El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-11
THE WEST INDIES


YER since the Panama canal be-
n, came a certainty American inter-
est In the West Indies has grown
steadily. until now it is probably great
er than at any time since the American
flag was to be seen on every ocean,
and American bottoms carried more
than their share of the worlds COM
merce americans resemble the Athen-
ians in always seeking some new thing.
and in their restless search more and
more of them are beginning to appre
ciate the delightful voyages that may
be made from their eastern coast
through summer seas at comparatively
low prices.
An evidence of this was furnished
this winter when the first strictly ex
cursion ship. carrying a full quota of
among the West India islands and down
the coast of South America as far as
the straits of Magellan.
Habitat of the Negro.
The West Indies are distinctly the
habitat of the negro. There are all
kinds from the voOdoo worshipers of
the interior of Hayti and San Domingo,
to the cultured. highly polished, ever
hospitable college graduates of the
English and French islands. The first
desire of the American traveller is TO
compare the negroes and men of color
in the islands with those he is familiar
with in his own country, and he is al
most invariably surprised at the diff
ference.
Laughter, unprOvoked mirth and an
utterly happy go lucky disposition. is
characteristic of the American negro Of
the SOUTH but as a rule. the natives
of the West Indies takes themselves
more seriously. They are exceedingly
voluble when aroused, but the chatter
ing gayety IS lacking The nearest ap
proach to the American style of negro
Is among the coal passers of ST. Lucia,
who, as they wind in and out from
the coal piles TO the ship, maintain an
incessant flow of banter and chaff.
French Possessions.
At one time or anorner France owned
nearly every island in the West Indies,
but its possessions there are now lin
tied to Martinique. Guadaloupe. st
Bartholomew DIETER knowns as ST
Barts) and a part of st. Martin. the
other portion of which belongs to iIol-
land England has persistently Angli-
cized its islands until the French
suzerainty has been almost forgotten.
yet it is a curious fact that a French
patois is the language of the natives
OF nearly all the English islands below
the Virgin group. The people are BIZ
selves, but all having just as good a
command Of English.
In the Danish islands Of St. Thomas
and ST Croix (Which is better known
as Santa CRUZ the back country ma
tives have patoiS which is not Dan
ish. although the Danes have owned
the islands for $50 years. Danish is
now taught in the public schools OF
these islands. and the children speak
\
all speak English as we'll
West India Rum
West India brings thoughts of rum
the rum that has cut a figure in
history and is famous the world over.
In the early days. the exchange Of West
India rum with African chiefs for slaves
for the western world was a regular
and enormously profitable business.
Slavery passed. but the rum remains
millions of gallons OF it.
The natives, foreign residents and
tourists drink rum in all the islands.
Special brands are spoken of with
pride and thousands of bottles are
carried away every year by tourists
as precious gifts for friends at home.
This exists everywhere among the
whites and higher classes of British
Guiana. which. although on the main
land of South America, is always count
strange reason, in British Guiana it Is
considered extremely plebeIan to drink
rum The people there drink gin and
Scotch whisky
Perhaps the explanation of this pc
culiarity is the fact that back in the
almost impenetrable wastes of British
Guiana the natives make "moonshine"
rum like the mountaineers of the
southern states make "moonshine"
whisky.
English Coins Used.
It would be advisable for all Amsri-
cans going to the West Indies to .v
in supply of English money before
starting. Travellers landing with moth
ing but American coins will be greatly
Inconvenience unless they are of gold.
Every island varies more or less in its
willingness to accept American silver.
although the gold and bank notes are
readily exchangeable at the banks In
Antigua, for instance. not even the
street peddlers are willing to accept
American silver at all. If they can nos
sibly get English money.
The Danish islands have a snecial
Of their own which is current
nowhere else. GuadalOupe and Mar
Unique each has a coinage but Mar
Unique silver does not pass in Guada-
loupe, or vice versa. The small shop-
ekeperS pass off this local coinage as
frequently as possible. and travellers
who have made purchases seldom leave
without taking more or less of il from
every island. some as souvenirs and
some through carelessness. II would
be interesting to know how much of
the local coinage disappears forever in
this manner.
Demerara presents still another pe-
culiarity, in that while its medium
is English money, prices are all COM
puted In dollars and cents
Monkeys Eaten by Natives
To the ordinary man the thought of
shooting a monkey would be abhor-
rent but the natives of St. Kits have
no such scrupleS. The island has long