--crossing and intercrossing so closely as almost to bring them
into collision, yet never touching. The boys have simply come
out to dive for coins they expect passengers to fling to them.
All are chattering creole, laughing and screaming shrilly; every
eye, quick and bright as a bird's, watches the faces of the
passengers on deck. "'Tention-là !" shriek a dozen soprani.
Some passenger's fingers have entered his vest-pocket, and the
boys are on the alert. Through the air, twirling and glittering,
tumbles an English shilling, and drops into the deep water beyond
the little fleet. Instantly all the lads leap, scramble, topple
head-foremost out of their little tubs, and dive in pursuit. In
the blue water their lithe figures look perfectly red,--all but
the soles of their upturned feet, which show nearly white.
Almost immediately they all rise again: one holds up at arm's-
length above the water the recovered coin, and then puts it into
his mouth for safe-keeping; Coin after coin is thrown in, and as
speedily brought up; a shower of small silver follows, and not a
piece is lost. These lads move through the water without
apparent effort, with the suppleness of fishes. Most are
decidedly fine-looking boys, with admirably rounded limbs,
delicately formed extremities. The best diver and swiftest
swimmer, however, is a red lad;--his face is rather commonplace,
but his slim body has the grace of an antique bronze.

... We are ashore in St. Pierre, the quaintest, queerest, and
the prettiest withal, among West Indian cities:
all stone-built and stone-flagged, with very narrow streets,
wooden or zinc awnings, and peaked roofs of red tile, pierced by
gabled dormers. Most of the buildings are painted in a clear
yellow tone, which contrasts delightfully with the burning blue