48 CHAPTER IV 



year Admiral Sir John I.aforey brought these varieties to his estate in 

 Antigua.^'' 



In 179 1, Captain Bligh made his second voyage to the South Pacific 

 for the purpose of introducing the bread fruit to the West Indies, Incident- 

 ally, he brought a number of varieties of canes from Otaheite. He reached 

 St. Vincent in the ship " Providence " in January, 1793, but the introduction 

 of the canes seems to have been to Jamaica. Four of the varieties that he 

 brought have been placed on record in illustrations of remarkable beauty 

 by Tussac.^ These are : — i. A green cane with prominent eyes and slightly 

 staggered joints. 2. A yellow cane, which as represented is a typical 

 Otaheite, Bourbon, Lahaina or Louzier '-q.v.). 3. A very stout purple cane. 

 4, A violet and yellow-striped cane. Of these canes the second is that which 

 has survived as a standard variet3^ Canes apparently identical with the first 

 and fourth can still be found in the West Indies as strays. 



At the very time of their introduction confusion regarding the origin 

 of these canes seems to have arisen. Thus Sir John Laforej^^ writes : — 

 " One sort brought from the Island of Bourbon, reported by the French to 

 be the growth of the coast of Malabar, Another sort from the island of 

 Otaheite. Another sort from Batavia. The two former are much alike, 

 both in appearance and growth, but that from Otaheite is said to make the 

 best sugar. The Batavian cane is deep purple on the outside," 



This confusion was noted by Tussac, who, in 1801, was preparing his 

 Flora A ntillamm in Jamaica. He quotes the opinion of Mr. Wouels, Director 

 of the East Botanic Garden, that the Otaheite and Bourbon canes are the 

 same. Mr, Wouels had been several times to Otaheite, and he is probably 

 the gardener who accompanied Captain Bligh, and who stayed in Jamaica 

 to take care of the products introduced. Another cane mentioned by Tussac 

 as already estabhshed in Jamaica is the Ribbon cane, or " guinguan " cane 

 of Java. This cane has survived as a well-known variety, and Wray** 

 thirty years later particularly distinguishes between it and the Otaheite 

 ribbon cane, calling attention to the different coloration, which is well 

 illustrated in Tussac's drawing. The native name of this cane seems to be 

 To Oura. 



There seems to be no evidence whatever connecting the Bourbon cane 

 with the coast of Malabar beyond the qualified statement made to Sir John 

 Laforey. On the other hand, the Creole cane is frequently referred to in the 

 older literature as coming therefrom, and possibly the supposed connection 

 arose in this way. 



At the time the introduction of the Otaheite cane was considered a feat 

 of first-rate economic importance, as indeed it was, and its connection with 

 Bligh and the mutiny of the " Bounty " added largely to the romantic 

 interest of the introduction. The increased yield obtained from it is said 

 to have doubled the value of the Jamaica plantations, which at that time were 

 enjoying their period of greatest prosperity. 



The variety spread rapidly to other districts, being brought to Cuba by 

 Arango*^ in 1795, to Trinidad by Begorrat*^ in 1792, to Barbados by Fire- 

 brace*' in 1796, to Demerara in the same year, to Louisiana in 1797, and to 

 Spain in 1816, Shortly after the French introduction to Martinique it was 

 brought to Cayenne by Martin, and in 1810 it was sent from "Guyana" to 

 Brazil by Brigadeiro Manuel Marques, where, after cultivation in the Botani- 

 cal Gardens, it was distributed. An independent introduction was due to 

 Manuel Lima da Pereira, also in 1810, and he was the first to grow it exten- 



