The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-12-27
CHRISTMAS UNDER
THE PALMS
Among the Lotus Eaters
of the Caribbean in an
Isle of Man
ana.
BY FRED b. WARREN.

Kingston. Jamaica, Dec. 24.lThe
temperature today is only eighty two,
yet tomorrow is Christmas Looming
against the heavens is a mountain bril-
liant in its native coloring of glossy
green palm trees and royal poincianas
ablaze with red blossoms swaying in a
riot of color. The sky is a warm. ten
der blue, such as is never seen in the
States.
Giant negro women ore lurryins
down to the Mole bearing on their
heads wooden platters of fruit pulled
but q few hours previour on the plan
tations: and other black natives are
pounding coffee pulled before ones
eyes at the moment.
The lethargy that affects one soon
after entering the enchanted gates OF
the Caribbean manifests itself on every
hand among the foreigners on the is
land
Two English army officers are lazily
driving q ball across a tennis net, While
COMPANIONS from a British naval yes
sci off shore are loafing in recumbent
positions, putting at short Blown paper
cigarettes containing native tobacco.
AS u highly colored setting, lies
great natural harbor. long and wide,
framed by a breakWater of cocoanut
palms ana fringed Ky q white line of
froth thrown upon the shores from the
surging green of the ocean.
Through interstic.s of the verdure
OF palms and mangos the red-liled
roofs of Kingston are barely visible
and the old town of Port Royal, famed
in the days of Morgan and Teacn and
other noted buccaneers, has disappear
ed under water or underground.
Sleepy, dreamy Jamaica, whose
ground is red With the blood of muir
dered victims of the sea marauders,
has a fascination, and beauty that
overshadows its hideOus past. A sooth-
ing. suffused hight lasts from daybreak
until far after shutdown and then the
shadows gather in an aerial haze
With the moonlight one can read a
newspaper out of doors, though Ire
print must necessarily be a little lar
GER than that ust.i in the average pub
licaticn. Given this. reading is
neither fatiguing nor strain upon the
eyes.
The temperature here averaged for
months gives direct contradiction to
the common belief in the States that
Il scorchlng sun INCREASINGLY beats
down with relentless intensity, for the
streets OF Kingston are seldom as
warm, even in summer, as broadway
or Fifth Avenue in New York. and q
sea-breeZe always sweeps landward
times makes Jamacai's temperature
similar to that of the seaside resorts
on the Jersey and Virginia coasts
Unlike Americans, who walk rapidly
down their streets, the natives of Ja-
maica languidly saunter through the
pretty. straight thoroughfares OF King
ston, smiling and chatting vita nearly
everyone they meet The girls are not
averse to carrying on mild firtations
xlth non-residentS and visitors, though
their moral code is srrlCt--19r more
rigid than is found among the young
women in South America and the other
islands in the Antilles.
me small population of white PER
sons, who are seen passing in and OUT
of the throng of blacks and muiattos,
are of pale complexion. They usual
" affect gray and white fiannels and
are inconspicuous to the average OBJ
server.
Gaiety now approaches its height
for the year as the horse races VIII be
run here during Christmas week. The
streets become a riot of color. Bunt-
ing and carnival accessories are cop
iously used Gaudy mantllas, that
are chiefly worn for this annual event.
gre seen everywhere, as we'll as beside
the race course The horses that run
here are raised on the island, and. in
the main by Englishmen, who seldom
lnQulSe Ill any OlHeT 1OT11l OIL sport.
The betting with the Dookics at me
ringside is far larger than one would
imagine and the negro population
largely mere asses the number of waSers
made by placing small bets on the
horses of the rival owners, with Whorl
the blacks are usually very friendly.
The observance of Christmas day in
jamaica is not unlike celebrations held
elsewhere throughout the civilized
world. In the English settlement the
Cockneys all enjoy a plum pudding,
blazing with brandy, followed by more
brandy without the pudding. The
final stage OF their celebrations is us
ually maudlin sleep. which is par
TALLY attributed to the pronounced ef-
fect which gin and brandy have upon
the white race in the tropics.
The native Jamaicans have a num-
Der of quaint superstitions and GUS
toms which they observe on Christ mas
day Irrespective of martial relations
or bonds of kinship a Jamaican Kisses
his friends, neighbors and many whom
he does not know at all, on the ami
versary of Christs birth.
This is unlike any custom observed
in other lands and had its origin inl
the early tribal days of the native In
dams who have long since completely
sucumbed to disease and slaughter at
the hands of the English opponents Of
benevolent civilization.