ISLANDS 37 



countryman in far distant time, landing on these 

 slopes and taking possession by right of dis- 

 covery. Even if some burly, semi-piratical 

 American adventurer had annexed it for his 

 president by feat of arms, my blood would have 

 flowed less calmly than it did at the thought of 

 so many millions of dollars paid as droit de 

 possession. However, a tropic bird flew past 

 and put the lesser matter out of mind. 



As always, near the wharf thrived the same 

 little open bar-room, with its floral-bedecked 

 mirrors, selling good beer and vile soda. Aside 

 from a flag here and there, the only sign of 

 the change of nationality was several motor- 

 cycles with side cars which American soldiers 

 drove like Jehu through the narrow streets, hus- 

 tling natives and their tiny carts and ponies to 

 one side, and leaving enduring trains of gasoline- 

 scented dust. A few minutes' walk up one of 

 the steep streets and all was quiet and unhur- 

 ried, and the sense of a yet undigested posses- 

 sion, of embarrassing novelty of purchase, 

 slipped aside and we knew that St. Thomas 

 was still the unspoiled little island which the 

 slow mellowing growth of West Indian evolu- 

 tion had made it. We climbed slowly up the 



