The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1925-09-02

: tie breeding country. The Island L
heavily infested with ticks, however
and this condition has held back live
stock development. A hardy bree(
has now been developed by the cross
ing of English and East Indian cattle
and the ticks are being further com
bated by compulsory dipping Of the
live stock.
Natures Balance" Disturbed.
Jamaica's curse of ticks is an excel
lent example of the unexpected re-
suits when the "balance Of nature" is
interfered with. First ships brought
rats which became a pest in the cane
fields. Then the mongoose was I'M
ported in 1872 to keep the rats in
check. The rats were destroyed, but
the mongoose then attacked the lizards
and small birds, eating their eggs as
well as those of turtles and domestic
poultry. The marked reduction in the
numbers of small birds Is said to be
responsible for the presence of large
numbers of ticks In the island-so, in
a house-that-Jack-bu sort Of way,
the mongoose has placed big handi-
cap on beef production.
After Jamaica was taken from the
Spanish, Port Royal, its chief port,
became the rendezvous Of British buc-
cancers under the leadership of the
notorious Sir Henry Morgan. In those
days Port Royal had high wall about
1t and wide quays, whereon its habi-
tues emptied their pieces-o f-eight
Then, as if Providence were outraged
by It's disregard of moral laws, an
earthquake on June Z, 1892, shook ia
maica to its foundations and tumbled
this den of iniquity, with scores of
the pirates, into the sea. When the
water Is calm the coral-crusted ruins
Of the old town may be seen beneath
the water, even today.
One interesting relic of Port ROYAL
remains, however, in Fort Charles, a |
still old veteran of sun-faded bricks. |
Some Of the officers quarters and a |
paved court, so white that 1t dazzles,
are still standing. Flower gardens
now encircle it's walls; It's gun en-
orasures are hidden by bushes; the
birds haunt It's crannies, and the liz
ards crawl lazily over its parapets
doratto Nelson was stationed at the
'orts In 1873. when he was twenty-one
'ears Of age, and the paved platform
which was known affectionately as his
quarterback" may still be seen.
The little town now standing on
he old site of Port Royal is respect
Bile, faded, and disconsolate. On the
ences and bushes, in melancholy ugli-
ess, the commonplace inhabitants dry
he fishing nets by means Of which
hey exc out their existence.
Kingston Nearly All Black.
Across the magnificent harbor from
ort Royal lies Kingston, the capital
Jamaica and one of the most i'm
ortant ports in the West Indies. Its
'undations were laid by Port ROYAL
lrvivors. Kingston is almost as much
black mans town as Port-au-P Prince.
ne two white persons to every hun {
ed negroes who nominally are part
the city's population, live in special Q
lDurbs and manage shops and the
rger enterprises, and the streets are
ven up almost entirely to negroes t
ven the policemen and many of the
dyes are black.
Enough only per cent of Kingston,s
,OOO people are white, no small bodv -
citizens of any city has shown moro
urage, energy and determination
ring the hurricanes and EARTHQUAKES -
lich have time and again literally =
stroyed Its very foundations. Hard =,
mad its charred ruins cooled after
violent earthquake and fire in 1907
Tore the survivors were busy buIld'
!. between the palm-fringed shore
the blue hills beyond, clean. reg Oil
lrly iaid-out town to take the placa
tue one which nature had just de- Or
Dyed.
Inc British have given some meas-
OF self-government to the To-
leans, but have retained final rom o,
|. governor is appointed by the
tish king and presides over n lepis- n
We council Of which Is members are
'ointed and II elected. Elected
rds IN the 10 parishes administer
Il affairs.