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“...and tourists therefore need
feel no apprehension on this score. The West
Indies are remarkably free from infectious diseases
common in temperate climes, and also from those
ailments which are commonly associated in the
mind and body with an English winter. Many
private houses and several hotels have swimming-
baths, and in most residences there is a large
bath in which natation is almost possible. There
is generally a shower-bath also, and in British
Guiana the use of the latter forms the most
popular style of bathing....”
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“...to
the climate, they are as a rule tough, except in the
larger islands, in which supplies from the United
States are obtainable. Chicken and guinea-fowl
figure extensively on the menu, but, beyond these,
a tropical table differs materially from one at
home. This is chiefly the case in so far as
concerns the fish and vegetables. Of the former
there are the flying-fish—the dish par excellence
of Barbados, and very good it is, too—snapper,
snook, mullet and grouper, all of which are
deservedly popular. Among the vegetables are
yams—floury and soft to the palate—sweet pota-
toes, tannias, eddoes, ochros—the pods of which,
cooked like asparagus, are excellent—plantains,
delicious when fried, cassava, Indian corn, papaw,
pigeon peas, to mention a few only, while a
capital salad is made from the heart of the lofty
cabbage palm (Oreodoxa oleracea). It is, how-
ever, at dessert that the greatest surprises are
forthcoming. Bananas, both big (Gros Michel)
and dwarf (Musa Cavendishii), are known at...”
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“...8 GUIDE TO THE WÉST INDIES
of perfection. Oranges while actually green are
exquisite, and the tangerine variety is infinitely
better than any ever seen at home. The grafted
mangoes, for which Jamaica is especially famous,
are exquisitely delicate in flavour, while a sound
Antigua pine-apple is something to dream about.
It is not long before the visitor makes the ac-
quaintance of some of the following fruits, which
are among the most popular in the West Indies:
custard, mammee and star apples, bread-fruit,
bread-nuts, cashews, Barbados cherries, citrons,
granadillas (the fruit of the passion flower), guavas,
limes, mangoes, melons, Avocado pears, pome-
granates, sapodillas, shaddocks, and sour sops.
In Trinidad, the small oysters which adhere to
the roots of the mangrove trees form a novelty,
and should be asked for; while in British
Guiana it would be rank heresy to ignore the
famous “pepper-pot.” The ingredients of this
savoury dish are, pork cut into small pieces and
fried until brown...”
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“...just to pick
up mails and passengers. The rate of passage
from New York to any island is $40 (£8, 6s. 8d.),
%° G£i°> 8s. 4d.), and $55 (^n, 9s. 2d.), accord-,
ing to the accommodation, and to Demerara, $65
(£t-3> ios. rod.). For some special deck cabins
there is an extra charge of $5 {£1, os. rod.).
Return tickets are double the above rates. The
s.s. Trinidad or the s.s. Pretoria sails every three
weeks to Barbados direct, calling at the Islands
to pick up produce on the voyage north. This
is a popular passenger steamer, as it gives tourists
an opportunity of making a quick but enjoyable
trip to the tropics, and allows two nights and a
day for tourists to go ashore at Barbados. Rate
for the round trip $100 {£20, 16s. 8d.) to
$I25 (£26, os. rod.). Fleet:—Pretoria, 3300
tons; Parima, 3000 tons; Korona, 3000 tons;
Trinidad, 2500 tons, and Manoa, 3000 tons, for
freight only. As the line is operated without
any subsidy, it is largely dependent upon return
freights for its existence. These freights...”
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“...centenary on October 21, i9°S>
square was again the scene of great rejoicings.
The statue was decorated with flowers by day and
illuminated at night, and the populace celebrated
the event in a suitable manner. The Anglican
Cathedral, also built of coral rock, stands to the
east of the Public Buildings.
The excursions which can be made from Bridge-
town are numerous, and except for the Wind-
ward Coast, which merits a longer stay, all can
be done in a day or less. Bathsheba (19I miles
by train), a popular seaside resort, and Chalky
Mount, both on the Windward Coast, are reached
by the Barbados Light Railway. From Bath-
sheba the Potteries can be visited. There the
crude though picturesque earthenware “guglets,”
“monkeys,” and “conerees,” as they are called,
according to their shape, are fashioned by skilful
negro artificers at their very primitive potter’s
sheds. One of the most picturesque and at the
same time most interesting spots in the island
is Codrington College, which stands on the side...”
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“...Stabroek Market, Company’s Office,
Church Street, Water Works, New North Road,
New Garden Street, and vice versa.
The cars run at intervals of fifteen minutes
throughout the day, and stop at positions marked
by poles painted white. The schedule of fares is :
Single fare, 5 cents; tickets purchased in strips of
three, 12 cents per strip; children’s tickets in strips
of nine, 24 cents per strip. Special cars can be
engaged for trolley parties for $2.50 per hour.
Cricket, tennis and football are popular, the prin- Sports.
2nd Class.
$0.16
0.32
0.48
0.64...”
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“...in Jamaica is Mr.
E. A. H. Haggart, who has an office in Kingston.
The fare round the island is only £3, first class.
Sports. Cricket is king in Jamaica, and the cricket
Cricket, dubs include Kingston, the Garrison, Melbourne,
Fbotball. an<^ Lucas. Football also has its votaries in the
Tennis, cooler months, and lawn tennis and croquet are
played all the year round. Tennis tournaments,
open to strangers if introduced, are held at the
Polo. St. Andrew’s Club, at the Cross Roads. Polo is
very popular, and is played weekly at the Camp
and on the ground of the Kingston Polo Club.
Golf. The links of the St. Andrew’s Golf Club adjoin
the Constant Spring Hotel, for the visitors at
which they are available. Yachting and rowing
can be enjoyed in Kingston and other harbours.
Shooting. There is fair sport in Jamaica for rod and gun.
Blue pigeon, the bald-pate, the ring-tail pigeon,
the white-wing, the pea-dove, the white-belly, and
the partridge are the principal game-birds. The
close time is from...”
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“...regular steamer communication with Tobago, a Steamers,
coastal steamer running in connection with the
mail steamers, and, to those wishing to see the
Orinoco River, opportunity is afforded by the | n
comfortable river boats of the Orinoco Steamship
Comjpany, which connect at Port of Spain with
the Royal Mail steamers, and proceed every week r
to Ciudad Bolivar, whence smaller boats convey
such passengers as may desire to proceed farther
to the upper reaches of the river.
Cricket is deservedly popular. The Queen’s Sports.
Park Cricket Club, which has a membership of Cricket.
400, occupies a large enclosed ground beautifully
situated, with an extensive pavilion and visitors’
stand. The club, of which the Governor is pre-
sident, also affords opportunities for tennis, boxing,
and athletics. The Trinidad Turf Club holds race Racing,
meetings at midsummer and in December, which
attract very large crowds to the picturesque course
on the Savannah. Several minor meetings are
held in the country during...”
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“...XXII
ppm:.
\A. E. A spinaic
A STREET IN ST. JOHN’S, ANTIGUA
This picture shows the buggies, the popular form of conveyance
in the West Indies.
XXIII
t"r I. V
i%ö/o] [^. y. fVest
A TYPICAL MARKET SCENE
Bananas, plantains, yams, and ground provisions generally, are the
principal articles sold....”
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“...ANGUILLA
229
tedium of the journey! The old Bath House TbeBath
Hotel, near Charlestown, should certainly be in- Hotel,
spected. Now a ruin, it serves as a link with
the past, when Nevis was the most popular
island in the Caribbean for white people, and
visitors leave with the impression that, given
capital and energy, it might be now a well-known
health resort. The springs near the hotel are
of undoubted efficacy in the treatment of gout,
lumbago, and kindred ills to which the flesh is
heir. They used as far back as 1670 to be
“ much frequented for the curing of the several
distempers of the Body of man,” to quote Blome.
The temperature of the water is 100* Fahr., and it is
in all probability the heat rather than the mineral
contents of the spring which produces beneficial
results. A bath can be had in perfect comfort
for the moderate charge of is., towels, coffee, &c.,
being obtainable from the attendant who lives in
the old Bath House premises.
ANGUILLA
The snakeless Snake Island
Anguilla...”
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“...from those having wares and produce to sell.
Early in the morning, during market hours, the
scène here is busy and exceedingly diverting.
Near the mouth of the Roseau River there is
The Sulphur also a fish market. The famous Sulphur Springs,
Springs. which are said to afford a remarkable cure for
rheumatism and aches and pains in general, are
an hour’s ride from Roseau.
The Water- The excursion to the Waterfalls, a ride of ij
faUs> 1 hours, through the beautiful Roseau Valley, is
deservedly popular. Another favourite expedi-...”
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“...king it contained
several very valuable estates, and naturally a
much larger population. For instance, at the
beginning of this century it had about 3000
whites and free coloured persons, besides 2500
slaves, and this was its condition up to the time
of emancipation. The “bay leaf” tree (Pimenta
acrt's), the leaves of which are used in the manu-
facture of that most agreeable toilet requisite
known as bay-rum, of which there are several
manufactories in St. Thomas, and which has be-
come so popular throughout America, is a growth
of this island.
Notwithstanding the unimportance of the place,
those who have a day or two to spare, and can
enjoy a little boating as well as “ roughing it ”
in the matter of accommodation, will find that a
trip there will fully repay them. There is much
fine scenery about St. John, and the island has
a romantic side to its history, having enjoyed its
own little slave insurrection in the old days long
gone by.
ST. CROIX
Denmarks largest West Indian Island
St....”
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“...can be carried.
The Jamaica banana, which is the variety known Varieties of
as the Gros Michel., is cut when the fruit is three- Bananas-
quarters full, and consequently tourists must not
expect to see the fruit growing on the trees in
Jamaica of the familiar yellow colour, but quite
green. In the United States the Jamaica banana
is preferred to the smaller dwarf banana, com-
monly known as the Canary banana (Musa
Cavendishii), which is grown in Barbados, though
the latter is at present more popular in England, |
the reason probably being that the British public
have become accustomed to the fruit from the j
Canary Islands, which had been imported for I
many years before the Jamaica variety was intro-
duced. The two kinds of bananas were existing...”
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