Obeah attached for good luck to the mast, while beneath their shirts a string of charmed twine preserves the men from danger by land or water. Vacant houses are also protected from intruders during the owner's absence by the Obeah-man. To effect this police duty, a ball is rolled up containing a few rusty old nails and some pieces of rushes, and laid on the threshold of the cabin; on seeing this mysterious ball, no negro dares to enter the house unlawfully. A rudely carved head, fastened on a tree, is a secure guardian for cocoanut or orange grove, while a horn with a cork on it stuck full of pins and a bottle of water underneath is a favourite protection against thieves or spirits. It would be a bold evil spirit who would enter the field so guarded; he knows right well that the pins would prick him and force him to enter the bottle of water; no negro would dream of intruding within an enclosure where such a bottle was displayed. When the Obeah-man's charges are high, or faith is weak, occasionally the owner of a farm throws himself on the good feeling of depredators. I have seen a placard fixed to a post in a field of maize on which was painted the polite request, If you steal the corn, do please leave the blades.'

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Though the Obeah-man is usually resorted to by owners who may have been robbed of their goods, anyone in authority may be appealed to on an emergency when no clue can be had to the delinquent. The following paper was one day sent to the Governor's secretary:

Mr. Secretary, Will you please have the person arrested who stole my clothes? This is the prayer of your humble servant, John Smith.

When free from physical pain and not immediately pressed by his creditors, of whom he has in general many, the darkey is full of enjoyment of life, and there is much in life for him to enjoy. What would be the object of wasting existence in wearisome toil or monotonous drudgery, in a delicious climate where a cotton garment is ample for comfort, and sufficient money can be obtained by a few weeks' 'sponging' to supply frock-coat, chimneypot hat and umbrella for a man on high days and holidays; while a week or two spent in digging holes in which to plant maize-a labour our little Congo gardener declined to perform on the grounds of its being especially the work of 'femilly wimmany'—or in weeding the pine-fields, will procure for the women the wherewithal to purchase ostrich feathers, white or coloured satin boots, muslins and laces for festive occasions, amongst which funerals and attendance at divine service are not the least popular, and the longer the service or sermon the better? At a church a little distant out of Kingston in Jamaica, the clergyman proposed to shorten the afternoon service so as to enable the congregation to take advantage of a tram (Jamaica not sharing the exemption from tramways) that passed the church in returning to the city. On hearing of the threatened change a black

wan remonstrated with the rector. Indeed, sir,' he urged, our ladies will nebber tink it worth while to dress merely to sit in church for one hour!' It must be observed that in the West Indies negresses are almost invariably spoken of as 'ladies.' At first it sounds peculiar to hear, Missus, dere's a lady at de back door wants you to gib her a pair of old boots,' or 'Dat lady hab basket of eggs to sell,' but one quickly gets used to it.

In speaking of going for a few weeks' sponging' it must not be supposed that unsophisticated darkies resort to the civilised method of extortion known in England as 'sponging.' In the Bahamas the term is applied to a cruise undertaken for the purpose of fishing up sponges from the banks of coral sand which extend for great distances in the archipelago. The water in these banks averages only three fathoms. On this submarine Sahara, the black leathery roundish lumps which, after undergoing much tribulation, eventually develop into the inviting looking adjunct to the morning tub, have settled down, after their brief but erratic youth, to sedate repose in the crystal waters, till snatched from their retreat by the penetrating hook of the sponger. Very unsightly and evil-smelling objects the sponges are when first torn from their native element, a sulphur stream or steeping flax being hardly more obnoxious to the olfactory nerve. Sponging has all the attractions of a gambling adventure. Should the cruise be successful, the profits are large, enough money may be made in a short time to ensure the enjoyment of months of idleness. And idleness is a real luxury when a man can recline under the shade of his own guava or orange tree, and have the latest news from the passing neighbours as they saunter along, their fanners (round flat baskets of palm leaves) piled with glowing tomatoes, large green avocado pears, or red and yellow peppers, for sale in town— or else chew sugarcane or smoke a pipe as the spirit moves him, taking no thought for the morrow, which is pretty sure to be sunny and balmy as to-day. Dwellers in the dark and sombre north can hardly realise the charm and joyousness that seem to radiate from earth and air in the lotos-eating southern climes. The mere sense of existence becomes in itself a happiness; one can understand what animals probably feel in pleasant pastures on brilliant days. Then, as the sun sinks slowly downwards, the golden heaven glows over a rejoicing earth, flushing every moment into richer beauty beneath the departing rays, while rosy beams of light streaming upwards like so many auroras is a singular and very beautiful effect often to be seen in a Bahama sunset. When the sun has set new beauties appear, every bush and tussock becoming alive with thousands of fire-flies and when a silvery green moon rises in the calm deep sapphire sky, it is difficult to decide whether night or day be the more full of loveliness. Besides the fire-flies, a fire-beetle-one of the Elytra is a singular insect with a brilliant green phosphorescent

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light proceeding from two round spots on the thorax, added to which when excited, the insect has the power to emit a regular blaze of light from the segments of the abdomen, of such brilliancy that one can read by its light. In Cuba ladies fasten these elytra as ornaments in their hair, or let them flash beneath the folds of tulle dresses.

The avocado or alligator pear (Persea gratissima) already alluded to, is one of the best of tropical fruits. In outward appearance it is altogether a pear, but on cutting it open a single very large seed is found in the centre, and the custard-like pulp adheres to the rind. Avocado pears have their ardent devotees and their determined detractors. Like most things with a peculiar character, one either greatly appreciates or strongly dislikes them. The flavour is something between that of green peas and walnuts, and though called a fruit, the avocado pear is usually eaten with pepper and salt.

Pineapples, oranges and bananas are so well known that one can hardly reckon them as distinctively tropical fruits; for they can be had nearly everywhere, though no fruit has such fine flavour as when it is eaten first glowing from the sun. There is a common idea in England that West Indian pineapples are not equal to those produced in our hot-houses at home, and probably the delusion is maintained by English fruiterers selling the finest of a West Indian cargo of pines at exorbitant prices as home-grown fruit, while the refuse pines are hawked about the streets as West Indian pineapples only fit for the costermonger's cart. The fruiterers have thus filched the West Indian fruit of its good name, to their own profit, and the no small detriment of the planters, who find that it does not pay them to export their pines to England. In the Bahamas pineapples average from eighteenpence to two shillings and sixpence a dozen.

The mango is a fruit rarely seen out of the tropics. Undoubtedly the liking for mangoes is an acquired taste, and should one's first experiment be on a mango, like many of its kind, with a strong flavour of turpentine, it requires a certain amount of resolution to try again. To the connoisseur a No. 11 mango is, however, a delicious fruit. Its singular name is said to have arisen in the following manner. Several boxes containing various kinds of mangoes were sent many years ago from the East to the West Indies. To distinguish the different kinds of mangoes each box was marked with a number. On nearing its destination the vessel was lost, and but one box, on which was the number 11, was saved from the wreck. The mangoes were planted and throve, and trees derived from this stock have ever since retained the name of 'Number 11 mangoes.'

The sapodilla (Achras Sapota) is of the pear family. It is exceedingly luscious and juicy, and though somewhat mawkish in

flavour, is not a fruit to be despised. Sapodillas bought in the market are often exceedingly nasty, and it is not appetising to learn that fruit prematurely fallen from the tree is ripened by the negroes putting it in their beds.

The cashew nut (Anacardium occidentale) and ackee are both very handsome for decoration. Some persons think the cashew pleasant to eat, but the taste is exceedingly astringent. The cashew resembles the Australian cherry in the fact that the stone is attached to the outside of the fruit; its branches of crimson or amber fruits look very pretty hanging amid the glistening leaves.

The ackee (Blighia sapida) is gorgeous in scarlet and gold; each fruit is about the size of a large swan's-egg plum, and the fruits hang in bunches. Only a small portion of the interior pulp is edible. It is eaten cooked and served like marrow, which it greatly resembles. When fit to eat the fruit bursts open; if gathered before this it is said to be poisonous.

The Bahama cherry is a fruit that might with advantage be introduced into English hot-houses. It is both pleasant to the eye and good for food. In appearance it is much like a large rubycoloured cherry and its flavour greatly resembles that of the raspberry.

As for the innumerable star-apples (Chrysophyllum Cainito), custard-apples (Anona reticulata), rose-apples (Jambosa vulgaris), sour-sops (Anona muriatica), mammees (Mammea americana), and mammee sapotes (Lucuma mammosum), fruits of strange names, novel forms, and sickly flavours, few Europeans really like them, though to West Indian palates they are agreeable.

Embowered amidst fruit trees, a negro's cottage is a picturesque abode a small wooden shanty half hidden by roses, jessamine, and honeysuckle. A shrub of gardenia often grows near the miniature verandah, over which trails stephanotis, or passion flowers, and winter is heralded by the poinsettia near the fence assuming its crimson crown. The cottage is generally much too small for the teeming family, and even when his means admit of doing so, the owner rarely enlarges his house, as a superstition exists against it—to add to a house is unlucky. Fortunately the windows are usually unglazed, so that during the day air circulates freely; but at night the shutters are fast closed, and every chink and cranny stuffed to exclude ventilation, and in a hot climate the consequences are disastrous. In slavery days consumption was almost unknown amongst the black people, but now much the largest proportion of deaths amongst them have been stated to arise from pulmonary complaints. So rapid is the progress of the disease that a month is a long time for the patient (if coloured) to last, once he has been seized by consumption, and cases are not uncommon in which the sufferer succumbs in a few days. The people themselves ascribe the malady to the influx

of American invalids who of late years flock to Nassau (the capital of the Bahamas) during the winter. The negroes will tell you that before the Americans came there was no consumption in the place, but that the disease has spread amongst them from their taking in the washing of the foreign consumptives. Before emancipation the slave's health was a matter of importance to his master. A sick slave would not be sold, and could not work, but had to be supported; it was therefore the master's interest to secure that his slave was as strong and healthy as possible, and the present habit of sleeping in overcrowded unventilated rooms would not have been permitted. A free negro is of course at liberty to follow his own inclinations on such matters as ventilation. There are various reasons assigned for the careful exclusion of air at night. Some say every chink and cranny is closed to prevent the intrusion of those bugbears of the black man-evil spirits; others pronounce that the precaution is taken against the physical torments of mosquitoes.

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Sometimes a casual remark brings the slavery times startlingly near. It sounds strange to European ears to hear a man talk of events that happened when he was a slave.' An old man on one of the out islands told us that he remembered when he was young and a slave, his master taking two racehorses to run at Nassau. On the way back the schooner was attacked and captured by buccaneers, who cut the horses' throats and flung them overboard. His master escaped by paying a ransom.' Sometimes the old negroes pine for the 'flesh-pots' of slavery and deplore the miseries of emancipation.

'Gubbenor Smith, him bad gubbenor,' remarked an old woman to her clergyman; if he had not come, dey no make us free. Den I had no rent to pay, no food to buy. Now I must pay for de house, pay for de tea, pay for de clothes, pay for ebbery ting. When I had a massa, he gib me ebbery ting.'

A pig is as necessary to the well-being of a negro as of an Irishman,' but the black man never permits the animal to share his abode, as does the Paddy. The pigs when not wandering on the road or in the yard are confined in a hog-pen, an erection a few feet square made of logs interlaced loosely, and looking like a magnified crib for catching birds. The neighbourhood of pigs has its drawbacks; their presence renders that of 'jiggers' more than probable.

'I wish I may be jiggered If I don't love Rose' is an expression in the refrain of a well-known old negro ditty, the force of which comes home to one in regions infested by these insects. The jigger or chigoe (Pulex penetrans) is a very minute flea, found in dry weather in sandy places. The insect has the obnoxious habit of burrowing into the flesh, under the toe-nails being a favourite spot in which to make a nest, lay eggs, and rear a numerous family. A jigger is so minute that when it first penetrates under the skin it probably escapes observation. After three or four days the place begins to swell, and