133 
December 16.—The navigation amongst the Virgi Islands, owing to 
the presence of reefs and currents, is very difficult, and requires t 
care and judgment. Although we sighted the ads at daybreak, it 
was ney 8 o'clock before we arrived off Road Town, the chief town 
and seat of Government of the Virgin Islands. From the harbour it 
bie a broken-down and ruinous condition, evidently the result of 
the terrible hurricanes of 1867 and 1871. Soon after we dropped 
anchor, the President, Mr. Edward Cameron, eame on board, and the 
Governor, the private secretary, and myself went ashore. While - 
Governor was engaged on publie affairs I was fortunate enough to 
as guide, Mr. Campbell, the Colonial Surgeon, who kindly lent me a Du 
and took me first ‘of all to the top of the ridge. The land appeared to 
have been cleared at one time and cultivated with great enterprise. 
The remains of sugar works were still seen, but the Ais had long 
ago given place to coarse grasses, tropical weeds, and scrub growth of an 
uninteresting character. The soil was evidently good, and on the hill 
slopes it could maintain сау pasture grasses. Ап Agave, which, 
according to Baron Eggers is Agave Morrisii, Baker, the Koratto of 
Jamaica is found чч ар ыл ын. An attempt'was being made 
y Mr. Campbell to start a fibre industry in connexion with this plant. 
If, as is supposed, it is identical with the Jamaica plant, the fibre is not 
of great commercial value. The reports received respecting fibre pre- 
pared from it by the Death and Ellwood machine at Jamaica were by 
no means satisfactory. The reports were as follows :— 
(a.) Keratto vr Eae fibre is of little strength, and is undesirable ; 
value 127. to 147. per ton; itis not an even fibre, and it rid 
that comes from Spain (Ide and Christie) 2 ; 
(b.) Keratto fibre.—VWery towy; not well cleaned, value 161. per 
ton (Collyer). 
On returning to the town some plants of Furcrea cubensis were 
found on land to the westward, and also a patch or two of Sansevieria _ 
guineensis. Both these are excellent fibre plants. The latter yields 
fibre that eould be used for weaving purposes, and the demand for it 
urged upon the people of these islands. As it is, there are numerous 
small industries that might be taken up, and it is hoped that the impetus - 
given to cultural industries by the establishment of Botanical Stations 
in kms; Leeward Islands will eventually do mach to give ч fresh Start 
We Тев Road Town before mid-day, and threading our way amongst 
the intricate passages of the smaller islands, we coasted along the 
leeward side of the Danish island of St. John, and arrived in the harbour 
of St. Thomas at 8 o’clock. The pee og Mail steamship “ Esk” was 
lying at anchor there, ready to on her voyage southward to 
Barbados не 6 o'clock. =, English Consul came on d the 
“ Partridge,” and afterwards accompanied us on shore to call upon his 
afte 
Eeiliéhey, Colonel Arundrup, bé Governor of the Danish West Indies. 
