I was writing one morning about six o'clock at Fontabelle, and although the sun was not quite up, the pervading light that is never entirely absent from Barbados was reflected back from the sea to my table through bread-fruit and palmtrees, as soft as from a sunset cloud. My thermometer marked 70, and the nocturnal fragrance was not yet all vanished. Perfumes of roses contended with dying odors of the beauty of the night; and day sounds of birds were taking the place of the night-frog, whose musical double-note had scarcely ceased to vibrate. Peace and

deft servants, were busy preparing our savory breakfast of flying-fish and fruit; and the day began, as every day begins there, with perfect weather and a sense of health that seem eternal. It grew warmer as those climbing sunbeams that at last have come into my room with all the rest, marked the hours of midday; but all the day before I was out with camera and pencil when they were vertical, and felt not the smallest inconvenience. It is not in the tropics that sun-heat is most felt or does harm; and such a thing as a coup de soleil is quite unknown.

beauty reigned and as one deep breath after another of this pure, warm air sent blood to finger tips, life, under almost any pressure, seemed well worth living, and lovely earth very hard to part from. The passionate attachment that these simple blacks feel for their native land is easily explained this charming break of day; and a feeling of contentment pervaded every nerve of the visitor who has escaped the chilling frosts and deadly winds of Northern lands.

Below, William and Mary, the consul's

The

The island is nearly streamless. only brooklet that I have seen is called Indian River. It originates in a swamp, flows a dignified course of three or four hundred yards in length and ten feet in width, until it reaches the sea just above Fontabelle. No cascades add their beauty of snowy lace foam to white coral cliffs

there is no surface water. This, where a single day's rain-fall has been known to measure ten inches, seems curious; but the same porous rock that coral insects built for Barbadians to live upon, takes

care of that. The water finds its way down, a hundred feet or more, until it reaches resisting material, and then, in darkness and unseen, returns to the sea. There it makes itself known by springs that are occasionally of sufficient size to temper perceptibly the salt water around, and even to become visible through the latter, as they spout up through white sand at the bottom; and bathers in this pleasant mixture can feel what seems to be some living thing lifting and crawling beneath their feet, a sensation more startling than cheerful, where one is not quite certain what strange manner of creature may turn up at any minute.

These subterranean streams are occasionally found in caves that tireless teeth of wind and wave have gnawed deep into the bowels of the land. In one cavern named "Cole's" quite a river has been found, whose exit is unknown, whose source is unguessed-that flows quietly on through a great distance in darkness to the sea, as:

Where Alph, the sacred river, ran,
Through caverns measureless to man,
Down to a sunless sea.

Among the best trips, indeed the very best in Barbados, are those by carriage to St. John's Church and Codrington College, and by train to Bathsheba, which lies among the wildest scenery of this coast, whose grandest views cannot be very imposing since the land does not reach the altitude of a thousand feet at any point. In company with Mr. Grundy, the courteous manager of the Barbados Railway, I recently made a visit to the latter spot under the most favorable auspices. The little railroad is, itself, a curiosity. Only twenty-one miles long, it has twelve stations, that rejoice in most ridiculously inappropriate names; and at every one of them the same amount of form and ceremony was gone through as if a train were leaving Liverpool for London. A black grenadier wore a helmet marked "Railway Police," and scared away small, loafing darkies with majestic wave of hand or suggestive touch of rattan. Porters, with their duty printed in big red letters on cap-ribbons, rushed about among the six passengers that were going with us, as busily as if a thousand trunks were awaiting demolition; and shouted out, "This train leaves for Rouen,

Everything was intensely English. and it quite needed a look of palm leaves across the street and a deep breath of warm air to dispel the illusion. In half an hour we had left Bridgetown behind, and were running through a lovely country. Except for stray windmills, for curving outlines of horizon and near fields of cane, the inland scenery resembles closely that of Warwickshire. There is nothing in America like it. As far as eye could reach, and the view was over many miles, field after field of waving cane succeeded each other in lessening tints of golden green, with not an uncultivated spot in sight. No trees, except a palm or two accentuating heaven's deep blue on yonder cliff, or marking a noble avenue to some estate manager's home, whose white walls sent a shaft of sunlight out between the trunks to show us their existence. No streams except a yard or two of muddy water called a river by mistake, which wound amongst the cane like an ugly gray snake, and crept away to the sea ashamed. Roll followed roll of fertile land, climbing slowly up to the horizon line beyond; and fields were dotted here and there with women at work "weeding"-planting new cane or hoeing that already up, which looks exactly like growing Indian corn. In all the scene there was no sign of idleness, except when the pausing train gathered a dozen darkies at a station, to criticize the locomotive's action, which to their poor minds is a daily increasing marvel. Work, work, and nothing else; for this vast population must live, and small portions for each means a grand total for all.

At Three Houses-the name comes from a tradition that a Carib village once existed here, containing just that number of huts-Mr. Grundy had a "trolley" awaiting us, of which we took

prompt possession, and prepared for the scenery of Bathsheba.

A trolley is a sort of small car with a seat for two upon a little platform, and a propelling power of two darkey boys "holding on behind," and upon this we made the rest of the journey. In a few minutes a distant, dark blue line stood out beyond the level, and the sea greeted us from the east with deep booming of surf against rocky crags far below. Ragged Point Lighthouse stood guard against a particularly treacherous reef that has lured many a mariner to des truction by its strong resemblance to a similar point on the other side of the island; and between it and us was a grove of palms, about which a gruesome legend lingers.

When bold buccaneers sailed along the Spanish main and made things very lively for early colonists, they by no means neglected Barbados. Here was a famous resting place, and they appreciated the pure air of these eastern hills as highly as more modern sanitarians. So, after cruising became a bore, and age began to dull the charms of plankwalking and general rapine, a few pirate

chiefs came here and built stately mansions, among them the one that is half hidden by yonder distant grove of palms. Surrounded by every luxury that Spanish gold could buy or strong arm seize, they spent their days in watching gardens grow and reaping heavy crops of wild oats.

But instinct was, still strong within their murderous souls, and no single merchant ship sailed past their lairs without arousing the old robber passion; and this wily pirate soon devised a scheme to bring more fish to his net.

In those days there were no lighthouses to guide vessels from afar, and sailors who had not seen land for weeks were used to look for the street-lights of Bridgetown as their guide, if they came in during darkness.

So our enterprising robber purchased a lot of mules and lanterns, and waited for a stormy night and a coming ship. When they appeared together, he hung his lanterns around the mules' necks and had them driven about among the trees. Their twinkling light, now showing clear, now hidden by leaves, easily deceived the sailors, who dashed their

ship upon those iron rocks where it speedily went to pieces, and its cargo became unlawful prize. If by chance any life was spared by the sea, it was speedily disposed of by the more merciless pirate; and there are still shown the chambers underground where prisoners might have been kept.

By a judicious economy and well devised system of settling accounts with pistol or knife in place of gold, this special buccaneer soon grew enormously rich; and shortly after, so the story goes, retired permanently from business, carried his gains to his native land, founded an abbey or two and died in the odor of sanctity, admired by all.

Beyond the curve of Consett Bay, the shore becomes still more rugged and picturesque. Vast rocks that have been dragged from high estate by resistless sea, have been carved by the same power into effective statuary. One represents a lion couchant, and, from two or three points is as striking as if from Barye's chisel. In and around the bases of these rocks the waves play curious pranks and sing wild songs; soft and sighing when there is no wind, yet with a sullen undertone that tells of wilder, more majestic harmony when Boreas is abroad. Some of them have been cut away by water, hammer and chisel until vast masses are balanced upon narrow bases, which are at last cut through, and only a flat table remains to mark where a cliff once existed.

Viewed from a distance, say from St. John's Church tower, there is presented a succession of rugged cliffs, rolling land and foaming sea that has received the name of Scotland, from some exile's idea of a resemblance to far-away Caledonian shores.

Barbados is everywhere healthful, but when one feels depressed or exhausted with Bridgetown heat or needs a little rest from hospitable attention, Bathsheba, with its cliffs, its delightfully cool nights and excellent hotel, offers a change that few other West India places are able to present.

The only way to reach Codrington College is by carriage from Bridgetown, a distance of about fifteen miles over roads like a floor and through a country that is cultivated like a garden. The drive

can easily be made in a single day, and affords as much pleasure and information as any other in Barbados.

Lunching at St. John's Church, the road thence is a steep descent of some eight hundred feet, and then leads along a fine avenue of palms to the college buildings. Half a dozen lads playing tennis comprised the visible students, and they put themselves at our disposal with a cordial politeness that bespoke but infrequent visitations. Buildings, chapel, dormitories, visitation rooms, library and dining hall were inspected in turn, found in a most excellent condition, and we were shown the famous swimming bath, said to be the finest in the world. And it well deserves its reputation. Covered by a slight wooden building, the tank is hewn from solid rock about a hundred feet by seventy wide, to a depth of from five to ten feet. A singing stream comes in from the cliff side and runs through the bath, so that it is always fresh and pure. It may readily be imagined how the youngsters prize this splendid water supply in a land where daily baths are a simple necessity of life, far more essential to health than drugs. Some pious hand has decorated the rafters with scripture maxims in old English, which have a bizarre effect. One scarcely needs the golden rule before his eyes when splashing in his daily tub.

A kind friend has just loaned me the "Barbados Blue Book," which contains some very curious information, and while speaking of schools, for Codrington College is the acknowledged head of the educational institutions, I shall quote from it. None of them are free. Rich or poor, each child must pay a penny a day for his teaching, books not included; and to this, which is for children only, a much larger sum is added in higher grades. There are about two hundred and twenty schools, of which one hundred and eighty are under the control of the Church of England, twenty-two Wesleyan or Methodist, and the others Moravian. visited several schools in company with Mr. Collymore, the superintendent, and found them well conducted, and at Harrison College, which corresponds to an American high school, about one hundred and fifty students with an active, intelligent corps of teachers. With the excep

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tion of the head master, who receives three hundred pounds sterling per annum and house rent, and whose duties seem to be largely ornamental, the others are wretchedly paid: the science master, an English university honor-man, receiving the munificent salary of fifty pounds a year.

The Church of England is supreme over the entire management of the land. When the island was settled, the same authority reigned unquestioned in the fatherland, and its transfer was quite natural. But with advancing civilization in every country of Europe, State Church authority has waned before that spread of intelligence which gives to every man a choice of form of worship, and is apparently doomed to extinction in the near future. Here, however, where traditions retain strong hold of men who see only loss of prestige and

money in a change, and where the people submit to the burden, there is a sense of deference to the Church from the State, a submission to clerical lead that probably exists nowhere else to equal extent.

The island is divided into parishes, not boroughs as in Trinidad, or counties as in England; public works are carried on under Church control, moneys are expended by vestry vote, and it would be difficult to find any public business in which the State Church has not a heavy influence. Referring to my blue-book, I find that the total expenditure for Church establishment in 1886 was more than three thousand dollars in excess of the amount expended for educational purposes, and such figures tell a pregnant story.

There does not seem much more to say in this connection than that this state of