1911 VERY UNUSUAL, ORIGINAL HUSBAND AND WIFE TANDEM TRAVEL DIARIES HANDWRITTEN BY A PAIR OF TRAVELING SPOUSES TOURING THE WEST INDIES AND CENTRAL AMERICA

On offer is a very unique, superb pair [2] of original manuscript travel diaries that commence in February of 1911. Of particular fascination is the fact that the books appear to be written by traveling spouses, so finely tuned a couple that at first the one book seems to be a transcription of the other but soon their interests diverge and uniquely one reads two versions of the same tour of the "West Indies". Our authors are not unidentified but assuredly from the United States. He leaves with his wife from New York Feb 16, 1911 by steamer than down the Atlantic to Florida. From Florida they proceed to Cuba, Venezuela, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Panama, Trinidad, Barbados, Martinique, and Bermuda. The first book, the husband's, a simple thickish flip style lined pad is well filled with about 175 pages of copious writings. The second, the wife's is a red leather diary with about 80 pages. The pair offer a great deal of fascinating content about the trip such as visiting markets in Trinidad, the Negro women buying produce for their white bosses, Negro Police in Kingston, ethnographic descriptions of native people from barefoot children, women with nose rings, grave rites in Cuba, native fishermen and write in great detail about the scenery, monuments etc. There is a tour of cabaña fortress in Cuba ,active volcanoes in Martinique touring the rebuilt city of Kingston Jamaica after a massive earthquake, listening to a confederate civil war veteran onboard the steamer give a lecture about the civil war. Here are some snippets and only a fraction of their Caribbean and Central American tour writings: Feb 16, 1911 NY - Florida - Cuba excerpt Saturday morning went aboard the steamer " Aron" about eleven sailed out of NY harbor a little late about two thirty with the orchestra playing the Star Spangled Banner. It was cloudy but the water was smooth you would hardly realize you were moving. We were happily surprised to find four steamer letters and four packages awaiting us. It made us feel we were not without friends, tho none were present to take our hand and say goodbye. We were finally started the bugle sounded to announce that lunch was served we watched as the pilot leave the boat - We have a fine orchestra aboard that gives us concerts morning afternoon and evening in the ladies social hall we have the use of the library my first book is the " Call of Dan Matthews". Feb 22, 1911 Havana Cuba Arrived at Havana about six this morning Feb 22nd we found George Washington's pictures at the head of the stairs surrounded by the American flag & decorated flowers we thought it a very pretty complement for a British ship to pay him. We anchored outside and a tender came ashore to inspect us. We were told to go into the dining saloon for inspection of course it was only a formality we simply passed before him. Next we drove to the cemetery this we found very interesting. Here we were told how they bury their dead. The grave is about 7 ft deep and all committed here the casket - without outside box is deposited than lime is thrown over it and a little earth after this the grave is covered with a heavy white stone with handles and tightly sealed. This is left undisturbed for some years this it is opened the bones taken out & deposited in a small casket a small cemented receiving vault which sometimes is built at the head of the grave. A guide & myself went out into the country passed the water works insane asylum etc when about a mile from the asylum we had an experience our gasoline gave out & we sit in the road one hour while our chauffeur went back to the asylum to replenish. Feb 27, 1893 Puerto Rico It is customary for families here to take their wash to the river it being Sunday we saw a good deal of this. There were large companies of them and they seemed to be having a happy time. Our guide told us they beat the clothes with a stick. I remarked that it would be quite an undertaking for the families high up on the mountain to bring their clothes to the river. He informed us they did not wash very often. We saw entire plantations of sugar cane large coconut groves bananas etc. When we reached the end of the line about 1 o'clock we were served with ham sandwiches, oranges, cake and lemonade from the boat. Feb 28, 1911 Puerto - Rico Organized sports began today consisting of curling - shuffle board pillow fights - cock fights etc- they are quite interesting & amusing it is lovey warm today girls in swimming suits dancing on deck in the sunshine. We left Santiago about 4 pm for Jamaica as we to sailing out of the harbor we one of the wrecks of the Spanish fleet. March 2, 1911 Jamaica We took a special trolly to the Constant Springs Hotel where we found carriages waiting to take us to Stoney Hill. It was a delightful ride we met a great many natives carrying heavy loads of produce apparently very easy on their heads many of them had donkeys also heavily loaded which they were leading or driving. The natives were a variety of bright colors, were barefooted & occasionally we saw some of the woman smoking cigarettes or pipes. March 5, 1911 Panama Arrived at the isthmus of Panama this morning both Carlton and I regret exceedingly that we must see this interesting place today of at all. After breakfast - Sunday morning we left Colon on special train for Panama to see the much talked of canal our first stop was at Galoon we had some minutes here to get out & see the locks there are to be is triple flight locks arranged in Janio at the Southern extremity of Galum. March 7, 1911 Cartagena Colombia March 7 arrived at Cartagena this am this is an old city walled Spanish city with a population of 27,000 was founded by Spanish in 1533. I saw nothing attractive it is a very dirty city squalor and flies everywhere street scenes were amusing nude children colored women sitting on the street with a little tray of vegetables for sale. A fat black woman frying cakes on a charcoal stone etc. It was hot on land & delightful to return to the Aron. March 11, 1911 Trinidad We were told the stores would close at noon or one o'clock so we spent the morning at the stores going through the market etc - The market was thronged by colored women buying their supplies the various kinds of meat and vegetables were sold by colored people some of the women were very much decked out with jewelry bracelets to their elbows earrings all around the ears. A ring a nose stud in the nose to me was so disgusting Chet wondered way we saw no white people at the market we were told it would not do for white people to go to the market they all send their cooks. 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