Narrati\'E of Bahama Expedition. 39 



habitants have to depend entirely upon the rain-fall for their 

 water supply, unless they are content with the exceedingly 

 brackish water found in the so-called •• wells." The principal 

 products of the island seemed to be cocoanuts and manilla 

 plants. The immensely tall, flowering stalks of the latter we 

 had taken in the distance for trees, the stems being fifteen or 

 twenty feet high, crowned with graceful fronds of leaves some- 

 what resembling oak leaves, under which were clustered the 

 clumps of fruit, resembling miniature cocoanuts. The ba^■- 

 onet-like leaves, radiating in every direction from the surface 

 of the ground, proved hard to penetrate, as the}' easih* pierced 

 anv clothing and seemed capable of penetrating side leather. 



A large palm grove near the shore had lately been sadly 

 damaged by fire, the beauty of these picturesque trees being 

 marred by blackened trunks and charred leaves. 



The view from the foot of the light-house is one of the 

 most superb bits of marine coloring imaginable. At one's 

 feet stretches a reach of dazzling white coral beach, relieved 

 bv a fringe of glistening palm leaves. Beyond, the water 

 exhibits a wealth of color absolutelv amazing in its weird and 

 bizarre contrasts, the purest of nile green alternating with 

 intense purple, and mottled with a bewildering jumble of 

 browns, pinks and terra cottas, flecked here and there with 

 snowy white-caps; still further out is the intense blue of the 

 deep sea, a blue never seen in northern w^aters, the blue of 

 stained glass, pure, deep, translucent. The clouds over these 

 waters present colors seldom or never seen in northern regions, 

 a decided purple being the dominant hue. 



Mr. Pindar, the light-keeper, proved a hospitable host, and 

 gave us a good deal of interesting information concerning 

 the island and its products. The ends were deftly sliced off a 

 number of green cocoanuts. and se\'eral of the party had their 

 first taste of cocoanut water as used b}- the natives of the trop- 

 ics the world over. The water is taken from green nuts, 

 each yielding from half a pint to a pint of perfectl}- clear, 

 sparkling, slightly sweetish liquid. Many persons do not rel- 

 ish it at first, but a taste for it is readily acquired. Being per- 



