FLORIDA AND THE WEST INDIES 203 



Moneague, who wore a decoration of the R.S.P.C. A., 

 which, I soon had opportunities of seeing, was 

 richly deserved, and who proved, on the long 

 drives to outlying pens, a most entertaining and 

 civil companion. 



After a month of hustle, rough fare and Cuban 

 extortion in succession, the restful balconies, cool 

 billiard-rooms and admirable cuisine of the Jamaica 

 Club were Paradise Regained. Kingston itself, a 

 business centre and port of entry rather than a 

 pleasure resort, has several adequate hotels, the 

 Myrtle Bank for convenience, the Constant Springs 

 for beauty of surroundings ; but personally I was, on 

 the recommendation of Captain Constantine, so 

 fortunate as to be admitted to the Club, and there 

 I spent some very pleasant days and nights. The 

 table was excellent. There was a dish of black 

 crab that made old men young and sick men whole. 

 (At one season of the year I believe that it makes 

 young men old and whole men sick, but that was 

 not at the time of my visit.) There was a cocktail 

 that filled the heart with charity. There were 

 cool verandahs in which to drink your morning tea, 

 and quick, quiet servants to look after your wants. 

 Mankind is divided into two categories, club men 

 and the other kind, and club men, I imagine, are 

 never so comfortable as in clubs. 



After American cities and Havana, everything 

 in Kingston seems absurdly cheap. In the matter 

 of cab-fares, for instance, there was a descending 

 scale from five dollars for any short distance in New 

 York to a " quarter" (is. Jd.) any distance in 

 Havana, and to sixpence any distance in Kingston. 

 Nay, the Kingston cabman will, as a rule, if traded 



