106 p o b t e I s i a 



On rising from the table, we passed 

 to the window and gazed down upon 

 an enclosed yard in which was a little 

 cook-room made of rough boards, roofed 

 over, and on the four sides beneath 

 the roof was a broad open space, out 

 of which poured dense clouds of smoke. 

 In the center of this room stood an 

 iron cook stove, the only one we saw 

 on the island, and the stove was pro- 

 vided with the usual pipe, which neither 

 entered a chimney nor protruded from 

 any aperture, but simply left off about 

 a yard above the stove. It was cer- 

 tainly no less than a miracle that any 

 human being could stand and cook in 

 such an atmosphere ; but the flavor of 

 the food was no longer a mystery. 



One of the officers of the Fruit 

 Company stationed at this port called 

 on us early in the day; and, as he was 

 to be away with his family, he asked 



