, 1888-07-07
RedOnda.

Bishop Branch, in the June number of
the Antigua ChNFchmGR, thus describes a
recent visit to the small island between
Nevis and MOntserrat, known as Redonda
(perhaps more correctly RedOndol.
"That same night we left IN the Schoo.
ner Gree for Redonda. This vessel be-
longing to the Island, had been sent for
u.s. The night was very stormy, and the
capacities of the Gree for rolling and
plungtng may be described ~ infinite, in
addition to a peculiar S%crewing movement
OF her own. She shipped seas freely dur
ing the night, and OF one occasion the
waves dashed over me in my berth. The
thoughtful kindness of my good Archdea-
con, his constant attention to me, and his
perfect calmnesS in what seemed TO me
alarming, are things not to be soon for
gotten by me. AT last, after much toss
ing, we anchored in 10 fathomS off Redon-
da, or The Rock, as it is often called.
Inns Is simply a rock of about 1000 feet
nigh, and one mile long, which was now
1Or the first time visited by a Bishop.
The ~tOrbldding inhOsp;tality of the bleak
and PERCEPTIONS rock is more than com.
penSated for by the warm. hearted well
come OF Captain Harding, the resident
agent Of the Redonda Company, his good
wife, and their assistants. On landing.
or rather scrambling out Of the boat on
shore, (Which you have to do, and do
precious quickly we were met by Cap
tain Harding, and the ascent began. We
did $40 feet in 81 minutes, being hOisted
up III a large iron bucket, which is drawn
up 10y machinery from the top with a steel
wire rope. The bucket was big enough
to hold even II man of my size cOmfOrta.
bly,. Capt. Harding stood on the rim
4nI hnlI ~. IN fln va ,N;,,0, ~ 4lo AoN
both going up and coming down. In a.
second trip of the bucket my Archdeacon
and my Chaplain sat together in it while
a gentleman employed on the Island stood
erect on the rim. The sensation of going
up ~ not bad, but the feeling in coming
dow Is at least queer, and most of all
when You step from terra trma at the
top into the bucket hanging in mid air
sheer over the cliff. While at Redonda
we went all over the Islapd, struck by
the energy brought to bear upon the work
ing of the concern, and by the order pre-
served among the people. The number
OF labOurerS employed in digging and ex-
porting the P~hOSphates varies from 70 to
100, according to the need. The pOpula-
ton is a floating one, made up of IabOur-
erS from all the West Indian Islands in
this neighbOurhOod. The rule of Captain
Harding is a benefcent autOcracy, one of
the standing laws of the community being
that no strong drink is allowed on the
Island, either in the Captains own
house or any other. Not long before we
got there, a bottle of rum had been con-
tiscated and thrown over the cliff. We
had all the labOurers assembled in the
Captains piazza for q short hearty SER
vice, at which the ArchdeaeOn read and
| preached. In the evening we left the
kindhearted family, with remembrances,
OF a most pleasant day, and with earnest
wishes for the continued prosperity OF the
Redonda Phosphate Company. We slip
ped down in the Gree (all the crew Of
which, by the by, are strict teetotallers)
to Nevis. We had on this voyage a
charming time, the vessel carrying every
stitch Of canvas, and gliding along like
a yatch. 1t was difficult to believe she
was the same vessel we had been in the
night BEFORE"