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JAMAICA. 
(Wire Lantern Views). 
By CAPT. BENSON, F.R.G.S. 29th September, 1903. 
The Lecturer, assuming the audience to be a personally con- 
ducted party, with himself as guide, in imagination started the 
journey to the ‘ Princess of the Antilles,” from Bristol, by the 
Imperial Direct Route. In twelve short days they would be 
transferred from the discomforts of winter to a land where an 
ideal English summer reigned over an island as beautiful as 
a midsummer’s night’s dream; these words failed to describe the 
beauty of the scenery and the wealth of vegetation. Starting at 
Kingston, the general outline of the itinerary followed the line 
to Montego Bay, then along the coast to Anatto Bay, Port 
Antonio, returning to Kingston, which had been called a city of 
small houses with verandahs attached. Excursions by “ bougey ”’ 
were made to Newcastle, Gordon Town, along the Hoop River, 
rich in tropical vegetation. At the latter place were cocoa and 
coffee plantations, at an elevation of 4,000 feet above the level 
of the sea, the buildings showing themselves tier above tier. 
Spanish Town boasted of a cathedral, and it was interesting to 
see the negroes carrying their boots on their heads before they 
entered the building. The road crossed the Irrigation Canal, 
and it was difficult to conceive anything prettier than the over- 
hanging palms, which made the place a veritable fairy land. The 
public buildings at Mandeville were on the verge of the Square, 
and the Market Place was a busy spot, and illustrated the great 
fertility of the island—yams, plantains, bananas, pimento, 
pumpkins, oranges, lemons, cocoa nuts, bread fruit, grape fruit, and 
a host of other articles. Where else in the world could they find 
clusters of oysters growing on a tree? (a sample of which was 
shown, and also of a lace-bark tree, looking like chiffon, in its 
natural shape.) 
At Mandeville there were sugar and coffee plantations. One 
of the prettiest excursions was along the Bamboo Avenue, or 
‘* Lover’s Walk,’’ each tree looking like an ostrich feather. On 
the way they passed a logwood tree—the biggest tree in the 
island. Ten miles by rail brought them to Montego Bay, a 
thriving commercial centre. The roads in the island were 
generally well kept, and there were over 2,000 miles open. 
