Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1899-11-16

factory, which in such a country is al
most necessity, but nearly all the
towns are abominably lighted with
most ineffective kerosene lamps, which
only accentuate the darkness. In
nearly all the towns the sewers are the
street cutters and these are full OF good
running water which pours down from
the nearby mountains in abundance at
all times. With such a water supply
an electric plant would be a very easy
proposition. One of the features of st.
Thomas is an imposing tnrreted resi-
dence above the town on one OF the
hills, which is known to fame rs
| "Rlnebcard's Castle" having been
built for his own occupation by that
| widely-known patriot when at the
height of his career. 1t is now the
abode OF a prosperous business man.
All the islands are full Of pirate history
and the entire Spanish main is a store
house of piratical and other romantic
lore.
In st. Thomas one sees for the first
/ time all manner of articles and bur-
denS carried on the head by the ma
tives. Whatever is 10 be toted goes
on the head and by some incompre-
hensible dispensati0n is made TO stay
there. No apparent effort is made 10
/ keep il in position and Just how il is
done is problem In physics which |
am at a loss 10 solve | see two black
girls or boys 90 chattering and play
ing along the street, each with we'll
filed ten-quart pail of water on his
head, seemingly insensible OF its pres
ence. black woman walks in five
miles from the country with a bushel
OF charcoal on her head. 4 colorcd
man walks of with a bale Of hay on his
head and every conceivable merchan-
disc and product goes onto the head as
naturally as a baby's thumb grayitates
towards H. mouth All the lower class
Of black women wear large cotton
handkerchiets OF bright eolors knotted
neatly around their heads and on these
rests their burden
| want 10 say here and now that
never dreamed that God permitted the
existence of such horrible and dis
gushing animals as many of the lower
class of black women We NAV eX-
pect brutishness in the lower male
blacks, but that anything in the form
Of woman could be so bestial physical
~ and mentally is horrible TO consider.
After st. Thomas we sailed past st.
Croix, not having anything for that
port, and arrived at ST. kits Here |
called on our American consul. DR.
Haven. with whom passed very en-
ioyable hour. The doctor is a Chicagoan
and a gentleman of refinement who
does honor 10 his country The prin-
cipal town of the island is Basse Teree.
a very pretty little town nicely located.
The island has been in the possession
OF England since 1913. long enough To
feel the effect Of English methods, and
exports much sugar, molasses and |
rum. Tobacco is raised 10 some eX-
tent, also coffee and cocoa. Every sort |
of fruit known to tropical lands is
grown in profusion and Is ridiculous
IL cheap. Hotel accommodations are
good and cheap, and a visitor may
spend week here pleasantly and IN
structively.
Antigua Is the next island in course I
and is an exception % most OF them In 1
that il is much flatter and lower. ltI
contains nearly $1,000 acres and about I
80, 600 population About five per cent 1
of these are white, the usual per cent Z
among the islands. Ii has been Brit I
ish possession since 1000 Sugar Is the /
chief product. but little business Is
done In fruit ana cane products. The
American consul here is Mr. Hunt. also
of Chicago. with whom formed very 1
falaUGuftf mt h..
ficeDt time 10 accept of his generously I
protiered hospitality. hope to de- 50 /
on my return.
From Antigua we proceed TO the 7
French island Of Guadalupe. most .
picturesque and decidedly interesting 4
town, but decidedly Frenchy. Some /
coffee j. raised here of excellent quail I
ty, which, with the usual products of .
the islands, Is exported to France. Va I
nilla Is the only product which comes I
20 America. Here | had a pleasant 4
visit with Mr.. Ayme of Chicago, the I
American consul Git beats an how Chi /
cago exports consuls) and of course |
found Uncle Sans representative a /
well informed and most courteous and /
most gentleminly official. lie ex-
pressed regret that ! was not * hours /
earlier, in which case he could have /
entertained me with a very lively /
earthquake which shook things up /
very smartly. France has only about 4
a hundred regular soldiers here and /
appears TO be drifting along most any
how in the colony The blacks are A 4
brutal and dangerous mob. and when |
ever they feel particularly happy make I
"A more or less successful effort to burn 4
the town. Here | made a preeoncert- l
ed and simultaneous effort TO get
shaved, but found hadn't any French 4
money and the operation was not per-
formed
From Guadaloupe we proceeded TO /
Dominica-pronounced Domweek- /
island % miles long and l6 wide be- 1
longing 70 England. Ii was discovered /
by that old brigand, Columbus. one
SUNDAY IN 1898, hence its name. Only |
a small portion of the island Is under 4
cultivation and the principal produc- \
tons are sugar. cocoa and lime Juice. /
Some little business is also done i'm
fruits. coffee. spices. oils and timber. /