The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-06-19
WARSH|P'S DIARY,
Continuation of the Interesting
Story of New York's Cruise.
THE ISLANDS OF ST. KITS
Description of Some of England's Pos
sessions in the West Indies.
Social Side of Life.

latter island is nearly circular in form.
miles in diameter, and rises sheer
out of the sea to a height of $500
feet, appearing to be an uninhabited
rock. Yet with its apparent barren
ness, it supplies some of the more fer
sile islands. chiefly st. Thomas. with
most of their garden.truck. From a
little landing place to leeward a stair
runs up 500 feet into the bosom OF an
old volcano, and in that hollow live
some 800 negroes. Up in that crater
they build the best boats in the West
Indies. and lower them down the cliffs
into the sea. After passing the next
islands to the southward-St. Eusta-
tious-where the Governor of Saba re-
sides. we we're under the lee of Mount
Misery. Island of St. kits. and at 500
p. m. dropped anchor Off Basseterre,
the chief city.
ST. CHRISTOPHER.
Upon approaching the anchorage
everyone on board was charmed by the
delightful view of the long broad
stretches of cane field, the sugar houses
marked by slender chimneys, and the
scattered groups of neat little houses.
The island of st. kits, or ST. Christ
opher. belongs to the Caribbean chain,
and was at one time inhabitated by
the Caribbean Indians, who named it
Liamuiga, or fertile Island. 1t is COM
posed of entirely of old volcanic ma
terial. Was discovered by Columbus
in November 1893. AS he approached
it from the southwark. he fancied re-
semblance of the top of Mount Misery
to the form of the giantSt. Christopher
bearing on his shoulders the infant
Christ. determined him to name the
island as he did. St. Kits has a great
deal of history in proportion to its size.
1t is about thirteen miles long by six
wide. but a narrow handle like that of
a spoon stretches ten or twelve miles
further. The entire area is %sixty-tive
square miles. and the population is
As, 900 with but a small white element.
The island possesses no harbor. and
but Indifferent roadsteads. quite unsafe
during the hurricane season. Ia 1921
Sir Thomas Warner took possession of
ST kits. and established the first
British settlements in the West In
dies. The island is called the Mother
of the Antilles" AT this time the
French adventurer .!Corsair" was
prowling about in this vicinity. In a
battle with a Spanish g%alleon his ship
was crippled. and he put it into ST.
Kits for repairs. The British and
French we're then on good terms and
they agreed to combine to drive the
Indians out of the islands. They sue
ceeded in getting rid of the Indians
after a har1 struggle, and in 1925 they
divided the islands. the English taking
the lands in the middle. while the
French occupied both ends. In 1929 a
Spanish fleet came in unexpectedly
from Hayti. and drove away all colon
lStS wv ltu UlC LlduUeI- IcUlEllGu tdCu
party claimed exclusive possession of
the island. The French expelled the
English in 1859. and the latter returned
the next year. The English in turn
drove out the French in IT'S. and the
Island was ceded to the former. In
1882 the French again got temporary
possession. but from that time the Eng
lish sway has been undisputed.
In 1871 st. Kits surrendered its sep
arate existence, and was included into
the Leeward Island Colony. The ST.
kits part of the colony has no elective
members. but consists of ten non-otfi.
cial members. the latter with the pres.
ident bel Z appointed by the Governor
seven from ST. kits and three from
the neighboring island of Nevis. The
legislative council for the whole col.
ony is chosen for a term of three years
and meets at Antigua island. the CAPT
tai. The islands natural aspect and
recent conditions are as interesting as
it's history. The French called the;l
two ends Capesterre and Bassterre
meaning highland and lowland. Bias
sterre is still the name OF the capita
of the island and is sometimes callel
Bar Star. 1t is situated in a sheltered
Bay on the east side. 1t is clean an;
healthy.
Mount Misery, 1880 feet high, is sale
to have been SO named from its oc
casional habit of sending down flood;
and torrents which sweep away thu
houses and mills, especially in 1880.
Upon going ashore in n of tn
ships boats we were landed at a whar
that extends several hundred feet int,
the sea. We soon found ourselves il
the centre of the sleepy town, with it
10000 inhabitants. The houses are al
we'll built. but the stores are very poo
and what fruits there were at the tim
came from st. Croix, and therefor
was not cheap.