Down the Islands. A voyage to the Caribbees ... With illustrations ... by M. J. Burns

Front matter

/6 if. y o . h . / t, Hindu cooly belle (see page 177), DOWN THE ISLANDS A VOYAGE TO THE CARIBBEES BY WILLIAM AGNEW PATON WITH ILLUSTRATIONS FROM DRAWINGS BY M. J. BURNS LONDON KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH & CO., I PATERNOSTER SQUARE NOTE. SOME of the chapters contained in the first part of this volume originally appeared, in a more condensed form, in the columns of The Evening Post. To them I have' added much new and, I hope, interesting mat ter. It is within bounds to say that more than half of the contents of Down the Islands is now to be published for the first time. I avail myself of this opportunity to thank Hon. Perry Belmont, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, XLVth Congress ; Nevile Lubbock, Esquire, British West Indian Commissioner ; E. T. Grannum, Esquire, Member of the Barbados House of Assembly ; J. R. McLeod, Es quire, of Georgetown, Demerara, for their courtesy in pro curing for me valuable books and documents containing of ficial information concerning the Windward Islands, of which I have made use in writing this book. W. A. P. PAGE 22 CONTENTS.

Introduction

3

Chapter I

A VOYAGE TO THE CARIBBEES. A Sudden Start on a Sea Journey. — Incidents of the Voyage. — From January to June, Overcoats to Seersuckers, in Three Days. — The Rising of the Southern Cross. — The Course to the Caribbees. — Historical Notes. — A Landfall 7

Chapter II. An Afternoon On Deck

The Northern Caribbees. — Anguilla. — Its "Wild Irish " Settlers and Present Inhabitants. — St. Martin, a Franco-Dutch Island. — St. Bartholomew. — Saba, a Crater Shipyard. — St. Eustatius. — Arrival at St. Christopher

Chapter III. St

CHRISTOPHER. St. Kitt's Liamuiga, the Fertile. — Historical Notes. — Governors Warner and D'Esnambuc. — English and French Settlement of St. Christopher. — Final Banishment of the French. — Sunrise in Basseterre Roadstead. — The Fleet of Bumboats. — Attacked by Fruit-sellers and Washerwomen. — Effecting a Landing VI CONTENTS. PAGE 80

Chapter IV. Rambles In St

KITT'S. Basseterre, the Capital of St. Kitt's. — Slavery and Windmills. — Free Labor and Steam-power. — A Magnificent Landscape. — Distant Views. — The Barber of Basseterre. — A Wonderful Garden. — A Host of New-found Friends. — The Voyage to Antigua 44

Chapter V. Antigua

A Tropical Sunrise. — Antigua. — The Harbor of St. John's. — General Description of the Island. — A Derelict Bark. — Scenes on Landing. — A View from an Old Church-yard. — Lizards Great and Small. — West Indian Entertainers. A Morning Drive gg

ANINA— MARTINIQUE. A Silver Streak. — Shakespeare's Knowledge concerning the New World and the Cannibals. —Martinique, its Physical Geography, Climate, and Soil. — St. Pierre, Martinique, Colored Folks. — The Costumes, Jewellery, and Appearance of the Franco-Africaines 100

Chapter X

A DRIVE THROUGH MARTINIQUE. "Not our Funeral." — A Merry Party. — Over the Hills and Far Away. — The Gendarmerie. — The Valley of the Roxelane. — The High Woods. — Martinique Scenery. — A Way-side Luncheon. — Agouti. — A Pig's Nurse. — A Chorus of Bells— Return to the Ship 112

CHAPTER XL ST.

PIERRE, MARTINIQUE. A Visit to the American Consul. — Hotel Micas. — The Carriage which never "Came to Arrive. " — Strolls about Town — Des Mouclies du Vent. — A Religious Parade. — An Ancient Mukitresse. — A Street Fountain. — Birthplace of Empress Josephine. — H. M. S. Diamond Rock 125

Chapter XII. Arrival At Barbados

Carlisle Bay. — A Fleet of Merchantmen. — What was not to be Seen by the Dawn's early Light. — Where are the Yankee Ships and their Yankee Crews ? — One Vast Sugar-estate. — An International Episode. — Barbadian Loyalty to Britain. — Aunt Polly. — Swizzles and Swizzle sticks CONTENTS. VIII

A HINDU TOWN. San Fernando.— A Cooly Town.— The Contract-labor System.— A Silver-smith.— Bangle-making.— A Cooly Doctor-shop. —The Market-place.— Curry in all Shapes CONTENTS. IX

Chapter XVIII. The Future Of The Colored Races

PAGE Regrets at Leaving San Fernando. — The Future of the Cooly and Negro Races The Heirs of the Caribbees. — The Example of Hayti. — Are the Colored Races to Retrograde in their Civilization V — Wanted, a Constable 205

Chapter XIX. Grenada

Discovery of Grenada and Tobago. — Description of the Former. — St. George's Harbor. — A Romantic Town. — The "Yaws.'' — A Ride Inland. — Beasts of Burden. — Cocoa and Cocoa-planting. — Bread-fruit 222

Chapter XX. Drive Through Grenada

A Wonderful Procession. — A Curious Orchestra of Silent Reeds. — "Gib me sixpence, an I tell you." — Morne des Sauteurs. — Historical Notes. — French Conquest of Grenada. — Its Capture by the English. — A Plague of Ants 234

Chapter XXI. St

LUCIA. Its Settlement. — Carib Wars. — Struggle between English and French for its Possession. — The Gibraltar of the West Indies. — Warfare for a Century and a Half. — Rodney. — Sir John Moore. — Final Cession of the Island to Great Britain 246

St. Mary-the-Round. — Nevis. — Its Geography and General Appearance. — Charlestown, its Capital. — Its Hot Springs. — An Ancient Hotel and Ancient Guardian. — Lord Nelson's Marriage in Nevis. — Alexander Hamilton 281