The Crisis in Jamaica 543 sugar, thereby increasing the value of the West Indian sugars. In spite of these remarks, it would seem as if England had been a little uneasy in regard to the attitude of the Jamaicans, for the Governor, who had been carrying things with a high hand, suddenly became most friendly and conciliatory. He withdrew the additional officers whom he had appointed, restored the affairs of the colony to the condition in which they were before the quarrel, and asked the representatives to let bygones be bygones and help him in the work of solving the difficulties which threaten the prosperity of their part of the British West Indies. Jamaica has always been considered a most loyal colony, and again proved her loyalty by immediately accepting the Governor's olive branch. The vote of censure was withdrawn, and the request for Governor Hemming's removal was recalled. The crisis seems, therefore, to have passed. The Travel Papers, which appear weekly in THE GREAT ROUND WORLD, under the title "Where the Caribbean Breaks," deal exclusively with Jamaica, and give a just estimate of the advantages and disadvantages which would attach to our ownership of that island in case it should come to us in exchange. England has just secured fresh territory in the Pacific Ocean by an arrangement made with King George II, the ruler of the Tonga (tong-ga) Islands. This group, which is also known by the name of the Friendly England and the Islands, was discovered by Tasman in 1643. Tasman was a Dutch navigator who was sent out by Van Diemen, governor of the Dutch East Indies, to explore Australia. During the voyage in which he discovered the Friendly Islands he also found Tasmania, which he christened Van Diemen's Land, but it was afterwards named after its discoverer. In this famous voyage Tasman also found New Zealand. The Friendly Islands received their attractive name from Captain James Cook, the navigator, in return for his kind reception by the natives. There are about one hundred and fifty islands in the group. The group lies south of the Samoan group, which is some three hundred and fifty miles away. Tonga is a quiet, prosperous little kingdom, which, unfortunately for itself, owns one of the largest harbors in the Pacific Ocean. We say unfortunately, for this fact has turned the jealous eyes of Europe on the group. Germany and Great Britain, two of the most powerful kingdoms, desire supremacy there. There are friendly treaties in existence between Tonga and Great Britain, Germany, and the United States. A brisk trade is carried on between the British Colonies and the group. The circumstances under which Great Britain made the present arrangement with the Friendly Islands will be described in next issue. The demands made by the German Vice-Consul from Samoa will also be explained. The developments in the Pacific will be watched with keen interest. What Seeds Look Like ReEASY SCIENCE Wonders Shown 545 Have you a microscope? Is it more ornamental than useful? When you have finished with the mounted slides that come with the set, look about you for some everyday bits of Nature's handiwork, place them under your glass and presto! you are in the real Fairyland. by a Microscope. Cut off a piece of laurel leaf-up and down. Along the top you will see a layer of varnish; below this are the cells of the leaf, and to the left or right will be the cut end of a vein. The petal of a geranium is a gorgeous Turkish rug in a pattern of pink, white, and black. You will never again be satisfied with carpets after looking at one of these petals. In the center of each cell are lines running out from a light spot. They will remind you of mountains on the map. The cells on a snapdragon petal zigzag in a bewildering way. Pollen grains are enchanting to behold. Take some from the snowdrop, wallflower, violet, apple-blossom, field-lily, tulip, crocus, and hollyhock. Seeds of the dandelion and red valerian are tiny parachutes for the wind to waft here and there. They look like vases of feathers, the vase What Seeds Look being handsomely ribbed. Sharp spikes fringe the upper end of the dandelion seed and serve to anchor it firmly to the Like. ground when it alights. The seed of the snapdragon looks like Saturn with his ring, or a marble placed on a silver dollar. The muskmallow is warmly protected by a fur coat, and the mullein seed is a little fisherman with his net. The green froth of rain water is squirming with little bodies that frisk about and seem like animals. Red mildew on damp walls and green slime on wet stones are interesting, too. Next summer watch for a tiny green speck that floats slowly through pools of water. It is a water-plant-one of the Algæ. Under the glass it is a ball covered with green dots, each furnished with a pair of hairs. It is these hairs that "keep the ball a-rolling." Within the ball are smaller balls-children we may say, although the growth is vegetable-and within these, again, are other ballsgrandchildren-which break away from their mothers when the mothers break away from the grandmother. The red dust of wheat, the mould on bramble leaves, rose leaves, corn, grapes-all will come out beautifully under your "glass eye." Some people think the house-fly smells through hollow places on his "feelers." See if you can find the "ears." Notice the difference in Numerous Eyes. the feeler-joints of crickets, grasshoppers, beetles, and cockchaffers. The antennæ of the tortoise-shell butterfly look like walking-sticks, while those of the ermine-moth are exquisite feathers. Be sure to mount the antennæ in Canada balsam, otherwise the light cannot strike through. You will Feeble Flies, and Other Subjects 547 not wonder why it is so hard to catch a fly after you have peeped at one of his eyes—which is really 4,000 eyes in one! But the dragon-fly has 12,000, and one of the beetles more than 25,000 eyes! Wouldn't you like to read at the same time your GREAT ROUND WORLD and all the signs on both sides of the street? Butterflies, moths, and spiders also manage to see a good deal of life. A little green creature known as the green-blight, or ant-cow, takes possession of a juicy leaf and brings joy to the ants, who milk the "cattle" for a sweet juice they secrete. Capture some of them for your glass. The head of the ground beetle has jaws, tongue, and teeth complete, and the tongue of the hive bee is covered with hair. Can you guess why? Daddy-Long-Legs is noted for his long head, and the Atalanta butterfly has a coiled tongue. The hind legs of a caterpillar are covered with strong hooks, and the legs of the long-legged spider look like antennæ. The ant-cow has double claws on its legs, and the ant's leg is two-clawed and padded that she may walk on slippery places. When the fly grows old in the Autumn, you will notice how slowly he walks. The poor, infirm fellow finds it hard to raise his foot-hairs, Feeble Flies, and which are sticky at the end. When Other Subjects. you become experienced in mounting, make a point of securing the forefoot of the water-beetle. The wings of beetles, bees, house-flies, midges; the scales of butterflies, moths, and fish; the eggs of the |