W. S. W. A voyage in that direction to the West Indies ... With illustrations ... by the author

Preface

. There have been numerous books already written about the AVest Indies, but they are chiefly either statistical works, or adventures of naval officers ; and although a voyage to those islands is a most agreeable trip for the winter months, but few people undertake it for pleasure. When I wished to go there, I could find no book, with the exception of A. Trollope's amusing work, that could give me any information on the subject. People usually profess to have a dislike to Guide books, but in many countries I have often found the want of them ; and unless a traveller studies and " reads up" a country before he goes there, he must often be liable to pass by objects worthy of notice without knowing it till afterwards.

PREFACE.

. I found many things in the AVest Indies so utterly different from what I expected, that I need hardly apologise for writing this short volume ; and if it be found useful to those about to visit these beautiful possessions of the British Crown, my trouble will be amply repaid. The lithographs have been done entirely by myself, and I hope they will give some idea of the beauty of the scenery. R. E. Congham House, Norfolk. 1865. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. TOWER OF ST. JEROaVIE, OLD PANAMA - Frontispiece. ST. THOMAS ... To face Page 6 PANAMA RAILWAY - 22 PANAMA - - - - - - 39 5) NEWCASTLE ... „ - 50 J) THE BOG WALK - - - - 56 ST. THOMAS'S IN THE VALE - - „ - 60 )f THE FERN WALK ... 66 )a ST. CHRISTOPHER'S - 78 GRENADA- ... 92 THE BOTANICAL GARDENS - - „ - 104 CHAGUARAMOS BAY - - „ - 108 )> MARRACCAS - - - - „ - 114 )> THE BLUE BASIN - - - „ - 116 JJ w. s. w,

Chapter I

Departure from England. — The Shannon. — A Gale of wind. — Island of Sombrero. — St. Thomas. — Description of the Town. Voy^ages in steamers are generally all alike. The passengers at first think that they are going to have a very quick run, and that everything must go on prosperously. Then the weather changes, and they imagine that they never will arrive at their destination ; and they usually finish by considering that they have had a tolerable passage, and have been rather fortunate to get it. So it will suffice to say that I and my wife sailed from Southampton, on Tuesday, the 17th of January, 1865 ; in the Royal Mail Company's steamship Shannon, 3,472 tons, Captain AVoolley, Commander. We were bound for the West Indies, and had taken a return ticket for Colon, — or as it is generally called, Aspinwall, — the terminus on the Atlantic side of the Panama railway.

We had leave to stop and break our voyage at any B A gale islands we liked, and might return from Havana instead of Colon, if by chance we went to Cuba. On leaving home we meant to remain abroad for three months, principally to avoid the cold of an English spring, and had no particular plan as to where to go or where to stay ; but intended to cross the Isthmus of Panama to the Pacific side, and perhaps go on to Alexico. The Shannon was a splendid iron ship, and for some days we had fine weather ; but off the Azores we picked up the gale (AV.N.AV.) which seems to be always blowing there, and now for three days our vessel's powers were put to the test. It was a wonderful thinpto see how the great Atlantic billows tossed this huge vessel about. Sometimes they threw her bows right into the air, so that her forefoot must have been visible.

Then she dived into it with her wedge-like bows, taking in green seas over every thing ; and the lady passengers were rather startled to hear one of the officers affirm that the fore part of the vessel had been under water for thirty-six hours. However, under the able management of her captain and excellent chief officer, we weathered the gale in safety, with out the loss of a sjmr, or anything else, and soon ran into warmer weather, and smoother water. On Feb. 1 we made a fine run of 312 miles, SOMBRERO. and sighted the island of Sombrero, the first land we had seen. This wretched little island, about a mile long, looked utterly barren and worthless; and its black cliffs, about thirty feet high, are continually beaten by the long swell of the At lantic ; but it has its value, for it has been lately discovered to be principally composed of a hard sort of guano, and that is now worked, and several low houses are built on it for the accommodation of people thus employed.

In the evening, we were off the entrance of the harbour of St. Thomas, but did not enter till the next morning.* St. Thomas is a Danish island, and nearly a free port, and has been chosen, for the goodness of its harbour and the convenience of its situation, as the chief depot of the Alail Steamship Com pany; and to it all the Transatlantic steamers run, and there transfer their passengers and freight to smaller vessels. These smaller ones run on different routes. One branch goes to * I here give the log of the Shannon : — Miles. Mile?. January 18 181 January 26 206 19 242 „ 27 261 20 253 „ 28 278 21 211 „ 29 278 22 169 „ 30 275 23 170 „ 31 301 24 .... 172 February 1 312 25 172 B ST. THOMAS. Vera Cruz, Mexico, touching at Havana, — this is called the Gulf-boat. A second to Hayti, Jamaica, and Colon ; this takes all passengers and freight for Vancouver's Island, the north-west coast of America, and South America, viz., Peru and Chili.

A third runs to the Windward Islands, as far as Barbadoes, where it again branches, — one going to Demerara, the other to Trinidad and Tobago ; and a fourth takes the Bahama route. Besides these, a steamer runs to Cumana, and another to New York ; but these belong to other companies. The Liverpool screw line also touches at St. Thomas. So that it may be perceived that this little island, of twelve mdes long, has become one of the most important of the AVest Indian group. In the morning the Shannon went into the harbour, and immediately the Dencent, for the AVindward Islands, and the Solent, for the Isth mus, sheered up on either side, and a gangway being placed to each, the work of trans-shipment immediately commenced. The Derwent was to sail at 9 a.m., so her passengers had but little time.

We in the Solent were to leave at 4 p.m. So having seen our new cabin and put our bag gage on board, we went on shore to visit the Consul, and to see the town. This we found clean and flourishing ; but I have no idea what the name of it is, for it seems to be never used. ST. CROIX. 5 The town has good streets and shops ; but as all passengers have to go there, and often to wait some days, it is particularly disliked by every one. It is, moreover, often visited by yellow fever, which may arise from the number of foreign shipping congregated there, and from the great heat of the climate, for, as it faces the south, when there is no wind it becomes like an oven. The sickness probably is increased by the stagnant state of the harbour, which is nearly landlocked ; and the rise of the tide is so small (not being more than eighteen inches or two feet), that the water does not get often changed.

Lately they have cut a small channel from the inner corner of the harbour to an adjacent bay, and that gives a little more current, and it is said that the health of the place is already improved. The black population speak English (as does, indeed, everyone else), and are most amusing ; the women dressing in the very height of fashion. The island produces nothing, the people being able to earn more about the streets and in the harbour, than they could obtain from field labour ; formerly it was cultivated, and used to send home a certain quantity of sugar. St. Croix is another Danish island, about twenty miles off. It is all under cultivation, and from accounts it is not a bad place to stay at, having an hotel and good roads. A small steamer runs INQUIRIES ABOUT MEXICO. there, and it is a good deal resorted to by invalids.

The town at St. Thomas consists chiefly of one long street, but it also runs up the shoulders of three hids, somewhat like Valparaiso ; and the houses being bright, painted yellow and pink with red roofs, it has a cheerful and riant appearance. The hills behind rise rather steeply, and numerous vfllas are scattered about the lower parts of them, the pink house of the Governor being conspicuous above all. AVe landed at a small pier, and found ourselves in an avenue of cocoa-nut trees, under which numbers of negresses were selling fruit, oranges, bananas, sugar-cane, etc. ; but most of these commodities were brought from other islands. There is another fruit market, also shaded with trees, in the other part of the town. A fort, painted pink and white, with the Danish flag flying, commanded the east side of the town, and below is a small public garden, where the band plays twice a week.

The stores supply every sort of English, French, and German goods, but the chief trade seems to be in cigars, Panama hats, and light clothing ; the price of good cigars was £l per hundred. One great object that I had in St. Thomas, was to find out all I could about Alexico, whether it would be feasible to land at Acapulco, and from there ride up to the capital, and return by Vera rT T '1 ' _T A S LEAVE ST. THOMAS. Cruz. I therefore called on the Alexican Consul ; but he told me at once that he knew nothing, that he had never been there, and could give no information. I was referred from one person to another, and at last to an American merchant, who was very civil, as I have always found Ame ricans in a foreign country. He showed me a handbook of the Panama railway, where Acapulco and the neighbouring country was described, but he could not tell me much about the present state of affairs.

He said that it was in a disturbed state, and advised me not to attempt it, cand 1 could learn no more than that in St. Thomas. However, we determined to go as far as Panama, have a look at the Pacific, and then, if the Mexi can route was difficult, to return.

Chapter II

Leave St. Thomas. — St. Domingo. — Jacmel. — Jamaica. — Port Royal. — Land at Kingston. — State of the Streets. — Shops. And so we left St. Thomas, on the second of February, in the Solent, 1,400 tons, for Jamaica and Aspinwall. AVe ran along in sight of the pretty looking island of Porto Rico, but did not touch there. It is still in the possession of Spain> and is rather a large island, being ninety-three miles long, and eighty-three wide. It is fertile, and supplies most of the neighbouring islands with beef. AVe had a detachment of a AVest Indian regiment on board, bound for Honduras. They fancied that they had some grievance about pro visions or rum, or something of that sort, and at last one or two of them broke out in open mutiny, — one, indeed, rushing about with a knife, — but he was soon seized and overpowered by the crew and passengers, and finished his voyage in irons.

At daylight the next morning, we found ourselves in sight of the mountainous coast of Hayti, or St. Domingo. It is a very large island, being 380 miles in length, rugged and mountainous, the HAYTI, OB ST. DOMINGO. highest peak rising to the altitude of 7,450 feet. Formerly the island was owned half by the French and half by the Spaniards, but now the French have entirely given up their part. Hav ing had several revolutions, and been governed by the Emperors Faustin and Soulouque, it is now a black republic. Lately there has been some severe fighting between the blacks and the Spaniards, who still hold a part, but I believe the latter are now on the point of giving it up entirely. The country being very mountainous, and covered with wood, the negroes have a great advantage ; and the climate being excessively unhealthy, it was found impossible for the Spaniards to keep their troops there. aAfter coasting along for some way, we entered the bay in which is situated the town of Jacmel.

Here the mail-boat went on shore, and another followed. Some of the passengers went on shore for a few minutes ; but landing is often very dif ficult, a heavy surf rolling in from the ocean. Sentries were on the pier and in different parts of the town, some with shoes, some with coats, some without, and generally they were quite will ing, for a quarter of a dollar, to put down their muskets and go an errand. The boats soon returned, bringing plenty of pine-apples, and other fruits, and we then proceeded on our voyage. A VOYAGE, ETC. February 4. — The distance from St. Thomas's to Jacmel was 470 mdes, and hence to Kingston 255 ; but at daylight we found ourselves a few miles off the southern coast of Jamaica, and we ran all day along in full view of the island. It appeared to be a succession of hills, with higher mountains behind them ; and as we got nearer we could see the thick forests, and below them the cultivated land, bright green, with fields of sugar-cane and here and there the houses, the steam-engines with the tall chimneys, and the sheds used for different purposes in the manufacture of sugar- AVe gazed at all these most anxiously, as we coasted along, wondering which parts we should visit and how we should get there ; but most persons gave us very discouraging accounts of the travelling in the island, saying there were no inns, but that we must go up to people's houses, and depend on their hospitality ; that there were no horses to be hired, and if we wanted any, we should have to buy a pair ; " but don't you know people on the island," etc., etc.

Late in the afternoon we rounded the flat low point of Port Royal and picked up a black pilot, who was to take us up to Kingston. Port Royal is situated at the end of a long sandy spit called the Palisades, which entirely defends the harbour of Kingston from the sea. It was formerly a row of islets, but to protect the country PORT ROYAL. 11 from the attacks of the buccaneers the Spaniards filled up the openings between them with posts, and since that the sand has silted them up entirely, and it is now a continuous spit of land, and hence got its name of the Palisades. Port Royal, famous for yellow fever, sharks and landcrabs, is built at the end of this spit, where it becomes broader, and here lie the men-of-war and here are the commissariat stores, barracks, etc. Formerly, old Port Royal stood further out, but it was entirely submerged by an earthquake in 1692, and now there is deep water close to the point.

AVe were boarded by the men-of-war's boats for the mails, the frigates Shannon and Rosario lying there. It was doubtful at first whether we should proceed up to Kingston that night. However, we sent out boats with lan thorns to the principal buoys, and feeling our way carefully with the lead going, we arrived safely at the wharf at Kingston. Colonel Nelson, who had come out with us, and I, immediately went on shore, guided by an old resident, who was to show us the best board ing-house in the town, to which we were to go on our return from Panama. This old resident had been sent, on some government service, to report on the Island of Sombrero, and as he had lived for a long time in Jamaica, we tried to get all the information we could from him ; but KINGSTON. although he praised to the utmost everything in the island, he did not give us, as travellers, much encouragement ; and as for our trip to Mexico, he did nothing but shake his head at the thought of it.

I fancied all the time that I had seen him before, and kept thinking where I could have heard his melancholy voice. Australia and the South Seas he had been in, Chfli, Peru, and many other places where I had been. At last, he showed me some sketches, and then I thought that I recog nised the stiff style ; and on further questioning, I found that we had been in Lima at the same time ; and then I remembered that I, with Air. Pitt Adams (who was then minister there), had looked over his portfolio, and that this old fellow, who was now shaking his head about our intended trip to Alexico, had actually persuaded me not to go there, when I was in Lima fourteen years before. AVith this gentleman, then, we passed through the conrpany's coal wharf, where cocoa nut and date trees overshadow huge mountains of coal, and went into the streets.

But, oh! what streets, and what a town ! It was moonlight, and though this softened down everything, it could not conceal the desolation and ruinous look of these streets. They were unpaved and nearly ankle-deep in dust ; no footway, except in some of the streets near the harbour, where there was often a disjointed piece in front of a house, and KINGSTON. this piece usually finished a foot above or below the next one. This made it still more dangerous, as the town was utterly unlighted. Before each house were steps, and on each side of the steps heaps of earth and rubbish, so that the only safe place whereon to walk was the middle of the street. Then the houses all seemed to be in the last stage of decay. Railings in front with brick pillars tumbling down ; doors gone, or hanging by one hinge ; windows patched with boards ; roofs falling in, in fact, in every form of unpicturesque ruin.

If one house was in tolerable repair, the next would very likely be railed in more like an English pigst}Te than anything else. Each house had brick steps, but the last step was always twice as high as it ought to have been, for the road seemed to have been washed away from it ; and that was probably the case, as the streets became large muddy water-courses in the rainy season, and are then difficult to cross. Canoes are sometimes paddled up them, and I know a gentleman who, having to dine with another at the other side of the street, took off his shoes and stockings to walk across, putting them on again when safe on the other side. The houses could never have been good. I did not see a piece of cut stone in the whole town, and the brickwork looked as if all the mortar had been picked out of it.

BREAKFAST ON SHORE. AVe walked through the dust up Duke Street, and at last stopped at one of these houses, better looking, perhaps, than most of the others, but still we did not guess why we stopped there, till our friend rang the bell and told us that this was the boarding-house where we were to stay. Having ascended the dangerous steps we found it much better than its outside appearance led us to suppose. There were really good rooms, with a verandah and polished oak floor. Nice bedrooms, altogether comfortable, and as good as any place possibly could be in Kingston. It was nicely furnished ; but curiously enough the first thing that caught my eye in one of the rooms was a print of Castleacre, a ruin near my own house. AVe arranged that we should stay at this house on our return from Panama, and then went on to one of the hotels (Barkly House) to order breakfast for the morrow, — thinking we could get a better breakfast on shore than on board the steamer.

Indeed, we then had visions of fresh flying-fish, landcrabs, and all sorts of AVest Indian delicacies ; but we found our mistake in the morning, for we had to breakfast on bad coffee, ridiculously tough beefsteak, and fried bacon. And this was Kingston, and here on our return we were to stop a fortnight, and my friend the Colonel for five years ! To our surprise the next morning was rainy. GOOD SHOPS. 15 The ship was coaling, and at daybreak, with the rising sun, it was a busy and picturesque scene. The coal was all carried up on black women's heads. After I had had a delightful bath on shore at the Company's wharf, we went to breakfast, and then walked about the town to buy a few things we wanted. The shops were tolerably good, especially the drapers, and were fuU of everything that could be wanted.

Full, too, of customers, principally coloured ladies, and they seemed to drive a flourishing trade ; but business seemed mostly to be in the hands of the children of Israel, and Lazarus, Aloses, and Levy were the commonest names. The town looked no better by daylight, in fact, in some things rather worse, and put one most in mind of Alonte Video as I saw it once during the siege. And this, as already said, was Kingston, the chief town of our most important West Indian Island, — Kingston, which was for merly so rich that every planter lived like a prince, and kept open house for everyone. But I saw no signs that it had ever been rich ; no large houses, even in ruins ; no remains of grandeur. The only solid looking things were the aforesaid brick steps to the houses. In Spanish towns, however by gone, we generally see some remains of prosperity — well built church towers, handsome facades of GOOD SHOPS. convents, arches, or fortifications ; but here was nothing, and if Kingston were shaken down by an earthquake, a few heaps of bricks would be the only remains to mark the spot.

Chapter III

Leave Jamaica. — Aspinwall, or Colon. — Dangerous Land ing. — New Church. Jamaica to Colon, 550 miles ; time allowed two days and eight hours. The Solent sailed at twelve noon, February 6, and was so punctual that we nearly left three of our passengers behind us. They had been out for a drive, and had not been correctly told the hour of sailing ; nor had they heard the gun fired an hour before starting. The hawser getting foul of a buoy, delayed us for a short time after we had left the wharf ; so they came off in a shore boat in a grefit fright, and saved their passage. We had a fair wind across the Caribbean sea, and anchored off Colon at 10 p.m. February 8. This place, situated on the Isthmus of Panama, is generally called Aspinwall by everybody except the English. The original appellation was Colon, so named in honour of Columbus (for that is his proper name in Italian and Spanish) ; but the Americans having built the town themselves, called it Aspinwall, after their great capitalist.

The port for this side of the isthmus was originally c COLON. Porto Bello, well known in the times of the buc caneers. Aspinwall is a poor place, consisting of one street ; but there are two or three hotels quite as good as one could expect here, and several merchants' houses. The railway runs right along the middle of the street into a great shed at the end of the pier, and the whole place looks much like a large station. Colon is situated on a small island called Manzanilla, on the eastern coast of Navy Bay, formerly nothing but a mangrove swamp, swarm ing with mosquitoes and sandflies, but now it is drained, and there is a good road made round it, though there appeared to be but few people to ride or drive. To the east of the town are several rather nice houses, and beyond that a newly finished church, very substantially built of squared stone.

The. style is Gothic, with buttresses, and a steep roof, and it looks as if planned to resist the storms and snows of a northern climate, — but what will keep out cold will keep out heat, so it is not unsuitable for its purpose. AVe were to start by the train for Panama at 7 a.m.; so having a hurried breakfast on board, we got everything ready to go on shore, when, from the deck, we had the pleasure of seeing the only morning train go off without us. AVe knew that the mails were not Landed, so felt that we were safe ; but it happened thus. The railway au- DANGEROUS LANDING. 19 thorities had told the officers that they must be quick, or that the train would have to wait " Let it wait, then," they impudently answered. This did not suit the independent Yankees ; so they started the train, and we unfortunate passengers and the mails were left behind.

We then went on shore to pass away the time, but to get on shore was no easy matter. AVe had to land from the high-sided steamer to the wharf down a steep plank, by whieh they were discharging the cargo. It was a work of danger to us, but still more to the cargo, which was rolled down the plank, and it seemed to afford great amusement to the nigger crew when one package dashed against another on the pier. I was not, then, surprised at things being damaged in the transit; but nobody seemed to care. So we landed, and walked about the town, in spected the new church, Avhich one of our pas sengers, the Bishop of British Columbia, intended to consecrate, and then strolled along the shore. There was a nice cool breeze, and the sea rolled in over the coral reefs in great clear waves, and broke on the shore with the noise of thunder.

There is often a high sea here ; and at the end of the town, against the wharf, lies the wreck of the Royal Mail Steam-ship Company's ship the Avon, which was caught in a gale whilst lying at the wharf, could not get away, and was there dashed to pieces. c THE ISTHMUS. Tired of the shore, we returned on board for our luggage, but then to get back to shore again, was a still greater difficulty. The steep plank was now greased to help the descent of the boxes, and that we had to go down. Airs. E — was helped down by two officers, one on each side, to the great amusement of the rest, and we gentle men had to get down as we best could by the help of a rope. All this might have been avoided by a plank from the sponsons, but nobody seemed to care. The train started at 3 p.m., and the heat wTas tremendous.

Before we left, I was introduced to Mr. Parker, the manager of the line ; and as I had heard that they often give free passages to people going for pleasure, I went to him and asked him to give me a return ticket, for I should add that the fare is £o each way, which was ex cessively high for forty-nine miles. Air. Parker heard what I had to say in sdence, then sent me to take a single ticket for myself and wife, and gave us a free pass back ; and knowing that I wished to make drawings on the line, he gave me a card to stop wherever I liked, and " the station masters to entertain." This was the greatest boon to me, as it is very annoying to pass through a beautiful country without being able to stop. And now we started to cross the Isthmus ; a long American car held us all, — about sixty pas- THE STATIONS. 21 sengers, — and off we went.

The first part of the line was on piles, over the creek that separates the island from the mainland, and for some way it was flat and marshy, with mangroves and swamp palms ; then we got on more hilly ground, and the first station was on the banks of the Chagres river. The scenery soon became very beautiful, for the track ran through the thickest and most luxuriant tropical vegetation. Palms, bananas, bamboos, and all sorts of great broad-leaved plants, the larger trees covered with orchids and festooned with lianas. In some places we passed through patches of the primæval forest, with tall, smooth, white-stemmed trees ; in other places, the trees were so enveloped with climbing plants that they looked like ruins covered with ivy. Then we passed cleared patches with Indian looking cottages, surrounded with orange and other fruit-trees ; indeed, there was some novelty at every yard of the line.