BOTANICAL ASPECTS OF JAMAICA. 
DOUGLAS HOUGHTON CAMPBELL. 
On May 27, 1897, in company with Prof. D. T. MacDougal, 
the writer sailed from Boston for Jamaica to make an inspec- 
tion of the island, for the purpose of determining its availability 
for the location of a tropical station for botanical research. 
The voyage was neither eventful nor, the first part at least, 
pleasant, as a cold rain prevailed much of the time, making a 
stay on deck impossible, except at the expense of a thorough 
drenching. About the fourth day out it grew warmer, and the 
bright blue of the water, with great masses of floating gulf 
weed, announced our approach to the tropics. On the fifth 
day land was sighted, — Watling’s Island, or, as we knew it in 
our histories, San Salvador. Gazing at the low shore line, 
with its white lighthouse, we tried to imagine the sensations 
of Columbus when he first saw this outpost of the American 
Continent. The next morning we were rounding the barren 
shores of southeastern Cuba, and coasted the southern shores 
of that island nearly all day. We had now left the chilly air 
and dark waters of the North Atlantic and were enjoying 
genuine tropical weather. The vivid blue waters of the Carib- 
bean Sea and the hot sunshine spoke eloquently enough of 
low latitudes. 
The sun set before we came in sight of Jamaica, and it was 
past midnight when the light of Port Antonio could be dis- 
tinguished. Although it was intensely dark, the land breeze, 
bearing indescribable scents of the land, and the chirping and 
buzzing of innumerable insects told us we were near zerra firma. 
As soon as we could have our baggage passed through the 
custom-house we drove at once to the hotel, where the comfort- 
able beds and spacious rooms were very welcome after the con- 
fined quarters on shipboard. On awakening the next morning 
our eyes were greeted with the sight of cocoa palms, breadfruit 
trees, bananas, and other evidences of the tropics. 
