MEMORIES OF TRAVEL

Grey River Argus, 5 December 1924, Page 2

MEMORIES OF TRAVEL

A TRIP TO THE WEST INDIES. (By F.F.11.) In these days of modern travelling tours Io different parts of the world more especially now, that the wonderful Panama Canal is the favourite route for passengers from New Zealand to Europe, perhaps a few notes, from my humble pen, may be of interest to the younger generation. Having made several trips to those islands some years ago. in the West India Mail steamers and made my little observations, and had experience!-, there, 1 consider the West. India Islands compare very favourably (if m ; being superior) to the much advertised Fiji and other islands in the South Pacific, both for scenic beauty and general produce. Having also xisited most of the. groups of islands in the Pacific. I can write as from both sides of the American continent. Wo commeueed our trip to the West Indies from London and Southampton, thence calling at La Pattice in the Bay of Biscay, thence calling at. Vigo, in the western seaport of Spain, •with a splendid land-locked harbour, and very deep water. It was an admirable naval base, for the British Atlantic Squadron, for some years. Vigo is a goodsized city ami sea port housing thousands of Spanish inhabitants, and is laid out \ ery neatly, nestling under the high hills. All houses are there painted white, giving a very clean ap pearance, against the high black hills in the background. I was fortunate enough to be present to see the first of a series of pilgrimages of Roman Catholic representatives of all conn

ties (including Great Britain and Ireland) on-a visit to the Cathedral of ‘ l Santiago de Com post el la.’ ’ the first one for eighty years under the auspices of Cardinal Archbishop Bourne, of Westminster Cathedral. London, who accompanied the pilgrims. We then made a short call at Oporto, and then at Lisbon (Portugal), a xery fine old city on the banks of the river Tagus. So much has already been writ ten about this famous old city that it needs no comment from my pen. Me sailed from Lisbon after two days' sight seeing, to Madiera, had a short slay of a lew hours for coaling purposes. and then away to the Barbadoes. the first and principal islands of (he group. Remarkable as it may seem, the wind always blows from the same direction 'N.E.), it being in the track of north-east trade winds. The princi pal city is Charlestown, Barbadoes. There are many large and spacious buildings, hanks, and also up-to-date commodious hotels. 'l’he inhabitants .-re mostly of the coloured gentry.. -,jid the ladies there t:ike a delight in <mr-'-loing each other in wearing Hie brightest mixtures oi colouri-d (doth ing they can procure either for cash or bartering. Sunday is a great dav oi liberty and dress for them all. I found representatives of till national! lies there. Hindoos. Chinese, and Japs, and all coolie labour is imported on the rotton ami sugar plantations. <<f whicli there are many. 1 had an amazing experience one Sundax' evening in Barbadoes. On hearing music in the distance, ii led me to a place xvhich is popularly known as “Marx’ Brown's Corner.’’ This is in the main Market Square. The Salvation Army was in full swing with a brass band of coloured performers and ther»' "were also several other groups of people of different denominations listening to Hip coloured pastor, and his way of telling Bible histories of Noah. Unbuilding of the Ark. and the Flood, and many others, xvhich were re doubt, very instructive to the audiences. and humorous to the bystanders, they being told in native dialect, apropos oi a parable, the coloured Minis ter was explaining to his audience: — God told Noah to build an Ark of certain dimensions. De people come round and ask Mr Noah what he was building the big ship for. He said: “Oh? Bye and bye there will be a. big flood, and everybody on earth will be drowned.’’ But the people said:

“Noah, you are damn fool! There xvill never be enough xvater to float that Ark!’’ But soon the flood came, and people’ swam to the Ark, and asked Noah to take them aboard. He says: “Can’t. T am full up now. Who’s the damm fool noxv?” This is an example of hoxv the scriptures are “explained’’ in the Islands! The native singing, however, was very fine indeed. There is an abundance of all kinds of tropical fruits, very cheap; also large quantities of deep sea turtles, which -ire sold cheaper than meat, and t'.re very quickly disposed of when caught. The natives are very abstemious, and drunkenness is a rarity on IIIC islands. We called at the island of Grenada next day. It is one of tho I'l'cttiest of the group, and it is appropriately named ihe “Ceylon” of Hu- West Indies. Here yon find beauti fol scenery, also :| ]| I<inds of sp!( , Pj ginger, and cocoa, trees growing, and lime trees .-ire in ahundanee, also A r a cilia Henns. But tho strangest sight of all is the nut megs and the mace growing round Ihe shells, all different coh ours, aceording to the ripening process I ='”-l were offered “a f .„. shilling.” It fact in Grenada the ■'lmosphore of the spices and other I necessaries of life growing there fair I.'- lake one’s breath away, when

walking through the gardens and thu mango and banana trees. AVc next called at Trinidad, xxhose principal seaport is called the Port of Spain, and a very large mixed trade is done hero both in exports and imports to and from Europe and U.S.A., and large quantities of sugar arc shipped from there. This is also xvhere the famous Angostura bitters arc made. One draxvback is that the harbour is very shallow. The large ships have to anchor five miles from the shore. There a large and remarkable lake on this island of Trinidad, at La Brea. 10 miles from the Pori of Spain. Tho lake is about twelve miles in circumference, and is full of asphalt pitch, and is alxvays in a slow boiling state. It is naturally in a mixed state, and the island has an inexhaustible supply of pitch. Thousands of tons are taken annually to all parts of Europe and U.S.A, for road making, etc., and yet the hole made by one ship s cargo, after being dug out. is practically refilled by nature in 48 hours, and no trace left of a hole. 1 spent a eery interesting day in this district. and it was wonderful to xvatch the asphalt slowly boiling, yet never coming above a certain level. But T need hardly add that the smells were very obnoxious. T also landed on the Island of Mont serrat, xvhich is covered with lime juice trees. From the mountain sumjnit to the beach is an evergreen island. I made a short call at Anticua Island and Dominico Island and the natives, who speak English, are very proud to show visitors many relics there of Nelson’s naval battles at the island years ago. We called at S'!. Lucia Island, the principal coaling station, to replenish our bunkers. The natives are principally French Creoles and French is spoken there. It is also noteworthy that the native xvomen do all the hard work, xvhilst the men just loaf around. Women carried all the coal tn the ship in baskets on their heads! Still they seemed contented, for they xverc singing all the time. T also visited Gaudaloupo and Alarti'iiquo, both French possessions. Tn these islands, general business xvas carried on differently to the British islands, principally in Continental style and the Englishmen xvere at times badly handicapped by French officials, of them too officious i»- their trans

actions. There were many restrictions, high excise duties on safety matches, tobacco and all liquors, though wines xvere free and very cheap. If a un-»-senger was found io have a packet of matches—not declared to ('nstoius, he was fined 25 francs and the matches xvere confiscated. This item I well remember. because I was fined myself. Gandaloupe is situated in quite a tropical centre. All kinds of fruit are there in abu'idanee. but potatoes will not grow in any of these islands, the soil being f OO sweet. Yet they culHvate yams, a species of potato that averages in size and weight up to 10 pounds ami that makes ’-pry good eating. being far superior to some samples of potatoes. Then another staple food is plantains, a kind of banana, whi-h they hake, fry and slew These items and fish are the principal food on the islands. Lxports are principally sugar, coffee, cocoa, ami cereals. The French machinery for refining sugar there, at the tinii' I was there xvas much more advanced than the system in British settlements, but noxv the British excel the French style. Martinique Island T have visited several times. T was there when the pretty sea-port toxvn of St. Pierre was in its prime and prosperity, nestling in a half-mooi shaped bay, and often called “The Riviera’’ of the islands, situated as it was under the Mountain of Pelee, an extinct volcano. There xvere fine parks and gardens and marble statues of the Madonna at several places, on the hillside. The town xvas particularly clean, and xvell kept in every way. But one day a terrible crash came. The inhabitants heard the rumbling in the crater of Mount Pelee, and within twenty-four hours of the first shock, the whole side of the mountain blexv out, covering the entire city with lava, mud, and fire. The fire camo down first. It. xvas literally a shower of fire, burning everything in its course. The unfortunate people rushed to the beaches. Many succeeded in getting on steamers anchored in the Bay. but alas! The steamers were attacked hi

turn, and overwhelmed before they could raise anchor, and all were sunk at their moorings. Only one steamer, the s.s. “Roddain ’’ succeeded in getting away. The fire and ashes fell on her decks, and all the men about the decks, on all the men about the decks, and bodies remained there. Officers were burned or killed on the deck; the company's agents xvere burnt, and . died on the middle of the ship’s gangway—so suddenly did the fire attack I them. The <f ßoddain" managed to stagger away to St. Lucia, 40 miles away, with only Captain Freeman and seven survivors of her crew! I was one who witnessed the ship's arrival and saw the terrible plight all were in. The Captain deserved all the praise he got, for, though badly burned on the face and body, he stuck to his duty on the bridge, and got the ship to safety. The sights I saw were too heartrending to describe. The steamer T was in set off out the same night with a number of volunteer labourers, white and black to Martinique, to succour the survivors. Wo called at the Port of France, another port on the north side o f the island first, and t.icn. xxith xvhat little information that could bn gof. lvp „. fHt to flnf] F.errc Bnr- Snf! thp awfn ,

saw on landing are too terrible to be given here in detail. As this happened years ago, I shall never forget it all niby life. House-roofs were smashed in the tire, having fallen on the unfortunates in bed. T helped to earry the remains of one mother and two children, just charred up by the flames. There were many eases like these. .After leaving these islands, my business .took me across the Cajrribean 1 Sea to Belize, in British Honduras. | central America, also calling at Gal- I veston (Texas), and New Orleans (in the cotton business). But of this and ( my Amazon travels, i MORE ANON.