266 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



( M \v i, 1910. 



middle aged individuals, who were fleeing from the winter rigors 

 of the north to summer safety, an asphalt man and a drummer 

 for a big textile house. There was little or no excitement even 

 when the friendly ones in the smoking room succeeded in intro- 

 ducing the potent and pleasant West Indian cocktail — the "Swiz- 

 zle" — to the masculine contingent. 



The usual route of the Dutch boats is outside all of the islands, 

 Barbados being the first land sighted, but for the sake of 

 smoother seas for his passengers, the Captain took the inside 

 route. We therefore, late on Saturday night, saw Sombrero 

 island in the distance, and awoke Sunday morning off Sabre 

 island, a brown sugarloaf peak rising from the ocean depths. 

 Later we passed the Dutch island of St. Eustacia, which we 

 saluted. Then, running through white capped seas, we passed 

 St. Kins, Nevis, Barbuda, and Guadaloupe. All day long we 

 skirted shores where the sea was a wonderful blue, where moun- 

 tain peaks were wreathed in cloud, and the land, often heavily 

 forested, showed the most wonderful, varied, and vivid, greens — 

 colors that only a tropical sun and abundant moisture can create. 

 That night, the last on board, we had a special dinner, with orna- 

 mented menu, and, as a finale, ice cream served in a huge block 

 of ice, lighted by candles ingeniously arranged in crystal niches. 

 At nightfall we passed outside again between Dominica and Mar- 

 tinique, and as it was squally the Captain spent the night on the 

 bridge while the rest of us slept. 



ARRIVAL AT BARBADOS. 



In the morning we were close to the island of Barbados, 

 which we partly circled, anchoring in the open roadstead off 

 Bridgetown at noon. A swarm of boats manned by husky black 

 oarsmen crowded along by the ship's side, shouting anything 

 and everything to attract attention to their boats. They had 

 given genuine darkey names to their craft such as "Ladybird," 

 "Lilywhite," "Mel Rose," etc. With all of our luggage in the 

 "Lilywhite," we went ashore, passed the courteous customs suc- 

 cessfully, leaving my heavy service revolver in their care until I 

 sailed again, and were soon bowling along the dazzling white 

 coral roads to the Hotel at Hastings. Here we had lunch 

 and, three hours later, the luggage having arrived, were com- 

 fortably settled in cool, airy rooms, windows and doors wide 

 open, clad in linen suits, wondering how cold it was on Broadway. 



Belleville. Fashionable Residence District in Bridgetown. 



After all of the northern cold, and the boisterous and chilly sea, 

 it was supremely comfortable to relax in the semi tropical warmth 

 and enjoy the evening stillness, broken only by the bird calls, the 

 piping frogs, and the distant plaints of sheep and goats. 



One of the first visits was to the headquarters of the Imperial 

 Department of Agriculture for the West Indies. Dr. Francis 

 Watts, c.m.g., the imperial commissioner, was absent, visiting 

 the various islands in his bailiwick, much to my regret. I was, 

 however, received very civilly by his chief clerk, who was good 

 enough to introduce me to Henry A. Ballou, M.s.c, the ento- 

 mologist, who gave me much interesting information. 



Rubber has not as yet been successfully grown in Barbados. 

 There is, to be sure, a small planting of Funtumia on one of the 

 estates, and a few Ficus clasticas in the gardens, but that is all. 



Ginning Sea Island Cotton, Barbados. 



Manjack Minks, Bartiadi 



