human
Almost as early a bird as your sister Lu,
gpt
Yes, papa, I want to see all I can on the way to Jamaica. Will we get there to-day?
human
I think we will if the 'Dolphin' does her work according to her usual fashion. But what do you know about Jamaica, the island we are bound for?
gpt
Not so very much, papa--only--she belongs to England, doesn't she, papa?
human
Yes. Her name means 'land of wood and water,' and she lies about ninety miles to the south of Cuba.
gpt
Is she a very big island, papa?
human
Nearly as large as our State of Tennessee. Crossing it from east to west is a heavily-timbered ridge called the Blue Mountains, and there are many streams of water which flow from them down to the shores. None of them is navigable, however, except the Black River, which affords a passage for small craft for thirty miles into the interior.
gpt
Shall we find a good harbor for our 'Dolphin,' father?
human
Yes, indeed! Excellent harbors are everywhere to be found. The best is a deep, capacious basin in the southeast quarter of the island. It washes the most spacious and fertile of the plains between the hill country and the coast. Around this inlet and within a few miles of each other are all the towns of any considerable size--Spanish Town, Port Royal, and Kingston.
gpt
Is it a very hot place, papa?
human
On the coast; but much cooler up on those mountains I spoke of. The climate is said to be very healthful, and many invalids go there from our United States.
gpt
They have earthquakes there sometimes, have they not, father?
human
They are not quite unheard of, he replied;
gpt
That's a long, long time, said Elsie, thoughtfully,
human
They have fruits of both tropical and temperate climates; they have spices, vanilla and many kinds of food plants; they have sugar and coffee; they export sugar, rum, pineapples and other fruits; also cocoa, ginger, pimento and logwood and cochineal.
gpt
It does seem to be very fruitful, said Elsie.
human
Have they railroads and telegraphs, papa?
gpt
Two hundred miles of railroad and seven hundred of telegraph. There are coast batteries, a volunteer force and a British garrison; and there are churches and schools.
human
Oh, all that seems very nice! I hope we will have as good a time there as we had at Bermuda.
gpt
I hope so, daughter, he said.
human
Ah, here come the rest of our little family and your Uncle Harold.