Port Antonio vies with Kingston, on the other side of the island, as a tourist center, and the comfortable and restful hotel on the heights in the left background is crowded during the winter season (see, also, text, page 31). AN ISLE OF DREAMS Photograph by John Oliver La Gorce Between the famous Blue Hole (see Color Plate V) and Port Antonio, this charming little island, covered with towering palms, deserves, and receives, the open-eyed admiration of the traveler. Many a traveler's tale has been based on less real fact than the one that "oysters grow on trees in Jamaica.' These oysters (Ostrea parasitica) attach themselves to the roots of mangrove trees and, being exposed to view at low tide, give the appearance of having grown on the trees like fruit. This intertidal species of oyster is not peculiar to Jamaica, however, for it thrives in some of our own southern rivers. After this open-air curing, the fiber is baled and exported, or is used in the manufacture of rope and twine in rope factories on the island. Sisal, from which the rope is made, is grown in the immediate vicinity. It flourishes in these warm climates with little care (see, also, illustration, page 35). Making sure that his men would do nothing to violate the confidence of the Indians, Columbus soon established trade with them, and they brought him cassava, fish, and birds. His youthful son, Fernando, took great interest in the barterings, the records tell. Finally the food aboard and that supplemented by the near-by Indians gave out, and after the last ration of biscuit and wine had been issued the Admiral's faithful follower, Diego Méndez, started. out through the jungle on a trading expedition which netted a scant fare, but enough to keep away starvation, even if not sufficient to appease hunger. Columbus then called for volunteers to try for Haiti, some 200 miles away, in search of succor. All were silent but the gallant Méndez. He stepped into a small ship's boat and rowed away! Then sickness and body ills brought despair and mutiny. The brothers Porras (Francisco, captain of the Santiago, and Diego, the accountant) led a revolt in which Juan Sánchez, the pilot Ledesma, Barba the gunner, and some fifty others joined. Though so ill with gout that he could not stand, Columbus endeavored to go out and quell the mutiny, his log tells us. But his adherents begged that the mutineers be permitted to go. They took most of the scanty stores, the ten canoes and started for Haiti; but, cowards that they were, they gave up the trip after forcing the Indians who accompanied them to swim ashore. HIS CUP OVERFLOWS A caravel heaves into sight! Is it the long-looked-for relief sent by Méndez? Alas, no! Only a sorry jest by Ovanda, who sent out Escobar in the hope he would find Columbus dead, and, if not, to tell him there were no ships available to carry them to Spain. Hearing that Porras and his mutineers were going about making enemies of the natives, Columbus sent the adelantado, Bartolomé, either to pacify or to conquer the deserters. Bartolomé took fifty loyal men and going against them captured the mutineers. mutineers. Yet Columbus, with his usual clemency, granted pardon to all except the brothers Porras, whom he kept in chains. |