Omaha daily bee., 1902-05-18

loading the fruit into the surf boats. the
men only rowing out to the ship and trans
ferring the load to the hold.
To sell intoxicating liquors a license Is
necessary in all these towns and it has to
be displayed conspicuously, but jamaica
rum is to be had at prices varying from
Q to 3 shillings a bottle, even in the first
class establishments.
Strategetically Jamaica will be OF para
mount Importance when the canal Is built
across the isthmus. Kingston will be the
key to the gulf and caribbean Sea, and with
its harbor will be unassialable. There has
been much talk OF annexation to the United
States among the free thinking class Of the
island who look ahead to the future, but
1t is doubtful II anything will be realized
In this direction.
AS a winter resort, Jamaica certainly
ranks high among other West Indian places
for the American. 1t has good water, good
law and good liquor, the three things a
true New Yorker or Chicagoan most needs.
The habits OF the table must necessarily be
changed II good is expected from a %sojourn
within the tropics, and for quantity and
variety the fruit OF the island excels. One
may eat fifteen varieties of fruit a day and
be better for 1t, and there will be no ex>
AhaoNAh6 ANNNAo W bbAlPAolhNo ~ mar
the good work Of reconstructing a wornout
or overworked system. For nervous dis
eases the climate is the best in the world.
When the Canal IL Built.
With the passage of a canal bill the
Island of Jamaica will become of great in
terest. Besides its Importance as a naval
base, It will probably furnish most Of the
labor for the giant cut through the isthmus,
The ~despissd black man OF great size ana
exceeding strength will be looked to as a
factor to enable the dream Of the
lover to be realized. The scorned Jamaica
niger" will be the man behind the hoe
who will make the cut.
How this drain will be met by the fruit
growers OF the Jamaica plantations 1t is
hard to see. The population, however, is
numerous and prolific and might supply
many thousand men. The jamaican negro
Is large, strong and finely built, and, what
is even more necessary for the purpose, is
peculiarly Immune to the tropical fevers Of
the isthmus. Coolies, South American me-
groes, whites. negroes from the states, all
we're tried in Panama, but tho fever proved
deadly to them. The jamaican, however,
imported by the tens of thousands, proved
able to withstand the exposure and showed
a low death rate that was remarkable. The
only quality he is said not to have is ply
steal staying power. This sounds strange
with his great size and strength and cli-
matte endurance. Statistics on this quality
are lacking and It may be that the lack Of
physical endurance is more a thing of
choice. the natural quality developed in a
mind prone to sloth.
1 have seen a huge black giant sit for
] hntrr LnnRNn. al -, a.aN lA.a.-- .aaa-.
checks to the men who filed by and dis
dainlng even to stoop to pick up a fallen
check which had escaped his fingers. Even
his words calling the numbers were wills
pered as II the effort were appalling and
quite beyond the strength Of his giant
frame.
One OF the peculiarities Of the fruit
growing Jamaican is his speech. 1t is a
language of his own. made up from the
English pronunciation Of the broad "a
the peculiar soft information Of his neighboT
across the way in Cuba, and the rapid, ner-
Vous tongue OF the Frenchman. II is quite
lncomprehensible to the stranger and al
one moment the visitor will be sure he is
speaking Spanish. the next French and the
next real niger" II takes some time 70
get used to the iargon. With it all the ma.
tive is politeness itself.
With such an abundance Of fruit II il
strange that bananas are almost the sole
expectation. Oranges sell for a shilling
barrel for good ones, yet very few are
shipped in comparison with the bananas
the bread fruit is seldom. II ever. exported
and grape fruit that sells for ~tuppence for
the choice and a penny for the general run
nnds its way to the states only in small
quantities. This is strange when one re-
members that rs cents is the usual winter
price for a prime grapefruit In New York
and there Is no loss in transportation
Grape-fruit Sc a fad for the civilized ant
the native viii seldom touch II.
7. J. HAMS.