220 Travels and Adventures 



many of the houses are furnished with the greatest 

 care and comfort The inhabitants of the outlying 

 hamlets are occupied largely in producing fruit for the 

 market of Kingston, and in the season of the ripening 

 of the mangoes they seem, like the South American 

 Indians, to subsist almost entirely on this fruit; while 

 the Papaw (Carica papaya) and the Avocado pear 

 (Laurus Per sea) form the dessert. 



Although many of the streets of Kingston are 

 narrow and badly kept, the houses are built so as to 

 ensure the greatest comfort to the inhabitants of. a hot 

 climate. The large, airy saloons, which are often on 

 the second floor, are formed of partitions of lattice- 

 work, which exclude largely the dust and insects, and 

 at the same time admit of a free circulation of air, 

 and so keep the dwellings as cool and agreeable as 

 possible. 



As we had been four days delayed at Colon, and 

 two more at Jamaica, anyone having a valuable cargo 

 of plants from the cool regions of the Andes would 

 naturally be uneasy about their safety in. the roasting 

 heat of these ports, so I was only too pleased when 

 we steamed past Port Royal on our way to the island 

 of Haiti. The Tagus coasted along the island, and 

 then put into the harbour of Jacmel, only to deliver 

 mails and passengers, which occupies a very short 

 time. The sight from the sea is very picturesque, but 



