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“...GENERAL INFORMATION 5
suffered from a hurricane in 1899, had previously
enjoyed immunity for upwards of one hundred years.
Volcanic eruptions are fortunately confined to the
Montagne Pelée in Martinique and the Soufrière in
St. Vincent, both of which had been quiescent for very
many years prior to the outburst of 1902, and are now
peacefully sleeping again ; and seismic movements are
generally so slight as to be scarcely noticeable. During
January, February, and March, the north-east trade-
winds blow with great regularity, rendering those
months particularly pleasant, and, speaking generally,
year in and year out, the favourable features of the
West Indian climate far outnumber the bad.
HEALTH. There are well-qualified physicians in
each of the West Indian islands, British Guiana, and
British Honduras, besides efficient Government medical
services. Indeed, throughout the West Indies there is
no lack of medical men; but tourists who adopt the
usual precautions as to...”
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“...IO POCKET GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES
wineglassful of water, wormwood bitters to taste, and
plenty of crushed ice. The whole is frothed up with a
swizzle-stick and is consumed while still frothing.
MEALS. “ Coffee ” is the first meal of the day in
the West Indies. This connotes a cup of the beverage
from which its name is taken, or of tea or other liquid
refreshment, whatever be its nature, which is served
with toast and butter at the early hour of 6 a.m. Break-
fast is somewhat of a movable feast. It may be put on
the table at any time between io and 12.30, according
to the locality, and it will often be found to partake
more in the nature of luncheon at home. Tea follows
at 4.30 or 5, and dinner at the usual time of 7.30 or
8 p.m. At first, the difference in the hour of meals in
various islands is rather bewildering, but the visitor
soon gets accustomed to the changed conditions.
EXPENSES. The cost of a visit to the West Indies
must, of course, depend very largely...”
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“..., make the fullest enquiries as to the
supply of spare parts suitable for their cars. In
Barbados the speed limit is fixed at twenty miles an
hour in the country and eight miles in town; while in
British Guiana, Jamaica, and Trinidad the driver is only
compelled to drive with safety and to observe the usual
police traffic regulations. In Bermuda motor-cars are
entirely .banned, and there are many who think this a
great advantage....”
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“...MORE GENERAL INFORMATION 17
Ladies should take their usual thin summer dresses,
but shun openwork blouses, which are a source of great
attraction to mosquitoes, and, owing to the action of
the sun, give the wearer the appearance of being tattooed
when she appears in evening dress. Dresses and parasols
made of glacé silk, chiffon, or taffeta should also be left
at home, as they suffer in the tropics. So, too, should
sequin dresses, as the sequins yield to the great heat and
become unpleasantly sticky. Articles of pongee or of
soft washing silk are, on the other hand, recommended.
A light dinner-gown and one or more ordinary evening
dresses should form part of the outfit. Wool or silk
should always be worn next the skin. Silk stockings
are preferable to cotton, and two pairs of the former
worn at the same time are said to be impervious to
mosquitoes. Light wraps should be provided as pro-
tection against chills in the evenings and heavier ones
for travel by sea. For...”
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“...), and also a gun for sport in those islands where it
can be enjoyed.
THE LAUNDRY. Jane Anne Smith, the buxom
black laundress who used to salute passengers on their
arrival at Barbados, taking from them their “ washing
and selling to them her famous Barbados hot sauce, is—
alas!—no more; but she has many imitators. Some are
good and others exceedingly bad. It behoves tourists
therefore to make the closest enquiries before submit-
ting their garments to them. In most of the islands
the work is good and the hotels are in touch with the
best laundries. In British Guiana the Chinese under-
take washing, with the usual satisfactory results. They
are past masters in the art of cleansing clothes. An
injunction on the bills of the late Mr. Pomeroy’s Hotel
in Barbados used to read: “ Guests haying outside
washers are particularly requested to examine all wash-
ing returned, as invariably bugs are brought into the
PASSPORTS. Intending visitors to the West Indies
will do well to...”
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“... companion ” (a
small vessel which had been keeping up with them),
“ was buried.” Off the islands called “ the deserts,” a
sail was sighted which “ we doubted was a Turke ” ;
and “ made us putt ourselves in a posture of defence,
and the next morning, findeing that he had chased us
all night . . . we prepared all things for a fight, and
continued in that posture all the day and night.” On
arriving at Madeira they were " verry neare losing our
shippe, the master being unacquainted, and comeing too
boldely in near the shoar, in a dangerous place.” On
Tuesday, the 18th, they crossed the Tropic of Cancer,
and were.much diverted by the flying fish, "which,
though common at sea, may be a subject of wonder to
such as are home-bred . . . they fly in whole shoales,
but not very farre, for no sooner are theire wings dry,
but they drop into theire element, the water. It is
usual for them to fly into the shipps. We had one or
two come on board our vessell.” On Monday, May 8th,
the island...”
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“... Canada mails are despatched fortnightly
by the steamers of the Royal Mail Steam Packet
Company which leave Halifax, N.S., and St. John,
N.B., fortnightly under contract with the Canadian
Government.
Express Letters and C.O.D. Service. In Bermuda, the
Bahamas, British Honduras, Barbados, Grenada, St. Vincent,
and Trinidad, letters are accepted for express delivery in the®
United Kingdom, the full fee of 6d. being collected from the®
addressee ; but if express delivery is required to be made from
the G.P.O. or from the head district office in London at an address
outside the ordinary delivery of such office, or beyond a distance
of one mile from the local post office in the provinces, the charge
is 6d. per mile. Parcels from the same places will be delivered
express in the United Kingdom within the usual limits of ordinary
parcel delivery for a special fee of 6d. prepaid. A “ Cash or
Delivery ” or C.O.D. postal service recently established betweer
the principal islands and...”
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“...THE BERMUDAS
51
On the north side of the square stands the Public
(Buildings erected in 1839, which contain the Council
{Chamber and usual Government offices. On the south
{side is a Cenotaph, unveiled on May 6, 1925, to the
i memory of Bermudians who fell in the Great War,
11914-1918. It is a replica of Sir Edward Lutyenses
masterpiece in Whitehall, London.
Behind the Public Buildings stand the Post Office
■open daily—'Sundays and holidays excepted—from
|8 a.m. to 6 p.m. in summer and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in
{winter), and the Sessions House, erected in 1817, the
upper part of which is devoted to the House of Assembly
rand the lower to the Courts of Justice. The Clock
Tower, now lighted by electricity, was erected to com-
memorate Queen Victoria’s first Jubilee in 1887, the
work being completed in 1893.
F Passing from the wharves up Burnaby Street, the first
cross-road is Reid Street, so-called after Governor Reid,
in which are situated the Masonic Hall and the...”
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“...BARBADOS
tariff for boats is : from the wharf to any vessel is. a passenger •
with one^or two passengers and return including a wait of a
quarter of an hour, is. 8d. each, or for half an hour 2s. Between
sunset and sunrise the boatmen are entitled to charge double
On ^ys the arrival and departure of passenger steamers
tne boats, many of which are named after celebrities, are in
great demand.
Motor-cars and carriages are obtainable in Bridgetown from
several garages, including those of Messrs. Burton and Co.
Pinfold Street, W. W. Watkins, George Street, and Johnson’s
Stables and Garage, Coleridge Street. Motors can be hired by
°r ,day t°,carry four or six passengers. They can also
be obtained from Chelsea Garage, Ltd., Ward and Co., Coleridge
Street, and others. The usual charge for motor-cars is at the
rate ot is. per mile for 4-seater cars and is. 3d. a mile for 6-seaters.
Un arrival of tourist steamers arrangements can be made for
c°?tmg *'°?1 *3 to $4 a passenger...”
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“...p
84 POCKET GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES
rejoicings. The statue was decorated with flowers by!
day and illuminated at night, and the populace celebrated !
the event in a suitable manner.
The Public Buildings, which form an imposing group I
in Trafalgar Square, are substantially built of coral rock!
hewn locally, the style being a modification of the Italian»
Renaissance, the open arcades having Gothic instead of |
the usual rounded arches. They were erected from the I
designs of Mr. J. F. Bourne, Superintendent of Public I
Works, and opened in 1874. In the western wing, which!
is divided from the eastern by a drive studded with palmjj
and other tropical trees, are shown the Council and I
Assembly chambers. The latter have stained glass!
lunette windows, containing portraits of the sovereigns
of England from James I—during whose reign Barbados1!
was first settled {see page 76)—-to Victoria. In the!
Lobby there are paintings of the Hon. A. J. Pile and the|
Hon. T...”
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“... extending across the
«mouth of a sheet of water known as the Lagoon, then
la lake of brackish water but now an arm of the sea
«that the original French settlement, Port Louis, stood
I,see Pago 161). On the lower hills round the Carenage
jis a chain of forts—dismantled for many years, but
Hooking still very menacing. Beyond them rise moun-
ftains to a height of from two to three thousand feet, while
in the foreground the deep blue of the water, dotted
jwith the trim little white sloops which ply to St. Vincent
land the Grenadines, completes a charming picture.
[ 0n November 18th, 1867, a very remarkable oc-
fcurrence took place in the Carenage. Between 5 and
i.20 p.m. the water suddenly subsided about 5 feet, expos-
ing a reef, and the water over the “ Green Hole,” a spot
Between the Spout, the old watering-place for ships,
ind the opposite shore on the north, began to bubble
furiously and to emit sulphurous fumes. The sea then
lose 4 feet above its usual level and rushed up...”
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“...
scene we had witnessed, and covered with the still thickly falling
grey dust. . . . The awful scene was again renewed yesterday
(Thursday, the 8th) and again to-day. At about 8 a.m. the
volcano shot out an immense volume of material which was
carried in a cloud over Georgetown and its neighbourhood,
causing not only great alarm, but compelling the people by
families to seek shelter in other districts.
The ashes from the volcano were carried by an upper
current of air over a hundred miles and fell profusely over
Barbados, where they caused much astonishment. A
similar phenomenon was witnessed during the former
great eruption in May, 1812, when the ashes were called
by the Barbadians “ May Dust.” The earliest recorded
eruption of the Soufrière was in 1715. For the relief of
the sufferers in 1902, a Mansion House Fund was
opened and £65,76910s. 10d. collected, which was supple-
mented by contributions from the neighbouring colonies
and other parts of the Empire.
The usual...”
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“.... Nevis forms part of the Presidency of St.
Christopher and Nevis, which also includes the island of Anguilla.
These islands were united by a Federal Act of the Leeward
Islands Legislature in 1882.
Magistrate
Mr. A. C. K. Tibbits.
ACCOMMODATION. Charlestown. The Bath House Hotel is
recommended. Board and lodging, 12s. 6d. per day, including
use of the baths (see opposite page). Special terms can be quoted
for families or for a lengthened stay out of season. Branchdeane
House. Board and lodging, 10s. per day. Mrs. Daniell’s
Boarding House. Board and lodging, 8s. i,d. per day.
COMMUNICATIONS. Nevis can also be reached from St.
Kitts by motor-launch which plies daily. The boat fare from
steamers to the shore is is. per passenger. Motor-cars can be
hired from the garages of J. A. Maloney and F. Henville. No
fixed tariff is adhered to, but is. 6d. per mile is the usual fare
for cars. For the drive round the island,'a distance of 20 miles,
£1 ios. is the usual fare; but for...”
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“... Senior Military Officer, Colonial Secretary,
Attorney-General, Director of Public Works, and Collector-
General, and such other persons, not exceeding ten in number,
as his Majesty may from time to time appoint, or as the Governor
may from time to time provisionally appoint, and fourteen
persons elected by the people, one for each parish. The elected
members have the control in financial matters. The Council
is dissolved at the end of five years from the last preceding
general election, if it has not been previously dissolved. There
is also a Privy Council, with the usual powers and functions of
an Executive Council.
Governor of Jamaica
Sir Edward Stubbs, K.C.M.G.
ACCOMMODATION. Jamaica has hotels and boarding-houses
to suit every purse. The figures given below are the minimum
rates for board and lodging per day. Special terms are usually
quoted for a long stay....”
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“....
Motor-cars and cabs can be hired in San Juan, Ponce, and
Mayagüez. There is no fixed tariff and a bargain should be
made before hiring. Visitors to San Juan should patronise the
Porto Jiico Blue Line, Inc., an American company whose cars are
good and drivers efficient and reliable. The usual charge for the
drive to Coaino Springs and back {see below) is {42 for a seven-
passenger car.
San Juan has a service of electric cdrs which also run to the
suburbs of Santurce and Rio Piedras. Ponce also has an electric
car service.
CONSTITUTION. A Bill—commonly known as the " Foraker
Bill ”—providing for a civil government for Porto Rico was
introduced into the fifty-sixth Congress of the United States
and was passed and assented to by the President on April 12th,
1900. Under this Act civil government was established and
came into effect on May 1st, 1900, The Governor is appointed
by the President of the United States and holds office for four...”
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“... name to Espagnola, or
Little Spain, which was latinised to Hispaniola. Adventurers
from Europe, attracted by the usual tales of gold, flocked to
the island, and after thirty years the natives, whom they cruelly
maltreated, were crushed out of existence. In 1505 negroes
were first introduced into the island, and by royal edict, in the
year 1517, the importation of 4,000 negroes a year was authorised.
In 1630 a mixed colony of French and English, who had been
driven out of St. Kitts, and had established themselves at
Tortuga, where they became formidable under the name of
Buccaneers, settled in Haiti, and in 1697 the part of the island
which they held was ceded by the Treaty of Ryswick to France....”
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“...422 POCKET GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES
A service (2nd class) is also maintained between Pedro Miguel
Junction and Bas Obispo, calling at Paraiso, Culebra, Empire,
and Las Cascadas. (lime, 35 minutes.)
A " shuttle ” train plies at regular intervals between Third
Street, Colon, and Gatun, calling at the following stations :
Fifth Street, Passenger Station (Colon), Commissary (Cristobal),
Shops (Cristobal), Mount Hope, Mindi, New Gatun, and Gatun.
(Time, 25 minutes.)
SPORTS. Motoring, swimming, boating, hunting, fishing,
riding, dancing, golf, baseball, visiting the Canal and historic
spots, the theatre, horse-racing, bull-fighting, boxing, tennis,
and participation in the native fiestas are among the most usual
diversions. The presence of large Army and Navy forces adds
to the social gaiety of life.
CLUBS. The Strangers’ Club at Colon welcomes visitors.
At Cristobal, the American settlement, there is a Y.M.C.A.
which also shows hospitality to visitors.
SIGHTS. Colon...”
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