The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-06-13
THE ISLAND OF JAMAICA.
What Returned Christian Missionary Says
About It's People and Its Climate.

Rev. W. K. Azbili, who for a number of years
past has been missionary of the Christian
Church in the island of Jamaica, has returned
TO this city to become the general agent of the
Women's Board OF Foreign Missions, from which
he was sent upon his labors. The people of ia
maica, as general rule, he said to Journal
reporter, are possessed Of some religion, though
the number TO be called really pious is extremely
small OF the religious denominations
which extend all over the island, the
Baptists are the strongest in numbers, with
by the Weslyans, Congregationalists and Roman
Catholics, and ours, the Christian. the most re-
Gently established has the smallest. However,
II our work progresses as rapidly as in the past,
our numbers will soon equal, if not exceed, some
of the older established denominations. We
have three mission stations. the principal one OF
which is at Kingston, the capital of the island.
another far in the interior and the third on the
sea coast at the further side of the island These
are we'll supplied with missionaries and means to
carry on our labors"
what is the social condition of the island2'
"The social condition of the country has great
ly improved in the last few years, and the two
classes, the peasantry and gentry-the former
composed of the creole and black natives of. the
island, and the latter of the English officials,
ministers of religion and trades people-are what
are to be found in most OF the British colonies
of the West Indies. The peasanty is cultured
to a very creditabe degree and, in some
respects are superior to our American
peasantry. The gentry, the majority of whom
are the British officials are aconsiderable part OF
the GOO, 900 inhabitants, and constitute nearly
all OF the mercantile portion of the island. The
peasantry are, for the most part, proprietors OF
small plantations, in which they cultivate yams,
cocoanuts, chocolate and bread fruit which they
convey in small quantities to the ports and sell
to the shippers and manufacturers Their dress
vorably with that of their Amer
lean brethren in the matter of style
The climate of Jamaica is everything but what
it's reputation represents it to be- 1t is similar
to that Of California. the sun beaming the year
round in all its torrid heat yet there is a cool,
refreshing breeze. which comes from the sea,
and makes the climate one of themildest known
The country is very mountainous and one can,
by an ascension. of any of the mountains find al
most any climate The country abounds in
springs, rivulets and rivers, which are mostly
dry, except in the rainy season, May and Octo-
Der. when they become raging torrents. The
temperature at Kingston, seldom falls below
sixty degrees, and scarcely ever reaches ninety
degrees
Il noticed that longevity proves to be an
almost invariable rule there, and this contrasts
strangely with the report that to 60 to Jamaica
meant to ruin ones health. The yellow fever
which it is claimed is so prevalent there, is
scarcely ever met with, and heard of only three
or four cases of it during my residence there,
and they among the gentry, and were
traceable to nothing else but dissipation. The
creole natives rarely suffer with it, and the
blacks never. There is also peculiar immu-
nifty from colds, malaria, diphthera, pneumonia
and other diseases SO prevalent in this country.
There is great wealth in Jamaica, consisting
of its productions OF sugar, coffee chocolate
cocoanut, vans, bananas. oranges and lemons
of which there is great abundance the fruit
being ripe throughout the year. The fruit trade
is principally carried on through the medium of
New York, to which place nearly all consgn-
ments are shipped. Jamaica is also noted for its
manufactures Of rum and ginger, both Of which
have worldwide reputation for their superior
ity. While it is a fact that Jamaica makes thu
best rum, it is also fact that she makes the
nastiest imaginable. One manufacturer told
me that he increased the price of what he man.
ufactured. by from three to five shillings gal
Ion by putting into it the filthy water from a
stock-pond
I'm the wild forests and plains, which are ex-
tensive, are found few wild animals, principal
ly the wild boar, but no serpents, as the mon
goose. an East India blood sucking animal. sim
liar to the ferret. which was introduced into the
island to kill mice and rats, has extermiEated
nearly all the REPTILES"