ndition--The Pacific colonies--The West Indies--Proposals
for a West Indian federation--Nature of the population--American
union and British plantations--Original conquest of
the West Indies 1

CHAPTER II.

In the train for Southampton--Morning papers--The new 'Locksley
Hall'--Past and present--The 'Moselle'--Heavy weather--The
Petrel--The Azores 10

CHAPTER III.

The tropics--Passengers on board--Account of the Darien
canal--Planters' complaints--West Indian history--The Spanish
conquest--Drake and Hawkins--The buccaneers--The pirates--French
and English--Rodney--Battle of April 12--Peace with honour--Doers
and talkers 20

CHAPTER IV.

First sight of Barbadoes--Origin of the name--Pere Labat--Bridgetown
two hundred years ago--Slavery and Christianity--Economic
crisis--Sugar bounties--Aspect of the streets--Government
House and its occupants--Duties of a governor of Barbadoes 32

CHAPTER V.

West Indian politeness--Negro morals and felicity--Island of St.
Vincent--Grenada--The harbour--Disappearance of the whites--An
island of black freeholders--Tobago--Dramatic art--A
promising incident 41

CHAPTER VI.

Charles Kingsley at Trinidad--'Lay of the Last Buccaneer'--A
French _forban_--Adventure at Aves--Mass on board a pirate ship--Port
of Spain--A house in the tropics--A political meeting--Government
House--The Botanical Gardens--Kingsley's rooms--Sugar
estates and coolies 51

CHAPTER VII.

A coolie village--Negro freeholds--Waterworks--Snakes--Slavery--
Evidence of Lord Rodney--Future of the negroes--Necessity of
English rule--The Blue Basin--Black boy and crayfish 66

CHAPTER VIII.

Home Rule in Trinidad--Political aspirations--Nature of the
problem--Crown administration--Colonial governors--A Russian
apologue--Dinner at Government House--'The Three Fishers'--Charles
Warner--Alternative futures of the colony 75

CHAPTER IX.

Barbadoes again--Social condition of the island--Political
constitution--Effects of the sugar bounties--Dangers of general
bankru