, 1891-02-28

been compelled most prlmltlVely to supply
their domestic wants beneath the wide
spreading branches of that old tamaIind
tree-known so universally as the Parham
market. We have also to thank His Excel
lency and Lady Haynes Smi, Ii for their pre-
sence here to-day, for without them it
could hardly have been called either DIN in
auguratiOn or a gala day-n0w it may true
~ be put down in rery red letters, for no Off
clal ceremony headed 10y the rtpreSenta-
tive OF Majesty has ever taken place in This
TOwn since Lord WillouglIUy about the
year 1913 drove here in a conveyance call.
ed a whisky, drawn by 3 orea, 2 creole ponies,
and a mule, to meet a Carib Chief who had
come over from Dominica to sign n treaty
OF peace between his people, and the in
habitantS of this Island. Parham after to-
day will | hope grow rapidly in Importance
and althO we can hardly expect to see it a
Cathedral City, yet | can tell you in all
earnestneSs that it once had IA Bishop, for
Mr.. COull a former Rector Of this Parish
used always to be addressed us the Lord
Bishop of Parham-and he was wont III
pride to point to the small portion of Ocean
visible from his house, and call it his Sec
but If even we cannot boast now of q Bishop
we can at least point with pleasure to our
new market place, and the Haynes Smith
Gardens which have been tastefully laid
out specially tor the holiday meanderingS
of the Parham Bellies. | shall now Just
touch upon the ancient history of Parham,
and the places of interest in It's immediate
vicinity, and then briefly ailude to the
things for which it is still famous. Parham
Is supposed TO have been ut one time the
seat OF Government; or chief town of the
Island, but ! think yGd will agree with me
that II mast have Oeeli ii very long time ago
and | am rather inclined to believe that
lord Willo lHhby de Parilam did not take
hlS name from this place bat rather that the
place was called after him. 1t was during
the CalIb Wars Il very Important sea port,
and with the fort on CrabltS point, and the
garrison ut Fort Byam, was considered Uery
Jormtdob}e. The stones on which we are now
ssauding were brought here from Fort By
am, and have sonic very interesting hiSto-
rlcal associations, for they originally form
Ell the flooring or pavement of the very
room in which Col. Elward Byam some
time Cover LOr OF Antigua used to enter
tain q party of CariUS who came over
here yearly from Dominica to smoke their
'Calumets' OF peace with that Gentleman
and Immediately to the South Of this
Town there rises Il tumultS, or hill, which is
sup OSed to be IL work of art, aud to have
been made for Tie buryiu5 place, of the an
Gent CAribS- it is five or six hundred feet
long, an in form of a long square, very re-
gular III all its parts and the top quite
fat-from 40 to 80 feet ligh-CaIib im-
plementS, Carib skeletons, and I believe
even Carlo ghosts have been seen there-The
existence of this tunulHS is recorded i'll the
books OF the r pyal Irish Academy. 1t was
also not fal from this town for it was on
Betty'S Hope EStatcl that Col. C0drington in
1674 planted the first sugar cane tina ever
grew in A~ntigua-Amd it was almost on
this very spot on which the market stands
that tile first West Indian pillory, stocks,
whipping posts, and ducking stools were
erected-the former places of torture speak
for themselves, but the latter or ducking
stools | may explain were placed on the
spot nov called Tudway's wharf for the
purpose of ducking all sc0lding wives
these stools were made somewhat after the
fashion of a chair seat, under which a move
able support was placed, and the culprit sat
on this seat, and at the given signal the
husband would pull away the rest and flop
down would go the wife into the sea, she
would then be again put into the chair, and
the duCking repeated until she promised to
refrain from scolding her unhappy lord. From
what I know of Parham, however, [ really
don't believe THAT our wives could ever
have deserved such a punishment, and as |
see my wife's eyes upon me, at this mo-
ment I shall say of course THAT the Ladies
here are most amiable.
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