coral reef known lo
cally as Hog Island.
While there are many larger islands none
are of so much importance as New Provi
dence. Its name was bestowed by an Eng
lishman, probably a native of the Isle of
Man, Captain William Sayle, who, in 1667,
was driven from his course by a severe
storm and instead of landing at Carolina,
whither he was bound, he found himself
among the treacherous reefs of the Bahamas.
He succeeded in finding a protected anchor
age and landed on an island which he named
in commemoration of his deliverance, Prov-
[199]

The American Tropics

idence, and to distinguish it from other
places of the same name on the Atlantic sea
board, the prefix. New, was afterward added.
That many of the islands had pre-riously been
named made no appredable difference either
to the Spaniards who discovered them or to
the English who colonized them. The Baha
mas were called Lucayos by the native In
dians, while even the San Salvador of the
Spaniards is now known by the less euphoni
ous term of WatUngs Island. Tbe escape of
Captain Sayle from New Providence was
more providential than be seemed to realize,
for it was infested by pirates of the worst
description. On returning to England he
gave so favorable an account of the islands,
which at that time were not claimed by any
of the powers, that Charles II gave them to
certain noblemen called Proprietory Lords,
who for half a century attempted their col
onization. Finally, after years of contention
and bloodshed, the pirates capitulated on re
ceiving promise of the royal pardon. But
[200]

A Midwinter Cruise

while many of their numerous descendents
remained to build up the infant colony, the
unbridled life of adventure proved too al
luring for such notorious free-booters as
Vane and Teach, who soon took to the high
seas and resumed their former occupation.
Edward Teach, who was the real Blackbeard
of the castle at St. Thomas, had the reputa
tion among those who knew him of being
His Satanic Majesty incarnate, and many
stories of his insatiable cruelty are still ex
tant. Teach 's fourteenth wife is said to have
been the beautiful sixteen-year-old daughter
of a Carolina planter, and was treated so
crueUy that even his crew would have re
monstrated had they dared. It is comfort
ing to know, even at this late date, that
Teach 's head and long black whiskers finally
graced the bowsprit of Lieutenant Maynard 's
sloop when it landed ia Virginia on Novem
ber 21, 1717.
New Providence possesses the only harbor
for ships drawing as much as fifteen feet
[201]

The American Tropics

of water and is the island on which Nassau,
the capital of the Bahamas, named in honor
of the Hanoverian Dynasty and the oldest as
well as the largest to-wn of the whole island
galaxy, is situated. It is about twenty miles
long by five miles wide, and in its some
«ighty-flve square miles of territory contains a
fourth of the entire population of the group.
There is a marked difference between the
mountainous islands of volcanic formation
we had previously seen and these low-lying
coral reefs, the highest bluff of which is not
more than one hundred and thirty feet
above the sea. Nassau, containing about
1,400 inhabitants, one-fifth of whom call
themselves white, is prettily situated on the
north side of the island on a gentle slope
embedded in tropical green. The most
noticeable objects are the two large hotels, the
Royal Victoria and the Colonial, and around
them is concentrated the real, active life of
the place. The former was built in 1860 by
the Colonial Govemment to accommodate
[202]

A Midwinter Cruise

the influx of "guests" during the conflict be
tween the blue and the gray. During this
time, when the ports of the southern states
were closed to commerce, Nassau, being an
English port, and only a hundred and sev
enty-five miles from the Florida coast, was
the scene of unwonted activity. Not since
the boisterous days of the buccaneers had
the old town been the center of such lavish
"prosperity." At this time it is said for
times were quickly made and "the Bahama
treasury overflowed with gold." The Colo
nial deficit which had been augmented year
by year until it amounted to £47,786 in 1860
was soon wiped out, and according to Stark,
the rich and dashing men in gray were the
social lions of the day and were courted and
feted by the high dignitaries of both church
and state. With the fall of the Southern
Confederacy in 1865 New Providence settled
into her accustomed tranquility. Some say
even tiiat a reaction followed from which
she has never fully recovered. It is known,
[203]

A Midwinter Cruise

however, that she was visited the following
year by a destructive hurricane which up
rooted fruit trees, devastated plantations
and wrecked shipping. At the present time
it is generally admitted that the Bahamas
are not enjoying the highest state of pros
perity ; but this can be readily accounted for
upon consideration of the ethnological drift
of the inhabitants, who, while not wholly
reverted to the original type of the majority,
yet present a compromise which is not con
ducive to the greatest thrift and highest ma
terial success.
On landing, the quaint streets with their
diminutive shops were soon alive with tour
ists. The Colonial Hotel, the only one open
at the time, was the objective point for al
most every one. It is under American man
agement and presents a most attractive ap
pearance. Situated near the water, with
broad verandas, surrounded by tropical
gardens in the highest state of cultivation,
it must be a delightful harbor of refuge to
[204]

A Midwinter Cruise

those dwellers in the northland who wish to
escape the rigors of winter or long for a
glimpse of real sunshine. But more attrac
tive than the odd, orderly streets, the sponge
market or the fruit vender's carts was the
huge eeiba or silk-eotton tree which stands
in Court-house Square. It was not the tall
est but certainly the most striking specimen
of tropical flora we had seen.
There are many things to entertain the
visitor at Nassau, boating, driring, golfing,
or sitting tranquilly in the shade just breath
ing the air. That last mentioned seems to be
the most popular recreation of the real Ba-
hamains, those long inured to the perennial
sun. Into this dream-like existence one
from the busy, work-a-day world may come
with both pleasure and profit. Of course
every one visits the Sea Gardens and on a
dark night the Waterloo or Fire Lake is con
sidered one of the wonders of the place.
"Only a doUar, Sir! and if you don't feel
you've got yer money's worth, or if I don't
[205]

The American Tropics

show you everything I'll give back y'r
money, Sir!" With these assurances — re
peated with various modifications until the
smaU glass-bottomed boat was full — ^who
could fail to see these natural marine won
ders? A steam launch makes the trip in
about an hour. They are certainly worth
seeing and in coloring are more striking
than those of Catalina Island off the
coast of southern California. The latter, in
common -with the flora of the Pacific slope,
presents a more rigorous growth. The
schools of beautifully colored fish also seemed
more plentiful in the marine gardens of the
Pacific. WUen everyone was peering in
tently to catch the last view of what looked
like a marine flower garden, we were startled
to see a huge form, black as ebony, with
blinking eyes, swimming across our fleld of
view. The water was so transparent we
could see plainly that it was a negro swim
mer but "whar he cum fum" was not so ap
parent until he clambered over the side of
[206]

A Midwinter Cruise

our boat, when we saw that it was our own
man Friday, who, after the full complement
of passengers had been secured, seemed to be
the chief factotum of the boat. This was
the final and most realistic touch of the Sea
Gardens. Of course everyone goes to the fruit plan
tation on Hog Island, where transportation
and fruit ad libitum are furnished for the
consideration of one shilling. "Take dis
nice boat, Sah! Abraham Lincoln, dab an
back wid all de awnges, pineapples an' cocoa-
nuts yo' can eat, Sah! an' all fo' quawteh,
Sah! Yo' make no mistake, Sah!"
A very conscientious friend tendered his
quarter to Mr. Higgs, the proprietor of the
plantation, as is the custom, spoke dispar
agingly of the small sum and almost remon
strated, saying that he should pay more as
he had eaten so freely of fruit — in fact felt
that he had eaten too much. "Oh, never
mind," replied the incorruptible though la
conic Mr. Higgs, "it's called Hog Island."
[207]

The American Tropics

The second island in size is Abaco, which
comprises in fact two islands. Great and Lit
tle Abaco, together with numerous adjacent
islets or cays. Altogether they have an area
of 496,700 acres, with a population somewhat
greater than that of Andros. The main pro
duction is sisal grass, which is used as a sub
stitute for hemp. Some cotton and pine
apples are like-wise cultivated. Green Tur
tle Cay, with about 1,700 inhabitants, is the
port of entry as well as the largest settle
ment on the island.
Abaco offers an interesting sociological
proposition. The British Government gave
the island to certain Loyalists as an indem
nity for their plantations in the Carolinas
which had been confiscated by the American
Government. Many of these colonists were
of Scotch birth, while a few Irish families
were among them. After most of the dash
ing "sea-gentlemen" had been led to "Ex
ecution Dock," or otherwise exterminated,
these islands had little or no communication

[208]

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worth speaking of -vrith the outside world.
True to the traditions of his clan the "Un
speakable Scot" remained, and the son of
Erin retained his brogue. They married and
intermarried until at the present time the
white inhabitants are aU more or less re
lated. It has been their pride, to which they
have clung vrith the tenacity of their race,
to keep the line of their descent free from
the admixture of negro blood. This they
have done for more than a century and a
quarter, but unless outside aid come they will
be as ppbbles lost in the sands before many
generations. Nearer the Florida coast lies the small
island of Benini, where tradition located the
Fountain of Youth in search of which, you
remember, Ponce de Leon accidentally dis
covered Florida, and instead of securing the
means of perpetuity was kiUed by a poisoned
arrow from the bow of an Indian.
Since the aboUtion of slavery in the Ba
hamas in 1834, many of the plantations in the

[209]

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various islands have gone to waste, and fish
ing, sponge gathering and wrecking, to which
both by tradition and inheritance the in
habitants incline most naturaUy, have been
resorted to as a means of gaining a liveU-
hood. A visitor relates that he once at
tended a prayer meeting on one of the isl
ands, which promptly adjourned on hearing
that a large yacht had foundered on a nearby
reef. Instead of lending a helping hand in
time of need the erstwhile devout feU to -with
all the wrecking instincts of their ancestors
fully revived. It is further said that a
strong opposition was encoimtered to the
erection of lighthouses, as they interfered,
it was alleged, vrith certain just and inalien
able prerogatives, and deprived many from
earning an honest li-ving from the -wrecks
which an all-seeing Providence had brought
to their shores — and they were of frequent
occurrence among these treacherous reefs.
On sentimental grounds, probably the most
interesting island of the Bahamas is WatUngs
[210]

A Midwinter Cruise

Island or what is thought to be the San Sal
vador of the SpaiUards. It was here that
Columbus first set foot on land and took for
mal possession of the new world in the name
and under the banner of the sovereigns of
Spain. The distance from Nassau is one hun
dred and eighty miles.
I was particularly fortimate in making
the trip in a fast steam yacht. Ordinarily
one must wait to catch a small freighter
that occasionaUy makes a circuitous route
stopping at various ports of call. But to go
comfortably and quickly, that is quite a
different thing. We steamed out of Nassau
long before daybreak on the morning fol
io-wing our arrival and passed "our oviTi
boat" silently sleeping at her moorings.
She had met with some derangement of her
machinery, whatever the cause, and instead
of a few hours our stay might be prolonged
to several days. The first land sighted was
Harbor Island, which next to New Provi
dence contains the largest settlement, Dun-
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more To-wn, in the Bahamas. It is about one
and one-half miles square. We had thus
far stood north-east but after doubliag
Bridge Point we took a southeastern course
with the long low-lying coast line of Eleu-
thera Island on our starboard beam. The
island is celebrated for a pecuUar cUff facing
the Atlantic, called the Glass Window. Cat
Island appeared on the horizon about three
o'clock in the afternoon. It is mainly noted
as being a rival claimant for the honor of
being the Guanahani of the native Indians
and the San Salvador of Columbus. This
claim was greatly strengthened by the opin
ion of such noted travelers as Humboldt and
Washington Irving. More recent observa
tions have sho-wn this claim untenable from
the description given of San Salvador in
Columbus's Journal.
For several hours we seemed to Uve again
the life of the great Genoese pilot, so intent
were we on every recorded circumstance
available. The cruise was rendered more
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realistic by the size of our boat, although
larger than the Nina in which the great
navigator saUed, yet in comparison with the
one to which we had grown accustomed it
seemed too diminutive to tempt the uncer
tainties of the Atlantic. Fortunately no bad
weather was encountered and aside from a
marked "unsteadiness" no discomfort was
felt. Late in tbe afternoon the sharp look
out, which everyone kept, was rewarded by
the cry of ' ' Land ahead ! " As we approached
the island the British flag was made out
fluttering from a pole and, rounding a coral
reef called Riding Rock Point, we entered
the bay in which Columbus is thought to
have anchored on that eventful Friday morn
ing, October 12th, 1492. On landing, how
ever, we were brought back four hundred
and fifteen years by being greeted by the
port officer, a white man, and a crowd of
negroes of aU sizes and degrees of color.
Captaia Maxwell Nairn, the port officer,
magistrate, treasurer and most of the other
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high offices of state combined, has Uved there
many years and was untU recently the only
white man on the island. He reminded me
of Father Duncan of Metlakahtla, Alaska,
surrounded by his faithful foUowers. His
lot seemed on the whole better than that of
Robinson Crusoe, and he too was lord of aU
he surveyed, but even being the first man
must be lonely ia the extreme. WatUngs
Island is about half the size of the Isle of
Man and differs from it in another important
particular — not having any indigenous bob
tail cats. The island has a negro population
of somewhat over six hundred. Formerly
it was noted for its breed of horses, but at
the present time fruits and salt are the prin
cipal products exported.
On an eminence above the bay is a stone
shaft erected in 1891 by some enterprising
Americans in commemoration of Christopher
Columbus's discovery of America. On a
tablet is the foUowing inscription:

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ON THIS SPOT
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS
FIRST SET FOOT ON THE SOIL OF
THE NEW WORLD.
ERECTED BY THE
CHICAGO HERALD
JUNE is, 1891.
Now that I have seen where America was
discovered, all doubts concerning the event
bave vanished and tales of previous discov
eries, including the claim of Amerigo Vespuc
ci, seem too indefinite to consider. Even the
locating of the exact spot first discovered,
by a newspaper from the breezy metropolis
of the Middle West, does not shake my cred
ulity, and I feel after this supreme test that
my faith is unassailable. Retuming as we
had come, it was a great reUef to find "our
own boat" still standing as we had left her,
but not a moment too soon had we retumed
for her steam was up and she was about to
start on her homeward run.
There was a pleasurable feeling of antici-
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pation mingled with a languid sense of mel
ancholy as we cleared the treacherous reefs
of Abaco and -with full steam aiiead held
our course due north.
The Antilla of tbe ancients and El Dorado
of the conquistadores, the land of golden
promise — ^where gushed the fountain of per
petual youth! Four hundred and fifteen
years have wrought many striking changes
in that expanse of a new world but Uttle
known, yet at one time supposed to be
limited only by the setting sun. It was not
of these strikiag epochs in which history is
made that thought stole upon me like the
breath of the north-wind, but rather it was
of those silent, never ceasiag forces which
go on shaping the destinies of men and na
tions that I mused as I watched the last
shore Une sink behind the horizon. Of what
use, thought I, are vain struggles against the
irresistible laws of the Infinite? We worry
over race questions and a thousand and one
problems with which in truth we have noth-
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ing to do. For to a certain extent all must
admit we are creatures of circumstance. The
page is unfinished but sufficient has been
written to enable one to form a fair concep
tion concerning the final destiny, ethnologi-
caUy and poUtically, of these so-called Is
lands of the Blest. By the methods of what is
caUed ci-rilization, especiaUy by the aggres
sive participant, the original inhabitants of
the Caribbean islands have been extermi
nated as a people. With treachery, cruelty
and murder, the pale-face came and con
quered. Enslaved the native American
would not be — the alternative was death.
But -with the torrid heat and deadly plague,
the miaes discovered remained unworked,
and the land while teeming vrith vegetable
possibiUties was unproductive. The need of
workers, however, was soon supplied and
this reciprocity grew untU the settlement of
slavery in tropical America was complete.
The effect was two-fold: to the blacks the
climate was congenial and healthful; as so
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much property their propagation was profit
able and therefore encouraged. Taken from
the jungle, they were forced to acquire a
certain manual proficiency, some even be
came skiUed in the various crafts, and aU
soon acquired the first step in mental im
provement, the language of a civilized coun
try. Their days of bondage were in truth the
schooldays of an infant people, and their en
vironment was probably the schoolroom
from which they could derive the greatest
good. Thus, liae upon Une and precept upon
precept untU their emancipation, their grad
uation — and how many diplomas are given
for a less degree of improvement !
We may now consider very briefly the
effect of the climate and surroundings on the
status of the white man. The emigrant is
not always the renegade he is often pictured,
especially by his home govemment. On the
contrary he is more frequently a man of pow
er, of reliance, and, both mentaUy and physi-
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cally, is likely to be superior to his brother
who stays at home. That the men who col
onized the islands of tropical America were
from the best available class we have reason
to believe. Where are they to-day? In the
West Indies and Bahamas the Une of the
early white settlers is either hopelessly
merged into that forming the great major
ity, or, broken in health, the colonist re
turned to his fatherland to avert the ineri
table. The brilUant results obtained in the Pan
ama Canal Zone have stimulated the hope
that since man has rid the torrid zone of its
most deadly pests and has rendered liring in
the tropics not only safe, but agreeable, it
will become the belt of the world's greatest
acti-rity and that cities -will arise rivaUng the
great centers of civiUzation of antiquity..
That tbe torrid zone needs an occasional ris
itation of the energy of the temperate zone
to iafuse life and to direct modem methods,
is true. This has been amply demonstrated
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The American Tropics

in the Canal Zone. But that the Caucasian
can thrive in low altitudes of the equatorial
belt or thfi negro in the colder portions of the
globe, is contrary to observation thus far
obtained. It seems, therefore, that the low
lands of the torrid zone are destined to be
peopled by the black or dark-skinned races,
while the light-skinned wiU continue to find
ia a temperate climate the en-rironment most
conducive to their perfect development.
One of the most primitive races has been
slowly raised to a higher grade ia the scale
of being within the short period of a few
centuries of Caucasian occupancy, whether
of pirate or of planter. That the quest of
wealth or adventure offered the necessary
stimulus does not lessen the serrice that this
missionary, unconscious of his office, has ren
dered. Left to natural influences, the race
question in its broad sense, -will, in time, solve
itself. To strive against it is futile.
It was with a keen sense of enthusiasm
that on the third moming the snow-clad
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Jersey coast was sighted, and, preparing to
circumvent that modern pirate of the Amer
ican custom house, one began to realize, that,
¦riewed through the crystallized vapor of the
frost king, life after all is a stem reality, and
not the peaceful elysium it bad seemed
through the golden haze of many days and
in the starlit watches of as many nights.

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