SOCIAL GAYETtiES. 293 



journing among them. Formerly, from their isolated position, 

 intercourse with the outside world was infrequent, but now, with 

 a steamboat load of fresh arrivals in a small town once a week 

 during the winter season, what can the poor islanders do? Hos- 

 pitality withdraws appalled, if not disgusted, while Avarice and 

 Cupidity stalk boldly to the front, and with an enterprise and 

 industry remarkable in such a warm and enervating climate, 

 scramble for the greenbacks and gold of the new-comers. Like 

 a few choice plants in a green-house, a little of the old time hos- 

 pitality is preserved. 



In the " Letters from the Bahama Islands," written by a lady 

 more than fifty years ago, much space is occupied with descrip- 

 tions of the social gayeties of Nassau. Then, as now, picnic 

 parties upon some of the islands, or "■ at some rural spot " in the 

 suburbs of Nassau, were of frequent occurrence. " Most families " 

 were accustomed to devote each Saturday "to festivity," and 

 marooning parties upon that day were common. All but the 

 invited guests contributed to the entertainment. The particular 

 things which each furnislied were previously determined by a 

 ticket drawn by lot from those which the managers pre^jared. 

 The authoress adds: 



" The evening is generally passed at the town house of one of 

 the party, at cards and conversation, and ends with ajyetit souper^ 

 and I am afraid the oj^ening of the Holy Day finds many of these 

 Saturday revelers too dull and drowsy for morning prayers." 



The same writer speaks of frequent and most charming dinner 

 parties which she attended, and of other festive occasions, when 

 the ladies ''were pledged in full bumpers;" of supper upon the 

 deck of a brig after a marooning excursion upon Rose Ijland, when 

 "champagne and the choicest wines flowed like the waters below 

 them in sparkling abundance, and the hours flew swiftly and 

 gaily on;" of the storm that kept them out "in a pelting rain 



