Sharpies.] 244 [March 21, 



There being no wharves at the landing, the boats are run as far 

 ashore as possible, then the crew jump overboard, take the passen- 

 gers in their arms and wade ashore; shoes are rarely worn and 

 cotton pantaloons soon dry. The freight that is too heavy to be 

 landed in the same manner is brought ashore by means of a 

 mule and a tip cart ; the mule is driven into the water, the cart 

 backed up to the boat and the freight loaded into it. Everything 

 that can be carried on the head of a negro is carried in that way. 

 There is only one wheelbarrow upon the island and it is looked 

 upon as a great curiosity. 



Every inhabitant on the island depends to a greater or less 

 degree upon the salt crop for a living, and it is discussed in the 

 same manner as the hay crop is with us. 



This island and the neighboring ones are particularly well 

 situated for the business. They are in the tropics far from the 

 mouth of any fresh water river, and they have long rainless 

 periods which may be calculated upon with considerable certainty. 

 The process of preparing the salt pans is very simple. A place 

 must first be chosen, that is not liable to be overflowed by the 

 ocean during storms. 



The natural configuration of the coral islands render this an 

 easy matter, many of these islands, the Grand Turk forming no 

 exception to the rule, have shallow ponds in the interior ; in the 

 wet season all of these ponds are filled with water, either fresh 

 or salt according to circumstances ; if they are at a higher level 

 than the ocean they are generally fresh, if at a lower level salt, 

 though these latter do not always communicate directly with the 

 ocean but are fed by underground passages; if the ponds are 

 so situated that the ocean water only flows into them during 

 storms or a high course of tides and are quite shallow, they then 

 form natural salt ponds ; some of these ponds have been improved 

 and crops of salt are gathered from them. 



Near the centre of Turks Island is a large, shallow lagoon, 

 which has been converted into salt ponds. This lagoon has been 

 divided into one large and several small ponds by neatly con- 

 structed Avails of stone cemented with coral mud. The smaller 

 divisions are called pans and communicate directly with each 

 other and indirectly with the large reservoir ; the latter commun- 

 icates directly with the ocean through a neatly walled canal, 



