5 
a good tip besides as the driver said he had to square himself with 
the man who ordered it • 
The stops at several of the islands were shortened in order 
to speed our arrival at Martinique and also to enable us to get at 
least as far south as Barbadojs before heading back, circumstances 
having arisen requiring the return of the ship to Charleston not later 
than the twentieth of May. So we were unable to visit Tobago and 
Trinidad as I had hoped. 
From Rouseau Roads, Dominica, to Fort de France, Martinique, 
was less than an eight-hour run; the fifteenth, sixteenth and seventeenth 
were spent here. The greater part of the second day was devoted to an 
auto trip to St. Pierre, a city today largely rebuilt, but which, back 
in 1902 was wholly wiped out, buildings and all. Of the population at 
the time, numbering thirty thousand, only one man lived to tell the tale 
after the explosive fury of Pelee had spent itself in a space of less 
than five minutes. The Citadel of Christophe, and St. Pierre were two 
of the outstanding features of the cruise. 
We were fortunate in having had the opportunity of dredging 
off Fort de Prance. The French possessions in this part of the world 
are the original localities for certain West Indian invertebrates. Our 
hauls were especially rich in sponges, the best collecting of this sort 
encountered. The American Consul at Fort de France, Mr. V. Harwood 
Blocker, Jr. was most helpful, assisting us in the transaction of neces- 
sary ship's business, as well as, later accompanying me to the fish 
market and to the landing where the fishermen first bring their catches 
each morning. Martinique is indeed the fascinating place Lafcadio Hearn 
made it out to be. It is,, as he called it, "Le Pays des Revenants" 
"the land of the comers-back". If one wishes to know the Martinique of 
today, as alive and colorful as it is, he should read Hearn's account 
written fifty years ago.* It could well have been but yesterday that 
it was done. The only difference is that there are autos, and the roads 
are better — in spots. One of the most interesting places in St. Pierre 
is the Volcanological Museum, Frank A. Perret, Director. Here he has 
assembled many relics of old St. PierWe. This is supported by private 
subscription, Vincent Aston, William Mellon, G. F. Baker among others, 
and by grants from the Carnegie Corporation. 
April 18 we arrived at Bridgetown, Barba&oge, 9 P* At 
that hour we were met by both the port doctor and harbor master and given 
clearance. The next day harbor master Commander Wynne took me on an all 
day trip for the purpose of collecting some of the fresh waters oi the 
island. In the course of this excursion we investigated one of the 
J 
S 
* "Two Years in the French West Indies' 1 ^ Harper's 1923 edition is the 
one I had# 
