TRIP TO THE BAHAMAS 9 



able timber on Abaco and a concession has been granted to exploit 

 the forests. A large amount of sisal is grown on J^ittle Abaco and 

 a lesser amount about Hopetown. Off the Abaco coast to the 

 Matanilla reefs (lat. 27° 23' N., long. 78° 50' W.) extends an 

 iinbroken fringe of cays and reefs, once the abode of the unscrupu- 

 lous wreckers, who now have little to do as their favorite trade has 

 been destroyed l)y the lighthouse at Elbow Cay. 



Great Bahama : This island contains 430 square miles, is 06 miles 

 long and from 5 to 12 miles wide. The population is stated to be 

 1780 people. The inhabitants are mainly engaged in sponging and 

 lishing. The character of the land seems particularly unfit for agri- 

 culture or cattle raising. 



The people of these northern islands do not take kindly to the 

 mild vocations now open to them. Their ancestors have for genera- 

 tions been very little better than pirates ; and as they often told us, 

 they consider the lighthouses a curse instead of a mark of progres- 

 sive development. 



The writers returned to New York arriving about the first of 

 August, but Mr. Bryant remained behind for a visit to Andros 

 Island. He went to Mangrove Cay and there made some most 

 interesting collections, ])articularly of reptiles and molluscs. 



Andros Island is the largest of all the Bahamas l>eing really a more 

 or less connected aggregate of many islands, the whole land mass 

 having an area of about 1600 square miles. As only part of this has 

 been explored it still offers a fruitful field for biological work. The 

 entire population is only a little over 5000 persons. Hiis island is 

 the only one with running fresh Avater but unfortunately the stream 

 is useless to the settlers as it is situated in swampy and uninhal)it- 

 able land. There is valuable timl)er on Andros as well as on some 

 of the other islands, but as there are no roads nor good harbors 

 it cannot be worked successfully. The colony is so poor that no 

 improvements can be made and consequently there is little or no 

 encouragement for settlers to emigrate thither. 



The i)leasure of our stay in Nassau was largely due to the very 

 kind attention shown us by the American Consul, Mr. Julian Potter, 

 and by Mr. Young, chairman of the Sponge Fisheries Board ; both 

 of these gentlemen assisted us in many ways. To the .Vdministrator, 

 Colonial Secretary, and Executive Council of the Bahamas our 

 thanks are due for permission to impoii; and use our dredge within 



