Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 44.djvu/464

 sparkling stream that followed in the ship's wake. Disturbed by the motion of propeller and rudder, millions of minute phosphorescent organisms were thrown to the surface like brilliant, sparkling gems. Now and then large ctenophores emerged from the depths, displaying rich halos of light for a moment, then disappeared in the surf. In no other place did we notice such rich displays of phosphorescence.

After a six-days' voyage we landed safely at Port Henderson, on the north side of Jamaica. Here we took carriages for a drive of sixty miles across the island to Kingston, its capital. The road



we traveled was a well-built public thoroughfare, fully equaling the American "gravel road." It followed the coast line pretty closely for twenty-eight miles to Annotto Bay, then extended into the interior by way of the Wag Water River. Reaching the "divide" of the Blue Mountains, the road rapidly descended by a circuitous route into the broad valleys of the south side of the island. This drive across Jamaica affords the tourist a fair idea of its life and scenery. The majestic cocoanut palm, the luxuriant banana plant, and the feathery bamboo grace the landscape in every direction. The primitive bamboo cabins, with their dusky occupants, the barefooted market women, "John Crow" the buzzard, and "Old Joe" the pelican, soon become familiar objects to the tourist in the West Indies. On reaching Kingston we found our way through its narrow streets to Market Wharf, where we took passage on the steam launch Firefly for Port Henderson, our final destination. This is a little village of a dozen or more