Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-03-20
4 VISIT TO JAMAICA,
SECRET OF THE PLANTERs' suc-
 CESS IN FINANCIAL MATTERS.

SECRET OF THE PLANTERS, suc-
 CESS IN FINANCIAL MATTERS. Few Cane Fields, but Banana and Cocoa
 nut Groves Everywhere-Port Royals
 Decadence-BeautifulK Kingston Harbor.
 Taking a Jolly Jamaica Ride.
 The high Cuban mountains faded out of sipht inst before dark, and on Friday morn- ing. seven days after leaving New York, the mountains of Jamaica lay before us By the middle of the morning we were close by the north side of the island, but as Kingston. our destination, is oA the south side, we still had to go around the eastern end of the island and about hall way up the south side. This sight of land, the promised land for most of us on board, brought out all the fnery again. Those rough looking fellows in flannel shirts and Scotch caps disappeared, and in their places there came out on deck wonders of starched linen and black coats. and marvels of summer bonnets and silk dresses. As we ran along the Jamaican shore we had fine chance to see something of the island, for we were not more than a mile away-and in that clear air and bright sunshine mile is nothing. There were houses on shore-that was one of the first things we noticed-some good, big and con- fortable looking houses, too, surrounded by great plantations of cocoanut trees, and in other places cane fields.
 This peculiarity at once distinguished Jamaica from the other islands we had passed. At Fortune Island we were favored with the sight of one little house. In Cuba, not single building of any kind nor living creature, though we went close enough to have seen cat walking on the beach! Noth- ing could be more desolate than the eastern end of Cuba-rugged mountains. bare rocks, and utter solitude. When Columbus first saw the island it could not have been more as nature made and left it, at the east end, than it is today. And this least end," as far as it's ruggelness and barrenness go, extends half way down the island nearly. We in the north are apt to think of Cuba as a vast gar den spot, covered with cane fields and green tobacco. But this is mistaken notion The cultivated land is a surprisingly small pro- portion of the surface, and every year it grows smaller, if anything can ''grow" small CT. The same cyclone that has hit all other West India islands has not passed Cuba. Away back in 1900 there were more than 2,0OO coffee plantations in Cuba; now there are-quien sabe?-probably less than POO, and the others nave gone to Seed
 SEEN FROM THE SEA.
 But the aspect of Jamaica is very different. Seen from the sea, the entire island seems to be under cultivation. It has, indeed, many high mountains, but the mountain land is some of the best on the island, producing coffee that is second to none in quality or price. Away up almost to the mountain tops are cultivated fields Down by the shore are some of the largest cocoanut groves have ever seen, numbering their trees by thousands, with vessels moored alongside waiting to carry away the ripened nuts. And bananass Bananas growing everywhere, wherever shoot can be set outl The houses to be seen are generally large and low, as open as pos sible to let ill the breeze. Cane fieldsa Very few, and therein lies the secret of Jamaica's keeping herself afoat, while all the neighbor- ing islands are struggling with bankruptcy. Instead of waiting in vain for sugar to pay again, as they are doing, the Jamaica plant CTS plowed up their cane fields and went to raising bananas and cocoanuts, and now de- rive the greater part of their incomes from these articles of ready and profitable sale. So Jamaica gentleman and fruit grower on the steamer told me, and certainly this first look at the island seems to confirm his state ment for there are bananas and cocoanuts growing everywhere.
 How many pirate ship has sailed along this same shore that are hugging so closely! Old Port Royal, now just coming into sight, used to be the headquarters of all these fellows. There they squandered the gold they captured on the high seas; there found rest after their long, hard voyages Poor fellows, they needed rest, of course, after their arduous labor of capturing and plundering all the ships they couldl But Port Royal is no more. Once one of the greatest cities of the western world-ranking third, believe, only Lima and Mexico exceeding it in size and wealth-it is now a hot little town of few hundred inhabitants Stand ing as it does on the end of an exceedingly narrow strip of land that juts out into the sea, one wonders where there ever could have been room for great city. But the earthquake that destroyed the city and killed nearly all its inhabitants sank good share of the land into the sea, and today we could, if we were to go over the spot in a row. boat, see the crumbling ruins of some of the buildings that on that fatal day were buried forever.
 BEAUTIFUL KINGSTON HARBoR.
 This tongue of land, on which stands the remains of Port Royal, forms the beautiful Kingston harbor, into which the Alvo slowly steams at o'clock on the seventh day out from New York. Kingston lies before us, about twenty miles away, on the edge of an almost level plain Behind it, perhaps ten miles inland, the mountains begin to rise, and continue up, up, till their peaks are lost ill the clouds. It is beautiful sight under this hot tropical sun. Cocoanut trees every where, far overlapping the houses of Port Royal and lining the shore. Forts to the right of us, forts to the left of us One might think the whole world had banded together to capture this little island of Jamaica, from the number and size of it's forts.
 Gradually we approach the city, and slowly the pleasant voyage draws to close. Kings ton, city of 10000 inhabitants, is almost in- visible, hidden by its trees. The streets are full of them, the yards, the parks-so it looks from the water. There are ships in the harbor, of course; a dozen steamers, perhaps, and any number of sailing vessels. The Alvo is drawn up to the Atlas line wharf, and we arc beset by an army of hotel runners, who have all the cheerful characteristics of their brethren ill New York. But with them come some of the friends through whose invitation this voyage has been undertaken. The weathera Well, comfortably warm; and tue