The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1921-04-14
Kingston. Jamaica. b. W. /.


Easter Monday found us in the Bay
Of Kingston. jamaica, where We had
anchcred before bedtime Sunday
night, but were not to land until Mon
day. At about nine o'clock we steam
eG in and anchored about a quarter
mile off shore, and after the pilot had
/ left us, we were boarded By the quar-
antine and other government officials,
/ who, seeing that our papers were reg
ular, cCurteously invited us to go
ashore. We were surrounded By
small boats OF every description
mostly row boats, manned by Jamaica
negroes, nearly all of whom spoke
English. mixed with jargon all their
own, and readily understood The
passengers Went over the side on IA
steep ladder, awaited their opportun-
ity. the sea being choppy, and all Sue.
ceeded in getting into the boats and
to the shore with dry feet and with
cut accident. Easter Monday is le-
gal holiday on the Island and, much
to our disappointment, all the good
shops were closed The little Chinese
and East Indian shops were doing
business. with the certainty Of being
fined on the morrow, but they were
willing to submit to this rather than
foregC the profit on sales to lot of
people bent upon spending their
money for souvenirs. The streets
we've filled with negroes with strings
of gaudy beads, all made of native
Leans, and they We're readily pur-
chased ut prices varying from TWEEN
t,sE ,rA Lon
money, payable in English money,
which at the prevailing rate of ex-
change, is considerably less. Natives
also sold baskets in every variety OF
size, weave, and color, and there was
wild orgy of basket buying 1t may
Ne said the "Cristobal" did not take
on corgo until she reached King
ston, and then it was a cargo Of beads
and baskets. The streets were
swarming with little Jamaica negroes
who are expert, both as beggars and
thieves, seeming to have been trained
to both professions from their in
fancy. They fairly block the walks,
so numerous are they, and if one does
not ho.d tight to watch and pocket.
book they are sure to be lost. The
American Consul had engaged auto
mobiles in sufficient number and
nearly all the party drove out into
the mountains about 20 miles, to the
very beautiful Botanical Gardens o!
Castleton, probably maintained by the
English government The city OF
Kingston has about 10000 pdpnla-
ton, very large majority of whom
are negroes. Also a large population
/ .
earthquake did very great damage to
the city in 1907, destroying many
houses and killing many people. The
evidences of the ruin are still plen-
tiful
Leaving Kingston at seven o'clock,
with all the beads and baskets, next
morning we were in Guantanamo
Bay, where is located the Atlantic
fleet, under Admiral Wilson. The ad-
miral sent his aide aboard and later
came himself, inviting us and fur
nishing every facility for us to visit
the various battleships in the fleet,
particularly the Flagship Pennsylva-
mia. A band furnished music for an
informal dance while those who did
not care to dance looked over the
wonders of the ship. No one was al
lowed to go ashore as the fleet is
quarantined against Cuba on account
Of small pox. After a three hours
visit with the fleet, we again went
aboard the Cristobal, climbing the
ladder in a rough Sea and We're home
ward bound. Arriving at Norfolk
just three weeks to the day from the
day OF our departure. One might
write a book-so much was there to
see and remember, but one must stop
somewhere and will now close my