The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-10-30

| tonatve Island, passing a little round lori
which, it is said, destroyed an English gunboat
in some set-to between the English and Hayti-
ems. We moved along within sight of Mira
| gOanes and Jeremie and rounded Cape Tiburou,
passing near small island in the middle of
the passage said to belong to no nation, from
abreast Of which we had plain view of Cape
Tiburou, Hayti on the east and Morant Point,
in Jamaica, on the west, each 60 miles distant.
The next morning we found ourselves in
| Kingston. The steamer commenced coaling,
| but in a manner so different from what L had
| heretofore seen that ] took good look Mt 1T.
/ Tho pile of coal was hack of the Atlas Co. s
wharf buildings. about $50 yards from the YES
! sci. The coal was being carried on tho heads
/ of about 200
DUsKY DAMsELs,
| in baskets containing about so pounds each.
| These women had on only a skirt and pad on
| their heads. and kept in file. aud almost on q
/ trot. from the coal-pile 10 the vessel and back
| again, after pouring the coal down into tho
ounkers. AZ the cual-ple four negro men were
| hiiing the baskets, and an old darky sitting ut
! the wharf gate gave each woman with basket
OF Goa! small brass check, as they were paid by
! tho basket for loading it. These fivo men were
the only ones employed in the coaing, except
! the fremen on the vessel, bat there were plenty
! OF black and mulatto men on nd dioining wharvcs
and piers, probably husbands or brothers of the
coal carriers some fishing, others lying
! around, probably waiting for other work, as the
! coal carrying is considered to belong eXcus-
! lively TO the colored women.
We went ashore and took up our quarters at
! the hoarding-houso Of German woman named
/ hrCbs, TO await the coming of the LatOna, aud
also lay plans and make arrangements for the
descent on Hayti A number of Bazelaiss fol-
lowers were already in Kingston, and they
! gave cheering news that the people were all
ready 10 rise and throw off the tyranPs yoke,
/ 50 our party was very pleased, and Bazelais
drew up proclamation and went 10 printing
! Office, where he had a great number of copies
! struck of for future circulation.
Jamaica was discovered by Columbus May 3,
1854 on his second voyage. and was then csti-
mated TO have an Indian population Of 100000
peaceable and orderly savages afterward known
as ''Arrowauks" Admirals Penn aud Vcna-
bles the former the father of Wm. Penn, took
the island from the Spania-ds in 1G55, and
great
BUCCANEER RESORT
then sprung up at Port Royal. These pirates
were surprised and dispersed by Sir Henry
Morgan in 1875. Sir Henry had been one Of
the most famous buccaBeer leaders. but the
British Government knighted him, made him
an Admiral, aud turned his pratical talents
into legitimate plunderng Of Spanish conveys
and settlements, finally rewarding him by
making him Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica.
The population of Jamaica is about 100000
persons. of whom $50 900 are negroes aud mu-
iatoes. The island is divided into three Coun-
tieS-Surrey, Cornwall aud Niddlesex; these
are sub-divided into % Parishes. each Parish
being presided over by Magistrate appointed
FOR life by the Governor. who Is called q Custos
Rotulorum. Spanish Town. on the River Co
brc, IS the Capital, a tumbiedown OLD place of
about 1000 inhabitants, connected with Kings
ton, six miles distant by a railroad. The
latter the priprfpal lrif mud ahuut
$1,000 inhabitants. Extending from the main
island, about six miles east of Kingston, is u
bar known as the PaliSades inside of which is
Kingston HaTbor. tho entrance TO it being at
Port Royal. four miles southwest Of the city.
At Port Royal is a British Nayy-yard and
powerful Notifications 10 guard tie entrance 10
the haFbOT. Looking from the sea, over the
Palisades, one eau see the city of Kingston
lying On the slope from the havbor up and
back Of the city rise the Blue Mountains which
extend along the south coast, the principal
peak Of which Is 7,770 feet high. Up on tho
mountain side is Newcastle, where are bar
racks in which European troops are quartered
when stationed here
A bi-monthIy line of steamers is established
from Kingston 90 Southampton, England, and
the Atlas line Of steamers makes semi monthly
trips from New York. in addition to which the
Morgan line sends an occasional steamer from
New Orleans. and other steamers ply TO other
British West India ports aBd Demarara. Most
OF the business Of Kingston, however. is done
by sailing craft, from the ship down to the
'drnger," the latter a sort Of
MUD,sCow WITH SAIL,
used for the coastiug trade. Tho mercury
ranges from 60 70 100 degrees during the year,
80 that there is very little uso for an ovcrcoat
Zam-ayea is the Indian name. and means
Isle OF Springs -; but the name should have
been Isle Of Spices" for Jamaica undoubtedly
supplies the world with allspice or pimentO
aud furnishes big share of the cinnamon.
nutmeg. and mace. Tho pimcnto tree, how
ever, IS the salvation of Jamaica, and were IL
not for that the island would long ago have
been bankrupt. 1t needs no cultivation and
grows beautiful and yerdaut Ia the pasture
lands. But the cottOu-tree i5 the pride Of the
Island. It grows 10 a magnificent hight and
proportions, and rarely throws out any branches
lower than 80 feet from the ground. IL is gen
orally straight, aud buttrcssed at the foot with
huge Epurs, which connect the roots with the
trunk, sometimes as high as 20 feet from the
ground Sugar, coffee, ginger, aud rum arc
also largely exported.
The manumissipn OF the slaves in Jamaica was
completed in 1888 and II resulted that the own
ers Of plantations did not realize as much subse
qucuuy with free labor. but there ls such con
ditiDn Of affairs As Anthony TroIlope depicted ia
his Nest Indies aud the Spanish Main" pub
lshcd after his visit in 1859. In that nc says:
"Arc Englishmen in general aware that half
tue sugar estates IN Jamaica. aud. / believe,
more than half the coffee plantations, have
gone back into state Of bush that all this
land, rich with the richest produce some 30
years ago. has now fallen back into the wilder
Dess?" This is not So but Trollope and leading
EDgiisbmen were trying " prepare the British
mind in 1883 for the course they were going 10
take in the then
IMMINENT REBEIIrox
in the United Stales in which John Boil ia
spite Of his advocacy OF freedom took part with
| the savehOlling side.
/ In Jamaica they make distinction between
! the negro and the offspring Of admixtnTe with
/ the white race. One class Is called blacks the
| other cOlOred. Ia Province where the whites
/ only form Oue.tweDticih of the population il
! is but natural that the eolOred people, among
1 whom are some very intelligent men, aud able
/ doctors aud lawyers should expect 60 hold some
! Of Tic Offices. But even the white natives are
/ aggTicved in this matter, an the Governor and
nearly all Of the Government officials, even
! down TO clerks in the pOstotlice, are sent
/ ffoui Great Britain.
! The British use good many colOred troops
! IN their West Indian possessions. hut they never
! keep q regiment at the home of its members.
! A regiment recruited in Jamaica will perhaps
/ be sta Toned in Demarara, while that raised In
/ Demsrara will be sent TO the Balizc. and so on.
! For he purpose Of moving them around they
| have trO0p-shlps, steamers fitted up with CON
/ veuirnces for transporting infantry, cavalry or
! artillery.
Kingston is said TO be sicsly town. on ac-