Sharpies.] 246 [March 2i, 



iently throw the salt when standing in the tail end of a tip- 

 cart. At the time of my visit it was estimated that there was 

 as much as a million bushels on the ground awaiting shipment. 

 A single rain-storm sometimes occasions the loss of 25,000 

 bushels. 



Salt is the sole support of a majority of the inhabitants as the 

 island produces but little else. The island formerly had many 

 cocoanut trees, but they were mostly destroyed by a hurri- 

 cane which swept it several years ago, and the young ones are 

 hardly in full bearing yet. The most flourishing industry, after 

 the salt business, seems to be wrecking, which is followed with 

 considerable profit by some of the islanders. The old pilot, who 

 went with us to the Caicos, expressed himself in about this way, 

 " that he had no ill will to any one, but if there were to be wrecks, 

 he hoped they would come soon and land in a convenient place 

 for the wreckers." The government, however, looks quite closely 

 after wrecks and does not give much opportunity for illegitimate 

 pillage. 



The island is under the control of the English with Kingston, 

 Jamaica, as the seat of government. The chief officer on the 

 island is the commissioner, who is also collector of customs. 

 There are about three thousand inhabitants from whom the gov- 

 ernment contrives to derive a revenue of $35,000, which comes 

 largely from an export duty on salt ; there are also considerable 

 import duties, and the surplus revenue inures to the benefit of 

 the island of Jamaica. 



The light-house is supported by a special port charge levied on 

 all vessels calling at the island. 



At certain seasons of the year the salt ponds require much care 

 as they are subject to the growth of a red alga which spoils the 

 salt. This alga is mentioned by Prof. L. Agassiz as occurring on 

 Salt Cay which lies to the south of the Grand Turk. 



The larger portion of the salt which is made here is sent to the 

 United States, but a considerable portion goes to Nova Scotia. 



The main object of our visit, was not to see the Grand Turk, 

 but an island to the west of it which is called Cape Comet, on 

 the charts, but which is known locally as Breezy Point. This 

 island lies about twenty miles to the west of the Grand 

 Turk. A few days after our arrival at the Turk we embarked on 



