a Trip to the West Indies. 25 
formation and comparatively flat, and is very bare of vegetation. 
Sugar is the only industry. The island is one of the most 
healthy of the West Indian group; the air is dry and salubrious. 
For the visitor I would recommend Bashuba, a small seaside 
resort, on the east coast facing the Atlantic. The coast is very 
wild and rocky, chiefly of petrified coral. The island, though so 
healthy, lacks the beautiful tropical verdure and the thousands 
of beauties which the other islands can boast of, and therefore 
after a short time becomes monotonous; so after a week we again 
went on board, homeward bound. The ship had its full com- 
plement of passengers, and twelve very pleasant days were spent 
on board. So, with one or two views showing the treasures that 
had been collected by the passengers, I will conclude by simply 
advising all those persons who wish to escape the miserable 
English winter, and are interested in the beauties of tropical 
life, to take a trip to the West-Indian Islands, which I am sure 
they will never forget. Time, of course, prevents me from 
dealing with many things I should like to have noticed, but I 
have endeavoured to give just an outline of the most important 
incidents ; and although I am thankful that we have photography 
to help us to record what we see, I regret that it can do it only 
very indifferently. 
2.—THE Sworp or Oxp Japan. 
By J. O. Petron, Esq., Member of the Japan Society. 
(Read April 15th, 1902.) 
Tux sword has been described as the most honoured of weapons, 
a symbol of military dignity and authority with which the monarch 
confers the honour of knighthood. Although its use as a weapon 
in deciding the issues of a contest is rapidly diminishing, such an 
expression as ‘‘drawing the sword”’ is as full of meaning as ever. 
It is not my intention this evening to endeavour to trace the 
origin of the sword in Japan; suffice it to say that its use is 
very ancient, and in that country the sword-blade and its acces- 
sories have from time immemorial been the product of the highest 
skill of some of the most accomplished workmen of the world. 
The sword of Japan has, however, only been familiar to the 
Western world for little more than thirty years, whereas the 
beautiful blades of Toledo, Damascus, India, and Persia have 
been known, at least by repute, for centuries; it is not unnatural, 
o 2 
