Evening star., 1935-02-24
WEST INDIES GIVE
TASTE Of SUMMER
Ba|my Breezes Replace Win.
try Blasts 2 Days Out of
New York.
BY G. ADAMS HOWARD.


iarly at This time Of year, affords tie
traveller just about all he could wish
In sunshine, relaxation and tropical
scenery.
Leaving New York's chilly air. the
warm balmy breezes of the Cult
Stream soon make one slough ones
overcoat. Modern ships provide both
inside and outside swimming pools,
and dressed in bathing suits one may
bask In the suns welcome rays two
days after leaving port. The sun and
the SaltineSS of the sea air acts as a
tonic.
There are many cruises to the isles
of history and romance, but one very
attractive and within many incomes
Is the 18-day excursion, which includes
calls at II ports Possessions OF the
United States. France, England, Ven-
zuela, Holland, Panama and Haiti are
represented.
Four days out of New York st.
Thomas, capital of the Virgin Islands.
Is reached. These II islands were for
merly the possession of Denmark. and
now are owned by the United States.
IlllS1 plOuuSlo VI tIiS LdOlNCS arc
bay rum-and since repeal. rum. The
natives have been trained to make
attractive souvenirs for voyagers. Cas-
ties of Bluebeard and Blackboard are
worth inspection.
Historic Martinique.
Another day finds the cruise mem
bers at the famed Island of Marti-
nique, French possession. 1t was
there that Josephine, the wife of Ma
poleon, was born. Mount Pelee. the
volcano that caused so much destruc-
tion years ago, is one of the high
lights of a drive from St. Pierre to
Fort de France. The drive brings
into view, for the first time, veritable
jungles. filled with various tropical
groWths.
Tourists are aided in their sight
seeing trips on all boats of today by
cruise staff that makes all necessary
arrangements.
Later in the afternoon of the same
day the ship arrives at Port Castries
of st. Lucia. This island is British
possession. 1t is picturesque, with
moderately high mountains rising from
all sides of the village. There. as in
nearly all places of call, natives will
be found diving into the waters for
all the money the tourist may throw
Trinidad. wealthy island. owned
by England, is reached the following
day. After an inspection of the
asphalt lake, one of the natural mys-
teries of all time, drive from Brigh-
ton can be taken to the principal city,
Port of Spain.
Everybody Busy.
Orange, grapefruit, lemon and
breadfruit trees line the roadway on
this alluring drive. Great sugar, cof-
fee and cocoa plantations stretch be-
yond. Bamboo and coconut trees
abound everywhere. The island is very
rich and is filled with a contented
population. Unemployment is un-
known. even wandering Hindus seem
to have something to do.
The drive over the island takes one
to the interesting Church of the Black
Virgin. According to many stories,
pygmy statue of the Virgin and
Child, both black, was found during
some excavation. Weird tales relate
that they were once alive and through
some Indian rite became shrunken
and petrifled. However, the statute is
there for all to see.
The next day the boat stops at
Grenada. also owned by the British.
st. Georges has population of IL 900,
of which only six persons are white.
This proportion exists on the majority
of the West Indies isles.
Twenty hours after leaving this
port the boat stops at La Guayra, in
Venezuela. There the Andes Noun
tains loom up for the first time. An
interesting trip can be made over these
mountains, 1000 feet in height, to
Caracas, the capital of Venezuela.
A wide concrete roadway circles the
mountains, where in many places the
view can be likened to the Grand
Canyon in Colorado.
Clean Caracas.
After about 20 miles the road dips
down 1000 feet into Caracas. 1t is
a beautiful city, very rich and very
clean. Statues of Bolivar, the George
Washington of South America, may
be seen, and, strange to relate, the
statue of our father of his country is
there also. Differing from other
places Of visit, the language here is
almost entirely Spanish.
One day more and the voyager finds
himself at Curacao, q free port OF the
Dutch West Indies. This island is
noted chiefly for its oil refinerieS.
Perfumes at low cost may be pur-
chased, interesting to the feminine
traveller. The principal city is Will
emstad, and its quaint houses along a
true Holland canal provide an attrac-
tive Setting.
The ship leaves Curacao for Colon.
taking two days for this journey. Here
the traveller is afforded sufficient time
to view the canal and the Pacific
Coast. A Government tender provides
the tourist with first-hand view Of
Uncle Sans great engineering project.
An airplane trip across the isthmus
is optional Perfume as cheap as in
Curacao can be purchased in Colon.
Two days out of Colon the Island Of
full English city, affords a pleasing
plCtuTc. Lc MyItlc odlh 11Otcl,
owned by the United Fruit Co.. Is well
worth visiting. Doeskins may be pur-
chased in Jamaica at low prices.
Costs Low in Haiti.
Haiti is next on the course, the run
requiring less than a day. At Port
Au-Prince many interesting places
may be visited. The island Is a re-
public and well governed. Living costs
are low, borne out by the statement
of a rich resident that 1t cost him
only 60 cents daily to feed family
of four. Voodoolsm is aScribed to the
island in many books, but denied by
the upper class of inhabitants Voodoo
dances may still exist, but the weird
rites calling for human sacrifice are
now myth, 1t is stated. One Of the
chief industries of the island is har-
vesting mahogany, and vying for Sec
cnd place are the products of the
sugar cane-sugar, molaSses and rum.
Two days from Haiti the last foreign
port is reached. It is the English