ent of
the absent was often possible. Occasionally I ran into a den of
impertinence that must be frowned down, notably a notorious swarming
tenement over a lumber-yard. But on the whole the courtesy of British
West Indians, even among themselves, was noteworthy. Of the two great
divisions among them, Barbadians seemed more well-mannered than
Jamaicans--or was it merely more subtle hypocrisy? Among them all the
most unspoiled children of nature appeared to be those from the little
island of Nevis.

"You ain't no American?"

"Yes, ah is."

"Why, you de bery furst American ah eber see dat was perlite."

Which spoke badly indeed for the others, that not being one of the
virtues I strive particularly to cultivate.

But "perlite" or not, there can be no question of the astounding
stupidity of the West Indian rank and file, a stupidity amusing if you
are in an amusable mood, unendurable if you neglect to pack your
patience among your bag of supplies in the morning. Tropical patience,
too, is at best a frail child. The dry-season sun rarely even veiled
his face, and there were those among the enumerators who complained of
the taxing labor of all-day marching up and down streets and stairs and
Zone hills beneath it; but to me, fresh from tramping over the
mountains of Central America with twenty pounds on my shoulders, this
was mere pastime. Heat had no terrors for the enumerated, however.
Often in the hottest hour of the day I came upon negroes sleeping in
tightly closed rooms, the sweat running off them in streams, yet
apparently vastly enjoying the situation.

Sunday came and I chose to continue, though virtually all the Zone was
on holiday and even "the boss," after what I found later to be his
invariable custom, had broken away from his card-littered
dwelling-place on Saturday evening and hurried away to Panama, drawn
thither and held till Monday morning--by some irresistible attraction.
Sunday turns holiday completely on the Zone, even to hours of trains
and hotels. The frequent passengers were packed from southern white end
to northern black end with all nations in gladsome garb, bound
Panamaward to see the lottery drawing and buy a ticket for the
following Sunday, across the Isthmus to breezy Colon, or to one of a
hundred varying spots and pastimes. Others in khaki breeches fresh from
the government laundry in Cristobal and the ubiquitous leather leggings
of the "Zoner" were off to ride out the day in the jungles