220 SUNSHINE AND SPORT IN 



summits were reached. The route lies near the 

 curious "Cockpit Country," a rocky, rainless 

 district, all white limestone and desolation, suggest- 

 ing reefs of dead coral flung up from the bed of the 

 Caribbean and planted miles from the coast. 



Montego Bay itself is a pretty little town with- 

 out, perhaps, many resources for the tourist who has 

 none of his own, but affording the aforementioned 

 capital bathing and very fair sea-fishing in the bay, 

 close to the moorings of the ships. Just opposite 

 the town lie the Bogue Islands, which enclose an 

 almost endless labyrinth of smooth lagoons and 

 sheltered channels, in great favour withboating parties 

 with private reasons for avoiding the more open sea. 

 It is, however, advisable, at any rate for the tender- 

 foot, not to row too close to these islands, for mos- 

 quitoes swarm among the mangroves as thick as 

 oysters and are quick to alight on those who trespass 

 too near their homes. There is no quay accommo- 

 dation alongside, and small boats are requisitioned for 

 embarking both passengers and fruit for the vessels 

 chartered by the United Fruit Company, which 

 has here an active centre of its trade in the island. 



It is not unusual to find barracouta of large size 

 lurking under these vessels at their anchora^ie off 

 the town. The barracouta {^Sphyrcend) has this 

 habit of lying in ambush under vessels and piers 

 and dashing out on any small fish that pass its 

 hiding-place. Rightly or otherwise, it enjoys a 

 bad reputation among bathers, and I was told of 

 one which for some weeks hung about the ladies' 

 bathing-place at Barbados, causing much uneasiness. 

 With a water-telescope (nothing but a wooden box 

 with one side of glass) borrowed from a Cayman 



