BRAVO Pirates of the Caribbean Magazine

BRAVO CARIBBEAN

PIRATES MAGAZINE

The Dutch, English, French, US and Spanish Islands

CONTENTS The Islands The Dutch Islands Bonaire 17

Aruba 27

Curacao 19

Sint Maarten 79

The English Islands Grenada 35

BVI 85

St. Vincents 39

Anguilla 83

Barbados 41

Cayman Is. 113

St. Kitts 65

Turks & Caicos 125

Nevis 67

Bahamas 127

Antigua 69

Bermuda 131

Jamaica 109

The French Islands St. Lucia 47

St. Barths 73

Martinique 51

St. Marten 77

Dominica 61

Haiti 107

Guadeloupe 63

The US Islands The US Virgin Islands 91 Puerto Rico 96

The Spanish Islands Dominican Republic 105 Cuba 119

INDEX 141

History of Piracy Nassau, the capitol of Piracy, home of Blackbeard The Golden Age of Piracy lasted for thirty years, from 1690 to 1720 and Nassau was at its heart. Here was a tropical pirate paradise which attracted the greatest concentration of pirates ever seen in the New World.

Nassau was well suited as a pirate base of operations, its waters were too shallow for a large man-of-war but deep enough for the fast shallow draft vessels favoured by pirates. From their snug harbour they could employ their hit and run tactics to full effect; they devastated merchant shipping that plied the trade routes just a short sail away. Their pirate gold and goods formed the basis of a thriving community that attracted rogues, merchants and wild women from far and wide.

It was said that when a pirate slept he did not dream of going to heaven but instead to return to his favourite port of Nassau on New Providence Island.

Now you can join them when you explore Pirates of Nassau, an new interactive museum of Piracy in the heart of this historic city.

PIRATES OF NASSAU MUSEUM www.pirates-of-nassau.com/museum.htm Nassau, Bahamas 242-356-3759

Kura Hulanda Museum

From the origin of man to West African empires….. …… Through the middle passage to the Americas Museum Kurá Hulanda is an anthropological museum that focuses on the predominant cultures of Curacao. It offers a world-class chronicle of the Origin of Man, the African slave trade, West African Empires, Pre-Colombian gold, Mesopotamian relics and Antillean art.

When you visit the museum the receptionist at the entrance will give you a map of the museum and will show you how to guide your walk through the museum. She will offer general information about the museum and can inform you about all the various items that are on sale in the Museum Shop.

For tours you can call the museum and appointments can be made so a guide (Papiaments, Dutch, English and Spanish speaking) can tour your group through the museum. Visitors who prefer to walk on their own and want some extra information, an audio guide (Dutch, English versions available) can be rented for a small amount at the entrance of the museum. For journalists a special press folder is available which includes several photographs of exhibit items.

For school children in need of some extra information for study purposes, a special information kit is available.

World Art & Antiques Gallery

Located in Anguilla, a true international art and antiques gallery, World Art and Antiques features theme exhibits of niche-market collectibles; notably fine archaic and classic Chinese jades and bronzes; Asian antique ceramics; African masks and sculptures; collectible Buddhas (both large and small); classical antiquities from ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome and Sumeria; rare textiles from India, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos and other parts of Asia; tribal arts from Oceania including Maori New Zealand, Australia, Easter Island and New Guinea; and pre-Columbian art. www.worldartandantiques.com

Sunbury Plantation House The history of Sunbury Plantation House goes back over three hundred years. It was built around 1660 by Matthew Chapman, an Irish/ English planter, one of the first settlers on the island. He was related to the Earl of Carlisle and through this association, was granted lands in Barbados. nspired by a firm commitment to preserve the heritage of a gracious past, Mr. and Mrs. Melville have exercised impeccable taste in their choice of fixtures and furnishings with result that Sunbury House now possesses one of the country’s superior collections of antiques. In the extensively landscaped grounds are more fine authentic examples of old carts and machinery used in the last century to cultivate the land.

Sunbury Plantation House, located in the tranquil St. Philip countryside is a living monument to plantation life of bygone era, carefully restored and lovingly cherished by its owners for posterity, for the enjoyment of generations to come.

www.barbadosgreathouse.com

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN

NORTH AMERICA

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Galveston Brownsville Monterrey ew

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Gulf of Mexico

West Palm Beach

Tampa

Miami

Key West

Veracruz

Bermuda

Saint Augustine

N

Tampico Mexico City

Or

Merida Campeche

Atlantic Ocean

Bahamas

Havana Cuba

Turks & Caicos

Anguilla Dominican Republic San Juan St.Martin Jamaica St.Barths Haiti Caribbean Guadeloupe Dominica Sea Martinique o o a l a Bluefields ub ac re e l St.Lucia Ar Cur nai C a b r a Granada Santa Marta Bo r t o u a i e G Isle de Margarita Portobello Pu La Maracaibo Panama Cartagena Cumana

Antigua Guatemala Omoa

Bay Islands

Pacific Ocean

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Bo

SOUTH AMERICA

The names in green are in BOOK II The names in orange are in BOOK I

Habitation Clement A very beautiful Habitation transformed into a museum. The house of Masters, classified historic building, is visited and offered the unique opportunity to be immersed in the way of life of the growers of the XIX century and to discover architecture and Creole furniture. The dwelling accomodates also an old distillery of rum and its wine storehouses of ageing.

Habitation Clement is the only “habitation” or plantation open entirely to the public. A visit to the Habitation Clement will take you on a journey back in time, through the history of the Creole culture and the agricultural history of the island. All of this, set against a backdrop of 17 ha of lush botanic gardens.

Domaine de l’Acajou 97240 Le François - Martinique Tel 0596 54 62 07 Fax 0596 54 63 50 www.habitation-clement.fr

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Pirates of the Caribbean (3) 2024 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise,without the prior permission in writing of the copyright holder.

All efforts have been made to provide updated information regarding businesses included in this publication.

FC Photo:El Morro Best, Christopher Pirates of the Caribbean ISBN 978-0-9812574-0-2

Published and bound in China

There are four Pirates of the Caribbean guides. The first one begins in New Orleans and follows the Gulf of Mexico west through Louisiana and Texas and into Mexico and Central America looking at museums and attractions from the era of piracy or as close to those days as possible.

Book two covers Columbia and Venezuela which played a big part in the Spanish treasure routes back in the 1600s.

This book is number three and covers the islands. It begins in the ABC Islands on Aruba and follows the chain northwards looking at Spanish, French, English and Dutch colonies during the era of piracy.

Book four covers Florida and travels west along the coast through Alabama and Mississippi. Pirates were everywhere in the Caribbean in the 1600s, and these books try to follow their routes and hideouts along the way.

As usual, there are lots of travel hints to make your journey easy and comfortable.

chris@metro-online.ca Warfleet Press 1038 East 63rd Ave. Vancouver BC V5X2L1 www.adventure-guides.ca

Dear Readers!

We hope you will enjoy your adventure into the fabulous world of the Pirates of the Caribbean. Look for other adventure guides on our web page at: www.warfleetpress.com

Email: info@stbarthshome.com Telephone: 1 800 274 9096 www.stbarthshome.com

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Lord Sheffield “We Want You Back” Program .......................

Yearly Special Events New Years Eve on The Sheffield Heineken Regatta .......................

Contact us in Sint Maarten DWI at bookings@lordsheffield.com or call

011 (599) 552-0875 www.lordsheffield.com

The Dutch Islands Bonaire 17 Curacao 19 Aruba 27

BONAIRE

17

Named Isla de Palo Brasil by the Spanish In 1623, the first Dutch ships landed on Bonaire. In 1636, the Dutch occupied the island and began to develop salt, dyewood and mutton industries. Until 1816, possession of the island changed back and forth between the European powers and then the Dutch claimed it for the final time. In 1865, W.W.Cargill opened his first grain flat house - which preceeded US grain elevators. The Dutch built Fort Oranje in the harbor of the capitol of Kralendijk. The fort, over the course of it’s history, was never attacked and not a single cannonball was ever fired.

The Museo Boneriano (The Museum of Bonaire)

Bonaire Museum The Museo Boneriano (The Museum of Bonaire) the first and largest of Bonaire’s museums is located just outside of town on ‘Kaya Sabana’ and ‘Kaya J.C. van der Ree’ and is an easy walk from the shopping district. (If you have trouble finding it, just ask where the ice company is and follow the signs from there) It is housed in a 110 year old building that has been restored to its original splendor. The building itselfs is a study in island plantation house architecture and follows a typical plan used in most of the early houses (one of the exhibits shows the plans used in early construction techniques). The Museum is funded by the Department of Culture and supported by grants, admission fees and donations. A very modest entrance fee of about $2 per person is charged.

18 included the Lt. Governor’s residence, a prison, a warehouse and headquarters for Bonaire’s police force, as well as it’s fire brigade. presently, it is home to Bonaire’s courthouse, after having been restored in 1999. A wooden tower built in 1868, was replaced in 1932 with a stone lighthouse, that is still standing. Bonaire is home to approximately 14,000 citizens, a few thousand pink flamingos and 600 wild donkeys.

Kralendijk was world renowned for it’s merchant vessels and fishing boats that were built on it’s shores. During the second world war, a prisoner of war camp was established for german, Dutch and British sympathizers. Wooden shacks confined 461 inmates between 1940 and 1947.

Fort Oranje is Bonaire’s oldest standing stone building. It is named after the Dutch Royal House of oranje and erected in 1817. It was equipped with four iron cannons to protect the islands salt trade.

From the beginning of the seventeenth century until the middle of the nineteenth, only the military personnel who supervised the plantations and the prison houses were allowed on the island. When the Dutch West India Company dissolved in 1791, its properties were confiscated by the Dutch government, which continued operations on Bonaire.

CURACAO

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Spanish Called the Island Corazon In 1634, Curacao was captured by Johan Van Walbeek anda few hundred hardened Dutch seamen. They belonged to the (WIC) West Indies Company, an organizatin of Dutch privateers whose initial goal was mainly to carry on economic warfare against Spain and Portugal, by striking at their colonies in the West Indies and South America. Curacao was coveted for it’s deep water harbor which made it an ideal naval base and also for it’s salt pans. (The Dutch needed large quantities of salt to preserve their fish) The Dutch quickly erected military stongholds like the Water Fort and Fort Amsterdam, which remains the seat of government to this day. After 1648, when Spain and Holland signed a peace treaty,

20 signed a peace agreement the naval base declined and the commercial centre flourished. The island was declared a freeport. prosperous Dutch and Jewish merchants, conducted a flourishing trade with neighboring South America, although Spain officially prohibited such commerce.

At the beginning of the 20th C., rich oil deposits were disovered in neighboring Venezuela. They were located in a bay that was too shallow for major trans-atlantic tankers but were close enough for Curacao’s natural deep water harbors. Royal Dutch Shell began constructing a major oil refinery in 1915. By 1918, it had completely changed Curacao from an ailing economy to a bustling cosmopolitan center. All the fuel used by the allied planes in World War II the allied planes in World War II, came from Curacao and Nazi submarines replaced Spanish galleons in the surrounding waters!

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THE MARITIME MUSEUM The museum pays homage to the rich maritime history of Curacao. The newest technology has been used to create multimedia displays together with 17th century ship models and maps offering a view of the maritimedevelopment throughout the ages. next to the forty permanent displays, will be changing exhibitions, a Harbor cafe and a gift shop. At Werfstraat and Brandhofstraat. Open Tuesday - Saturday 10am-4pm www.curacaomaritime.com

NUMISMATIC MUSEUM The museum houses an important collection of coins that have circulated in the netherlands Antilles, as well as a rotating exhibit of coins and bank notes from other countries.

It is owned and operated by the Central bank of the Netherlands Antilles.

There is also a dispaly of precious and semi-precious gemstones on permanent loan from a local collector.

Located in the heart of Willemstad’s Punda district on Breedestraat.

Open Monday-Friday 8:30 - 11:30 & 1:30 - 4:30 www.vakantie-curacao.nl

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TELE MUSEUM This museum is housed in a beautifully restored building in the heart of Willemstad’s Punda district. A permanent exhibit traces the history of telecommunications on Curacao, from the first telephone, introduced in the 1880’s, to late 20th Century inventions, such as fibre optic cables, computerization and tele conferencing. Open Monday to Friday 9:00 am to 12:00 noon & 1:30 to 5:00 pm, Tel: 465-2844

LANDHUIS BRIEVENGAT Dating from the early eighteenth century, this is a small museum by day, and after hours, it is a popular night spot. One of the island’s first former plantation houses to have been restored, the rooms are filled with elegant furniture and household articles from the eighteentha and nineteenth centuries.

+(5999)/691 4961 www.curacao.com

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POSTAL MUSEUM This picturesque museum features a complete collection of stamps from the Netherlands Antilles and other countries, as well as related artifacts such as old post boxes and scales. It is located in Punda’s oldest standing building, a wood and stone structurre that dates from 1693. A special exhibit of theme stamps from around the world changes four times a year. Open Monday to Friday 9am to 12 noon & 1:30 to 5:00 pm. www.vakantie-curacao.nl

THE FORT CHURCH MUSEUM Contains a small but e;egant collection of artifacts from the church’s Dutch Protestant congregation (1635) such as antique silver chalices and a mahogany baptismol font. The museum also features an impressive collection of old maps of the island. It is situated in the back of the Historic Fort Church at Fort Amsterdam, Punda.

Open Monday - Friday 9am to 12 noon & 2pm to 5pm Tel: 461-1139 www.vakantie-curacao.nl

c1800s Curacao harbor in the days of the sailing ships

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Kura Hulanda Museum

From the origin of man to West African empires….. …… Through the middle passage to the Americas Museum Kurá Hulanda is an anthropological museum that focuses on the predominant cultures of Curacao. It offers a world-class chronicle of the Origin of Man, the African slave trade, West African Empires, Pre-Colombian gold, Mesopotamian relics and Antillean art.

When you visit the museum the receptionist at the entrance will give you a map of the museum and will show you how to guide your walk through the museum. She will offer general information about the museum and can inform you about all the various items that are on sale in the Museum Shop.

For tours you can call the museum and appointments can be made so a guide (Papiaments, Dutch, English and Spanish speaking) can tour your group through the museum. Visitors who prefer to walk on their own and want some extra information, an audio guide (Dutch, English versions available) can be rented for a small amount at the entrance of the museum. For journalists a special press folder is available which includes several photographs of exhibit items.

For school children in need of some extra information for study purposes, a special information kit is available.

ARUBA

27

Spanish Galleons Often Sailed in Nearby Waters

Fort Zoutman, the oldest building in Oranjestad, located just a short block away from the Sonesta Hotels and directly across the street from the Governor’s Office, was erected in 1796 and named after a Dutch Rear Admiral who has outwitted a British convoy on the North Sea during the 4th British War. The Fort is situated on what was then the shoreline of the island and was armed with four cannons. In 1868, the Willem III Tower was added to the Fort with Aruba’s first public clock and served as a lighthouse. Today, the buildings are museums of our heritage and host the year-round weekly Bon Bini Festival each Tuesday evening in the courtyard.

Fort Zoutman

28 Along with Curacao and Bonaire, Aruba was declared “Islas Inuties’, meaning useless islands because they did not have any gold or silver depositis. Spanish galleons often sailed in nearby waters. In 1643, The Dutch West Indian Trading Company headquartered in Rotterdam and with operations in Curacao, took over the islands of Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire. In 1780-90, more Europeans arrived on the island. The earliest exports were horses shipped to Jamaica and Cuba foolowed

by Aloe plants which became the main source of income. IOn the 1920’s, the value of Aloe products was about (1million US), most of which was shipped to England.

In 1928, the most important commercial event was the opening of of the Lago Oil and Transport Company. ( a subsidiary of Shell Oil of New Jersey) A safe, deep port and a stablle government was needed to refine crude oil from lake Maracaibo, Venezuela. The plant eventually produced 400,000 barrels a day.

Tourism took over in the 1960’s and the refinery closed in 1985. BELOW: Numismatic Museum www.museumaruba.org

“Rococo Plaza” Museum of Antiquities Louis XV Antiques & Curiosities can be found inside a complex built with antique building materials from the 17th century. The roof and the onion shaped towers in red copper house 23 showrooms of unusual items from Aruba and South America.

Hours of operation are 9am - 5pm week days and Saturday from 10am2pm Located at : Tanki Leendert 158G. On the last Sunday of the month, local Aruban people sell their goods at a flea market. For information & free pick up from the hotels call : (297)741-5640

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Aruba Aloe Museum & Factory Back in 1840 the Aloe Vera wonder plant was introduced in Aruba, influencing everything from art and architecture to health and healing. Soon, two- third of Aruba’s surface was covered with Aloe Vera plants and we called our island the ‘Island of Aloe’, being the world’s largest exporter of Aloe.

In 1890, the first Aloe Vera plants were planted on 150 acres of land at Hato that are still used today to grow the Aloe for all Aruba Aloe products. The fierce southern Caribbean sun and Aruba’s desert environment intensifies the plant’s natural healing qualities and produces the earths most potent aloe gel to revitalize skin and help repair skin damage. It has grown into an entire line of skin care products known around the world for its moisturizing benefits. Aruba Aloe is making great strides in global research studies with Aloe and is leading the way with a line of moisturizing products that can be found in homes all over the world. Try Island Remedy, Aruba Aloe’s latest upscale line of products made with 100% pure Aruba Aloe Vera Gel and enriched with the finest natural extracts from a wide range of known remedial plants. Learn all about the 160-year old Aloe history of Aruba in the museum. www.ArubaAloe.com

8

Historic Gold Mills In the 1400’s and 1500’s, adventurers traveled throughout the Caribbean in search of wealth and treasures. According to legend, one of these treasure islands was named “Oro Ruba,” which means “red gold.” Now known as Aruba, a colorful history of gold prospectors has shaped the island’s history. Today, remnants of this history can still be experienced.

Bushiribana Gold Mill Ruins On the northern coast, midway down the island, sits the abandoned gold mill that once processed ore from mines in the nearby hills during Aruba’s gold rush of the nineteenth century. In 1824, gold was finally discovered in Aruba, and eventually, the industry produced more than 3 million pounds of gold.

Balashi Gold Mill Ruins The Balashi Gold Mill was built at the tip of the Spanish Lagoon. Remnants of this once bustling mill are still visible in the picturesque setting near the the narrow canyon of rocks known as Frenchman’s Pass.

The English Islands Grenada 35

BVI 85

St. Vincents 39

Anguilla 83

Barbados 41

Cayman Is. 113

St. Kitts 65

Turks & Caicos 125

Nevis 67

Bahamas 127

Antigua 69

Bermuda 131

Jamaica 109

Port Royal

GRENADA

35

An Island of Forts & Coastal Batteries

The French fought and conquered Grenada from the Caribs circa 1650. The French took control of Camerhogue and named the new French colony La Grenade. La Grenade prospered as a wealthy French colony; its main export was sugar.

The French established a capital known as Fort Royal in 1650 as ordered by Cardinal Richelieu. To wait out harsh hurricanes, the French navy would shelter in the capital’s natural harbour. No other French colony had a natural harbour to even compare with that of Fort Royal (later renamed St. George’s). The colony was ceded to the United Kingdom in 1763 by the Treaty of Paris. A century later, in 1877 Grenada was made a Crown Colony.

36

Fort George, Grenada, West Indies Situated on a volcanic spine 175 feet above the harbour of St. George’s, capital of the island nation of Grenada, Fort George was seen by John Paul Jones in 1770.

Built between 1705 and 1710, the old fort figured largely in the (F&I) Seven Years War, the American Revolution, the French Revolution, the Grenadian Revolution and the US-Caribbean Intervention of 1983. The original eighteenth century structure is one of the finest remaining examples of a Vauban-style masonry fortress in the world. The original town, port and a more substantial fort, “the Great Fort”, all named St. Louis, ostensibly after his Majesty’s canonised predecessor, Louis IX (1226-1270) remained on the eastern side of Grenada’s natural (volcanic) harbour until an expanding town moved west. Another fort was built in 1666 on the promontory opposite the original town and fort,. named Fort Royal, In 1705, a new Vauban-style fort was designed for Grenada

by Jean de Giou de Caylus, Chief Engineer of the Islands of America (the French West Indies). It was built between 1705-10, on the site of the first Fort Royal. It retained the Royal name and can be seen today. It was during the second British occupation the name of Fort Royal was changed to Fort George; probably in 1784 or 1785 in honour of King George the III’s Silver Jubilee. www.forts.org/history.htm

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GRENADA NATIONAL MUSEUM The ground floor of this building was built in 1704 by the French as a military barricks or garrison. In 1767 th British converted the facilities into a prison.

Phone Number: (473) 440-3725 Fax Number: (473) 440-6650 Address: Young Street City: St George’s Country: Grenada Notes: Curator: Michael Jessamy

River Antoine Rum Distillery Tour Swashbucklers fought for it and connoisseurs covet it. Rum has always enthralled passionate Caribbean travelers. Swaggering pirates like Captain Kidd, Calico Jack and Blackbeard ruled the waves, their sloops gliding ominously under the skull and crossbones of the infamous flag known as the Jolly Roger. Legend? Not in the Caribbean. Buccaneers were part of the region’s history -- although the tales we hear have been infused with fiction, to be sure. These nefarious sailors were after not only gold coins and fine silk but another precious product: rum. One can hardly blame them. The Caribbean produced then as now arguably the world’s finest Image courtesy Anguilla Tourist Boardrum. The 17th-century British Royal Navy allowed its sailors a daily ration – a practice that continued until 1970! Some believed it cured hangovers.

38 MARKET SQUARE The Market Square, Grenada’s only square, has been the lifeblood of the town for centuries. Although known mainly for its vegetables and meat, together with the many social and political events, this square was laid out during the 1730’s asa parade square for the troops and militia. In 1792, it was declared as a market square and today this activity is still carried out.

FINANCIAL COMPLEX BUILDINGS (Below) This area was extremely important to St. George as the chief ordinance depot which handled most military supplies coming into Grenada. It served as the chief landing place for people coming into Grenada up to the 1920’s. BELOW: Grenada in the 17th Century

ST. VINCENTS

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St. Vincents & the Grenadines Saint Vincent part of the Windward Islands, the southern group of the Lesser Antilles in the West Indies was colonized in 1762. France captured it in 1779 but returned it to Britain in 1783. The islands were formerly part of the British colony of the Windward Islands from 1871 to 1958. The nation gained full independence in 1979. The Grenadines include 32 islands, the largest of which are Bequia, Mustique, Canouan, and Union. Some of the smaller islands are privately owned. During the late 19th and 20th centuries, St Vincent endured a series of natural disasters: in 1812, the first recorded eruption of the La Soufrière volcano, during which many lives were lost; in 1896, floods; two years later, a hurricane; and in 1902, the second eruption of La Soufrière, killing 2000 inhabitants.

Fort Charlotte On Berkshire Hill, just west of town, and over 600 feet above the bay, is Fort Charlotte.

Named after King George III’s wife, the fortification was constructed in 1806. In its heyday, it supported 600 troops and 34 guns. Some of the old barracks now house a museum with the colourful history of the Black Caribs depicted on its walls.

40 Located in the south east Caribbean, over 100 islands and cays make up St. Vincent and the Grenadines. St. Vincent, which is the largest island inthe group, is a volcanic island with amazingly steep mountains. It seems as if the entire island is covered with lush tropical vegetation. The beaches on St. Vincent quickly reveal their volcanic origin since they are composed of black sand. Diving here is extraordinary. Divers can visit reefs, caves, wrecks and can enjoy all with excellent visibility. The Grenadines, all located south of St. Vincent, have white sand beaches.

Here travelers will find romantic, unspoiled, lush tropical islands waiting to be explored. Diving in the Grenadines is excellent. Hard and soft corals, huge schools of bait fish, drift diving, cave diving, and wall diving are only a small example of the diversified unspoiled waters of the Grenadines.

Another fort worth seeing on St. Vincent is Fort Duvernette. Just behind Young Island off Villa Beach, southeast of Kingstown, it’s one of the most unusual forts in the Caribbean. It sits on a sheer rock outcropping that rises almost 200 ft/65 m above the sea. Locally referred to as Rock Fort, it was built in the 18th century to protect Calliaqua Bay and the home of the governor. Two batteries of cannons (circa 1763) can be reached by ascending 219 steps from the small pier on the Young Island side of the rock. Arrangements to visit the fort can be made at Young Island Resort (toll-free 800-223-1108; http://www. youngisland.com).

Fort Duvernette

ABOVE: Canon atop of Fort Duvernette

BARBADOS

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“Great Barbados Robbery” The British found the island uninhabited when they first arrived in 1625 and claimed it in the name of King James I. This first ship, which arrived on May 14th, was captained by John Powell. The first settlement landed some time later on February 17, 1627 near what is now Holetown (formerly Jamestown). The group was lead by Captain John Powell, who arrived with 80 settlers and 10 black slaves.

This settlement was funded by Sir William Courteen, a London merchant who owned the title to Barbados and several other unclaimed islands. Thus, the first colonists were actually tenants and the profits of their labour returned to Courteen and his company. Courteen would later lose this title to James Hay, 1st Earl of Carlisle in what was called the “Great Barbados Robbery.”

PHOTO: Sam Lord’s Castle

LA GALERIE ANTIQUE SHOP (St. James) La Galerie Antique is located in the St.James Area of Barbados, approximately 400 meters from the prestigious Sandy Lane Hotel and golf course.

We stock over 3000 sq.ft of traditional Barbadian colonial mahogany furniture, sterling silver, crystal, china and other collectibles.

PAYNE’S BAY, ST.JAMES BARBADOS BB24023

42 Barbados is known for two pirates of the Caribbean - Sam Lord and Stede Bonnet Sam Lord must have been one of the most unusual pirates of the Caribbean!

Rather than taking to the seas Sam Lord found a unique, and very profitable, way to plunder ships in the Caribbean. Legend has it that Sam Lord hung lanterns in the coconut trees on the beach near his castle to attract ships. Captains mistook the lanterns for the lights of the capital city and wrecked their ships on the reefs. Sam Lord, one of the most creative pirates of the Caribbean region, would then plunder the ships!

Known as the pirate gentleman, Stede Bonnet became one of the pirates of the Caribbean in a most unusual way! A retired British army major and well off plantation owner in Barbados, the middle aged Major Stede Bonnet suddenly turned to piracy in early 1717 and actually purchased his own pirate ship, an unheard of act among the pirates of the Caribbean! Bonnet sailed his pirate ship “Revenge” off the New England Coast, capturing and burning several ships, before returning to the Caribbean. Here he befriended perhaps the most famous of the pirates of the Caribbean - Blackbeard! The friendship quickly changed as Blackbeard took over Bonnet’s ship before the ‘pirate gentleman’ once again took charge.

Gun Hill Signal Station It is the finest of a series of signal stations built in 1818. These stations sighted ships approaching Barbados and signaled to each other in warning of the approaching vessel. They were also used to warn of slave rebellions on the island. Another signal station can be found at Grenade Hall. The signal station was restored and landscaped by the Barbados National Trust and now houses a collection of military memorabilia.

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Greenwich House Antiques

This shop is located in an old plantation house. Fine old mahogany furniture, crystal, silver and china are for sale. There is also an excellent selection of old books, prints and photographs.

Greenwich Village, Trent’s Hill, Bridgetown

246-432-1169

George Washington, later to become the 1st President of the United States of America, visited Barbados in 1751 and spent about two months. Barbados was the only country he ever visited outside colonial America. This fact alone should make a tour of George Washington House, the place where he stayed while in Barbados, a must-do activity for all visitors from the USA. The House, now appropriately under the control of the Barbados National Trust, is also of interest to other visitors, including Barbadians, as it gives useful insights into life as it was in the Barbados of 250 years ago.

The ground floor of the building is is furnished in the manner in which it might have been in 1751. On display are such basic items as a four poster bed with a rather lumpy mattress surrounded with mosquito netting very much needed then as protection against these little pests, a small face basin and ewer in one corner and, under the bed, the very necessary chamber pot since at that time there were no indoor bathroom facilities.

The French Islands St. Lucia 47 Martinique 51 Dominica 61 Guadaloupe 63 St. Barths 73 St. Martin 77 Haiti 107

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Sunbury Plantation House The history of Sunbury Plantation House goes back over three hundred years. It was built around 1660 by Matthew Chapman, an Irish/ English planter, one of the first settlers on the island. He was related to the Earl of Carlisle and through this association, was granted lands in Barbados. nspired by a firm commitment to preserve the heritage of a gracious past, Mr. and Mrs. Melville have exercised impeccable taste in their choice of fixtures and furnishings with result that Sunbury House now possesses one of the country’s superior collections of antiques. In the extensively landscaped grounds are more fine authentic examples of old carts and machinery used in the last century to cultivate the land.

Sunbury Plantation House, located in the tranquil St. Philip countryside is a living monument to plantation life of bygone era, carefully restored and lovingly cherished by its owners for posterity, for the enjoyment of generations to come.

www.barbadosgreathouse.com

ST. LUCIA

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Changed Hands Fourteen Times The French pirate Francois le Clerc (also known as Jambe de Bois, due to his wooden leg) frequented Saint Lucia in the 1550s. The first European camp was started by the Dutch, at what is now Vieux Fort. The French officially claimed the island in 1635 but it was the English that started the next European settlement in 1639. In 1664, Thomas Warner (son of the governor of St Kitts) claimed Saint Lucia for England. For years after this, the island was officially traded back and forth between the English and the French in various treaties, as a bargaining chip in negotiations.

The English, with their headquarters in Barbados, and the French, centered on Martinique, found St. Lucia attractive after the sugar industry developed in 1765.

Morne Fortune means “Hill of Good Luck” but this little mountain has seen its share of good and bad. This was one of the most fought-over regions in the Caribbean during the 18th and 19th centuries. The fortifications were begun under French colonial rule in the mid-18th century. After the French surrender in 1796 the British continued building until 1905. A small museum and military cemetery memorialize the many that died while fighting this ground. The Government House – home of the governor general of St. Lucia – is also located here. Even if you aren’t a history buff, make the trek up Morne Fortune for another reason; many believe this to be the best view in all of the Caribbean.

Morne Fortune in

1784

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FORT RODNEY (Pigeon Island) Pigeon Island was first occupied by the Amerindians, mainly Caribs. The island was later occupied by pirates whose leader was a Norman Captain called Francois Le Clerc. He had a wooden leg and was known to the French as Jambe de Bois.

The French who owned the island in 1778 declared war on the British, who retaliated by attacking them in Saint Lucia and capturing the island. The British then built a Naval Base at Gros-Islet Bay, heavily fortifying Pigeon Island. From there they were able to monitor the French fleet in Martinique which resulted in the defeat of the French at the Battle of the Saints in 1782. Pigeon Island was therefore a key factor in the Battles between the British and the French. Pigeon Island was restored by the National Trust as a landmark encompassing all aspects of the rich heritage, with emphasis on the glorious period of the late eighteenth century, when the spill-over from the American War of Independence reached the Caribbean. The presentation of this island to the visitor revolves around the Battle of the Saints Theme, which is the focus of a display in the Interpretation Centre located in the restored Officers Mess original build in 1803. Adjacent to the Interpretation Center is the Pigeon Island shop where specialised souvenirs, books, prints and gift items are sold. * Ruins of military buildings used during the battles between the French and the British for the island of Saint Lucia. * An Interpretation Centre describing the rich history of the island. * Two beautiful beaches. * A restaurant featuring local cuisine. * A pub and restaurant with a historical theme. * A lookout point at the top of the Fort which gives a panoramic view of the Northwest coastline.

49 LEFT: Pigeon Island from the lookout.

There is lots to see on Pigeon Island including old ramparts, buildings, walkways and beautiful views.

BELOW: The view back to St. Lucia from Pigeon Island

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Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite Near the end of the 18th century, the French Revolution occurred, and a revolutionary tribunal was sent to Saint Lucia, headed by Captain La Crosse. Bringing the ideas of the revolution to Saint Lucia, he set up a guillotine that was used to execute Royalists. Slavery was abolished in 1794 and the freed slaves, called Maroons, joined forces with the French Revolutionary Army to form L’Armee Francaise des Bois. St. Lucia became St. Lucie La Fidele and all the towns were given revolutionary names such as La Patriote )Laborie), La Revolutan (Gros Islet) and Le Republican (Denneres). The Revolutionairies held St. Lucia for 15 months against the British, surrendering in 1797, when they were shipped back to Aftrica.

In 1842, English became St.Lucia’s official language but a strong French heritage remains. The majority of the islands place names are French and the Creole language, born of St.Lucia’s Amerindian, African and European roots is widely spoken. In 1967, England granted the island full self government. St. Lucia has around 150,000 inhabitants., half living in and around the capitol of Castries.

Bounty Rum Distillery Tours of the distillery include the history of sugar and rum, the distillation process and samples of the many rums and liqueurs.

West Coast Rd. Roseau St. Lucia

1 758 451-4258

MARTINIQUE

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Centre of French Pirate Activity Christopher Columbus sighted the island in 1493, In 1635, Pierre Bélain d’Esnambuc landed with eighty French settlers from Saint Kitts. They settled in the northwestern region that later became known as St. Pierre at the mouth of the Roxelane River, where they built Fort-Saint-Pierre. Attracted by propaganda promising fortune and a life under the sun, a huge influx of French peasants came to the island. St. Pierre became a center for French pirate activity in the Caribbean. In 1664, the island was again bought, by the Compagnie des Indes Occidentales becoming France’s principal colony in the Antilles. The British took it over for awhile but returned it to the French for Canada, at the end of the seven years war.

Phoenix Antiquities

6 bd F. Reboul Ste Therese 97200 Fort De France

Tel: 0596 70 08 99

52 Martinique has more than 50 plantations scattered throughout the island and makes the finest rum in the world. The island has 11 distilleries producing more than 17 varieties of rum as well as many local liquers made from rum like coconut liquer, passion fruit liquers and orange flavored Shrubb. At Fond St. Jacques, a 17thc plantation located on the Atlantic coast, pere Labat, a scientist and engineer, invented a copper stil that helped make Martinique rum what it is to this day!

Musee de la Pagerie Located on the south side of Fort De France bay in Trois Islets, where the tourist centre is located, is the Musee de la Pagerie. It is the place where Marie Josephe Rose Tascher de la Pagerie was born in 1763. The elegant little stone building houses a museum devoted to Napoleon’s Empress Josephine. You may wander through her house of birth, the ruins of the sugar factory and the sugar mill. Other than objects pertaining to her life, such as her bed and portraits of letters from Napoleon, the museum contains a number of Pre-Columbian artifacts.

This is the most wonderful, the most fertile, the sweetest, the most charming land in the world.

Christopher Columbus 1502

Musee De La Pagerie

97229 Trois-Islets

Tel: 05 96 68 38 31

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Habitation Clement A very beautiful Habitation transformed into a museum. The house of Masters, classified historic building, is visited and offered the unique opportunity to be immersed in the way of life of the growers of the XIX century and to discover architecture and Creole furniture. The dwelling accomodates also an old distillery of rum and its wine storehouses of ageing.

Habitation Clement is the only “habitation” or plantation open entirely to the public. A visit to the Habitation Clement will take you on a journey back in time, through the history of the Creole culture and the agricultural history of the island. All of this, set against a backdrop of 17 ha of lush botanic gardens.

Domaine de l’Acajou 97240 Le François - Martinique Tel 0596 54 62 07 Fax 0596 54 63 www.habitation-clement.fr

PHOTO: St. Pierre on the day the volcano erupted

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Saint Pierre, Martinique St Pierre, Martinique and all of its residents were destroyed in 1902 when the infamous Mount Pelee erupted. In one fell swoop, 30,000 residents, with the exception of one lone prisoner, were wiped out of existence. Built all around the old St. Pierre ruins, the new and emerging Saint Pierre, Martinique is a growing community situated along the northwest coast of the Caribbean island. Once enjoying the designation of an important port and main city, St Pierre travel is now most popular for its ruins and the history of the area. One of the most appealing attractions for visitors is the short walk down to the waterfront where a gorgeous black sand beach awaits.

The most interesting aspect of St Pierre travel is the history of the Caribbean.

Saint Pierre, Martinique was first settled in 1635. By the time the twentieth century came around, the city had grown to a population of more than 30,000 residents and all was continuing to thrive in the area. Sometimes called the Paris of the West Indies, up to twenty-five ships were anchored in the bay at any given time, proving the area’s popularity. By the very early nineteenth century, St Pierre, Martinique was considered one of the most progressive of all Caribbean towns and featured modern city amenities such as telephones, trams for area transportation, and even electricity. On the day of May 8th in 1902, two incredibly loud explosions ripped through the air. Mount Pelee had erupted, literally splitting itself in half with the powerful eruption.

Spewing out thick clouds of poisonous gases, seething hot lava and fiery ash, residents raced to avoid the death and destruction that was sure to hit. Little did most people know that death would be inevitable as the searing lava whisked

56 down the mountain side and instantaneously dissipated every single thing in its path. In less than two minutes, the more than 30,000 residents of the area were killed and left in the St. Pierre ruins. Only one man miraculously survived, a prisoner kept safe in a cell deep underground in the St Pierre jail.

Today St Pierre travel means access to a few interesting attractions and the chance to enjoy a beautiful and tranquil seaside village. Of course the stunning natural area of Mount Pelee is the biggest attraction for St Pierre tourists. Transportation to the mountain is fairly quick and requires a trip to the lush inland area of north Martinique. Tours can be easily arranged from St Pierre. The harbor is another excellent place not to miss when visiting the area. The harbor is also thick with the history of Mount Pelee’s eruption. Of the many boats that were anchored in the wide harbor, only one survived the catastrophic eruption in 1902. Diving is a very popular pastime amid the wrecks that lie around the harbor. Only about 546 yards offshore, there are more than ten ship wrecks to explore as part of the St. Pierre ruins.

The St Pierre ruins are a protected archeological site and the top attraction. Since the new town of Saint Pierre, Martinique is being built around the old St. Pierre ruins, the ruins can be seen along a walk throughout the entire village. The top must-see of all the ruins is the old jail, called the cachot de Cyparis, where the sole survivor of the eruption was kept. Some of the other, best preserved ruins are called the Le Figuier and are found inside the Volcano Museum. The museum features a detailed account of the Mount Pelee eruption and showcases many items that were salvaged from both the harbor and the surrounding area. In St Pierre there are a few different Martinique hotels and some small villas to choose from for accommodation. Along the waterfront there are a few beaches that accommodate boggy boarders and surfers. Swimming isn’t advisable as the ocean tides can become very rough. There are also several charming local markets, interesting stores for shopping, and great Creole dining along the main strip. St Pierre offers the history of one of the most fascinating and destructive natural disasters in the Caribbean along with the charm of picturesque surroundings in a village born for the second time around

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ABOVE: The Village Creole in Trois Islets Located a 20 minute ferry ride from Fort De France, the capital of Martinique, the district of Trois Ilets on Pointe du Boute, is the perfect embarking point to explore the wonders of exotic Martinique

REGIONAL MUSEUM OF HISTORY & ETHNOGRAPHY

Located in the centre of Fort de France the building dates back to 1887 10. BD. GENERAL DE GAULLE 97200 FORT-DE-FRANCE Tel: 05 96 72 81 87 / Fax: 05 96 63 74 11

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FORT ROYAL Originally named Fort-Royal, the administrative capital of Martinique was over-shadowed by Saint-Pierre, the oldest city in the island, which was renowned for its commercial and cultural vibrancy as “The Paris of the Caribbean”. The name of Fort-Royal was changed to a short-lived

59

“Fort-La-Republique” during the French Revolution, and finally settled as Fort-de-France sometime in the 19th century. The old name of Fort-Royal is still used today familiarly in its Creole language form of “Foyal”, with the inhabitants of the city being “Foyalais”.

60 9, rue de la liberte - 97200 Fort-de-France

Museum of Pre-Columbus Archaeology

9, rue de la liberte - 97200 Fort-de-France Tel: 05 96 71 57 05 / Fax: 05 96 73 03 80

Musee de la Banane

Habitation Limbe - 97230 Sainte-Marie Tel: 05 96 69 45 59 / Fax: 05 96 69 45 51

DOMINICA

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John Hawkins and Sir Francis Drake In 1535 Dominica is declared to be a stopping place for the outward-bound convoys of the Spanish treasure fleets entering the Caribbean from Europe. The bay at what is now Portsmouth, “the bay on the northwest shore”, with its forests, hot springs and fresh water was the anchorage. The fleets would then split into two, one sailing to Cartaghena and the Isthmus of Panama the other to Mexico.

1567: Small fleet of Spanish treasure ships on their way back to Spain is wrecked in a storm off Capuchin Point. The Kalinago strip the ships that are cast onto the shore.

1568: French and English interlopers such as John Hawkins, Sir Francis Drake and the Duke of Cumberland begin to use the bay as a refreshment stop and for trading with the Kalinago for tobacco and food.

RIGHT: Historic Roseau

Located on a scenic peninsula just north of Portsmouth, this national park is best known as the site of Fort Shirley, a large 18th-century British garrison which once housed 600 soldiers. Some of the fort’s stone ruins have been partially reconstructed; others are half-hidden in jungle and are fun to explore. There are fine views of Prince Rupert Bay from the ruins of the Officer’s Quarters.

Fort Shirley

Fort Shirley was the headquarters and main defence post of the British army garrison. Construction began under the direction Sir Thomas Shirley, Governor of Dominica (1774-1776) after whom it was named. It was last used as a fort in 1854.

62 In 1567 six vessels of a Spanish fleet were wrecked on the Northwest tip of the Island of Dominica. It is said that they carried over 3 million in pesos, and that the survivors were captured and eaten by the Carib Indians. During a salvage attempt a year later it was learned that the indians had themselves salvaged the treasure and hid it in caves. They would not break and say where, even under threat of death.

There are no records of the treasure ever being found. “ FORT SHIRLEY (restoration) Dominica’s most important historic site reached a significant stage of its restoration program, when the President, Prime Minister, Speaker and other dignitaries witnessed a ceremony at Fort Shirley on the Cabrits Garrison to mark the end of the European Union funded restoration project there.

The project included the complete restoration of the Officer’s Quarters, which is the centerpiece of Fort Shirley, as well as the remounting of twelve cast iron cannons along the ramparts of the fort.

The ramparts, which had fallen apart over the years, have also been restored by digging up, cleaning and replacing the cobble stone platform. The guns which have been cleaned and painted and placed on gun carriages, now point over the entrance to Prince Rupert Bay as they did two centuries ago. Many of the old military roads within the garrison have been opened up to provide a “loop trail” so that visitors can view several of the main buildings that are scattered across the 100 acre site.

GUADALOUPE

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Santa María de Guadalupe de Extremadura Guadeloupe comprises five islands: Basse-Terre Island, Grande-Terre (separated from Basse-Terre by a narrow sea channel called Salt River) with the adjacent islands of La Désirade, Les Saintes and Marie-Galante. Christopher Columbus became the first European to land on Guadeloupe in November 1493, seeking fresh water. He called it Santa María de Guadalupe de Extremadura. It was annexed to the kingdom of France in 1674. Over the next century, the island was seized several times by the British. In 1790 a struggle between the monarchists (who wanted independence) and the republicans (who were faithful to revolutionary France) ended in the victory of the monarchists, who declared independence in 1791.

Fort St.Charles/Fort Louis Delgres

Begun in 1640 and named in honor of the founder of Basses Terre, Charles Houel, this large colonial fortress was the first building of the town to be erected. The visitor will find it well preserved standing on a prominent hill in the town’s southern end. The fort contains a historical museum and the graves of two prominent French officers, General Richpance and Admiral Gourbeyre.

64 Influenced by the French Revolution, on February 4th, 1794, the Convention in Paris voted for the prohibition of slavery and sent Victor Hugues to Guadeloupe to control the implementation. A big number of estate owners who were loyal to the king and slavemasters got executed by the Guillotine. 1802 Napoléon Bonaparte reinstated slavery, but at the same time an opposition movement stood up. First under the commando of Louis Delgrès in 1802, later under the British, who forbid slavery in 1807, then at the Congress of Vienna in 1815. But only on April 27th, 1848, the French parliament voted for the Abolition Decreet, brought in by Viktor Schoelcher, the founder of the Société Abolitionniste.

ABOVE: Chateau Murat BELOW: Fort Olive

FORT FLEUR D’EPEE

On the commune of Gosier, not far from Strong the Fleur d’ Epée, at the top of small dull which dominates the sea and the water level of the Marina, draw up the ruins of a fort. It is about the Strong Louis become Fort the Union during the French revolution. Before the construction of the fort itself, about 1700 a fortification surrounded by a palisade and a ditch of defense had been built at this place, to protect the path in direction from Pointe-à-Pitre. Since 1706, the reinforcement of the fort is forsaken with the profit of defenses of the Basse-Terre.

ST. KITTS

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The Richest British Colony in the Caribbean in 1776 Christopher Columbus named Saint Kitts Sant Jago (Saint James). However, misinterpretations of maps by subsequent Spanish explorers led Saint Kitts to be named San Cristobal (Saint Christopher), Thomas Warner established the colony of Saint Christopher, the first English colony in the Caribbean. In 1625, a French captain, Pierre Belain d’Esnambuc, arrived on the island. the island was formally partitioned between the English and French, with the French gaining the ends, Capisterre in the North and Basseterre in the south, and the English gaining the centre.

In 1705 during the War of the Spanish Succession, the over 8,000 French troops on the island easily defeated the 1,000 British posts.

Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the largest fortress ever built in the Eastern Caribbean.

ST.KITTS SCENIC RAILWAY

www.stkittsscenicrailway.com

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UNESCO World Heritage Site

Brimstone Hill Fortress The Fortress, constructed intermittently between the 1690s and 1790s, is of singular importance as being the remains of a large, complete military community of the 18th century. As such, it is a veritable time capsule of international significance.

The prominent Citadel is one of the earliest and finest surviving examples of a new style of fortification known as the ‘polygonal system’. Brimstone Hill is nearly 800 feet high with steep and precipitous slopes which had to be tamed by the disciplines of engineering and architecture, and at the risk and probable loss of human lives. The walls of the structures are predominantly of stone, labouriously and skilfully fashioned from the hard volcanic rock of which the hill is composed. The mortar to cement the stones was produced on site from the limestone which covers much of the middle and lower slopes. The Fortress is virtually a man-made out growth of the natural hill.

The physical location of the Fortress presents attractive panoramic vistas of forested mountains, cultivated fields, the historical township of Sandy Point, and neighbouring Dutch, English and French islands across the Caribbean Sea.

NEVIS

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“Queen of the Caribees” Nevis was named “Nuestra Señora de las Nieves”, or “Our Lady of the Snows”, because of its large volcanic peak, which due to heavy cloud covering at its top made Columbus mistakenly believe that it was capped with snow. In 1607 when Captain John Smith stopped at Nevis for five days before founding the colony of Virginia. Captain Smith documented the many hot springs in Nevis, whose waters had remarkable curative abilities against skin ailments and bad health. The island was colonised by Anthony Hilton and 80 settlers from Saint Kitts in 1628. Its riches were so great it was nicknamed “Queen of the Caribees.” Its gross profits surpassed that of all 13 American colonies combined, up until the 19th century, despite being thousands of times smaller. Nevis’ riches however, made it a target for pirates and other European nations.

The Alexander Hamilton House

Birthplace of the great American statesman Alexander Hamilton The original house, built in 1680, was destroyed by an earthquake in 1840.

There now stands on the site a carefully constructed replica. Inside is a fine museum, dedicated not only to Hamiltonian memorabilia but also to Nevisian history.

68 Nevis became the first place in the Americas to officially practice tourism in 1778 when the Bath Hotel was constructed over the site of one of the island’s famous hot springs.

Bath House and Spring House The ruins here are all that remain of the 18thcentury Bath Hotel, the first resort destination in the Caribbean. Built by John Huggins in 1778 for the astounding expense of 40,000 island pounds, this once luxurious hotel attracted many prominent Europeans to Nevis and its soothing waters.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge spent a number of months here, and it seems undoubted that both Nelson and his friend Prince William Henry, Duke of Clarence and the future King, King William IV, attended gala social functions here in the 1780s. The hotel’s days of splendour ended along with the collapse of the sugar industry in the 19th century, and the original structure suffered considerable damage in a 1950 earthquake. Visitors can still take a mineral bath in the five spas built on a fault over a hot spring.

Horatio Nelson Museum

This captivating museum contains the largest collection of Nelson memorabilia in the West, and it offers a fascinating introduction to the island’s Nelson heritage.

ANTIGUA

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Headquarters of the British Royal Navy Caribbean Fleet England succeeded in colonising the islands in 1632, with Thomas Warner as the first governor. Sir Christopher Codrington established the first large sugar estate in Antigua in 1674. During the 18th century, Antigua was used as the headquarters of the British Royal Navy Caribbean fleet. English Dockyard, as it came to be called, a sheltered and well-protected deepwater port, was the main base and facilities that were greatly expanded during the later 18th century. Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson commanded the British fleet for much of this time, and made himself unpopular with local merchants by enforcing the Navigation Act, a British ruling that only British-registered ships could trade with British colonies.

English Harbour, Antigua’s graceful and evocative historic district, is focused on the fifteen square miles of Nelson’s Dockyard National Park. Developed as a base for the British Navy in the great age of sail, the harbour served as the headquarters of the fleet of the Leeward NELSON’S DOCKYARD Islands during the turbulent years of the late 18th century. Although the dockyard was greatly expanded at that time by Horatio Nelson, it was gradually abandoned in the nineteenth century and was closed in 1889. Today Nelson’s Dockyard has been completely restored, and it is now the only Georgian dockyard in the world. (Admiral House Museum as well)

70 HISTORIC SITES: SHIRLEY HEIGHTS (c. 1780- c.1850) This military complex, within a short distance of the Dockyard, is not named after the fairer sex, but after Sir Thomas Shirley, Governor of the Leeward Islands, who strengthened Antigua’s defences in 1781. Britain had lost all her West Indian colonies (including North America) at this time except Antigua and Barbados. Much effort, therefore, was put into Antigua’s defences, mainly because of the island’s great sugar producing value and the important Dockyard. Shirley Heights may be divided into three sections: FORT JAMES, (1706- c. 1850). This military heritage site is perhaps the most spectacular in Antigua as it still has its full complement of cannon in place. The guns in all other forts were all sold for scrap at sixpence/cwt in 1869, thus making James unique.

When St. John’s became larger than Falmouth and Parham about 1703, the northern entrance of St. John’s Harbour was fortified. The foundation stone for the present fort was laid with full Masonic honours in 1739. This inscribed stone may still be seen on the easterly corner. Much later, the stone was nearly obliterated by some mischievous treasure-hunters, who had hoped to find coins behind it. In the old days, it was the custom that every vessel passing the fort should pay a fee of 18 shillings to the Captain of the fort. If the ship did not comply, a shot was fired across its bows. At one time a gun exploded while saluting a nearby ship and shattered the arm of a man tending the cannon.

Fort James was never actually engaged in battle, but it must have been a great deterrent to French privateers from Guadeloupe that often raided St.

71 John’s shipping at the turn of the 19th century.

FORT BARRINGTON, (1779c. 1850).

Like a toy fort without its tin soldiers! It is a giant semi-circular gun emplacement dominating the approaches to St. John’s Harbour. It is placed upon a hill on the harbour’s south side. The lower interior is interesting to explore, for found there are dungeon-like rooms and a powder magazine. The ruin is also worth a visit for the magnificent view

at the Dockyard dinghy wharf, a stone quarry may be seen on the right. It was here that the building material for the fort was taken. The fortified line, once known as the “Charles Line”, is further to the right. It was named after Como-

FORT BERKELEY, (1704 c.1850).

English Harbour is the most historic part of Antigua. Time should be taken when visiting Nelson’s Dockyard, to follow the path to Fort Berkeley. It is only a ten-minute stroll each way and the unfolding views of the harbour are spectacular.

The fort is placed on the peninsula forming the west entrance to English Harbour. It was started in 1704, or 21 years before the Dockyard was built. Its defences were later extended in the 1740’s. In this strategic position, the fort commanded the entrance to the anchorage, where naval captains careened their ships and sheltered from hurricanes. On approaching the battlements from a

dore Charles Knowles, who once commanded at the Dockyard. moHe added this line of battlements in 1745, when the fort was extended. On the left is a bombproof powder magazine, built in 1811 to hold three hundred barrels of gunpowder. Inside the entrance is a cooperage and shifting room for packing explosives. www.antiguamuseums.org

72 Nelson’s Dockyard at English Harbour is home to the Admiral’s House Museum which offers an incredible amount of information about the early nau-

tical life of Antigua. Learn about the life of British Naval Admiral Horatio Nelson, who served as a leader in the Leeward Islands Navy, through some of his original possessions such as his telescope, maps, charts and more. Stop into the museum gift shops to take home locally written books, crafts, hand-painted greeting cards and a variety of other products that make great gifts and souvenirs.

Nelson’s Dockyard, English Harbour, Antigua Located in St. John’s, Antigua’s capital city, the Museum of Antigua and Barbuda creatively presents visitors with the history of the Caribbean. Discover everything from the birth of Antigua and the presence of the Arawaks to the arrival of the Europeans and Antigua’s military history. The Museum of Antigua and Barbuda presents visitors with amazing displays of rock samples, fossils and many more artifacts that present the history of the Caribbean in a visually appealing way.

Redcliffe Quay is a former slave compound that is now home to some of Antigua’s finest stores and restaurants. Stroll down the busy sidewalks of St. John’s that take you past the brightly painted buildings which present perfect photo opportunities. Along with 35 boutiques this busy shopping district also features small courtyards with a variety of dining options such as the popular pizzeria Big Banana.

Redcliffe Quay provides shoppers with wonderful boutiques and trendy clothing stores in a charming atmosphere that combines sightseeing, shopping and dining to create an unforgettable day. South Side of St. John’s, St. John’s, Antigua

Redcliffe Quay

ST. BARTHS

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At One Time A Part of Sweden

Christopher Columbus named St.Barths after his brother. In 1763, the island was settled by French mariners from Normandy and Brittany. This colony succeeded.

French buccaneers found the place hospitable, and brightened the economy with vast quantities of plunder taken from Spanish galleons. Monbars the Exterminator, a famous buccaneer of noble French descent, reputedly maintained his headquarters in St. Barths. His treasure is believed to be still hidden among the coves of Anse du Gouverneur, or buried in the sands of Saline. Gradually the buccaneers became became tradesmen, shopkeepers, fishermen, and small farmers. On March 7, 1785 Louis XVI offered Sweden to trade the island for a warehouse district in Gotenburg. Thus the harbor became known as Gustavia. That same year the island became a freeport, open to all ships by royal decree. In 1804, the population was exepted from all taxes. In 1877 St.Barths was returned to France for 320,000 francs but it continued to be a freeport and it’s citizens exempt from all taxes, two conditions for it’s return.

74 Jean-Pierre Hennequet, who opened his first Galerie Asie on Paris’ left bank in the mid-seventies, has travelled yearly all over Asia since then, and has now gathered, here in Gustavia, an eclectic selection representing a glimpse of what he has on hand from established collectors world-wide ... Tibetan ritual objects, Japanese rare tansus, old Shan kingdom unique Buddha sculptures, Khmer or Gandhara stone reliefs, funny chinese brass locks or bamboo pipes, tribal shields or masks from New Guinea, and ritual objets from Tibet and Nepal ...

Galerie Asie also offers second hand books on the Carribeans, and a consultant service for interior decoration, antiques and art works.

GALERIE ASIE ANTIQUITIES

Rare finds from Asia and beyond

Rue Samuel Fahlberg, Gustavia

590 590 520 901 590 690 400 195 galasie@wanadoo.fr

....more ANTIQUITIES 1.dream time Corossol.

Tél : 0590 27 88 04 Fax : 0590 27 54 19

2.nomades Rue de la République Gustavia Tél : 0590 27 71 00 Fax : 0590 27 95 98 3.teck Rue du Centenaire Gustavia.

Tél : 0590 29 87 91 Fax : 0590 29 74 19 4.terre d’ailleurs Rue du Roi Oscar II Gustavia

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The Wall House Museum The Wall House Museum of Saint-Barthélemy, located at La Pointe on Gustavia Harbor, is a recent recently restored historic building dating from the Swedish period - 1785 to 1878. At the dawn of the 21st century, the Museum features artifacts and pictorial documents of the past of Saint-Barthélemy, and is a testimony for present and future generations.

T

H

E

HOUSE S t B a r t h

Rue du General de Gaulle - Gustavia 97133 Saint- Barthelemy F.W.I. Tel: 590.27.88.04 - Fax; 590.27.54.19 dreantime.mpp@ wanadoo.fr e.moulin@wanadoo.fr

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Email: info@stbarthshome.com Telephone: 1 800 274 9096 www.stbarthshome.com

ST. MARTIN

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Coveted By Both the French and the Dutch In 1493, on Christopher Columbus’ second voyage to the West Indies, upon first sighting the island he named it Isla de San Martín after Saint Martin of Tours because it was November 11, St. Martin Day. The French and Dutch, both coveted the island Dutch colonists came from St. Eustatius, while the French came from St. Kitts. they signed the Treaty of Concordia in 1648, which divided the island in two. With the new cultivation of cotton, tobacco, and sugar, mass numbers of slaves were imported to work on the plantations. At one time there were 65 groves and 34 sugar mills. After abolition in 1848 on the French side and 15 years later on the Dutch, plantation culture declined and the island’s economy suffered. In 1939, St. Martin received a major boost when it was declared a duty-free port.

During the second world war, the development of Juliana Airport by the US military to hunt German U-boats was a major boost to the economy. The Dutch began focusing on tourism in the 1950s. It took the French another twenty years to start developing their tourism industry.

BELOW: Marigot/St.Martin

78 Story of a Battle that opposed a British Flotilla to the inhabitants of Marigot in 1808 Monday July 14th 1808, at daybreak this little fort was attacked by about 200 men, sailors and marine guards from the English frigate, the Wanderer, Captain Crafton and the schooner, the Balahou, Captain Spearing and the Subtile, Captain Mills.

In about one hour after their landing, the brave and intrepid commander Pruits disposed of them as following: 7 among whom Captain Spearing were killed, 13 among whom the midshipman Gallowase were seriously wounded, 140 among whom 3 were naval officers, Duncan, Leading Seaman, Mr. Millery, lieutenant of the schooner and Captain Mills were imprisoned.

The others were lucky enough to take their launches and rowed away. The fort garrison was composed of 28 soldiers including the Commander, and about 15 men of militia. At the end came a Dutch military detachment that went around the Fort and took the prisoners, who after having thrown their weapons had withdrawn away from the bullets down a little cliff. Between the besieged only one soldier was wounded, although his injury was slight and he recovered in 6 days. No cannon was used in this affair, it began and was concluded by the use of muskets.

Fort Louis

SINT MAARTEN

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Historic Fort Amsterdam and Fort Willem

St. Martin occupied a privileged position on the route to the Greater Antilles and was a favorite stop and haven for privateers and buccaneers. For the Dutch, it was a stop on the way to New Amsterdam, (New York) They were also interested in salt, an essential element for preserving food. Three large salt flats produced up to 400 ship loads every year and was the source of a century and a half of bloody conflicts. Fort Willem, easily recognizable by its television transmission tower, is a historic fort that lies just to the west of downtown Philipsburg, Netherlands Antilles. Built in 1801 by the British, it was taken over by the Dutch in 1816. It’s an easy hike up to the fort, with a scenic panorama of Philipsburg and neighboring islands at the top. Fort Amsterdam is a historic fort on the island of Saint Martin, near the Sint Maarten town of Philipsburg. It was built in 1631 on a peninsula between Great Bay and Little Bay, was the first Dutch military outpost in the Caribbean. Unfortunately, it was soon captured by the Spanish, who made it their most important bastion east of Puerto Rico. The Spanish abandoned the fort in 1648, and since then it has remained in Dutch hands. All military operations ceased in the 19th century, although the fort was used as a signaling and communications station into the 1950s. A few walls of the original bastion remain.

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THE BATTLE FOR FORT AMSTERDAM In 1644, Peter Styversant got his wish: orders to capture St. Maarten! The feisty 52 year-old governor of Curacao had been itching to fight the Spanish occupying St.Maaten and now he had his chance. Styversant boldly boarded his flagship Blawe Haan, leading an expedition of 10 ships and 1,000 men. He would soon painfully learn to be careful what he wished for!

Arriving off St.Maarten on Palm Sunday, March 20, Styversant carefully eyed the prize. The island’s primary defense was Fort Amsterdam, sitting menacingly on an imposing peninsula by Great Bay. If he could take the fort, St. Maarten would be his!

Styversant sent a demand for surrender. It was received by Guajardo Fajardo and his 200 malnourished men, who had been living on biscuits and praying for rain. Despite their struggles, they were ready to fight. To emphasize his demand, Styversant planted Holland’s colors on a knoll in full view of the fort. The Spanish cannoneers couldn’t resist such a tempting target. With one impressively aimed shot, a cannonball crushed Styversant’s right leg.

A hobbled Styversant ordered a night attack, but Fajardo’s men were not caught napping and thoroughly routed the Dutch.

Stunned by defeat, Styversant sailed away without the prized island and minus a leg!

To visit the site of this historic battle, follow Frontstreet to its end at Divi Little Bay Resort and walk through the resort to the fort. From its breezy ramparts, you can enjoy a spectacular panorama of Great Bay and Philipsburg’s waterfront.... a view that Styversant nearly died for!

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82

El Buen Consejo In the late summer of 1771, King Carlos III issued a Proyecto ordering the assembly, outfitting and dispatch of a flota to the western Gulf of Mexico port of Don Luis de Cordoba Vera Cruz in the viceroyalty of Nueva Espana (New Spain). Don Luis de Cordoba, an experienced knight and member of the Court, was appointed Captain-General and named as commander. The fleet was to be assembled, inspected, and prepared for the journey at the port of Cadiz during the fall and winter. She was to be ready to sail for Vera Cruz in the spring of 1772 with all of the cargo destined for that viceroyalty and several hundred passengers. Originally, the fleet was to consist of thirteen merchant vessels convoyed with three warships. By February 1772 there was apparently some concern by the fleet’s organizers that the amount of cargo would be too much for those ships to carry and that an additional vessel would be needed. El Buen Consejo was selected and attached to the fleet under the sponsorship of the Universidad de Cargadores a Indias, a merchant guild in Cadiz.

The name El Buen Consejo translates as The Good Counsel; however, her full name may have been Nuestra Señora del Buen Consejo, or Our Lady of the Good Counsel. El Buen Consejo was not a merchant vessel, but a warship of about 990 tons, owned and outfitted by the Crown. This war Copy of Register located in the Spanish Archives noting cargo aboard El Buen Consejo and El Prusiano.ship appears to have sailed to the Philippines twice before her last voyage in 1772. She sailed to Manila in March 1765 under Captain Juan Casenas and returned in July 1767. To read the entire story go to : www.spanishgalleon.ai

ANGUILLA

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1722 Spanish Wreck El Buen Consejo

The first English colonists arrived from Saint Kitts in 1650, and began growing both tobacco and corn crops. In 1744 Anguillans invaded the French half of the neighbouring island of Saint Martin, holding it until the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748). During continuing struggles between the British and the French for control in the Caribbean, the French made further attempts to invade Anguilla in 1745 and 1796 but these failed. Attempts were made to develop Anguilla into a plantationbased economy employing slaves transported from Africa, but the island’s soil and climate were unfavourable and the plantations were largely unsuccessful.

The 1830’s brought the union of St. Kitts -Nevis-Anguilla on Britain’s recommendation -- a union protested by the majority of Anguilla’s freeholders. Anguilla was allowed one freeholder representative to the House of Assembly on the Island of St. Kitts and was mostly neglected by the tri-island legislature.

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BRITISH VIRGIN IS.

Pirates and Privateers Abound Sir John Hawkins visited the island three times, firstly in 1542 and then again in 1563 with a cargo of slaves bound for Hispaniola. On his third visit, he was accompanied by a young Captain by the name of Francis Drake in the Judith, for whom the central channel in the British Virgin Islands would later be named. Drake would return in 1585, and is reported to have anchored in North Sound on Virgin Gorda prior to his tactically brilliant attack on Santo Domingo. Drake returned for the final time in 1595 on his last voyage during which he would eventually meet his death. Norman Island may have been the inspiration for RLS’ epic “Treasure ABOVE: The ruins of St Phillip’s Island.”

Church, Tortola

Fort Recovery, located on the island’s West End has the oldest standing 17th century fort in the Caribbean at the center of it’s Villa-style Hotel which has been family owned and operated since the late 1960’s. The Fort has been preserved completely and originally the property was where soldier’s came to recover in the 1700’s, the Fort acting as a place where cannons were shot at passing ships from. The Callwood Distillery in Cane Garden Bay has been making rum for over a hundred years; you can buy a sample when you visit and it’s a real distinctive taste! There is also the Dungeon in Pockwood Pond, a fort built in 1794 for soldiers quartered on the island, and Josiah’s Bay Plantation (in Josiah’s Bay). This was originally a sugar factory, then a rum distillery; today it has become a museum with an art gallery attached.

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FORTS OF B.V.I. Fort Charlotte is a fort built on Harrigan’s Hill (above Macnamara), Tortola, British Virgin Islands. The fort was named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, who was the wife of King George III. The fort was built by the British Royal Engineers in 1794 at an elevaABOVE: Fort George in 2006. The remains tion of approximately 947 feet over are in a poor state of repair, and local liveRoad Town. However, it was con stock discourages close inspections.

-structed on top of an earlier wooden stockade believed to have been originally erected by the privateer Joost van Dyk to act as a lookout post. The fort was not a walled fort in the traditional sense, but only an earthen one. However, its elevation meant that there was absolutely no prospect of receiving cannon fire from incoming ships. The only way in which the Fort could have been taken (it never fell) would have been for troops to climb the hill whilst under heavy musket and cannon fire.

Fort George is a colonial fort which was erected on the northeast edge of Road Town, Tortola in the British Virgin Islands above Baugher’s Bay. The site is now a ruin.

The original structure is believed by some to have been built at an unascertained date by the original Dutch settlers of the islands to protect slave pens that were built in Port Purcell below. It is likely that the initial structure was built in response to a massacre of the inhabitants of the original settlement in Baugher’s Bay in 1625.

Fort George formed part of a formidable defensive network of forts around Road Town at this time, including the eponymous Road Town Fort (under what is now the site of the Boungainvillea clinic), Fort Burt above Road Reef on the south west side of the harbour, and Fort Charlotte set high above on Harrigan’s Hill. LEFT: Part of the remains of the walls of Fort Charlotte

The U.S. Islands US Virgin Islands 91 Puerto Rico 96

U.S.VIRGIN ISLANDS

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Blackbeard the Pirate; Lore and Legend The Danish West India Company settled on Saint Thomas in 1672, on Saint John in 1694, and purchased Saint Croix from France in 1733. The islands became Royal Danish colonies in 1754, their name translating to Jomfruøerne in Danish.

Sugarcane, produced by slave labor, drove the islands’ economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries, until the abolition of slavery by Governor Peter von Scholten on July 3, 1848. The onset of World War I brought the reforms to a close and again left the islands isolated and exposed. During the submarine warfare phases of the First World War, the United States, fearing that the islands might be seized by Germany as a submarine base, again approached Denmark with a view to buying them. After a few months of negotiations, a selling price of $25 million was agreed.

The historic homes and Blackbeard’s Castle are featured in the Walking Tour of St. Thomas, beginning at Blackbeard’s Castle in Charlotte Amalie.

For more information about the historic walking tour of St. Thomas, call the Tour Director at Blackbeard’s Castle 340-776-1234 or email hh1827@viaccess.net Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, USVI

92 In 1585, five years after the end of his famous circumnavigation, Sir Francis Drake was in the Caribbean, once again in search of gold laden Spanish ships.

Legend has it that he had a lookout from the island of St. Thomas (Drakes seat, where the view continues well to the east, into what is now the British Virgin Islands); and, that he organized his privateering flotilla in Coral Bay, St. John.

St. Thomas was settled in 1672 by agents of the Danish West India and Guinea company, but Denmark did not officially take possession of the Virgin Islands until 1754. Until 1733, St. Croix was a French possession. Because of its excellent harbor and the Dane’s willingness to trade with them, Charlotte Amalie in St. Thomas was home to, or visited by many pirates, famous and infamous.

The most legendary was Blackbeard, a.k.a. Edward Teach.

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LEFT: Fort Christian

This Danish built fort, named after King Christian V, is the oldest standing structure in the Virgin Islands. The bright red fort was built to defend the Danish settlement and harbor from European attackers. Construction of this National Historic Landmark began in 1666 and ended in 1680. In the 1700’s, the fort was expanded and in 1874 a new entrance with a Victorian Clock tower was added.

Improvements in artillery would render the fort obsolete and it would later be used as a police station, court and jail. It has also been used as Government House, a community center and a church. In 1982 it ceased being the jail and today is home to a local history museum. The museum houses exhibits of historical photos and documents, period furniture, a cane press, local flora and fauna and more. The roof of the fort offers excellent panoramic views of the harbor. Admission: $3 Adults (16 and up). Children are free.

Fort Christiansvaern, St. Croix

This imposing, yellow-brick restored fort in Christiansted was built by the Danish in 1774 to protect the harbor from pirates. Now operated by the National Park Service, it is a National Historic Site and the best-preserved Danish fort in the USVI. The Steeple Building nearby was the first church constructed by the Danes after colonization of the island. It now is a small museum with artifacts from St. Croix’s Carib and Arawak Indian settlements and colonial sugar planta-

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Fort Frederik Frederiksted

Fort Frederik was constructed in the mid-18th century by the Danish government to protect its interests in the Caribbean and to defend the western end of Saint Croix against incursion from other European powers and from pirate raids and attacks from rival imperialist nations. It was named after Frederick V of Denmark, who purchased the Danish West Indies in 1754.

Fort Frederik is open Monday-Friday, 8:30am to 4:00pm and Saturday 1:00pm to 4:00pm and admission is free.

Whim Plantation A tour of the Whim Plantation is a great way to step back in time to see how sugar cane was processed. Get a glimpse of what life was like in the 1800s as you tour through the restored great house and old slave quarters.

LEFT: Whim Plantation

95 These steps were built in the mid 1700s, by the Danes, who found streets of steps to be the easiest way to climb up and down the steep hills of Charlotte Amalie. Some historians have said this stairway, along with many others that cut through nearly all the hills rising from the Charlotte Amalie harbor area, were actually a result of impractical planning on the part of Danish engineers who had never been to St. Thomas. The bricks used to construct the steps were originally brought from Denmark as ballast in the hulls of sailing ships. (The 99 steps are actually 103 steps.)

Hotel 1829 Hotel 1829 was constructed between 1829 and 1831. The structure was originally built as a townhouse for a French sea captain named Alexander Lavalette, whose initials can still be seen in the wrought-iron grillwork on the balcony above the main entrance.

This townhouse is a fine example of island architecture during Danish times. The dining room has its original floors and there are several other unique, historic elements to the home.

It became a hotel in 1906 and is still operated as a small hotel.

TOP RIGHT PHOTO: Haagensen House

Puerto Rico

El Morro

Constructed on a rocky promontory at the entrance to the Bay is El Morro. Construction began in 1540. In 1591 a wall was built across the esplanade creating the appearance of a citadel.(cont.)

98 Work was completed around 1790. El Morro guards San Juan Harbor from Spain’s enemies. With walls 140’ from sea level in some places and gun batteries on several levels, it is the oldest of San Juan’s forts.

The lower level of gun batteries would fire into the hulls of passing ships.

Sometimes the cannonballs were heated until they were red, causing fires on the wooden ships.

After two attacks in 1598 and in 1625 by the British and the Dutch, further fortifications were built. San Cristobal was built in 1634 on the landward side and also a wall around the city to protect it from a land invasion. By 1650 the city was entirely enclosed by fortified walls. By 1785, San Cristobal was a system of fortif ications covering 11 acres, entertwining to form multiple levels of defence. Several historical displays are on view in various parts of San Cristobal.

PHOTO RIGHT:San Cristobal PHOTO BELOW: El Morro

OLD SAN JUAN

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The Key To The Indies San Juan was founded by Spanish colonists in 1521, who called it Ciudad de Puerto Rico (“Rich Port City”). Several historical buildings are located in San Juan; among the most notable are the city’s former defensive forts, Fort San Felipe del Morro and Fort San Cristobál, and La Fortaleza, the oldest executive mansion in continuous use in the Americas.The settlement was given its formal name, San Juan Bautista de Puerto Rico, in honor of John the Baptist. San Juan was used by merchant and military ships traveling from Spain as the first stopover in the Americas. Because of its prominence in the Caribbean, a network of fortifications was built to protect the transports of gold and silver from the New World to Europe. Because of the rich transports, San Juan became a target of the foreign powers of the time.

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101 The city was witness to attacks from the English led by Sir Francis Drake in 1595 and by George Clifford, Earl of Cumberland, in 1598. Artillery from San Juan’s fort, El Morro, repelled Drake; however, Clifford managed to land troops and lay siege to the city. After a few months of British occupation, Clifford was forced to abandon the siege when his troops began to suffer from exhaustion and sickness. In 1625 the city was sacked by Dutch forces lead by Boudewijn Hendricksz, but El Morro withstood the assault and was not taken. The English attacked again in 1797, during the French Revolutionary Wars, led by Sir Ralph Abercromby (who had just conquered Trinidad). His army laid siege to the city but was forced to withdraw in defeat as the Puerto Rican defenses proved more resilient than those of Trinidad.

OLD SAN JUAN

During the Spanish colonial times most of the urban population resided in what is now known as Old San Juan. This sector is located on the western half of a small island called the Isleta de San Juan, which is connected to the mainland by two bridges and a causeway. The small island, which comprises an area of 47 mi² (122 km²), also hosts the working class neighborhood of Puerta de Tierra and most of Puerto Rico’s central government buildings, including the Commonwealth’s Capitol. The main central part of the city is characterized by narrow cobblestone streets and picturesque colonial buildings, some of which date back to the 16th and 17th century. Sections of the old city are surrounded by massive walls and several defensive structures and notable forts. These include the 16th century Fort San Felipe del Morro and 17th century Fort San Cristóbal, both part of San Juan National Historic Site, and the 16th century El Palacio de Santa Catalina, also known as La Fortaleza, which serves as the governor’s mansion. Other buildings of interest predating the 20th century are the Ayuntamiento or Alcaldía (City Hall), the San José Church (1523) and the adjacent Hotel El Convento, the former house of the Ponce de León family known as Casa Blanca, the Teatro Tapia, the former Spanish barracks (now Museum of Ballajá), La Princesa (former municipal jail, now a history museum), and the municipal cemetery of Saint María Madgalena of Pazzis, located just outside the city walls.The Cathedral of San Juan Bautista (construction began in the 1520s) is also located in Old San Juan, and contains the tomb of the Spanish explorer and settlement founder Juan Ponce de León. Old San Juan, also known as the “old city”, is the main cultural tourist attraction in Puerto Rico; its bayside is lined by dock slips for large cruise ships.

UNESCO World Heritage Site

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The Spanish Main In its efforts to increase its prestige and become the most powerful nation in Europe, Spain forged a vast and rich empire in the New World.

Through the conquest of Mexico and Peru, the Spanish Empire obtained great riches in jewels, gold and silver. Each year, two fleets of armored galleons set out from the mother country for the New World for the purpose of bringing back the treasure to Spain!

The sailing ships (galleons) were the only mode of transport and the winds the only source of “fuel.”Favored by the trade winds which blow constantly from Africa towards the islands of the Caribbean, the two Spanish fleets, one bound for Vera Cruz and the Phillipines, the other bound for Portobello, in Panama, would travel along the coasts of Puerto Rico.

For these treasure-laden galleons, the Caribbean sea was a route of vital importance but also, one of danger. Spain had declared the Caribbean an “exclusive territory,” which provoked attacks by both pirates and the nation’s traditional enemies.

The attacks and the ever-present threat of tropical storms, together with the strategic location of the island caused the Spanish Crown to see the necessity of fortifying the city of San Juan and its harbour, converting it into a strong and strategically placed naval base which would enable them to control the sea lanes and the access to the Indies. The other reason was a matter of military security, protecting San Juan and its harbour from a possible invasion which would provide an enemy with a base from which to attack Spanish ships and settlement.

In consequence the King of Spain, Phillip II, ordered the building of the fortifications and designated the city, “The Key to the Indies.”

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Felisa Rincon de Gautier Museum The most heralded woman of modern Puerto Rico served as the mayor of San Juan for 22 consecutive years, between 1946 and 1968. The museum that commemorates her memory is in a 300-year-old building a few blocks downhill from San Juan’s cathedral, near one of the medieval gates (La Puerta San Juan) that pierces the walls of the Old City.

The interior is devoted to the life and accomplishments of Felisa Rincón de Gautier.

Caleta de San Juan 51,San Juan, Puerto Rico

787/723-1897

La Fortaleza, (The Fortress) is the

current official residence of the Governor of Puerto Rico. It was built between 1533 and 1540 to defend the harbor of San Juan. The structure is also known as Palacio de Santa Catalina (Santa Catalina Palace). It is the oldest executive mansion in the New World. It was listed by UNESCO in 1983 as a World Heritage Site. Since the 16th century, La Fortaleza has acted as the residence of the Governor of Puerto Rico, making it the oldest executive mansion in continuous use in the Americas. La Fortaleza has been taken twice by invaders: 1598, George Clifford, Earl of Cumberland and in 1625, General Boudewijn Hendrick of the Netherlands

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

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The Captaincy General of Santo Domingo The Captaincy General of Santo Domingo, was the first Spanish colony in the New World which later became the Dominican Republic. Originally known as “La Española”, the colony was organized on 1605 as a response to French presence on Tortuga in the western part of the island. After years of struggles with the French, the Spanish remained in control permanently of the eastern two-thirds of the island. It played a significant role in the establishment of Spanish colonies in the New World for being a hub for Spanish Conqustadores on their way for the conquest of The Americas. In 1586, Sir Francis Drake captured the city of Santo Domingo, collecting a ransom for its return to Spanish rule.

MUSEO DE LAS CASAS REALES

Built in the 16th century, the Royal Household Museum houses both the Palace of the Governor General and the Palace of Royal Audiences. The former, in the northeast part of the building, is a sober design embellished with gothic Isabeline decorations. The latter, in the southeast section, has a series of arches in white porcelain brick on the ground floor, and low-arched windows of gothic style on the upper level. Since 1976 the entire complex has been a museum, housing pieces from the island... 1 809 682 4202 www.cultura.gov.do

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Fortaleza Ozama The Fortaleza Ozama is the oldest fort in America. It is called Ozama because it was built on the banks of the Ozama River. Ozama is a Taino word, which means navigable waters or wetlands. The Fortaleza Ozama was constructed between 1502 and 1508 by order of the Governor of Hispaniola, Frey Nicholas de Ovando, the founder of the city of Santo Domingo. It was built in order to defend the city against attacks by pirates and privateers. The Fortaleza Ozama has the distinction of never having been taken by force of arms, notwithstanding all the military interventions that the city has withstood over the centuries. The armory was designed to resemble a church in order to trick the pirates. All the walls are three meters feet thick, except the one in back that borders the river; that one being only one meter in thickness. This was done so that if there was an explosion it would explode out toward the river, thus limiting the potential damage. The cannons that are now at the fort were never used at the fort. All the original armaments were stolen by Sir Francis Drake, an English privateer, when he invaded Santo Domingo in 1586.

The cannons at the fort came from sunken ships. At the back of the fort, facing the river, are two cannons. The one on the left is English and the one on the right is Spanish. They are both still in working order. The cart between the two cannons was used to move them from place to place.

HAITI

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“Brethren of the Coast” French and English buccaneers took advantage of Spain’s retreat into a corner of Hispaniola to settle the island of Tortuga in 1629, which France established direct control over in 1640, reorganizing it into an official colony and expanding to the north coast of Hispaniola itself. By 1640, the buccaneers of Tortuga were calling themselves the Brethren of the Coast. The pirate population was mostly made up of French and Englishmen, along with a small number of Dutchmen. By the year 1670, as the buccaneer era was in decline. a Welsh pirate named Henry Morgan started to promote himself and invite the pirates on the island of Tortuga to set sail under him. Tortuga was kept as a neutral hideout for pirate booty.

Fort Jacques After Haiti gained it’s independence, our forefathers always feared that the French would return in an attempt to retake the colony. In order to protect Port-au-Prince and the cul-de-sac, two forts were built on top of the mountains near boutilier.

Fort Jacques (for Jean Jacques Dessalines) and Fort Alexandre (for Alexandre Petion).Mounted on Fort Jacques are original french and english guns from the late 1700’s. Each gun is inscribed with the name of the corresponding king. Fort Alexandre, the twin battery to Fort Jacques was never finished.

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Citadelle Laferrière The Citadelle Laferrière or, Citadelle Henri Christophe, or simply the Citadelle (in English, spelled Citadel), is a large mountaintop fortress located in northern Haiti, approximately 17 miles (27 km) south of the city of Cap-Haïtien and five miles (8 km) uphill from the town of Milot. It is the largest fortress in the Western Hemisphere and was designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1982—along with the nearby Sans-Souci Palace. The Citadel was built by Henri Christophe, a key leader during the Haitian slave rebellion, after Haiti gained independence from France at the beginning of the 19th century. The massive stone structure was built by up to 20,000 enslaved workers between 1805 and 1820 as part of a system of fortifications designed to keep the newly-independent nation of Haiti safe from French incursions. The Citadel was built several miles inland, and atop the 3,000 ft (910 m). Bonnet a L’Eveque mountain, to deter attacks and to provide a lookout into the nearby valleys. Cap-Haïtien and the adjoining Atlantic Ocean are visible from the roof of the fortress. The Haitians outfitted the fortress with 365 cannons of varying size. Enormous stockpiles of cannonballs still sit in pyramidal stacks at the base of the fortress walls. Since its construction, the fortress has withstood numerous earthquakes, though a French attack never came. The Citadel was part of a system of fortifications that included Fort Jacques and Fort Alexandre, built on the mountains overlooking Port-au-Prince.

JAMAICA

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“Wickedest City on Earth” Spain held the island against many buccaneer raids at the main city, which is now called Spanish Town. Jamaica became a base of operations for buccaneers, including Captain Henry Morgan. In return these buccaneers kept the other colonial powers from attacking the island. In May 1655, British forces seized the island. In 1657 the Governor invited buccaneers to base themselves at Port Royal to deter Spanish aggression. Port Royal functioned as the capital while Spanish Town was being rebuilt after a fire.

The island was a major base for pirates, especially at Port Royal before it was destroyed in an earthquake in 1692. After the disaster, Kingston was founded across the harbour.

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Port Royal

As a port city it was notorious for its gaudy displays of wealth and loose morals, and was a popular place and base (homeport) for the British and Dutch sponsored privateers to bring and spend their treasure during the 17th century. When those governments abandoned the practice of issuing letters of marque against the Spanish treasure fleets and possessions in the later 16th century, many privateers turned pirate and

used the city as their main base during the heyday of the Caribbean pirates in the 17th century. During the 16th century, the British and French actively encouraged and even paid buccaneers based at Port Royal to attack Spanish and French shipping. Pirates from around the world congregated at Port Royal coming from waters as far away as Madagascar on the far side of Africa.

In archaeology, Port Royal is the site of the only earthquake which can be dated closely by not only date, but time—which is documented by recovery from the sea floor in the 1960s of a pocket watch stopped at 11:43 a.m. memorializing the preceding devastating earthquake shortly before on June 7, 1692, largely destroying Port Royal, causing two thirds of the city to sink into the Caribbean Sea such that today it is covered by a minimum of 25 ft (8 m) of water. Known today to 16th– 18th-century focused archaeologists as the “City that Sank”, it is considered the most important underwater archaeological site in the western hemisphere, yielding 16th–17th-century artifacts and many important treasures from indigenous peoples predating the 1588 founding, some from as far away as Guatemala. Several 17th and early 18th century pirate ships sank within Kingston Harbour and are being carefully harvested under controlled conditions by different teams of archaeologists. Other “digs” are staked out along various quarters and streets by different teams.

PHOTOS on the next four pages from the movie, Pirates of the Caribbean starring Johnny Depp.

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PORT ROYAL PROJECT From 1981 to 1990, the Institute of Nautical Archaeology, in cooperation with the Nautical Archaeology Program at Texas A&M University and the Jamaica National Heritage Trust, began underwater archaeological investigations of the submerged portion of Port Royal. The following highlights are what they have found so far. The last excavation season was in 1990 and no further excavations are planned.

The abundance of tin-glazed earthenware recovered from the Port Royal site reveals how common and available the pottery was in the colonial settlement. The ware was used for all types of vessel forms, from cups, bowls, and plates to candlesticks and vases.

In the 17th century, the pineapple was commonly identified with Jamaica, and that it was incorporated into the seal of Jamaica in the 1660s. Twenty-two Simon Benning pewter plates were recovered from Room 2 in the Building 4/5 complex.

Together with the vast treasury of complimentary historical documents, the underwater excavations of Port Royal have allowed for a detailed reconstruction of everyday life in an English colonial port city of the late 17th century. nautarch.tamu.edu/portroyal

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LEFT: Nelson’s Quarterdeck, is where the young Horatio Nelson was said to observe the horizon for enemy ships

Fort Charles Fort Charles was one of six forts that guarded the town of Port Royal. Construction had begun in 1655 when the British first arrived – it is the oldest surviving structure in Port Royal. Now it remains much as it appeared after the post-1692 Earthquake remodeling (it had sunk 3 1/2 feet as a result of the earthquake). The new work in 1694 was carried out in well-laid brick, laying it on top of the older crude stone-work which is still visible in the foundations of the fort. Walking up a ramp, and paying a fee, you can enter the fort, thrilling to the thoughts of walking in the footsteps of Henry Morgan, and Admiral Lord Nelson. Nelson had been stationed at the fort as a young officer and was in command of the batteries for three to four weeks in 1779. There is a small museum with many of the artifacts recovered from the sunken section of Port Royal.

“Leaving the fort through the southern gate, our guide took us to the remains of the Victoria and Albert Battery – several large gun pits sunk into the sand, connected, we were told, by underground tunnels – installed in the late 1880’s. Back inside the fort, we stopped for drinks in the cool interior of the brick Grogge Shop.

It was easy to visualize this building back in the early 18th century, minus it’s modern accoutrements, and imagine what a grog shop of the period might look like. But it had not always been a grog shop. Our tour guide had told us this building was once a prison, then a powder store house. We walked back to the Morgan’s Harbour Hotel (built within the site of the Old Naval Dockyard) where we had a wonderful Easter brunch at their dockside restaurant. “ www.noquartergiven.net/jamaica.htm

CAYMAN ISLANDS

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The Wreck of the Ten Sail The first recorded permanent inhabitant of the Cayman Islands, Isaac Bodden, was born on Grand Cayman around 1700. He was the grandson of the original settler named Bodden who was likely one of Oliver Cromwell’s soldiers at the taking of Jamaica in 1655. A variety of people settled on the islands: pirates, refugees from the Spanish Inquisition, shipwrecked sailors, and slaves. British privateers often used the Cayman Islands as a base and in the 18th century they became an increasingly popular hideout for pirates, even after the end of legitimate privateering in 1713. Following several unsuccessful attempts, permanent settlement of the islands began in the 1730s. In November 1794, ten vessels, which were part of a convoy escorted by HMS Convert, were wrecked on the reef in Gun Bay, on the East end of Grand Cay-

artifacts ltd.

Dutch Ducat 1729 Holland mint, uncirculated, from the wreck of the Vliegenthart sunk in 1735. Mounted in 18kt gold bezel w/diamonds.

BOX 723, GT GRAND CAYMAN BRITISH WEST INDIES PHONE: (345)949-2442 FAX: (345)949-6442 E-MAIL: artifax@candw.ky

114 the help of local settlers, there was no loss of life. The incident is now remembered as The Wreck of the Ten Sail. Legend has it that there was a member of the Royal Family onboard and that in gratitude for their bravery, King George III decreed that Caymanians should never be conscripted for war service and Parliament legislated that they should never be taxed.

Just as its name implies, Little Cayman is the smallest island of the group.

The attractions here tend to be based in nature.

Grand Cayman is the busiest of the Cayman Islands, and there’s no shortage

of attractions for visitors. A number of historic landmarks are located throughout the island. These range from the picturesque castle of Pedro St. James, to Bodden Town on the southern coast, where pirates once frequently attacked.

If you’d prefer to get away from the bustle of city life, consider a trip to Cayman Brac. This medium-sized island is known for its rocky coastline, which presents a challenge for swimmers, but is a treat for snorkelers. The rest of the island is incredibly lush, and many visitors rave about the area’s natural vegetation.

Cayman Islands National Museum

The museum contains over 4,000 items artifacts ranging from tiny coins to a 14 foot catboat.

The Spanish Islands Dominican Republic 105 Cuba 119

CUBA

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A Target of Buccaneers, Pirates and French Corsairs Cuba had long been a target of buccaneers, pirates and French corsairs seeking Spain’s new world riches. Repeated raids meant that defences were bolstered throughout the island during the 16th century and Havana was furnished with the Castillo de los Tres Reyes Magos del Morro (El Morro fortress) to deter potential invaders which included English privateer Francis Drake, who sailed within sight of Havana harbour but did not disembark on the island. Havana’s inability to resist invaders was dramatically exposed in 1628, when a Dutch fleet led by Piet Heyn plundered the Spanish fleet in the city’s harbor. In 1662, on the eastern part of the island, English admiral and pirate Christopher Myngs captured and briefly occupied Santiago de Cuba in an effort to open up Cuba’s protected trade with neighbouring Jamaica.

Castillo de la Real Fuerza Castillo de la Real Fuerza surrounded by a moat. It is the second oldest fortress built by the Spaniards in the West Indies, erected in 1577 to defend the city from constant pirate attacks.

La Catedral de La Havana

La Catedral de La Havana has one of the most beautiful baroque façades in all of Latin America.

Begun by the Jesuits in 1748, it was completed in 1777.

120 LEFT: Fortress Cabaña on the eastern shore of Havana harbor was established in 1763 in response to an English attack and seizure of the island.

Fortress La Cabaña The Havana settlement, at the mouth of one of the best natural harbors in the world, began in 1519. Havana eventually became the rendezvous point for the twice-yearly Spanish plundered-treasure fleets heading from the New World to Europe. This didn’t escape the attention of pirates, and the city was properly garrisoned after a devastating raid in 1555. Beginning in 1589, forts were built on both sides of the mouth of Havana harbor. Yet, this didn’t prevent a Dutchman from capturing the entire treasure fleet in 1628. Britain and France took notice and started to challenge Spain for control of the Caribbean and Cuba in particular. In 1674 the Spanish began walling the city of Havana – a project not completed until the 1790s.

In 1762, Havana came under English domination. At war’s end eleven months later in 1763, the British let the Spanish have Cuba back – in exchange for Florida!

In 1763, King Carlos III began construction of a massive fortress complex on the eastern heights of Havana harbor’s entrance to ensure that no invader ever again gained advantage over the city. The Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabaña became the largest colonial military enclave in the Americas, and the King’s namesake.

Over budget in 1762: The size and cost of La Cabaña was so astronomical that King Carlos III is said to have taken a telescope to his window in Madrid, convinced that he should be able to spot his pricey complex on the western horizon.

La Cabaña was completed in 1774. Today La Cabaña, together with El Morro, is part of the “Parque Histórico-Militar Morro-Cabaña” (military-historic park) and houses several museums. The Cuban Missile Crisis Museum exhibits missiles and other items from the Cuban Missile Crisis period. The Museo de la Cabaña documents Cuba’s military history, and the Museo del Che is dedicated to the life of Ernesto “Che” Guevara.

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The Museo Hemingway Ernest Hemingway isn’t just remembered in Cuba, he’s an institution and a cottage industry. The rambunctious American writer first started frequenting the island in the 1920s. Cuba formed the backdrop for a lot of his writing, particularly ‘The Old Man and the Sea’, and the farm he lived in became a pilgrimage in the 1950s for Hollywood’s rich and fashionable. Hemingway was genuinely loved in Cuba, where he was known simply as “Ernesto”.

Monday to Saturday: Open from 9 am till 4 pm Sunday: Open from 9 am till 12.30 pm Admisson about $3

Parque Histórico Militar Morro-Cabaña

It constitutes a historical and military park, formed by the fortresses of El Morro and La Cabaña. Together they make the largest museum in the country. It displays two thematic halls. The first provides the visitor with information on the history of shipping in the Havana Harbor, while the other treasures the most important collection of antique weapons in Cuba.

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Castillo de los Tres Reyes Magos del Morro Morro Castle Spanish: (Castillo de los Tres Reyes Magos del Morro) is a picturesque fortress guarding the entrance to Havana bay in Havana, Cuba. Juan Bautista Antonelli, an Italian engineer, was commissioned to design the structure. When it was built in 1589, Cuba was under the control of Spain. The castle, named after the biblical Magi, was later captured by the British in 1762.

Morro Castle in Havana shares the name with other structures in Santiago de Cuba and Fort San Felipe del Morro in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Perched on the promontory on the opposite side of the harbor from Old Havana it can be viewed from miles around as it dominates the port entrance.

Built initially in 1589 in response to raids on Havana harbor, el Morro protected the mouth of the harbor with a chain being strung out across the water to the fort at La Punta. It first saw action in the 1762 British expedition against Cuba when Lord Albemarle landed in Cojimar and attacked the fort defended by Luis Vicente de Velasco e Isla from its rear. It fell because the British could command the high ground. So when they had handed the island back in 1763 to the Spanish, the fort at La Cabaña was built to prevent this happening again.

The cannons around the fort are now badly rusted but the walls are in great shape. The fort has central barracks up to four stories high. A small underwater archeology exhibition is also located here. Noteworthy are the old latrines and their chute into the sea as are the two sets of doors and the drawbridge mechanism. The current harbor master’s office is still housed in the fortress. A plaque dedicated by the ambassador of the United Kingdom commemorates the 1762 siege and a small memorial is located between two strong powder rooms in the North East Bastion.

SANTIAGO DE CUBA

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Second Most Important City in Cuba Santiago de Cuba was founded by Spanish conquistador Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar on June 28, 1514. The city was plundered by French forces in 1553, and by British forces under Christopher Myngs in 1662. The city experienced an influx of French immigrants in the late 18th century and early 19th century, many coming from Haiti after the Haitian slave revolt of 1791. This added to the city’s eclectic cultural mix, already rich with Spanish and African culture. It was also the location where Spanish troops faced their main defeat at San Juan Hill on July 1, 1898, during the SpanishAmerican War. Spain later surrendered to the United States after the destruction of its Atlantic fleet just outside Santiago’s harbor.

Museum Of Piracy During the 16th century and by many more years, the Caribbean was the home of a great amount of pirates. Many enemy countries of Spain especially England and France, persecuted the gains done

by Spain in their American colonies and authorized their sailors to attack the boats under that flag to seize their booties.

The Piracy Museum is in the Santiago of Cuba Castillo del Morro, one of the many places constructed to defend off the pirates attacks.

The museum shows how Santiago was attacked for more than 24 years, being one of the most famous that commanded by Jacques de Sores, whom kidnapped the most important personalities of the city and requested an 80,000 gold pieces ransom.

Castillo del Morro,

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The San Pedro de la Roca del Morro Castle This fortress is one of the most formidable defensive works constructed by the Spaniards on the island, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as “the most complete, best-preserved example of Spanish-American military architecture based on Italian and Renaissance design principles.” From the fortification, the visitor can see the whole bay of Santiago de Cuba where the famous naval battle in 1898 between US and Spanish troops took place. The fortress now houses the Museum of Piracy.

It was designed in 1637 as a defense against raiding pirates, although an earlier, smaller, fortification had been built between 1590 and 1610. The fear of pirate attacks was well-founded. While the fortress was still being constructed in 1662, English freebooters took control of Santiago for two weeks and during their stay destroyed part of the fortification and captured the artillery. After they departed, the Spanish government ordered the reconstruction of the damaged part of the fortress and raised the garrison to 300 men.

Between 1663 and 1669 the engineers Juan Císcara Ibáñez, Juan Císcara Ramirez and Francisco Perez worked on repairing the damage and improving the fortifications, strengthening the flanks and constructing a new artillery platform.

In 1678 it frustrated the attack of a French squadron and in 1680 fought off another attack by 800 men led by Franquesma, the second-in-command of the Antilles filibusters.

By 1775, the fear of attack had diminished, and the parts of fortress known as the Rock (la Roca) and the Star (la Estrella) were converted into a prison for political prisoners, although the rest of the fortress continued to serve as a military base.

TURKS & CAICOS

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Hiding Place For Pirates From about 1690 to 1720, pirates hid in the cays of the Turks and Caicos Islands, attacking Spanish treasure galleons en route to Spain from Cuba, Hispaniola, and the Spanish possessions in Central America and Peru. The islands were not fully colonised until 1681, when salt collectors from Bermuda built the first permanent settlement on Grand Turk Island. They occupied the Turks only seasonally, for six months a year, however, returning to Bermuda when it was no longer viable to rake salt. Their colonization established the British dominance of the archipelago that has lasted into the present day. The agricultural industry sprung up in the islands in the late 1780s after 40 Loyalists arrived after the end of the American Revolution, primarily from Georgia and South Carolina.

OPPOSITE: Governor’s Bronze Canon

“The Best Little Museum in the Caribbean” The Turks and Caicos National Museum was officially opened on November 23rd, 1991. However, the first thoughts of a museum had been voiced during the excavations of the Molasses Reef Shipwreck between 1982 and 1986. It was the discovery and eventual scientific recovery of the finds from this wreck that instigated the development of the Museum. www.tcmuseum.org

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The Gallery

Molasses Reef Shipwreck About 1513, on a reef located on the southern fringe of the Caicos Bank some 20 miles south of the island of Providenciales, a ship sank. This ship, known only as the Molasses Reef Wreck, is the oldest European shipwreck excavated in the Western Hemisphere. The Museum’s first floor is dedicated to what archaeologists, scientists, and historians have discovered about this wreck.

For over 450 years, the wreck sat on the reef apparently undisturbed after its loss. In the mid-1970s, a pair of treasure hunters discovered it. Through their rudimentary knowledge of ordnance, they concluded that the wreck was not the usual galleon wreck sought by treasure hunters, but an earlier vessel from the l;ate 1490s or early 1500s.

Based on this information, they leaped to the conclusion they had discovered the wreck of Columbus’s ship Nina, a wreck whose fame was worth more than any treasure cargo. Making this unfounded claim, however, backfired on the treasure hunters. The Turks & Caicos National Government recognized that the wreck, Nina or not, was one of the oldest wrecks ever found in the Western Hemisphere and took over management of the site on the basis of legislation passed in 1974.

After several false starts, Government finally contracted with underwater archaeologists from Texas A&M University to excavate the wreck in 1980. The Texas team, led by Dr. Donald H. Keith, began work in 1981, but not before a team of rogue treasure seekers had dynamited the wreck on the assumption that old Shipwrecks must carry treasure. In addition to damaging the site, looters stole a number of artifacts. www.tcmuseum.org/molasses_reef_shipwreck

THE BAHAMAS

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Haunt of the Infamous Blackbeard In 1648, the Eleutherian Adventurers migrated from Bermuda. They later discovered New Providence and named it Sayle’s Island. To survive, the settlers salvaged goods from wrecks. In 1670 King Charles II granted the islands to the Lords Proprietors of the Carolinas, who rented the islands from the king with rights of trading, tax, appointing governors, and administering the country. During proprietary rule, the Bahamas became a haven for pirates, including the infamous Black beard. To restore orderly government, the Bahamas was made a British crown colony in 1718 under the royal governorship of Woodes Rogers, who, after a difficult struggle, succeeded in supressing piracy.

OPPOSITE: Fort Fincastle

New Providence Art & Antiques The Best in Bahamian Art & Antiques

www.npartantiques.com

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Balmain Antiques Offers a wide and varied assortment of 19th-century etchings, engravings, and maps, many of them antique and all reasonably priced.

Other outlets have minor displays of these collectibles, but this outlet has the finest. Some items are 400 years old. It’s usually best to discuss your interests with Mr. Ramsey, the owner, so he can direct you to the proper drawers. His specialties include The Bahamas, America during the Civil War, and Black history. He also has a collection of military historical items. The shop now features Haitian primitive art. You’ll find the shop on the second floor, three doors east of Charlotte Street. In the Mason’s Building, Bay St.,

242/323-7421

Marlborough Antiques Chinese screens, antique armoires, blanket boxes, brass trunks and model sailing ships are just a few of the treasures you can find at this enormous store. The sales floor is split into three sections, and each section offers a wealth of unique and exotic items for the home. Dolls, jewelry and home accents are also for sale. While not all of the stock is antique, about threequarters of it is. The sales staff can easily point out the new items 1 242 328 0502

mask@bahamas.net.bs

History of Piracy Nassau, the capitol of Piracy, home of Blackbeard The Golden Age of Piracy lasted for thirty years, from 1690 to 1720 and Nassau was at its heart. Here was a tropical pirate paradise which attracted the greatest concentration of pirates ever seen in the New World.

Nassau was well suited as a pirate base of operations, its waters were too shallow for a large man-of-war but deep enough for the fast shallow draft vessels favoured by pirates. From their snug harbour they could employ their hit and run tactics to full effect; they devastated merchant shipping that plied the trade routes just a short sail away. Their pirate gold and goods formed the basis of a thriving community that attracted rogues, merchants and wild women from far and wide.

It was said that when a pirate slept he did not dream of going to heaven but instead to return to his favourite port of Nassau on New Providence Island.

Now you can join them when you explore Pirates of Nassau, an new interactive museum of Piracy in the heart of this historic city.

PIRATES OF NASSAU MUSEUM www.pirates-of-nassau.com/museum.htm Nassau, Bahamas 242-356-3759

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Fort Charlotte, Nassau, Bahamas

Take a tour of Fort Charlotte, Nassau Bahamas. Fort Charlotte is the largest and most interesting of the three forts found in Nassau. Built in 1789 by Lord Dunmore and named in honor of the wife of King George III.This fort has never fired a shot in Battle. It includes a waterless moat, draw-bridge, ramparts and dungeons. Fort Charlotte commands a fine view of Nassau Harbor.

Admission is free. Tours are conducted Monday through Sunday, 8am to 3pm.

Telephone (242) 322 7500 or (242) 325-9186

BERMUDA

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Bermuda Privateers Ruled the Waves Bermudian merchant vessels turned to privateering at every opportunity, during the 18th Century, preying on the shipping of Spain, France and other nations during a series of wars. Despite close links to the American colonies, Bermudian privateers turned as aggressively on American shipping during the American War of Independence. Bermudian privateers included Black slaves, as, with limited manpower, Bermuda had legislated that a part of all Bermudian crews must be made up of Blacks. In fact, when the Bermudian privateer Regulator was captured, virtually all of her crew were found to be Black slaves.

During the course of the American War of 1812, Bermudian privateers were to capture 298 ships.

Heritage House Antiques You might find it difficult to tear yourself away from this small, homey shop. Owner John Bluck regularly scours Great Britain and Europe for treasures, and proudly displays original works of esteemed local artists.

26 Church Street, City of Hamilton, Pembroke Parish Tel: +1 441 295 2615, Fax: +1 441 295 1902

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Fort St Catherine If you arrive in Bermuda by cruise ship at St. George this may be one of the first sights you will see. Hopefully your voyage will be less perilous than that of Sir George Somers whose shipwrecked crew came ashore near here in 1609.

In 1612 Bermuda’s first governor, Richard Moore, arrived here from England with sixty settlers aboard the Plough. Moore, a carpenter by trade, built a wooden fort here to defend Bermuda from the Spaniards. Since then Fort St Catherine has been rebuilt several times, with most of the current structure dating from the late 19th century.

Nowadays, the fort houses a museum and is one of Bermuda’s most impressive structures. The powder magazine is home to a collection of antique weapons and in the old artillery store there is a gallery of dioramas depicting Bermuda’s history.

The fort was defended by 5 Woolwich Rifled Muzzle Loader canons, each weighing 18 tons. The shells they fired weighed 400 pounds and were capable of penetrating thick iron plate. Also on display are replicas of the British Crown Jewels and an audiovisual presentation on the forts of St George’s. The fort is surrounded by a dry moat and accessed by a drawbridge.

Fort St Catherine is located north of the town of St George and is not on a major bus route. If you don’t have a scooter, you can catch a bus to St George and then catch one of the St George’s Minibus Service’s vehicles. They depart from King’s Square in St George. The lady in the Visitor Information Centre will point out the minibus if you are unsure.

15 Coot Pond Road, St George’s Parish Tel: 297 1920 Fax: 297 2355 Hours: 10:00 – 16:00 (daily), closed Christmas Day

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Historic St. George’s Since 2000, it’s been a UNESCO World Heritage site — a priceless designation that recognises St. George as the fiftholdest English municipality in the New World.

Jamestown, Virginia is older than St. George and can also take credit, in an odd way, for Bermuda being found at all. For centuries, sailors raced back and forth that humans ever inhabited this remote island group 600 miles east of Cape Hatteras. Then a fleet of British ships was scattered in a storm while trying to reach Jamestown, and its flagship Sea Venture came ashore in Bermuda.

Survivors, led by Sir George Somers, rushed to salvage what they could from the shipwreck. Over the next 10 months, they built two smaller ships, loaded up with the meat of wild hogs plus whatever other edibles they could find in the verdant “isle of eternal spring” and sailed for Jamestown just in time to save colonists from starvation. The little crescent of land that gave them refuge is the present St. George, tracing its roots to 1609 — more than 10 years before the Mayflower landed at Plymouth Rock. The town’s official founding as a municipality was logged in 1612.

Just footsteps from the dock, visitors find themselves in a beguiling labyrinth of ancient streets with such names as One Gun Alley, Convict Lane, Printer’s Alley, Duke of Clarence Street and Old Maid’s Lane. Is this London, 1640? Almost. St. George was called New London for a time, and until 1815, it was also the capital of Bermuda.

Ambling the old town is a journey back in time, a feast that nourishes travellers at their own pace and according to their own senses. Catch the scent of a fragrant bush. Snap a close-up photograph of a perfect bloom or an architectural detail from the 17th or 18th century. Smile at a quaint sign. Bask in the warm sun. Ask questions of local residents.

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The Nineteenth century - Fortress Bermuda

After the American Revolution, the Royal Navy began improving the harbours and built the large dockyard on Ireland Island, in the west of the chain, as its principal naval base guarding the western Atlantic Ocean shipping lanes. During the American War of 1812, the British attacks on Washington D.C. and the Chesapeake, that would result in the writing of “The Star-Spangled Banner”, were planned and launched from Bermuda, the Royal Navy’s ‘North American Station’.

It was here that the British soldiers assembled before being sent to attack Baltimore and Washington. In 1816, Bermuda’s Royal Naval Dockyard was forti fied against possible U.S. attacks by James Arnold, the son of famed U.S. traitor Benedict Arnold.[8] Today, the “Maritime Museum” occupies the Keep of the Royal Naval Dockyard, including the Commissioner’s House, and exhibits artefacts of the base’s military history.

As a result of Bermuda’s proximity to the southeastern U.S. coast, it was regularly used by Confederate States blockade runners during the American Civil War to evade Union naval vessels and bring desperately needed war goods to the South from England. The old Globe Hotel in St. George’s, which was a centre of intrigue for Confederate agents, is preserved as a museum open to the public.

Walker Christopher Walker Christopher is proud to showcase our excellent collection of authentic coin jewelry. Gold doubloons and silver ‘pieces of eight’ salvaged from sunken Greek and Roman coins dating from 350 B.C., are mounted in pendants, earrings, rings and cufflinks. Museum-quality Egyptian artifacts have also been transformed into wearable art. www.walkerchristopher.com

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Index A ANGUILLA 83 El Buen Consejo 82, 83 World Art & Antiques Gallery 84 ANTIGUA 69 Admiral’s House Museum 72 FORT BARRINGTON 71 FORT BERKLEY 71 Horatio Nelson Museum 68 Museum of Antigua and Barbuda 72 Nelson’s Dockyard National Park 69 Redcliffe Quay 72 SHIRLEY HEIGHTS 70 ARUBA 27 Aruba Aloe Museum & Factory 29 Fort Zoutman 27 Historic Gold Mills 30 Rococo Plaza” Museum of Antiquities 28

B BAHAMAS Balmain Antiques 132 Blackbeard 131 Marlborough Antiques 132 Nassau Fort Charlotte 134 New Providence Art & Antiques 131 PIRATES OF NASSAU MUSEUM 133 BARBADOS 41 George Washington House 43 Greenwich House Antiques 43 Gun Hill Signal Station 42 LA GALERIE ANTIQUE SHOP 41 Sam Lord’s Castle 41 Stede Bonnet 42 Sunbury Plantation House 46 BERMUDA 135 Fort St Catherine 136 Heritage House Antiques 135 Historic St. George’s 137 Walker Christopher 138

British Royal Navy Caribbean Fleet 69 BRITISH VIRGIN IS. 85 Fort Charlotte 86 Fort George 86 Francis Drake 85 Sir John Hawkins 85

C Captain John Smith 67 CAYMAN ISLANDS 117 artifacts ltd. 117 Cayman Islands National Museum 118 Wreck of the Ten Sail 117 CUBA 123 Castillo de la Real Fuerza 123 Fortress La Cabaña 124 Havana Castillo de los Tres Reyes Magos del Morro 126 La Catedral de La Havana 123 Parque Histórico Militar Morro-Cabaña 125 SANTIAGO DE CUBA 127 The Museo Hemingway 125 CURACAO 19 Kura Hulanda Museum 26 LANDHUIS BRIEVENGAT 22 POSTAL MUSEUM 23 THE FORT CHURCH MUSEUM 23

D DOMINICA 61 Fort Shirley 61 John Hawkins 61 Sir Francis Drake 61 DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 105 Fortaleza Ozama 106 MUSEO DE LAS CASAS REALES 105 Santo Domingo 105

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F

Habitation Clement 53 Maison de la Canne 57 Musee de la Banane 60 Musee De La Pagerie 52 Museum of Pre-ColumbusArchaeology 60 Phoenix Antiquities 51 REGIONAL MUSEUM OF HISTORY & ETHNOGRAPHY 57 St. Pierre 54

Fort Oranj 18

G George Clifford 101 GRENADA 35 FINANCIAL COMPLEX BUILDINGS 38 Fort George 36 GRENADA NATIONAL MUSEUM 37 MARKET SQUARE 38 River Antoine Rum Distillery Tour 37 St. George’s 35 GUADALOUPE 63 FORT FLEUR D’EPEE 64 Fort St.Charles/Fort Louis 63

H Habitation Clement 9 HAITI 107 Citadelle Laferrière 108 Fort Jacques 107 Heritage House Antiques 135

J JAMAICA 109 Fort Charles 116 Henry Morgan 109 Port Royal 109, 110 PORT ROYAL PROJECT 111 Rose Hall 109

K Kralendijk 18 Kura Hulanda Museum 5

M MARTINIQUE 51 FORT ROYAL 58

N NEVIS 67 The Alexander Hamilton House 67 NUMISMATIC MUSEUM 21

P PIRATES OF NASSAU MUSEUM 4 Portobello 102 POSTAL MUSEUM 23 PUERTO RICO 97 El Alcazar Antiques 100 El Morro 97 Felisa Rincon de Gautier Museum 104 OLD SAN JUAN 99 San Cristobal 98

S Saint Croix 91 Saint Thomas 91 SANTIAGO DE CUBA Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar 127 Santiago de Cuba Museum Of Piracy 127 The San Pedro de la Roca del Morro Castle 128 SINT MAARTEN 79 FORT AMSTERDAM 80 Fort Amsterdam 79 Fort Willem 79

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Lord Sheffield Tall Ship Adventures 81 Sir Francis Drake 101 Sir Ralph Abercromby 101 ST. BARTHS 73 GALERIE ASIE 74 T H E HOUSE 75 The Wall House Museum 75 St. Eustatius 77 ST. KITTS 65 Brimstone Hill Fortress 66 Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park 65 ST.KITTS SCENIC RAILWAY 65 ST. LUCIA 47 Bounty Rum Distillery 50 FORT RODNEY 48 Francois le Clerc 47 Morne Fortune 47 Pigeon Island 48 ST. MARTIN 77 Fort Louis 78 ST.VINCENT’S 39 Fort Charlotte 39 Fort Duvernette 40 La Soufrière volcano 39 Sunbury Plantation House 7

T “The Key to the Indies.” 102 TELE MUSEUM 22 THE BAHAMAS 131 The Danish West India Company 91 The Key to the Indies 102 THE MARITIME MUSEUM 21 The Museo Boneriano 17 The Spanish Main 102 TURKS & CAICOS 129 “The Best Little Museum in the Caribbean” 129 Molasses Reef Shipwreck 130

U U.S.VIRGIN ISLANDS 91 Fort Christian 93 Blackbeard 91 Blackbeard’s Castle 91 Fort Christian 93 Fort Christiansvaern 93 Fort Frederik 94 Hotel 1829 95 S.O.S. Antiques 92 Whim Plantation 94

V Vera Cruz 102

W West Indies Company 19 World Art & Antiques Gallery 6

AMBASSADOR A story about empire written for PBS with roots going back to the Knights Templar, the Pirates of the Caribbean, the opening of the Wild West and COLONIAL CANADA! www.kitsband.ca

RS OF EMPIRE