Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-09-16

more than century old-its magnificent
roads. its vast sugar plantations, seaside
resorts. hotels and general air of thrift,
Barbados Is a most attractive island.
Lying almost directly west of Barbados,
in latitude ID degrees 10 minutes north, is
an island of altogether different scenery
and ChardctettStlcs-that of Saint Vincent.
Like barbados, it carefully keeps its rev.
enues just little below its expenditures,
and its imports little above its exports,
each being about half million dollars an
nually. 1t is a mountainous and forest
clad islaEd, one Of the most beautiful in
that eastern chain known as the Wind
ward group There are in st. Vincent what
few other islands hold out as an induce
nent to immigrants-large quantities of
crown lands t4OG0O acres)-which can be
had from s. to 80 per acre; fertile lands,
mainly in the hills and mountains, but
capable of producing any tropical plant,
fruit, vegetable, such as nutmeg, coffee,
CacAo, bread fruit Glove. and particularly
arrow-root. for which the island has a
great reputation in the London markets.
An EdenaI Residence.
The term paradise has already been
wcrn out in speaking of st. Vincent, for
all the requisites are here-always barring
the hurricanes-for an Edenal residence
for a dOlce-far- niente state of existence.
1t may be described a mountain Some
1900 feet high encircled by double neck
lace of emerald forest and golden cane
part in seismic disturbance which has
given it a worldwide reputation. In the
year 1872. when our forefathers were
busiy engaged IN fighting John Bull that
they did not notice X, this mountain let
off volcanic eruption that shook the
earth. According to the historian, this
eruption, which seemed to relieve a pres
sure upon the earth's crust extending from
Caracas to the Mississippi valley, was most
disastrous in its effects, covering the whole
island with ashes cinders. pumicc and
sCoriae destroying many lives and running
many estates 1t lasted three days, COM
menCng or near that fatal day in 1912
when Caracas was destroyed. and 1000
persisted in a moment of time"
A most curious feature of this eruption
was that ashes from this volcano descended
upon Barbados, ninety-five miles to the
windward. The winds there are mostly the
trades and blow from the east westerly
or directly from Barbados to ST. Vincent.
Says the famous geographer Elisee Reclus,
in his book, THE Ocean," quoting this fact
to show the force of aerial currents: ION
the first day of May, 1872 when the north
east trade wind was in all It's force, enor-
nous quantities of ashes obscured the at
mCsphere above the island of Barbados
and covered the ground with thick layer.
one would have supposed that they came
from the VOLCANOES of the Azores, which are
to the northeast: nevertheless. they were
cast up by the crater in St. Vincent 100
miles to the west. 1t Is therefore certain
that the debris had been hurled by the
sheet of the trade winds into an aerial river
proceeding in contrary direction"
Kingston the Capital.
1t is a glorious volcano, as can affirm,
having camped in a cave on its summit for
week. when in search Of new birds for
the Smithsonian. I got the birds, and 1
got fever. something like that which has
laid out so many of our brave boys In
Cuba and Porto Rico the past summer;
"a haa fnr ha LII ind tha
exceeding hospitality, Of the residents of
Kingston. the capital Of St. Vincent, I
should not probably be writing this
count of it, years after the event For,
though the doctors Wed with each other to
bring me about, and the Methodist minis
ter even came. to bestow the last consola-
lions, did not begin to pick up until one
of Gods Samaritans took me down to his
plantation and kept me for nearly two
months So L have tender spot in my
heart for the afflicted inhabitants of that
beautiful island, and certainly hope the re-
ports of death and disaster have been ex-
aggerated.
The capital of st. Vincent, which is
eighteen miles In length by eleven in
breadth, Kingston, has a population of
about 5000, against 40 600 for the whole
island, and is a well-built and very at
tractive town. lying between hills covered
with forest and sugar cane, and a ma gnif-
cent bay.
The governors residence is In a fine boz
tanic garden, where, by the way. many
horticultural experiments have been tried
winch have resulted to the benefit Of hui
mainly, notably the cultivation Of the
breadfruit, nutmeg and other exotic plants
The breadfruit was introduced here more
than century ago and about that time
also the CARDS were subjugated and most
OF them removed to Honduras small
remnant of this tribe Of Indians yet lives
on the windward coast. engaged In cult
waiting arrow root and other tropical crops.
Nest of the sugar lands are owned by an
enterprising Scotchman, Mr.. Alexander
Porter. who Of late has tried to improve
the cultivation Of the island and the condi-
ton OF his numerous sable tenants
But, like all the smaller islands of the
West Indies. st. Vincent is in a most piti-
fui condition. because. in the first place,
the small number of whites Is insufficient
to make head against the constant atayism
OF the blacks; In the second, such elemental
disturbances as the late hurricane period
loally upset whatever plans they may
formulate for their mutual Improvement
and advancement.
Like all the other English islands of the
West Indies, also. 1t still possesses a rem
nant OF the aristocratic, once dominant,
class or noble Scotch and British ancestry
who cling to hospitality as an obligation.
ana esteem the stranger guest as a possi-
bic entertaining of an angel unaWares
They are of the salt of the earth and thew
have lost no particle Of the primitive SAVIOR.