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“...98 POCKET GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES
surmounted with battlements. The walls are immensely j
thick, and well calculated to withstand hurricanes. In
1831 the outside of the house was being repaired when it
was struck by the terrific cyclone of August nth, and i
though the scaffolding was carried off by force of the
wind and deposited in the mill-yard of the Three Houses
Estate, three miles away, the building was uninjured.
The chief features of the interior are the handsome j
ceilings in plaster-work. A man named Warren was
brought out to do the work in the old slavery days as a
militiaman, when the planters were bound by law to
leaven their holding of blacks with a certain number of
white men. But though he is generally credited with
it he really did very little, the bulk being done by one
Charles Rutter, whose son was recently employed to
repair the ceilings. The work took Rutter and Randals, \
who was also brought out, three and a half years to!
complete. At the end of the long drawing-room...”
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“...156 POCKET GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES
heaviest rains fall in September and November. The average
annual rainfall is 80 inches, but in the interior it is nearly twice
as much. The island is practically free from hurricanes, there
having been five occasions only on which it is known to have
been visited by gales of hurricane strength. Near the sea-level
the maximum mean temperature is 90° Fahr., and the minimum
68° Fahr., but in the mountains it often falls below 6o° Fahr.
The birth-rate in 1925 was 33-54 and the death-rate only 16-5
per 1,000.
HISTORY. Grenada was first called Concepcion by Columbus,
who discovered the island in 1498 on his third voyage. It is
not known when it received its present name. In 1609 an
attempt was made by a company of London merchants to colonise
the island, but in less than a year the settlers were driven off
by the Caribs. The island was included in the possessions of
the French Company of the Islands of America, and in 1650
Du Parquet, the Governor of Martinique...”
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“...excellent meals can be obtained. .
COMMUNICATIONS. St. Lucia can be Reached from England
via Canada, or the United States, with which it has fortnightly
steamer communication, or via Barbados, Trinidad, or Martinique
(see Appendix I). Steamers go alongside the wharf and there
is no landing charge.
The principal roads of the island are good and about 150
miles of them are suitable for motor traffic. The St. Lucia
Motor Co. and the Castries Garage lets out motor-cars at
moderate charges. In the interior, travelling is done on horse-j
back. Carriages can be obtained at Kirton’s livery stables in
Castries. The tariff is moderate, being: for driving about
Castries, as. per seat per hour ; out of Castries, 3s.; Gros Islet ;
(7 miles), 8s. per person ; the Morne and back, round drive,
5s. 6d. per person. As the resources of the establishment are
limited, early application should be made. Riding-ponies may
be hired at the same establishment and other places at reason-
able rates. A Government motor-’bus...”
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“...after-
wards Sir John Moore, the hero of Corunna, two years
later. i
The Mome now looks peaceful enough; but truth
to tell it presents rather a melancholy appearance. Its
officers’ quarters are deserted, its barracks empty, and
even its former tennis courts are rapidly becoming over-
grown with bush. But the glorious view still remains
and well repays the ride. It is more extensive than that
obtained from the terrace of Government House,
including as it does the superb mountain ranges of the
interior, a long stretch of the coast-line to the south,
and the summits of the Pitons (see page 181) in the
1
Ï
ii
$
[
i
distance. J
The Vigie, a quarter of an hour’s drive from Castries,
or five minutes’ row by boat across the harbour, is
scarcely less full of historic associations than the Mome. ,
Probably the most desperate fighting which it witnessed
was in 1778, when we captured St. Lucia from France. I
The lines of the English, who, under General Meadows,
had entrenched themselves there, were...”
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“...many modem improvements
[ in this class of fortification, but are now overgrown by
I bush. Those on the Vigie are reached by a walk of half
I a mile from Veille Ville, which is accessible by boat.
Many pleasant expeditions can now be made by motor-
I car, the roads of the island having been much improved
I in recent years. It is possible to motor from Castries to
jSoufrière via Dennery, Micoud, Vieux Fort, Laborie, and
I Choiseul, a distance of nearly sixty miles. The road
I passes through the interior of the island from the leeward
I to windward coast rising from sea-level to a height of
[1,700 feet between Castries and Dennery. The road
[from Castries to Gros Islet (7 miles ; see next page), is
[ almost level, and is suitable for motor-cars.
The Cul-de-Sac Valley, with its central sugar factory, is
[about 20 minutes’ drive by motor-car or one hour’s ride
[or drive from Castries. The route lies past the historic
1 Mome Fortuné (see page 176). It was in Grand Cul-de-
[Sac Bay that Brigadi...”
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“...on Sunday, February 8th, 1843. The cathedral
I occupies the very spot where the militia were stationed
I m 1710, when the mob attacked Governor Daniel Parke
whose tyranny and arbitrary conduct made him detested
: in the island (see page 201). The corner-stone was laid
in 1845» The cathedral was opened on October 10th,
i 1847, and completed in the following year, its total cost
[hchig £40,000. It is solidly built and cruciform in shape,
while its length is 130 feet and its breadth 50 feet. Thé
interior, which is fitted with galleries, is lined with stout
pitch pine as a precaution against damage by earthquakes.
[ The building contains very few monuments. Among
them the principal is a large brass dedicated to the
memory of Bishop Jackson, the third Bishop of the See
[(1860-1895).
I The monuments in the old church were many, and the
inscriptions upon them were exceedingly interesting, the
oldest being a stone slab in the chancel to the memory of
i Mrs. Gilbert, the wife of the Mr. Gilbert who...”
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“...the coast.
SPORTS. Cricket, lawn tennis, and croquet are the principal
amusements, and there are clubs devoted to each, to which
visitors are admitted if introduced by members. The lawn-
tennis courts of the Dominica Recreation Club, which was
founded in 1911, are said to be among the best in the West
Indies. Cycling is possible over a limited area. A certain
amount of shooting can be had, but it is scarcely worth the
import duty on guns and cartridges. Wild pig are occasionally
found in the interior ; also agouti and opossum. There is fair
river and sea fishings and excellent river bathing.
CLUB. The Dominica Club is a flourishing institution, open
to visitors upon introduction. The Free Library—the gift of
Mr. Andrew Carnegie—opened in 1906, overlooks the sea and
is also accessible to visitors.
SIGHTS. Roseau (population 6,803), the capital of
Dominica, has, beyond its historical associations, its
picturesque appearance, and the hospitality of its people.
R...”
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“... in a building formerly occupied by the
Victoria Memorial Library, was opened on October 23rd,
1911. It contains an interesting entomological collec-
tion, Dominican and West Indian Carib stone implements, >. 1
etc.
The Protestant Church of St. George’s was built in 1820 .
with money provided by a grant from the Legislature ,
aided by public subscriptions, to replace one destroyed 1 (
by a hurricane in 1818. It is a substantial stone building i,
of no particular architectural merit; but the interior |
has a reverent and dignified aspect. The beautiful win- ii
dows in the church were put in to the memory of various |i
members of the Stedman family, which for nearly a een- H
tury has been connected with the chief mercantile house j
in the island. The various mural tablets bear names of |(
many who have been intimately connected with the |.
government of Dominica, including the Hon. James
I...”
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“...Grange in 1805 (see page 240).
The famous Sulphur Springs of Wootton Waven (within
easy reach of Roseau by motor-car), which are said to
afford a remarkable cure for rhéumatism and aches and
pains in general, are an hour’s ride from Roseau.
The excursion to the Waterfalls, a ride of if hours up
the beautiful Roseau Valley, is deservedly popular.
Another favourite expedition, and one which will give the
visitor an insight into the glories of tropical scenery, is
that to the Freshwater Lake in the interior of the island.
The lake is situated at an altitude of 3,000 feet, and can
be reached on horse-back in from 2J to 3 hours. The ride
is a delightful one, not the least pleasing feature of it
being the shrill note and incessant humming of the hum-
ming-birds, the sound of which is in marked contrast to
the funereal tone of the “ Siffleur Montagne,” a bird of...”
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“...DOMINICA 247
Mother Country in 1898), which runs into the interior.
The road was begun in 1899, and the cost, which was
ƒ15,000, was defrayed from Imperial funds. It is
eighteen miles in length and extends to Bassmville.
Unfortunately it has not been kept in as good a state
of repair as is desirable, and it sadly needs metalling.
The views from Sylvania of the mountains, and from
Lancashire through the valley to the sea, seven miles
distant, are indescribably beautiful. A few miles
farther on is Riversdale, situated at the highest part of
the Layou Flats. , __, ,
A ride or drive for a few miles along the Coast Road to
the north or south of Roseau conveys- to the visitor from
overseas a good idea of the dwellings, and of the manners
and customs of the West Indian peasantry, which are a
never-ending source of interest. About two miles to
the south of the town is the fishing village of La Pointe
Michel, which is fringed with graceful coco-nut palms.
Many of the residents are refugees from...”
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“...Spanish for 161 years, and it was not
until May nth, 1655, that it changed hands. On that eventful
day it yielded to a force under Admiral Penn and General
Venables, sent out by Cromwell against the neighbouring island
of Haiti. In 1657-58 an attempt was made to recapture the
island for Spain ; but most of the colonists were apathetic,
and those who were not joined the Maroons, or runaway slaves—
the name is an abbreviation of cimarron, and is derived from
the Spanish Cima, or mountain top—in the interior of the island,
and so began the long series of troubles with the Maroons which
was finally put an end to after the quelling of the rebellion in
1796 by the deportation of many of the rebels to Nova Scotia.
In June, 1670, the British occupation of Jamaica was formally
recognised by the Treaty of Madrid.
Colonisation was proceeded with, and there was a large influx
of soldiers, who did not make good colonists, and also of very
undesirable refugees. A number of settlers also came from
Nevis and...”
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“...JAMAICA 281
in the West Indies,” amounted to nearly £21,428
I sterling. The fa?ade is about 200 feet long, and we are
told that the freestone used in its construction came from
the Hope River course in St. Andrew’s. The columns
supporting the portico are of Portland stone, and the
pavement of white marble. Long, in his “ History of
Jamaica,” gave the following description of the interior
as it-was in about 1774 :
Two principal entrances lead through it into the body of the
house; the one opens into a lobby or antechamber, the other
into the great saloon, or hall of audience, which is well pro-
portioned, the dimensions being about 73 by 30 feet and the
height about 32 ; from the ceiling, which is covered, hang two
brass gilt lustres. A screen, of seven large Doric pillars, divides
the saloon from an upper and lower gallery of communication,
which range the whole length on the west side ; and the upper
one is secured with an elegant entrelas of figured ironwork.
The east or opposite side...”
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“...Guadeloupe, but it was restored to France in 1814. After
that it constantly changed hands between the two ; but after
its capture by the French in 1810 it was handed to Sweden, by
whom it was, however, relinquished in 1814. In the next year
it was again taken by the English, but it was restored to the
French by the peace of 1815.
CONSTITUTION. The administration of Guadeloupe and its
dependencies is vested in a Governor, who is assisted by a Privy
Council, and has under his order a Director of the Interior, a
Procurator-General, and a Paymaster. There is also an elective
General Council. The colony, which forms a department of
France, is divided into three arrondissements, and comprises
thirty-four communes with elective municipalities.
ACCOMMODATION. Basse Terre. The H6tel du Cours and
the H6tel Anaida. Pointe-a-Pitre. The Hotel Moderne and the
Hotel de Paris. Board and lodging: rates vary with the exchange.
COMMUNICATIONS. Guadeloupe can be reached direct from
France in 19 days, and is on the...”
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“...62J 3 3°
Quebradillas .j 69 3 53
Isabela X. . . 76i 4 20
Aguadilla Puente 881 5 23
Aguada . . • • 94Ï 5 43
Córcega ..... i°3i 6 49
Anasco . . . . - . ml 6 3i
Mayagüez Playa 116I 6 46
Mayagüez Ciudad . . 117} 6 58
Hormigueros . ... 123 7 15
San German . I28f 7 36
Lajas Ciudad . . I33Ï • 7 53
Lajas Estación 134} ■ 7 58
Santa Rita . . • i46f 8 33
Yauco ..... I49Ï 8 44
Guayanilla .... J57i 9 6
Tallaboa . ... 162Ï 9 29
Ponce . . . 171! 9 45
Attorney-General, Treasurer, Auditor, Commissioner of the
Interior, and Commissionèr of Education, and five citizens
appointed by the President, and the House of Delegates, or...”
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“...Bonaire off the north
coast of Venezuela; and St. Eustatius and Saba, and part
of St. Martin in the neighbourhood of the Virgin Islands.
The Dutch also own Surinam or Dutch Guiana, which
is not dealt with in this volume.
CURASAO
The Island of the Liqueur
Curasao, which, with the small islands of Oruba (west)
and Bonaire (east) adjoining, is Dutch, lies off the north
coast of Venezuela. The island has a total area of 374
square miles, and a population of 35,083. It is hilly and
the country in the interior is deficient in water, being
entirely dependent upon rain for a supply of that
necessary of life. The capital, however, has a salt water
distillery which keeps the town well supplied with fresh
water. The island looks barren and very rocky from
the sea, but the capital, Willemstad, is quite picturesque,
the houses, built in the old-fashioned Dutch style with
seventeenth-century gables, being mostly painted with
bright yellow colours. The exports include divi divi
(the pods of the Ccesalpina...”
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“...Macoris and Salcedo. From the latter station
an extension runs as far as Moca where the two railroads join.
A list of the principal stations on the Central Dominican Railroad
and on the Samana and Santiago Railroad are given in the
tables on the opposite page. ’ . ,1
On both lines the trains also stop at a number of smaller
stations by signal.
SIGHTS. The absence of roads and hotel accommo-
dation makes travelling in Haiti difficult. No whites
live anywhere except in the' seaside towns, and the
interior is still to a great extent unexplored. Beyond
the beauties of nature there is little to attract visitors,
though the ruins of the old Palace at Milo, near Cape
Haitien, and the citadel above, both built for President
Cristophe, are well worth seeing.
The capital of Santo Domingo is the city of the same
name (population 22,000) which is situated on the south
The town contains many buildings and ruins of
historical interest, most of them being associated with
the family of Columbus. In the Cathedral...”
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“...Indian Government.
FThe inhabited portions of the colony are the alluvial
[fiat which extends from mid-water mark to a distance
[inland of about ten miles, and the banks of the rivers
for some distance from the mouths. The front lands,
or lands on the sea-board, are flat and low, and the sea
I is kept out at high tide and the land drained by an
[elaborate system of sea defences and canals established
} by the former Dutch owners. The soil, being alluvial,
I is naturally rich and fertile. The interior of the colony
■consists of swampy grass plains called savannahs, dense
j forests and bush, and ranges of mountains. The primi-
I tive forests are only occupied by a few Indians, with
There and there a wood-cutter’s, a gold-digger’s, or a
Idiamond-washer’s Camp. A series of sand-hills, now...”
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“...Mention should also be made of the Pakatuk Falls, the
Tumatumari cataract on the Potaro, and the Waraputa
cataracts on the Essequibo. On the rocks at Waraputa
may be seen some of the curious rock carvings called
“■ timehri ” by the Indians, the origin of which has
never been discovered. The most notable of these
picture writings ” is, however, on the “ Timehri
xock ” on the Corentyn River.
INDUSTRIES. Sugar, with its allied products—rum, molasses,
and " Molascuit,” a cattle food composed of the interior cellulose
fibre of the sugar-cane mixed with molasses—constitutes by
far the most important industry of British Guiana. Demerara
sugar, which is manufactured in each of the three counties oi
the colony, has a name for excellence all the world over. The
total area under sugar cultivation in the colony is about 57>*9C
acres, as compared with about 29,333 acres under rice; 29,975
acres coco-nuts ; 6,243 acres coffee ; and i,91^ acres cocoa.
Coffee and cotton were formerly produced in large quantities...”
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“...extreme east coast of Demerara there is a
considerable area under coco-nuts, and this form of cultivation
is1 being extended. At Agatash, on the left bank of the Esee-
| quibo River, about "two miles above Bartica, there is a fine lime
estate on which citrate of lime is manufactured. The collection
of balata from the tree known as Mimusops globosa forms an
important industry. This gutta-percha-like substance is largely
used for insulating purposes and in the manufacture of belting,
etc. In the interior gold is recovered by “placer” washing,
and also to a less extent by quartz-mining, while a system of
! dredging and hydraulic washing has been adopted with great
I success. During the early days of the gold industry some
I diamonds were found when the day’s “ clean up” was taking.
I place, and the stones naturally attracted attention. A gold
I expedition to the Upper Mazaruni in 1890 discovered small!
I diamonds in fair numbers, aid in the following years several!
[expeditions were despatched...”
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“...BRITISH GUIANA
38i
a scene of great activity, while at the other .end the
Reading Room and Museum of the Royal Agncultural
and Commercial Society (an institution founded m1844
and incorporated in 1866) occupy a prominent position
The museum is open free every day, and those who hav
not time to visit the interior of the colony may get some
idea of what life in it is like from the Natural History
collection and picture gallery of local views A large
proportion of the fauna of British Guiana can be studied
as mounted specimens, and so also can Indian curios o
every kind, relics of cannibal feasts, stone implements,
specimens of rocks, including gold quartz'and diamondi-
ferous gravels, and in fact almost everything found
grown, or made in British Guiana. Adjoining the
Museum is the Reading Room, to which a visitor may be
introduced by a member of the Royal Agricultural and
Commercial Society. It contains a respectable collection
of English newspapers, reviews, and magazines, it nas
also a...”
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