New-York tribune., 1895-10-31
IN THE WEST INDIES.

CRUISING AMONG THE CARIBBEEs. Summer
Days in Winter Months by Chares 1ss A9saslas Saras
Scribners Sons
DoTY DONTCARE a Story Of he Garden T,9,, Of the s
Antilles. BY Mary Harrington Foster Win an
Introduction by Or. Elliott Coucs Pp. 49,
Eastes Lauriat
The potent charm of the tropics is noteworthy
element in both these books. Dr. Stoddard reveals
n in the glimpses which he gives of island after
another in a group that seems destined to RETAIN
while the world lasts. its primitive freshness ana
luxuriance. its Incidence and aversion to the re-
straints Of civilization. The author of the tiny ro-
nance Of 'Doty Dontcare" evinces IL IN the
tragi-comedy which she rather hints than tells Dr.
Stoddard is not only an experienced traveller put
he Is frank about his methods. When he found
that the West Indies were to be visited by him. he
at once made systematic quest FOR DOCKS apou'
the islands But there is. after all. not mucr sign
of this closet travelling In his book. When he got
into the pelucid summer seas and saw the ancient
and long g-sent volcanoes, the dense forests the
rich plantations, the quaint villages and the haIf-
savage life Of the people he seems to have fof-
gotten his literature What strikes one most in MS
studies OF the human life In the Caribbean archi-
pelago Is the manifest tendency Of nature to clint
nate the white race. Though the real natives OF
these islands have almost disappeared, their places
are more than filed. not by the descendants Of those
who doomed them to slavery and extinction. nor by
any representatives OF European people, nut py
Africans The race problem is complicated now
nv
appear II these could take away the heritage at
has fallen to the negro
Almost within earshot Of the busiest and noisiest
civilization In the world these islands seem ready 10
relapse into their primeval slumbers. everywhere
uron the islands," says DR.. Stoddard are apah-
doned plantations and buildings going TO decay
This is due to many causes among whicn are the
absentee system OF ownership. lack OF thrift in
MANAGEMENT extravagant modes Of living. the un-
reliable character Of labor. and in recent years the
falling off in the value Of the sugar crop. one
planter said that "his estate and mill, which three
years ago paid him more than $4,000 profit would
this year hardly pay expenses" 1t sounds odd TO
hear the Editor Of THE New-York Observer say
ing that "the emancipation of the slaves was ter
rible blow 70 the prosperity OF the West Indies but
il is clear that ideas Of commercial advancement
do not enter very largely into the question OF hu-
man happiness the freed popuace OF the west
Indies understand the subject. Nature Is too gen
erous with them and they willing to live on her
gifts without amassing riches When they clamored
and fought for freedom 1t was with the hope of
life very different from that OF their masters, VINO
spent their surplus wealth In the capitals and pleas
ure resorts of America and Europe. They wanted
that absolute freedom which is without care or re-
sponsibty state in which one works or pays as
one p.eases Apparently their ideal is the one likely
to be realized. Fortunately. 1t will never lessen the
beauty of the islands to leave them to Nature
Meanwhile a story like that of "Doty Dontcare."
which Is so little feigned that II can hardly be called
q romance illustrates the useessness OF fighting
against fate which Nature has in store for these
islands. Its scene is the Danish island of Santa
Cruz With the aid OF Or. Couess Introduction the
sketch brings out clearly the features OF the caste
system based on the crossbreedng OF the white and
black races. 1t points to the misery that follows
when a woman above AL a white woman, even un-
Willingly marries into a caste beneath her own
ard in the picture which II gives OF a servile rio
1t illustrates the antcipations which the negroes
had OF freedom. The story Is too slight to have
value literature. 1t must be esteemed mainly for
its faithfulness to the life which 1t describes