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' I - HIS~()Ry OF SABA

DR. J. HARTOG

C~R 33!l~1 6~~·

Saba, you rise from the Ocean, with mountains and hill-sides so steep ...

PUBLISHED BY THE SABA ARTISAN FOUNDA TION SABA NETHERLANDS ANTILLES HIS~()Ry OF SABA

DR. J. HARTOG

C~R 33!l~1 6~~·

Saba, you rise from the Ocean, with mountains and hill-sides so steep ...

PUBLISHED BY THE SABA ARTISAN FOUNDA TION SABA NETHERLANDS ANTILLES Indians dwelt on four sites

The island of Saba in the Dutch Windward Islands of the Neth- erlands Antilles was first inhabited by Indians. At 2,296 feet above sea level there is a site known as Indian Camp which reminds us of this fact. In the last century arrowheads and spearheads were found there, and from the workmanship we can see that the makers were probably Caribs.

Ist printing 1975

lid printing 1982 Busult adze found on Saba. This type of ornamented adze is foulld only in the • I'd printing 1988 Greater Antilles and the Bahamas, so it must have been brought to Saba. The adze is prese.rved in the State Museum of Ethnology in Leyden. The length is 73/4 inches (20 em). This edition has been financed by: Ovcrlegorgaan Kulturele Samenwerking Nederlandse Antillen (OKSNA), In 1858 a basalt adze was found on the island. The then gover- 'uragao. nor, Reinier F. C. van Lansberge, presented this to the Nether- lands Ethnological Museum of Leyden where it is still preserved. Translation by Frank Hassell. In 1923 Professor Dr. J. P. B. de Josselin de Jong did archeolo- over idea Elisabeth Hartog: An example of fine Saban drawn-thread work. gical research on Saba. By digging in the vicinity of the Anglican church in The Bottom, he discovered shards made of stone, coral, © Copyright 1975, 1982 and 1988 by dr. J. Hartog. earthenware or shells. Arso, at Spring Bay, St. Johns and Wind- All rights re ·erved. wardside Indian artifacts were found.Among other articles, stone objects, such as pestles, were discovered. We can therefore No parts of this book may be reproduced, translated, broadcast or digested . confirm that the Indians of Saba lived mainly in the places where in any form. the present villages are. The pottery found in The Bottom can b~ dated800-1,OOOA.D. ' ~_ Stone objects have generally been found withont 'fl9-X:U' age " worth mentioning. Regrettably, nothing made of earihenware or Beautiful specimen of Indian utensil found in Windwardside in 1972. Its length is 4 inches (10 cm); the weight is lib. 5 oz. (700 grams). shells has been recovered undamaged. The shards are generally so small that reconstruction is impossible. Beautiful specimen of Indian utensil found in Windwardside in 1972. Its length is 4 inches (10 cm); the weight is lib. 5 oz. (700 grams). shells has been recovered undamaged. The shards are generally so small that reconstruction is impossible. It. ('1111 I> ,'cen from the shell fragments that the Indians of Saba I IIld

LEFT:Often the surface finishing of earthenware consists of a large number of narrow furrows scratched or pressed in and running in different directions. RIGHT: Beautiful example of scratched geometrical decorations: a flat circular piece of pottery with imprinted concentric triangles and a circle in the center.

Earthenware The earthenware is crude, badly fired (sometimes still drab colored or gray on the inside), and therefore, brittle. The most common pattern is one of white bands on a red background. Red and white were the most frequently used colors, but yellow and dark brown were found also. Professor de Josselin de Jong also did archeological research on LEFT: Shard showing the coarse structure of Indian earthenware. St. Eustatius. Comparing what he found on St. Eustatius and on RIGHT:Frequently occurring type of decoration: lines, scratched or pressed in. Saba, there were obvious differences so that it would appear that the pottery was made on each island individually. Similarities, hoW- ever, point to an interrelationship of the two islands and also with other neighboring islands such as the Virgin Islands. Red was more frequently used on St. Eustatius than on Saba, and it is also obvious that the decorative pattern of the St. Eustatius pottery was somewhat more elaborate. On the whole, however, the workmanship is primitive and crude, showing little finesse.

LEFT: Another type of decoration: gullies. This type is very common on Saba, but does not occur on St. Eustatius. RIGHT: Third type of decoration: white band figures on a red ground.

The photographs on this and the following pages are reproduced with permission from Archeological Material from Saba and St. Eustatius, by prof. dr. J. P. B. de Josselin de Jong, Mededelingen van het Rijksmuseum voor Volkenkunde, Leiden The Indians had a great skill in shell technique. Both domestic utensils and orna- 1947. All objects are to be found in the Museum. The pottery, found in Saba, can be ments were made of shell.The greater part of the implements shown here are dated between 800 and 1000 A.D. celts or chisels, recognizable by the ARTIFICIALLY sharpened end. No permanent Indian population There are three springs on ~aba: one at Spring Bay, one at Fort Bay, and a warm water spring (570 C, but undrinkable) at Ladder Spindle whorls found in Point. All in all, the island, as it was found in a natural state by the The Bottom. These fired pieces Indians, would not have encouraged a large and permanent Indian were not painted. population. In 1509the Spaniards began the colonization of Puerto Rico with the result that one third of the Indians living there at the Only Caribs time moved to smaller islands in the neighborhood, perhaps also to The shell fragments and earthenware shards found on Saba Saba. show no development that would point to the presence of other In- Around 1640,when the Dutch landed on Saba, the island was un- dian cultures. Present archeological research indicates that Caribs inhabited. ' were the only Indians to have lived ,on Saba. The successive in- habitation of the island by other Indian culttlres would have been evidenced by their artifacts. and these have not been found.

LEFT: Pestle found in 1972 in Windwardside. Length, 5 inches (121/4 em); weif(ht, Whole artifacts of pottery have not been found on Saba. Most of the material is in- lib. 3 oz. (538 grams). sufficient for reconstruction. However, Professor de Josselin de Jong succeeded in RIGHT: Another pestle recently found in Windwardside. Length, 7 inches; reconstructing these beautiful examples of a shallow dish and a cup (next page). (171/2 em), weight, 4lbs. 6 oz. (1,800 grams). Arawak word siba (rock); with the French sabot (wooden shoe, because seen from the northeast the island resembles a wooden shoe); with the panish sabado (Satqrday, because the island was supposedly discovered on a Saturday - an incorrect supposition Sighted by Columbus for November 13, 1493, fell on a Wednesday); with the Biblical Queen of Sheba who visited Solomon; and with the place Savah Whon Columbus, on his second voyage, sailed past Nevis and St from the story of the Magi. 1\Il.l,H on November 13, 1493, he soon saw some more islands' According to a French missionary, father Raymond Breton, who wrote in 1665, the Carib name for Saba was Amonhana (meaning 1I1l1ll0J~, St. ~ustatius and S.aba.Because of its shape which resem~ hit d St. Chnstopher carrymg the child Jesus Columbus named not known), so that apparently the present name is not a Carib Lho latter St. Christopher. In the year 1500 Ju~n de la Cosa's M _ derivation. paln,undi was published, and on that map Saba is indicated as S~ In his book Columbus Bjorn Landstrom suggested in 1966, that hnstopher. . the name "Saba" is part of Columbus' shrewd commercial venture. According to an apocryphal story (repeated in the journals of Co- In those days there were no maps in circulation so that later lumbus' son Ferdinand) the Admiral had been promising both his seamen who visited the Lesser Antilles change'd the names Spanish patrons at home and his crew at sea that they would reach ar.ou~d. The na~e St. Christopher was given to the present St. the fabled land of Sheba and that the wealth thereof would repay KItts (a corruptIOn of the name St. Christopher) and our island got the name "Saba." ' all their labor. When he captured some Indians on Guadeloupe The name Saba As to the origin and meaning of the name "Saba" thO. k . h' . ' no mg IS nown WIt certamty. Some have connected the name with the

Viewed from the sea Saba looks like Napoleon's tricornered hat. Former travellers used to call it that in their stories. Mt. Scenery 'is 2,855 feet high (870.4 m.). ) Lithograph by navy officer G. W.C. Voorduin who visited the island in May, 1854, and Prior to 1943 a step road ?f oue; 200 steps led from Fort Bay to The Bottom.This June, 1856. The protruding rock at the right is Flat Point where the airport was built. was the startmg pomt. (Picture by Charles Herbert, 1939). Arawak word siba (rock); with the French sabot (wooden shoe, because seen from the northeast the island resembles a wooden shoe); with the panish sabado (Satqrday, because the island was supposedly discovered on a Saturday - an incorrect supposition Sighted by Columbus for November 13, 1493, fell on a Wednesday); with the Biblical Queen of Sheba who visited Solomon; and with the place Savah Whon Columbus, on his second voyage, sailed past Nevis and St from the story of the Magi. 1\Il.l,H on November 13, 1493, he soon saw some more islands' According to a French missionary, father Raymond Breton, who wrote in 1665, the Carib name for Saba was Amonhana (meaning 1I1l1ll0J~, St. ~ustatius and S.aba.Because of its shape which resem~ hit d St. Chnstopher carrymg the child Jesus Columbus named not known), so that apparently the present name is not a Carib Lho latter St. Christopher. In the year 1500 Ju~n de la Cosa's M _ derivation. paln,undi was published, and on that map Saba is indicated as S~ In his book Columbus Bjorn Landstrom suggested in 1966, that hnstopher. . the name "Saba" is part of Columbus' shrewd commercial venture. According to an apocryphal story (repeated in the journals of Co- In those days there were no maps in circulation so that later lumbus' son Ferdinand) the Admiral had been promising both his seamen who visited the Lesser Antilles change'd the names Spanish patrons at home and his crew at sea that they would reach ar.ou~d. The na~e St. Christopher was given to the present St. the fabled land of Sheba and that the wealth thereof would repay KItts (a corruptIOn of the name St. Christopher) and our island got the name "Saba." ' all their labor. When he captured some Indians on Guadeloupe The name Saba As to the origin and meaning of the name "Saba" thO. k . h' . ' no mg IS nown WIt certamty. Some have connected the name with the

Viewed from the sea Saba looks like Napoleon's tricornered hat. Former travellers used to call it that in their stories. Mt. Scenery 'is 2,855 feet high (870.4 m.). ) Lithograph by navy officer G. W.C. Voorduin who visited the island in May, 1854, and Prior to 1943 a step road ?f oue; 200 steps led from Fort Bay to The Bottom.This June, 1856. The protruding rock at the right is Flat Point where the airport was built. was the startmg pomt. (Picture by Charles Herbert, 1939). and Novis, und asked them the names of the small islands he saw on Novomber 13,they called one of them "Saba" in their language. Columbus then told the crew that the Indians were merely mis- pronouncing "Saba," or "Sheba." , Mentioned for the first time Docidedly incorrect is the explanation which, not so long ago, was given by Ron Kircher. He derives the word "Saba" from the' in 1595 manner in whi~h the name of the island appears on the oldest map of the Western Hemisphere, the Mapamundi of Juan de la Cosa who accompanied Columbus. Kircher reads the name of the island I The earliest mention of Saba by its present name occurred al- on this map as S + Bal, with the name of Christ, according to me- .!ll0st one hundred years after the island. was sig~ted for the fir~t dieval custom, being represented by a +. Later cartographers, /time. In the account of the voyage 'of SIr FranCIS Drake and SIr says Kircher, took this + for an "A." However, on the Mapamundi John Hawkins in 1595we read: . we do not see S + Bal, but rather, S Xpobal = San Cristobal whic~ "The 4th of November we began to unlade the Richard, one of iq English is St. Christopher. The Xp is the Greek form for Chr. our victuallers ... the next morning we saw the islands of Mont- serrat Redonda Estazia,St. Christopher and Saba." Fro:U this acc~unt of 1595 we see that the name St. Christopher It was probably the same with the word Saba as with so many had already been given to the present St. Kitts, but not yet cor- names of islands in the Caribbean. The word is simply a written phonetic imitation of the name which the Indians, with whom the rupted, while Saba also had its present name. !he unusual sound- ing name Estazia is the old name for St. Eustatms. Spaniards initially could not speak, gave to this or that island.

Nine years later Saba was mentioned again. In an anonymous report of a voyage in 1604 a traveller recommends that Saba be used as a beacon on the way from Guadeloupe to Ban Juan, Puerto

Up to 1938 this was part of a stairway between Forthbay and The Bottom, 200 steps. Picture taken from where the Esso Gasoline Station stands now. and Novis, und asked them the names of the small islands he saw on Novomber 13,they called one of them "Saba" in their language. Columbus then told the crew that the Indians were merely mis- pronouncing "Saba," or "Sheba." , Mentioned for the first time Docidedly incorrect is the explanation which, not so long ago, was given by Ron Kircher. He derives the word "Saba" from the' in 1595 manner in whi~h the name of the island appears on the oldest map of the Western Hemisphere, the Mapamundi of Juan de la Cosa who accompanied Columbus. Kircher reads the name of the island I The earliest mention of Saba by its present name occurred al- on this map as S + Bal, with the name of Christ, according to me- .!ll0st one hundred years after the island. was sig~ted for the fir~t dieval custom, being represented by a +. Later cartographers, /time. In the account of the voyage 'of SIr FranCIS Drake and SIr says Kircher, took this + for an "A." However, on the Mapamundi John Hawkins in 1595we read: . we do not see S + Bal, but rather, S Xpobal = San Cristobal whic~ "The 4th of November we began to unlade the Richard, one of iq English is St. Christopher. The Xp is the Greek form for Chr. our victuallers ... the next morning we saw the islands of Mont- serrat Redonda Estazia,St. Christopher and Saba." Fro:U this acc~unt of 1595 we see that the name St. Christopher It was probably the same with the word Saba as with so many had already been given to the present St. Kitts, but not yet cor- names of islands in the Caribbean. The word is simply a written phonetic imitation of the name which the Indians, with whom the rupted, while Saba also had its present name. !he unusual sound- ing name Estazia is the old name for St. Eustatms. Spaniards initially could not speak, gave to this or that island.

Nine years later Saba was mentioned again. In an anonymous report of a voyage in 1604 a traveller recommends that Saba be used as a beacon on the way from Guadeloupe to Ban Juan, Puerto

Up to 1938 this was part of a stairway between Forthbay and The Bottom, 200 steps. Picture taken from where the Esso Gasoline Station stands now. Ilico, 110 writ,OH: In 1632 some shipwrecked Englishmen succeeded in reaching "Murk'S to know the Isle of Saba. Saba in a small boat. They found no people here, but there were "~ubl:lis a!'little island, and around about it you shall. O( th hd;- some fruit trees. tom ; but feare not, for there is no danger but that which you 9hl:ll ; l:lndround about it, it maketh as it were certaine hoape:>of The Hollanders seek a base white sand; and by the side there it sheweth like a ship under In 1631 the Hollanders occupied the island of St. Maarten as a saile: but follow that direction that I have given, and you shull see supply station midway between New Holland (their colony in Bra- La Virgin Gorda." zil) and New Netherlands (New York). Two years later they were driven from St. Maarten by the Spaniards who regarded their presence as a r~sky situation, being too near the Spanish naval base in Puerto Rico. Afterwards the Hollanders established themselves in Curacao (1634), and then also occupied the island of St. Eustatius in the northern Caribbean (1636). Meanwhile', ill' 1635 Pierre B. d'Esnambuc, a French freebooter, took possession of Saba for the King of France, but no records of the French having lived on the island have been found. Neither did the French ever l~y subsequent claim to Saba.

Colonization from St. E:ustatius The Hollanders who occupied St. Eustatius in 1636wereZeelan- ders. They explored the surrounding islands and colonized or, at least, lived for some time on Tortola (formerly Tertholen), Jost van Dyke (a corrupted Dutch name), Virgin Gorda and Saba. All of these islands changed flags frequently, and only Saba has remained Dutch. One can well imagine the reason for the colonists' interest in Sa- Here and there were steps (see preceeding picture) which had completely disappeared, and hardly a roadway was left. Here a group is climbing from The Botto"} ba. The island is situated near the Saba Bank, a rich fishing grou.nd to Windwards ide. that could adequately supply the Zeelanders of St. Eustatius with fresh fish. Mentioned by a Hollander in 1624 Having landed on the island, the settlers discovered a bowl Up to the present time nothing about Saba has been found in the shaped valley which they called a "botte," the Zeeland word for Spanish archives. The island certainly was part of the Spanish do- bowl. It was a site where vegetables could be raised. Later, when main, but the Spaniards did virtually nothing toward the coloniza- English became the language of Saba, the word botte became "Bot- tion of the Lesser Antilles. tom," giving rise to the story that the valley was the crater of an The earliest mention of Saba by a Dutch source dates back to extinct volcano. The island is indeed volcanic, but the crater, which September 28, 1624, when Pieter Schouten, sailing from Jamaica has been inactive for five thousand years, according to the latest to Nevis, mentions in his log that on that day he sailed past Saba. geological findings, cannot be located anymore. Two years later Piet Heyn, the conqueror of the Silverfleet, writes in the report of his voyage: Settlement near Tent Bay "On July 17th 1626we sighted St. Eustatius and Saba." Rev. Charles de Rochefort, an itinerant clergyman in the service Neither Schouten nor Heyn landed on either island. of the grantees who financed the colonization of St. Eustatius, re- Ilico, 110 writ,OH: In 1632 some shipwrecked Englishmen succeeded in reaching "Murk'S to know the Isle of Saba. Saba in a small boat. They found no people here, but there were "~ubl:lis a!'little island, and around about it you shall. O( th hd;- some fruit trees. tom ; but feare not, for there is no danger but that which you 9hl:ll ; l:lndround about it, it maketh as it were certaine hoape:>of The Hollanders seek a base white sand; and by the side there it sheweth like a ship under In 1631 the Hollanders occupied the island of St. Maarten as a saile: but follow that direction that I have given, and you shull see supply station midway between New Holland (their colony in Bra- La Virgin Gorda." zil) and New Netherlands (New York). Two years later they were driven from St. Maarten by the Spaniards who regarded their presence as a r~sky situation, being too near the Spanish naval base in Puerto Rico. Afterwards the Hollanders established themselves in Curacao (1634), and then also occupied the island of St. Eustatius in the northern Caribbean (1636). Meanwhile', ill' 1635 Pierre B. d'Esnambuc, a French freebooter, took possession of Saba for the King of France, but no records of the French having lived on the island have been found. Neither did the French ever l~y subsequent claim to Saba.

Colonization from St. E:ustatius The Hollanders who occupied St. Eustatius in 1636wereZeelan- ders. They explored the surrounding islands and colonized or, at least, lived for some time on Tortola (formerly Tertholen), Jost van Dyke (a corrupted Dutch name), Virgin Gorda and Saba. All of these islands changed flags frequently, and only Saba has remained Dutch. One can well imagine the reason for the colonists' interest in Sa- Here and there were steps (see preceeding picture) which had completely disappeared, and hardly a roadway was left. Here a group is climbing from The Botto"} ba. The island is situated near the Saba Bank, a rich fishing grou.nd to Windwards ide. that could adequately supply the Zeelanders of St. Eustatius with fresh fish. Mentioned by a Hollander in 1624 Having landed on the island, the settlers discovered a bowl Up to the present time nothing about Saba has been found in the shaped valley which they called a "botte," the Zeeland word for Spanish archives. The island certainly was part of the Spanish do- bowl. It was a site where vegetables could be raised. Later, when main, but the Spaniards did virtually nothing toward the coloniza- English became the language of Saba, the word botte became "Bot- tion of the Lesser Antilles. tom," giving rise to the story that the valley was the crater of an The earliest mention of Saba by a Dutch source dates back to extinct volcano. The island is indeed volcanic, but the crater, which September 28, 1624, when Pieter Schouten, sailing from Jamaica has been inactive for five thousand years, according to the latest to Nevis, mentions in his log that on that day he sailed past Saba. geological findings, cannot be located anymore. Two years later Piet Heyn, the conqueror of the Silverfleet, writes in the report of his voyage: Settlement near Tent Bay "On July 17th 1626we sighted St. Eustatius and Saba." Rev. Charles de Rochefort, an itinerant clergyman in the service Neither Schouten nor Heyn landed on either island. of the grantees who financed the colonization of St. Eustatius, recorded that the Commander of St. Eustatius founded a settlement English settlers on Saba. This must have taken place about 1640. Dutch, in this Rather shortly after the Zeelanders the English also settled on case Zeelanders, have therefore colonized Saba. the island. As early as 1659 Saba requested a clergyman with a The first colonists established themselves on the small south knowledge of the English language. There were living on the is- beach to the west of Fort Bay. They also built a small fort to pro- land at that time 57 Dutchmen, 54 English, Scots and Irishmen. tect themselves against pirates who, in the seventeenth century, This is the oldest population record of Saba. The e.arliest colonists made the sea unsafe. The names "Ford Road," "Fort Hill," "Fort were enormously enterprising people for they were the builders of Bay," and "Breast Work" preserve the memory of this. the stone step roads hewn out of the hillsides. Until 1947 and the The first settlement disappeared in 1651as the result of a land- arrival of the first motor vehicle, these flights of stairs consisting .slide. At Tent Bay, some distance to the west of Fort Bay, there of hundreds of steps were the only connection between villages. are still some foundations and remains of water cisterns to be seen. Without these step roads development of the'island would never have been possible. The B~ttom, the original agricultural site, is 820 feet (250 m) above sea level; Windward side, 1,804 feet (550 m); St. Johns, 1,214 feet (370 m); and Hell's Gate, 1,968 feet (600m).

Old cistern near Tent Bay where rainwater used to be collected. Nowadays, each house has its own cistern or water tank.

The colonists preferred to live on higher ground and went to dwell in The Bottom. The little fort must have fallen into decay, for during later attacks on the island we find no mention of it being In 1962 the Princesses Irene and Margriet visited the island. Wearing raincoats used as a means of protection. From a document of 1702 it appears the princesses were carried ashore. At right, behind the P:inces~ Irenl?"Lt. G?ve:- norJ. J: Beaujon of the Windward Islands. At center, behInd Prmces:; Margnet, IS that the remains of the little fort could still be seen; however, after Acting Governor of the Netherlands Antilles the late Ch. Winkel G.A.Zn. The that nothing more is heard of its existence. - others are'part of the retinue. (Photo Fred Fischer). corded that the Commander of St. Eustatius founded a settlement English settlers on Saba. This must have taken place about 1640. Dutch, in this Rather shortly after the Zeelanders the English also settled on case Zeelanders, have therefore colonized Saba. the island. As early as 1659 Saba requested a clergyman with a The first colonists established themselves on the small south knowledge of the English language. There were living on the is- beach to the west of Fort Bay. They also built a small fort to pro- land at that time 57 Dutchmen, 54 English, Scots and Irishmen. tect themselves against pirates who, in the seventeenth century, This is the oldest population record of Saba. The e.arliest colonists made the sea unsafe. The names "Ford Road," "Fort Hill," "Fort were enormously enterprising people for they were the builders of Bay," and "Breast Work" preserve the memory of this. the stone step roads hewn out of the hillsides. Until 1947 and the The first settlement disappeared in 1651as the result of a land- arrival of the first motor vehicle, these flights of stairs consisting .slide. At Tent Bay, some distance to the west of Fort Bay, there of hundreds of steps were the only connection between villages. are still some foundations and remains of water cisterns to be seen. Without these step roads development of the'island would never have been possible. The B~ttom, the original agricultural site, is 820 feet (250 m) above sea level; Windward side, 1,804 feet (550 m); St. Johns, 1,214 feet (370 m); and Hell's Gate, 1,968 feet (600m).

Old cistern near Tent Bay where rainwater used to be collected. Nowadays, each house has its own cistern or water tank.

The Dutch who colonized Saba were Zeelanaers who spoke the It, eland dialect, a language which in the 17th century differed more from the official Dutch language than at present. We have already seen that rather shortly after the arrival of the Zeelan- ders, the English, Scots and Irish also came to live on the island. Some think that a few Presbyterians expelled during the reigns of Elizabeth I (1558-1603)and Charles I (1625-1649)may have come to Saba. This could be true in view of the request of the early settlers for an English speaking clergyman (see preceeding chapter).Why We saw that in 1659 there were nearly as many Zeelanders as Presbyterians would have chosen Saba is an unanswered question. English speaking people living on Saba. It is the tendency every- A similar question is presented by the Irish, for they were Roman where for the Dutch to adopt the language of others.In the Eng- Catholics. lish colonies English was the language; in the French colonies, (£Oil t 0f !\nns French; and in the Spanish colonies, Spanish. In not a single Dutch colony has Dutch become the language of the people. On Saba it was no different, hence the request for an English speaking clergyman as early as 1659. The rapid anglicization was undoubtedly furthered by the Eng- lish who, in August, 1665, captured the island and moved all the putch settlers found there to St. Maarten. Saba was, it is true, re- captured by the Dutch as early as October of the same year, but we think that many of the Dutch deportees remained on St. Maar- teJ;1where the agricultural and commercial possibilities were so much geater. Besides, .§.?baagain ell under-English rule for the seven years from 1672 to 1679.-' The name "Hassell" (or "Hazel," . originally the_same) appears aS9rlyas 1677. The lineage is old, and it is the only surname on Saha for which a heraldic symbol ex~ists In 1687 we find Leverick (spelled with an "i") and Vanrder Poel which was later anglicized to Vanterpool. Other Dutch names were anglicized as, for ex~mple, Zeegers which became Sagers or Zagers. . The Hassells were ih Saba as early as 1677. On Saba in the 17th century nationality meant little or nothing. They are the only family with a crest. During the 17th and 18th centuries there were just as many Vice- lJasscll This is the crest of the Hassell family, Commanders of the island with Dutch names as with English as found in Burke's General Armory. names. On St. 1':lIstiltius some knowledge of the Dutch language was n'l(lIir('d he cause the official Dutch was maintained in government dO('lllnents. SBarbados which resulted in a retalia- ent opinion. He writes that "the,people use a debased form of Eng- tory attack by the British on St. Eustatius. One of the ships of the lish of limited vocabulary and characteristically spoken in a high British expedition, the Mayflower, occupied Saba which was a sing-song voice.". dependency of St. Eustatius at that time. As mentioned in the pre- In earlier times, as we shall see further, there was little contact vious chapter, the 87 Dutch settlers living on Saba were, together between the inhabitants of the four principal settlements, The Bot- with their slaves, deported to St. Maarten. The sixty English, tom, St. Johns, Windwardside, and Hell's Gate, with the result Scots and Irishmen were not molested. The English occupation that the English spoken in each of these villages acquired its own was brief, for they were gone as early as October of the same year. separate style. Saba became anglicized not onl'yin its language but in other res- English occupation in 1672 pects also. Afternoon tea, including bread with jam, belongs to the Saba suffered a second attack by the British in 1672 when, dur- cultural pattern of Saba. So do the Anglican Church and the game ing the Third English War, Holland fought against England and of cricket. France. Forty troops were billeted on the island. It is true that in 1674 in the Second Treaty of Westminster the previous status of the island was restored in a territorial sense, but the English did not give back St. Eustatius and Saba because of the .commercial and strategic position of the former. It was not until 1679 that the English left.

One's own defense system Having' been occupied twice was quite sufficient for the Silbans. The colonists had been molded into persons who tolerated no interference from outsiders. The islanders built their own defense system, both unique and Place called "Under the Hill". This is the road from Hotel Captain's Quarters (left, appropriate. It is noteworthy that with the attacks of 1665 and not on the photo) to the center of Windwardside. 1672no mention is made of a fort which certainly would have been privateer had difficulty in staying near the steep coast so as not to be seen from above. While Pinel and his men were making the as- cent, the privateer shot out too far from the coast and was seen by the Sabans. What could be simpler than removing the props from under the stages? Several of Pinel's men were killed under the tumbling boulders, and the remainder of the men withdrew in all haste to their ship. Pinel left, but his ship struck a reef to the northwest of St. Maarten. Since that time it has been called Pinel's Key.

No interference with Saba Until 1781, when one of Rodney's officers succeeded in taking the island by surprise, the Sabans kept foreign privateers from their coasts. For almost a century the island remained unmolested. The Saban spirit of independence and intolerance of outside intervention led also to protest against their subordinate position to St. Eustatius. The colonization of St. Eustatius and Saba - together they formed one colony - was originally in private hands. The Council of Nineteen, the governing body of the Netherlands West India Company, could charge one of the Chambers of the Company with the administration of the colony. They could do like- Visit of the Dutch warship WILLEM VAN DER ZAAN. The site is Ladder Bay. no wise with private individuals who financed the colonization and longer in use for ship landings. At the far right is the stairway leading to The Bottom. collected the resulting revenues even though they did not person- The year was 1949. (Photo Fred Fischer). ally come to the islands. Such a private individual, called a "gran- tee," appointed a commander. Until 1682, St. Eustatius was used had it been there. Subsequent to the second British invasion colonized by some merchants from Flushing. In the same year the the Sabans built wooden stages heaped high with boulders at the Company bought out the grantees and transferred the administra- tops of the ravines or "guts" which form the steep passages up- tion to the Chamber of Zeeland. ward. Should an undesirable intruder land and start to climb it The Sabans made use of this. They made it known that in view of was necessary only to remove the props holding the stages' in the new administration they wanted to be separated from St. Eus- place and an avalanche of stones would thunder down. tatius. They no longer wanted to have a vice-commander who was Pinel driven off appointed by the commander of St. Eustatius. Delay in sending provisions and ammunition, which took place through the Com- The Nine Years' War began in 1689. Holland was now an ally of pany, was blamed on the Council of St. Eustatius. They, accor- England in a struggle with France. In April, 1689, a French squa- ding to the Sabans, took care of the mother island first. The dis- dron captured St. Eustatius. One of the French, a certain Captain satisfaction went so far that the Sabans even threatened to cast Pinel, was sent to take Saba. their lot with the English. When, in 1689, St. Eustatius was When he approached the island the Sabans were not at first captured by the French and Saba was not, the Sabans simply re- aware of any threatening danger since Pinel was using a brig he nounced on July 11, 1689, any allegiance to Commander Lucas had captured at sea. This vessel was well known to the Sabans, for Schorer who had been dismissed by the French and had fled to it traded regularly with their island. The familiar brig was allowed Nevis. The Sabans declared themselves independent of the Council to come near the shore, and Pinel and his men landed. Pinel's own of St. Eustatius and appointed the Vice-Commander of Saba, Engel privateer had difficulty in staying near the steep coast so as not to be seen from above. While Pinel and his men were making the as- cent, the privateer shot out too far from the coast and was seen by the Sabans. What could be simpler than removing the props from under the stages? Several of Pinel's men were killed under the tumbling boulders, and the remainder of the men withdrew in all haste to their ship. Pinel left, but his ship struck a reef to the northwest of St. Maarten. Since that time it has been called Pinel's Key.

No interference with Saba Until 1781, when one of Rodney's officers succeeded in taking the island by surprise, the Sabans kept foreign privateers from their coasts. For almost a century the island remained unmolested. The Saban spirit of independence and intolerance of outside intervention led also to protest against their subordinate position to St. Eustatius. The colonization of St. Eustatius and Saba - together they formed one colony - was originally in private hands. The Council of Nineteen, the governing body of the Netherlands West India Company, could charge one of the Chambers of the Company with the administration of the colony. They could do like- Visit of the Dutch warship WILLEM VAN DER ZAAN. The site is Ladder Bay. no wise with private individuals who financed the colonization and longer in use for ship landings. At the far right is the stairway leading to The Bottom. collected the resulting revenues even though they did not person- The year was 1949. (Photo Fred Fischer). ally come to the islands. Such a private individual, called a "gran- tee," appointed a commander. Until 1682, St. Eustatius was used had it been there. Subsequent to the second British invasion colonized by some merchants from Flushing. In the same year the the Sabans built wooden stages heaped high with boulders at the Company bought out the grantees and transferred the administra- tops of the ravines or "guts" which form the steep passages up- tion to the Chamber of Zeeland. ward. Should an undesirable intruder land and start to climb it The Sabans made use of this. They made it known that in view of was necessary only to remove the props holding the stages' in the new administration they wanted to be separated from St. Eus- place and an avalanche of stones would thunder down. tatius. They no longer wanted to have a vice-commander who was Pinel driven off appointed by the commander of St. Eustatius. Delay in sending provisions and ammunition, which took place through the Com- The Nine Years' War began in 1689. Holland was now an ally of pany, was blamed on the Council of St. Eustatius. They, accor- England in a struggle with France. In April, 1689, a French squa- ding to the Sabans, took care of the mother island first. The dis- dron captured St. Eustatius. One of the French, a certain Captain satisfaction went so far that the Sabans even threatened to cast Pinel, was sent to take Saba. their lot with the English. When, in 1689, St. Eustatius was When he approached the island the Sabans were not at first captured by the French and Saba was not, the Sabans simply re- aware of any threatening danger since Pinel was using a brig he nounced on July 11, 1689, any allegiance to Commander Lucas had captured at sea. This vessel was well known to the Sabans, for Schorer who had been dismissed by the French and had fled to it traded regularly with their island. The familiar brig was allowed Nevis. The Sabans declared themselves independent of the Council to come near the shore, and Pinel and his men landed. Pinel's own of St. Eustatius and appointed the Vice-Commander of Saba, Engel That, is t,he way it, was done. On the night, of July 25 or 26, 1690, t,he lillIe troop landed at, Jenkins Bay and there overpowered two French sentries. Doncker sent them to Saba where, on being quest,ioned by Scharer, they said that there were 40 soldier::; and 30 planters encamped in Fort Oranje on St.Eustatius. With a second troop 16 strong Schorer then embarked for St. Eustatius. With his nearly 50 men he marched on Fort Oranje, but while he was on the way, there landed 350 Englishmen who had likewise planned to capture St. Eustatius. During the Nine Years' War England and Holland fought shoulder to shoulder as allies, but at Fort Oranje they stood armed against each other, each eager to strike his blow. The English were by far in the majority. Scharer, realizing that this was hardly a match and not certain of his fate if the English should win, returned with his men to Saba.

Steproad from The Bqttom to Windwards ide in 1931, 900 steps. Flowers bloomed everywhere and birds warbled on every hillside. van Beverhoudt, as Commander. A former assistant of the Com- pany on Cura-;ao, Gilles Pietersz, who was living on Saba at the time, was appointed Secretary.

Expedition of liberation As soon as Scharer on Nevis became aware that the Sabans had beaten off Pinel, he and other St. Eustatius refugees decided to go to Saba to try to liberate St. Eustatius from the French. Scharer, who shortly before had been repudiated by the Sabans, was, on his arrival, again recognized as Commander, and the Council of Saba even helped in the setting up of a plan to recapture St. Eustatius on July 13, 1690. The plan was to be carried out as soon as a suitable vessel could be obtained. A few days later such a ship arrived from St. Thomas. It was hired, and on July 25, 1690, 30 to 35 men embarked for St. Eustatius for reconnaissance purposes. Scharer waited with the remainder of the volunteers on Saba. The reconnoitering expedition was under the leadership of the Company's doctor, Jan Si- monsz Doncker, who had been captain of the citizenry on St. Eustatius. Doncker was to land in Jenkins Bay and see what he A picnic in the twenties. Sitting in the foreground looking at the camera is Ad- could learn. He was to send word of his findings on to Schorer. ministrator W. F. M. Lampe. That, is t,he way it, was done. On the night, of July 25 or 26, 1690, t,he lillIe troop landed at, Jenkins Bay and there overpowered two French sentries. Doncker sent them to Saba where, on being quest,ioned by Scharer, they said that there were 40 soldier::; and 30 planters encamped in Fort Oranje on St.Eustatius. With a second troop 16 strong Schorer then embarked for St. Eustatius. With his nearly 50 men he marched on Fort Oranje, but while he was on the way, there landed 350 Englishmen who had likewise planned to capture St. Eustatius. During the Nine Years' War England and Holland fought shoulder to shoulder as allies, but at Fort Oranje they stood armed against each other, each eager to strike his blow. The English were by far in the majority. Scharer, realizing that this was hardly a match and not certain of his fate if the English should win, returned with his men to Saba.

Expedition of liberation As soon as Scharer on Nevis became aware that the Sabans had beaten off Pinel, he and other St. Eustatius refugees decided to go to Saba to try to liberate St. Eustatius from the French. Scharer, who shortly before had been repudiated by the Sabans, was, on his arrival, again recognized as Commander, and the Council of Saba even helped in the setting up of a plan to recapture St. Eustatius on July 13, 1690. The plan was to be carried out as soon as a suitable vessel could be obtained. A few days later such a ship arrived from St. Thomas. It was hired, and on July 25, 1690, 30 to 35 men embarked for St. Eustatius for reconnaissance purposes. Scharer waited with the remainder of the volunteers on Saba. The reconnoitering expedition was under the leadership of the Company's doctor, Jan Si- monsz Doncker, who had been captain of the citizenry on St. Eustatius. Doncker was to land in Jenkins Bay and see what he A picnic in the twenties. Sitting in the foreground looking at the camera is Ad- could learn. He was to send word of his findings on to Schorer. ministrator W. F. M. Lampe. The Commander or Governor came on board after our ship's boat had gone ashore and we ha.dbeen recognized. For although we are at peace, they feared marauding pirates. He invited us to dine with him. I was very pleased as I was eager to see the island. Thus we climbed and were agreeably surprised with the most lovely and serene landscape on top of what appeared to be nothing but a frightening rock. Prosperous Saba We were told that the island was divided into four districts containing 45 to 50 families. The dwellings are clean and well maintained. In the 18th century Saba was the most prosperous of the three Windward Islands. Sabans knew how to keep foreign intruders The main business is shoemaking. I have never seen such a country with so from their coasts and could therefore develop in all tranquillity. many cobblers. The Governor, the Minister, everyone devotes himself to this noble craft. Everywhere that the soil lent itself, it was cultivated. Especially At any rate, we were most hospitably received. The inhabitants live in peace sugarcane and cotton were grown, both for export and for the and unity. They often dine at each other's tables. There is no butcher's shop as on manufacture of hammocks and stockings from home spun cotton larger islands, but each slaughters as many beasts as necessary in his district thread. without payment. Each takes what meat he needs from the man who has killed his beast, and pays him back, so to say, in his own coin, for each gets his turn to slaughter. The Commander begins and all others follow until it is his turn again.

Among the inhabitants were several French refugees who showed me a great deal of kindness.

After having walked about all afternoon,I slept on shore. My clothing (the white Dominican habit I' surprised the people somewhat, but they were pleased when I entered their homes so that they could look at me at their leisure.

I bought six pairs of shoes which were extremely good. We had taken in raw hides or uncured leather at Ile-a-Vache (Cow Island, south of Haiti) which we sold on Saba. The Sabans ply trade in no other business except shoe making and for the rest grow some cotton and indigo, but they are well to do, have slaves, silverware and adequate furniture.

It is believed that several shoemakers from St. Eustatius established themselves on Saba around 1665. As there were so few pos- A t full tilt Elaine Hassell, a Saban girl, is off to teach school. In the background is sibilities on the island, as time passed nearly everyone tried to St. Paul's Church, Windwardside. Photograph taken in 1939. ,earn some money by making shoes. Among the English speaking In 1701 the well known roaming Dominican priest and writer, people, as we have seen, were quite a few Irishmen, and they were Jean Baptiste Labat, visited Saba. He arrived on Sunday, April 27, Roman Catholics. So a shoemakers guild was formed called St. 1701, at Ladder Bay. He describes in his book Nouveau Voyage Crispin's Guild after the 13th century French saint, a shoemaker aux Isles de l'Amerique the "zigzag track hewn in the rocks who provided the poor with shoes free of charge and who preached leading to the summit," and says that the first people who landed the Gospel through good deeds. He became the patron saint of on Saba must have had to use ladders to reach the top. He saw at shoemakers and tanners. A settlement on Saba still bears the name several places the stages piled high with stones and wrote that the Crispeen after this saint, a memento of the former shoe industry. island is "... a natural fortress and absolutely impregnable." Because of Father Labat we know what the Sabans did around After that he tells of his reception and stay: the year 1700 and that they were content. From Labat's last sen- The Commander or Governor came on board after our ship's boat had gone ashore and we ha.dbeen recognized. For although we are at peace, they feared marauding pirates. He invited us to dine with him. I was very pleased as I was eager to see the island. Thus we climbed and were agreeably surprised with the most lovely and serene landscape on top of what appeared to be nothing but a frightening rock. Prosperous Saba We were told that the island was divided into four districts containing 45 to 50 families. The dwellings are clean and well maintained. In the 18th century Saba was the most prosperous of the three Windward Islands. Sabans knew how to keep foreign intruders The main business is shoemaking. I have never seen such a country with so from their coasts and could therefore develop in all tranquillity. many cobblers. The Governor, the Minister, everyone devotes himself to this noble craft. Everywhere that the soil lent itself, it was cultivated. Especially At any rate, we were most hospitably received. The inhabitants live in peace sugarcane and cotton were grown, both for export and for the and unity. They often dine at each other's tables. There is no butcher's shop as on manufacture of hammocks and stockings from home spun cotton larger islands, but each slaughters as many beasts as necessary in his district thread. without payment. Each takes what meat he needs from the man who has killed his beast, and pays him back, so to say, in his own coin, for each gets his turn to slaughter. The Commander begins and all others follow until it is his turn again.

Among the inhabitants were several French refugees who showed me a great deal of kindness.

The Bottom, according to a picture made in 1923. (Picture State Museum of Ethno- logy, Leyden).

Although there was a Reformed Church on the island, there was never a permanent clergyman except from 1736 to 1739. Only oc- casionally did a clergyman come to Saba from St. Eustatius. The result of this was that the Sabans, by then almost exclusively English speaking, joined the English churches. The Presbyterian Church began its work on Saba in 1755 and the Anglican Church in 1777. The latter drew more followers. The Presbyteriah Church disappeared after a few years, but the Anglican Church has remained to the present.

The Bottom, according to a picture made in 1923. (Picture State Museum of Ethno- logy, Leyden).

A patriarchal society Saba remained Dutch from 1679 until 1781. Regardless of the happenings on the larger islands, Saba maintained its isolation and was undisturbed for a century. The inhabitants, living spread out over the island, seldom received visits from the government of St. Eustatius to which Saba administratively belonged. Therefore, a patriarchal society developed w:here only a few family feuds dis- At Crispeen a semaphore was used to signal to ships, so that the island's residents turbed the peace. would know of the arrival of a vessel. For years Mrs. M. Every operated the semaphore. Picture made in 1939. Since 1969 the semaphore is no lonf(er being used. . A hurricane in 1772 put an abrupt ~nd to this peaceful way of • life. The church and about 100 homes were seriously damaged but tack or else the Sabans did nothing toward defending their island, could be rebuilt. That was not the case with the devastated cotton for the English landed without meeting any resistance. Cockburn, and coffee plantations. After 1772 the coffee and cotton cultivated in a letter to his home country, described the event in these lyrics: on Saba were no longer sufficient for the island's consumption. Those items then had to be imported from St. Thomas. We climbed and climbed and waded Through a mass of shale and gravel, Sometimes backsliding, 'till we reached The borders of a level: Even though pirates could not come to the shore, they still did With circumjacent hills not leave Saba entirely undisturbed. In 1779 English privateers That hemmed in every side - pulled out to sea a North American brig which had been secured to Then only did we realize, the shore with ropes at Fort Bay. When the Sabans tried to pre- And not a moment later That this top was the bottom of vent this they were fired upon. Some time later the English sim- An old volcano crater. ilarly captured two North American schooners, the Liddy and the Liberty, but they did not come ashore. The false story that The Bottom is in the bottom of the crater existed already in 1781. The raid of 1781 Close to Saba a few small ships fell into the hands of the English. Only in 1781 was the enemy able to come ashore. After Rodney Because the Sabans offered no resistance, the treatment given the had captured St. Eustatius he dispatched one of his officers, Sir people of the island was better than the treatment given those on James Cockburn, to capture Saba. It must have been a surprise at- St. Eustatius. The English occupation lasted only from February to November of the same year when the French drove them out. The French remained for two and one half years.

The old Administrator's office in 1925. In the front center with a straw hat in his hands is Administrator W. F. M Lampe (1921-1927). life. The church and about 100 homes were seriously damaged but tack or else the Sabans did nothing toward defending their island, could be rebuilt. That was not the case with the devastated cotton for the English landed without meeting any resistance. Cockburn, and coffee plantations. After 1772 the coffee and cotton cultivated in a letter to his home country, described the event in these lyrics: on Saba were no longer sufficient for the island's consumption. Those items then had to be imported from St. Thomas. We climbed and climbed and waded Through a mass of shale and gravel, Sometimes backsliding, 'till we reached The borders of a level: Even though pirates could not come to the shore, they still did With circumjacent hills not leave Saba entirely undisturbed. In 1779 English privateers That hemmed in every side - pulled out to sea a North American brig which had been secured to Then only did we realize, the shore with ropes at Fort Bay. When the Sabans tried to pre- And not a moment later That this top was the bottom of vent this they were fired upon. Some time later the English sim- An old volcano crater. ilarly captured two North American schooners, the Liddy and the Liberty, but they did not come ashore. The false story that The Bottom is in the bottom of the crater existed already in 1781. The raid of 1781 Close to Saba a few small ships fell into the hands of the English. Only in 1781 was the enemy able to come ashore. After Rodney Because the Sabans offered no resistance, the treatment given the had captured St. Eustatius he dispatched one of his officers, Sir people of the island was better than the treatment given those on James Cockburn, to capture Saba. It must have been a surprise at- St. Eustatius. The English occupation lasted only from February to November of the same year when the French drove them out. The French remained for two and one half years.

The old Administrator's office in 1925. In the front center with a straw hat in his hands is Administrator W. F. M Lampe (1921-1927). In the preceeding chapters we hope we have made it clear that.. the comparative prosperity Saba enjoyed in the 17th and 18th centuries was the result of its own domestic activity. The colonizing Saba as a dependency of authorities at that time meddled very little with matters on Saba. Neither the grantees before 1682,nor the Chamber of Zeeland, nor St. Maarten the Netherlands West India Company' after that, nor the State after having taken over the administration of the colonies in 1792 - none of these bodies showed much interest in the island. This is also attested to by the few records on Saba which have been The last quarter of the 18th century dealt Saba one blow after preserved. The governors of Saba were not diligent in writ- another. The earlier mentioned hurricane of 1772 was one of the ing reports, and the masters elsewhere took things rather easy as severest ever to rage in the area. Nine years afterwards Saba was long as the island was no expense. At the end of the 18th century occupied by the English who, after some months, were driven out St. Eustatius had a deficiency of 50,000 guilders but Saba - so by the French under whose regime the island collapsed economi- wrote Governor Pieter A. Godin of St. Eustatius - had no defi- cally. After Cockburn's raid the defense system was not recon- ciency. In favorable years Saba even had a surplus of 50 guilders. structed. The result of this was one raid after another. In the 35 However, as soon as the state of affairs on Saba became less op- timistic, the State, which replaced the West India Company in 1792,began interfering in Saba's affairs. In 1801 Saba was English but at; the Peace of Amiens in 1802 Holland, as the Batavian Rep- ublic, a satellite of France, received her colonies back, Saba included. We know that Saba was colonized from St. Eustatius and always'remained a'dependency of that island. In 1802, however, the government of the Batavian Republic decided to unite Saba with

Looking down on Windwards ide around 1925 from the old police sta·tion. The building with the flag was the Government Guesthouse (now a privately owned hotel called Scout's Place). The buildings down below are now the hotel Captain's Quar- ters which has been much enlarged. In 1911'the government started elementary education in Saba. In 1926 governor years between 1781and 1816Saba changed flags no less than eight Dr.Nicolaas J. L. Brantjes (not visible), visiting the island, opened the building, times. Changes of flag brought little change in government. The which was later called after the Saban scholar the Dr. Moses Crossley School. In same persons held the same offices, for there were too few capable 1973 the school was closed. The lady is Mrs. Brantjes; in dark suit lieutenant-governor RichardJ. Beaujon. Next to him Father Norbertus de Groen. In front of the persons fOI forming new governments. For the year 1790 it is pillar James Hassell (known as "Jim Hazel") from St. John's. Behind the policeman known that only four out of 730 white persons living on Saba could Captain Vanterpool, father-in-law of the administrator W. F. M. Lampe. In the read and write. shade doctor Fons Henriquez. See also next page. the colony of St. Maarten, a situation which immediately took effect when the French flag was replaced by the Dutch flag on Jan- uary 17, 1803. Saba remained under the governor of St. Maarten until January 15, 1821.This arrangement was not disturbed by the Life in the 19th century English who occupied the Windward Islands from 1810 to 1816. Saba was therefore a dependency of St. Maarten for 18 years. Again, this made little difference in local government on the In 1816 Saba again became Dutch. On February 21 the Dutch island. flag was hoisted permanently. Spread over the island there were approximately 150 houses Louis Napoleon's report and some straw huts. There were 656 white persons, all born on In 1806 Louis Napoleon, the Emporer Napoleon's brother, was Saba, 27 free colored persons, and 462 slaves - a curious ratio be- appointed by the latter to be King of Holland. The King applied cause on other islands slaves were in the majority. In 1715,almost himself with interest to the task assigned him and in so doing con- exactly one century earlier, there were 336 white persons and 1.16 cerned himself with the colonies. Soon after his accession to the slaves living on the island. By 1816 the number of slaves had 10- throne in 1806he had inquiries made into the financial significance creased well over two and one half times. The importing of slaves of the Caribbean islands belonging to Holland. It was not an en- had nearly ceased, for we saw that in the course of the 18th cen- couraging report, for the colonies were 6nly an expense. Each year tury agriculture had declined. In other words, the increase would the Leeward Islands showed a deficiency of 600,000 to 700,000 appear to be the result of natural accretion. The white population guilders which had to be made up by Holland. Unfortunately, the doubled, mainly by natural accretion while a minimal number of report does not contain specific figures on the expenses of the new settlers came. colony St. Maarten-Saba. As for Saba, the report states that the The harmonious atmosphere of the island in the 18th century population consisted of 700 white people, more or less, and about had not disappeared by 1816. We learn that the slaves on Saba 500 slaves. It said, "Two hundred persons exist from agricul- were not treated as slaves. The white people and the slaves work- ture, but an abundance of sulphur, alum and similar products ed side by side on the plantations. might be obtained from the mountain if it were not so inacces- One of originally two sugar plantations was still under cultiva- sible." Interesting information indeed, for it shows that as early as tion. It was located near The Bottom. Sixty slaves worked there, of 1806 it was being considered in what way the sulphur found on which half were children. Depending on the rainfall this plantation Saba could be exploited. produced from 20 to 25 thousand pounds of sugar per year which supplied the needs of the island. In addition, Saba produced 1,000 pounds of coffee per year (too little for domestic use) and some cotton used in the cottage industry of making stockings and gloves which were sent elsewhere to be sold. The shoe industry of yore was gone. After 1820the cultivation of coffee disappeared as well. In contrast to the 18th century when there was a relatively large number of cattle on Saba, nothing was done toward cattle raising in the early part of the 19th century. Sheep and goats for private consumption were bought in Puerto Rico. This situation soon changed for the better around 1835,for we again read about especially fat cattle and hogs, some of which were exported. Cultiva- tion of the land produced only what was necessary for the island. In self-built sailboats, rowboats and canoes the men went to the Saba Bank to fish ·and to Aves Island to catch turtles and pick up the colony of St. Maarten, a situation which immediately took effect when the French flag was replaced by the Dutch flag on Jan- uary 17, 1803. Saba remained under the governor of St. Maarten until January 15, 1821.This arrangement was not disturbed by the Life in the 19th century English who occupied the Windward Islands from 1810 to 1816. Saba was therefore a dependency of St. Maarten for 18 years. Again, this made little difference in local government on the In 1816 Saba again became Dutch. On February 21 the Dutch island. flag was hoisted permanently. Spread over the island there were approximately 150 houses Louis Napoleon's report and some straw huts. There were 656 white persons, all born on In 1806 Louis Napoleon, the Emporer Napoleon's brother, was Saba, 27 free colored persons, and 462 slaves - a curious ratio be- appointed by the latter to be King of Holland. The King applied cause on other islands slaves were in the majority. In 1715,almost himself with interest to the task assigned him and in so doing con- exactly one century earlier, there were 336 white persons and 1.16 cerned himself with the colonies. Soon after his accession to the slaves living on the island. By 1816 the number of slaves had 10- throne in 1806he had inquiries made into the financial significance creased well over two and one half times. The importing of slaves of the Caribbean islands belonging to Holland. It was not an en- had nearly ceased, for we saw that in the course of the 18th cen- couraging report, for the colonies were 6nly an expense. Each year tury agriculture had declined. In other words, the increase would the Leeward Islands showed a deficiency of 600,000 to 700,000 appear to be the result of natural accretion. The white population guilders which had to be made up by Holland. Unfortunately, the doubled, mainly by natural accretion while a minimal number of report does not contain specific figures on the expenses of the new settlers came. colony St. Maarten-Saba. As for Saba, the report states that the The harmonious atmosphere of the island in the 18th century population consisted of 700 white people, more or less, and about had not disappeared by 1816. We learn that the slaves on Saba 500 slaves. It said, "Two hundred persons exist from agricul- were not treated as slaves. The white people and the slaves work- ture, but an abundance of sulphur, alum and similar products ed side by side on the plantations. might be obtained from the mountain if it were not so inacces- One of originally two sugar plantations was still under cultiva- sible." Interesting information indeed, for it shows that as early as tion. It was located near The Bottom. Sixty slaves worked there, of 1806 it was being considered in what way the sulphur found on which half were children. Depending on the rainfall this plantation Saba could be exploited. produced from 20 to 25 thousand pounds of sugar per year which supplied the needs of the island. In addition, Saba produced 1,000 pounds of coffee per year (too little for domestic use) and some cotton used in the cottage industry of making stockings and gloves which were sent elsewhere to be sold. The shoe industry of yore was gone. After 1820the cultivation of coffee disappeared as well. In contrast to the 18th century when there was a relatively large number of cattle on Saba, nothing was done toward cattle raising in the early part of the 19th century. Sheep and goats for private consumption were bought in Puerto Rico. This situation soon changed for the better around 1835,for we again read about especially fat cattle and hogs, some of which were exported. Cultiva- tion of the land produced only what was necessary for the island. In self-built sailboats, rowboats and canoes the men went to the Saba Bank to fish ·and to Aves Island to catch turtles and pick up and Hell's Gate. There is a local belief that Zion's Hill could be the original name of the little village of Hell's Gate but that it was so difficult to reach that the second name was used. However, not a single document have we found dating hefore 1900 in which the name Zion's Hill was used. Each of these districts had its own elected head, and the eldest of the elected councillors served as head of the island. Without concerning himself very much with it, the Commander of St. Eus- tatius appointed this man as Vice-Commander, a custom which after 1845,when the Windward Islands came under the Governor of Cura~ao, was taken over by that functionary. In general, the Vice- Commander of Saba continued for a long time in office. Before 1821when the island was subordinate to St. Maarten and after, when again it was a dependency of St. Eustatius, the tie with the "mother island" was never very strong. One seldom finds record of documents that were sent to either. Before 1821 not a single visit to Saba was made by the Commander of St. Maarten; after that the Commander of St. Eustatius visited the island once or twice. The difficult accessibility of the island would have been one of the reasons. Even the Navy preferred to let Saba be. When in 1854 a Dutch warship officially visited the islands and the

birds' eggs. Any of these not needed for domestic use were bartered in St. Thomas for clothing, shoes, hats, flour, wine, and, strangely enough, in view of the existence of cattle and hogs on Saba, for salted bacon and beef.

Each lived to himself Every home, in a sense, was self-sufficient with its own garden containing some bananas and sugarcane for the family's use. Each home therefore needed its own hand operated sugar press consist- i~g of. two horizontal wooden rollers which turned in opposite dIrectIOns. The island was divided into six divisions or districts: Palmata Point (the original name for Mary's Point which was evacuated in 1934 - see page 98), The Bottom, St. Johns, Crispeen, The Peak, Governor of St. Eustatius intended to go to Saba, the naval officer Spreading of the population concerned declared that he wO\lld rather not make the attempt The Roman Catholic archives on Saba contain more interesting "because there is no good anchorage." information. We find the population figures of 1865which show us how the inhabitants were spread over the island. The report of 1853 The Bottom 616 inhabitants In 1853an extensive report was made by an appointed govern- St. Johns 245inhabitants ment commission in connection with the plan to abolish slavery. Windwardside 573 inhabitants From this report we learn that the general ordinances applicable Booby Hill 87 inhabitants to all the islands were not being applied to Saba. "The inhabitants Palmata Point (Mary's Point) 75 inhabitants enjoy since ancient times an autonomy entirely suited to the parti- Hell's Gate 141inhabitants cular circumstances in which they find themselves. It seems they Middle Island 70 inhabitants pay no taxes, are of no expense to Holland, and live as members of one and the same family separated from the rest of the world in a 1807inhabitants state of exceptional peace, contentment and simplicity," so reads For purposes of comparison we show the figures of the census of the report of 1853. January 1972, more than a century later. Specification here is not so detailed as the pastor's from 1865. Not too idyllic The Bottom 341 inhabitants Of course one should not form an altogether idyllic image of life St. John's 110inhabitants on Saba around 1850on the strength of this report. It describes the Windwardside 301inhabitants official political situation and does not concern itself with the life of Hell's Gate 206inhabitants the individual. 958 inhabitants At the same time Father J. C. Gast O. S. Cr. (Order of the Holy Cross) worked on Saba as the first permanent priest of the island In 1865 there were 1,807 persons spread over the island in 316 and therefore he is the founder of the Roman Catholic Church. A homes; in 1972there were 958 persons living in 511 homes. priest enters the homes of the people, and by his daily contact he learns what goes on. By some lucky chance several of Father Gast's letters re.main preserved. He writes in 1857, among other things, that, "a bIt of salted fish, often nearly or entirely spoiled, imported from St. Thomas, with sweet potato constitutes the fare for break- fast, lunch and supper. Very few persons can permit themselves bread, fewer still ever eat meat, for their goats, hogs, chickens and even eggs are taken to St. Thomas in exchange for salted fish, ~lothing and flour." The pastor also tells that a good deal of drink- mg was done. Rum came from St. Eustatius. Sometimes there were noisy quarrels. Usually this was limited The Queen's Birthday party. This to calling each other names and much shouting. Sometimes as is a photograph from around 1925 plany as 80 persons took part in such a shouting match, writes the when it was the custom to offer a meal to poor people. In the skillet pastor, but on the other hand he adds reassuringly that there are are meat. rice, potatoes and soup. no police and that, although everyone has a rifle to protect the The policeman is Albert W. Hen- standing crops against theft, crimes were sporadic. He describes ry. and "Big Jim" from Wind- the hygienic situation as abominable. side is also shown. Governor of St. Eustatius intended to go to Saba, the naval officer Spreading of the population concerned declared that he wO\lld rather not make the attempt The Roman Catholic archives on Saba contain more interesting "because there is no good anchorage." information. We find the population figures of 1865which show us how the inhabitants were spread over the island. The report of 1853 The Bottom 616 inhabitants In 1853an extensive report was made by an appointed govern- St. Johns 245inhabitants ment commission in connection with the plan to abolish slavery. Windwardside 573 inhabitants From this report we learn that the general ordinances applicable Booby Hill 87 inhabitants to all the islands were not being applied to Saba. "The inhabitants Palmata Point (Mary's Point) 75 inhabitants enjoy since ancient times an autonomy entirely suited to the parti- Hell's Gate 141inhabitants cular circumstances in which they find themselves. It seems they Middle Island 70 inhabitants pay no taxes, are of no expense to Holland, and live as members of one and the same family separated from the rest of the world in a 1807inhabitants state of exceptional peace, contentment and simplicity," so reads For purposes of comparison we show the figures of the census of the report of 1853. January 1972, more than a century later. Specification here is not so detailed as the pastor's from 1865. Not too idyllic The Bottom 341 inhabitants Of course one should not form an altogether idyllic image of life St. John's 110inhabitants on Saba around 1850on the strength of this report. It describes the Windwardside 301inhabitants official political situation and does not concern itself with the life of Hell's Gate 206inhabitants the individual. 958 inhabitants At the same time Father J. C. Gast O. S. Cr. (Order of the Holy Cross) worked on Saba as the first permanent priest of the island In 1865 there were 1,807 persons spread over the island in 316 and therefore he is the founder of the Roman Catholic Church. A homes; in 1972there were 958 persons living in 511 homes. priest enters the homes of the people, and by his daily contact he learns what goes on. By some lucky chance several of Father Gast's letters re.main preserved. He writes in 1857, among other things, that, "a bIt of salted fish, often nearly or entirely spoiled, imported from St. Thomas, with sweet potato constitutes the fare for break- fast, lunch and supper. Very few persons can permit themselves bread, fewer still ever eat meat, for their goats, hogs, chickens and even eggs are taken to St. Thomas in exchange for salted fish, ~lothing and flour." The pastor also tells that a good deal of drink- mg was done. Rum came from St. Eustatius. Sometimes there were noisy quarrels. Usually this was limited The Queen's Birthday party. This to calling each other names and much shouting. Sometimes as is a photograph from around 1925 plany as 80 persons took part in such a shouting match, writes the when it was the custom to offer a meal to poor people. In the skillet pastor, but on the other hand he adds reassuringly that there are are meat. rice, potatoes and soup. no police and that, although everyone has a rifle to protect the The policeman is Albert W. Hen- standing crops against theft, crimes were sporadic. He describes ry. and "Big Jim" from Wind- the hygienic situation as abominable. side is also shown. ernor. The Secretary drew no salary but received 100 guilders per year from emoluments. Only in 1870did an end come to this situation, and the local Gov- ernor was granted a fixed allowance of 600 guilders per year, 300 guilders for office requirements, and a horse for use in his duties. In 1875 the local Governor became an official charged with the function of receiver (collector) of revenues, and after that he had a salary.

Saba police in 1924. Left to right: Johannes Schrewhardt, Albert Henry, George Halley, Bentley Heyliger, E. J. Sloterdijk, and J. Winkelhuis. Sitting in front is Administrator Willem F. M Lampe. All of these men are now dead. The lna Vanterpool, run ashore at St.Eustatius September 15, 1926, for many years maintained communications between the islands for passengers and maiL What did people do for a livelihood? About the middle of the last century sweet potatoes were grown - the general fare of the community as we have just read. There Administration of Justice was some cattle raising, but the animals were only bred for export. Originally Saba had no court of law, and all cases were heard in In Hell's Gate people lived chiefly from lime burning. At that time St. Eustatius. From 1828to 1836 Saba had what was called a Dele- one day's wages amounted to f. 0,50 or f. 0,60. Six pounds of sweet gated Court of Law for petty cases. After being abolished in 1836, potatoes cost f. 0,15. AMpassageto St. Thomas was f. 2,50. it was reestablished in 1842. Minor cases came before this court with the Commander and later the Governor presiding. For the Taxes most part the cases tried involved quarrels, goat theft and abusive The only tax levied on Saba around the middle of the last cen- language. We find only one rour.der case in the 19th century, and tury was for the purpose of paying the local Governor's salary, 800 that was committed by a mentally ill person. guilders per year. To begin with, all revenues from import duties, about 80 guilders per year, were earmarked for this. Then there were taxes on auctions and a few other levies. If with this the 800 Sabans were always particularly hospitable toward strangers, guilders could not be raised, then the defecit was divided pro rata but few foreigners came to the island. Visitors coald come ashore among all inhabitants. If, on the other hand, the primary sources of only with much difficulty. When the inhabitants did not 'recognize revenue produced too much, this was a windfall for the local Gov- a ship, they simply did not come down to assist with the landing. In contrast with later times, Ladder Bay seems to have been frequently used as a landing place. One should bear in mind that the concrete steps were not built there until 1934. Maarten Teen- stra, who visited Saba in 1829and wrote a book about it, said that What title is given the man the roads from Ladder Bay and from Fort Bay each took an hour to the top (The Bottom).He 'writes, "It is extraordinarily steep and difficult, narrow and between frightening chasms where no two who governs Saba? persons can walk beside each other." There were no two steps of the same height so that one could not develop a certain rhythm in the legs. One step lay crisscross in relation to the next. The small In the course of three centuries the title of Saba's administrator intervening flat areas were slippery from the many footsteps changed repeatedly. In the 17th and 18th centuries it was ''Vice- which had fallen on them through the centuries. Commander."He was appointed by the Commander of St. Eusta- After 1947these stairways gradually disappeared, but many of tius or, from 1803 to 1821,by the Commander of St. Maarten. We our readers will still remember them. Teenstra's description of have seen that Saba tended to develop in an autonomous way with 1829was very accurate. Not a single step was so placed that one neither St. Eustatius nor St. Maarten interfering much in the af- could put one foot on it and at the same time lift the other foot to fairs of the island. Eventually it became custom that the Sabans the next step. The steps were just too deep to climb the stairway themselves assigned someone to the post of Vice-Commander and in a normal manner, yet again too shallow for one to again and then the Commander on the mother island appointed him officially. again place the same leg a step higher and then bring up the other From 1828to 1845both the Leeward Islands and the Windward leg beside it. Islands along with Suriname were part of the Colony of the Neth- erlands West Indian Possessions. The Governor-General of this Colony resided in Paramaribo. Each of the three Windward Is- lands was individually accountable to the Governor-Gen~ral. In 1833 the title "Commander" was given to the administrator of Saba.

Domestic scene around 1935; the iron heater of the old days was locally called a Hurricanes constitute a permanent danger for the Windward Islands. This picture was taken after the hurricane of 1932 in The Bottom. In contrast with later times, Ladder Bay seems to have been frequently used as a landing place. One should bear in mind that the concrete steps were not built there until 1934. Maarten Teen- stra, who visited Saba in 1829and wrote a book about it, said that What title is given the man the roads from Ladder Bay and from Fort Bay each took an hour to the top (The Bottom).He 'writes, "It is extraordinarily steep and difficult, narrow and between frightening chasms where no two who governs Saba? persons can walk beside each other." There were no two steps of the same height so that one could not develop a certain rhythm in the legs. One step lay crisscross in relation to the next. The small In the course of three centuries the title of Saba's administrator intervening flat areas were slippery from the many footsteps changed repeatedly. In the 17th and 18th centuries it was ''Vice- which had fallen on them through the centuries. Commander."He was appointed by the Commander of St. Eusta- After 1947these stairways gradually disappeared, but many of tius or, from 1803 to 1821,by the Commander of St. Maarten. We our readers will still remember them. Teenstra's description of have seen that Saba tended to develop in an autonomous way with 1829was very accurate. Not a single step was so placed that one neither St. Eustatius nor St. Maarten interfering much in the af- could put one foot on it and at the same time lift the other foot to fairs of the island. Eventually it became custom that the Sabans the next step. The steps were just too deep to climb the stairway themselves assigned someone to the post of Vice-Commander and in a normal manner, yet again too shallow for one to again and then the Commander on the mother island appointed him officially. again place the same leg a step higher and then bring up the other From 1828to 1845both the Leeward Islands and the Windward leg beside it. Islands along with Suriname were part of the Colony of the Neth- erlands West Indian Possessions. The Governor-General of this Colony resided in Paramaribo. Each of the three Windward Is- lands was individually accountable to the Governor-Gen~ral. In 1833 the title "Commander" was given to the administrator of Saba.

Domestic scene around 1935; the iron heater of the old days was locally called a Hurricanes constitute a permanent danger for the Windward Islands. This picture was taken after the hurricane of 1932 in The Bottom. In 1845the large Colony of the Netherlands w.est Indian Posses- sions was divided: on one side, Suriname; on the other side, the six islands. Until this division there had never existed any admini- strative tie between the Dutch Leeward and the Windward Is- lands, but this tie was automatically created by Suriname's separa- Town of Leverock tion from the islands. Thus the present Netherlands Antilles came into existence in 1845even though they were not officially named When Saba again became Dutch in 1816, Edward Beaks, a Sa- so until 1948. Saba remained an independent section, no longer un- ban, was appointed Vice-Commander. With some interruptions be- der the Governor-General in Paramaribo but under the Governor tween 1828and 1836, there was always a Beaks charged with the of Cura~ao. With the new constitution that Was enacted three position, for son succeeded father. When the younger Beaks died years later (1848)the title ofCommander was changed to Gezagheb- in 1862, E. J. Beaks, presumably his son, acted in his stead. The ber which can be rendered in English as "Lieutenant Governor." Sabans apparently thought this looked too much like a dynasty, This situation was maintained until 1919 when the three Dutch and they appointed Moses Leverock as successor. It so happened Windward Islands were joined under one Lieutenant Governor that Moses Leverock was married to Anna Rebecca Beaks so that who resided on St. Maarten and who was represented on Saba and there was still not very much deviation from a dynastic line. St. Eustatius by the Ontvanger or Receiver of Revenue. In 1937 The Governor of Curacao, then the name for the Netherlands this representative of the Lieutenant Governor received the new Antilles, appointed Leverock who was personally known to him title of Ondergezaghebber or "Vice-Lieutenant Governor." With from the years that the Governor had worked in the Dutch Wind- the creation of the Island Territory of the Windward Islands in ward Islands. The appointment was made on June 22, 1863, and 1951, the situation remained the same except that the title of Leverock could then begin his duties although ratification by royal Saba's governor was changed to that of "Administrator." decree was also necessary in the last century. In the days of sailing ships this could take a long time, and, indeed, it was nearly two years later on April 13, 1865, that Leverock's appointment was ratified with still more months passing before a copy of the royal decree reached Saba. Moses Leverock was the descendant of an old and distinguished Saba family. One of his forefathers, Jacob Leverock, had served as Vice-Commander of Saba in 1701.

Church street. looking East, in 1924. Before the advent of the car in 1947 the pave- Moses Leverock, ment consisted of moss-grown cobblestones. One met few pedestrians. 1814-1875, a beloved Saban. In 1845the large Colony of the Netherlands w.est Indian Posses- sions was divided: on one side, Suriname; on the other side, the six islands. Until this division there had never existed any admini- strative tie between the Dutch Leeward and the Windward Is- lands, but this tie was automatically created by Suriname's separa- Town of Leverock tion from the islands. Thus the present Netherlands Antilles came into existence in 1845even though they were not officially named When Saba again became Dutch in 1816, Edward Beaks, a Sa- so until 1948. Saba remained an independent section, no longer un- ban, was appointed Vice-Commander. With some interruptions be- der the Governor-General in Paramaribo but under the Governor tween 1828and 1836, there was always a Beaks charged with the of Cura~ao. With the new constitution that Was enacted three position, for son succeeded father. When the younger Beaks died years later (1848)the title ofCommander was changed to Gezagheb- in 1862, E. J. Beaks, presumably his son, acted in his stead. The ber which can be rendered in English as "Lieutenant Governor." Sabans apparently thought this looked too much like a dynasty, This situation was maintained until 1919 when the three Dutch and they appointed Moses Leverock as successor. It so happened Windward Islands were joined under one Lieutenant Governor that Moses Leverock was married to Anna Rebecca Beaks so that who resided on St. Maarten and who was represented on Saba and there was still not very much deviation from a dynastic line. St. Eustatius by the Ontvanger or Receiver of Revenue. In 1937 The Governor of Curacao, then the name for the Netherlands this representative of the Lieutenant Governor received the new Antilles, appointed Leverock who was personally known to him title of Ondergezaghebber or "Vice-Lieutenant Governor." With from the years that the Governor had worked in the Dutch Wind- the creation of the Island Territory of the Windward Islands in ward Islands. The appointment was made on June 22, 1863, and 1951, the situation remained the same except that the title of Leverock could then begin his duties although ratification by royal Saba's governor was changed to that of "Administrator." decree was also necessary in the last century. In the days of sailing ships this could take a long time, and, indeed, it was nearly two years later on April 13, 1865, that Leverock's appointment was ratified with still more months passing before a copy of the royal decree reached Saba. Moses Leverock was the descendant of an old and distinguished Saba family. One of his forefathers, Jacob Leverock, had served as Vice-Commander of Saba in 1701.

Church street. looking East, in 1924. Before the advent of the car in 1947 the pave- Moses Leverock, ment consisted of moss-grown cobblestones. One met few pedestrians. 1814-1875, a beloved Saban. Advisory committee nearly as. disagreeable, for everyorie threw his garbage outside. Not only did Moses marry the daughter of the Lieutenant Gov- Since the founding of the little town no one had bothered removing ernor, but he also served for years as a member of the Advisory the rocks and cobblestones which lay strewn around on each hilly Committee, a two member body created in 1848. The members plot. There were hardly any fences separating properties, and the were appointed by nomination of the Lieutenant Governor, in few that existed were half decayed walls or rotten wooden fences. Leverock's case by his father-in-law. This left Leverock well in- When Leverock took office the economic situation was not parti· formed on all matters pertaining to the island's administration. In cularly favorable, but in spite of that he succeeded in making The addition, since the age of 25, Leverock had been a member of the Bottom into the pleasant little place it is today. The layout of The Delegated Court of Justice discussed earlier. All in all, he had a fin- Bottom is almost entirely the work of Moses Leverock although ger in nearly every aspect ofgovernment on Saba. the present pavement of its roads is from later times.

Emancipation Fatherly penalties A week Hfter he took office one of Leverock's first administra- Moses Leverock is a typical example of the paternalistic role of tive deeds was the freeing of the slaves on July 1, 1863,as decreed the Lieutenant Governor. Therefore we want to dwell upon Leve- by the Abolition of Slavery Act of The Netherlands. The prelimi- rock's term in office and especially upon his administration of naries had already taken place. Without any ceremony Leverock justice because in so doing we evoke a picture of life as it was on informed the 730 Saban slaves (268 more than there were in 1815) Saba in the last century. that they were free. The former owners thereupon presented their bills and were indemnified with 200 guilders per slave. Upon auth- The freed slaves were no longer under the discipline of their mas- orization from the Lieutenant Governor of St. Eustatius, Leverock ters. When they became boisterous or when the white inhabitants paid out 146,000guilders to the former slave owners. had quarrels, the Lieutenant Governor exercised a certain domes- One difficulty arose, however, from the fact that some owners tic jurisdiction over the people without recourse to the Delegated and slaves were mariners who were away from the island at the Court of Law. He could impose a fine up to a specified amount and time. After further correspondence with St. Eustatius, Leverock also could sentence persons to a few days imprisonment. These settled appropriately with each absentee owner. He wrote to powers were particularly useful since the former slave owners no Governor erol in 'Cura~ao that shortly after the emancipation longer had the authority to maintain discipline. T.here were several former slaves left the island, but most of them returned numerous cases of quarrels, disturbing the peace, robberies and soon because it was easier living on Saba than struggling for exist- the like which were too minor for a court of law and were best ence in the larger world. handled, as in a family, by the father.

Salary requested Here are a few examples of matters settled by the Lieutenant Governor whichatthe same time give us a glimpse of life on Saba It was mentioned earlier that the Lieutenant Governor of Saba in the latter half of the last century. received no salary and, after certain taxes, had to make ends meet with a pro rata levy. Leverock immediately took action to put an In Windwardside two worrien were cursing each other for no end to this strange situation. For seven years he fought for a sal- good reason. Leverock, in one of his Solomon-like judgements, sen- ary, finally reaching his goal in 1875,the year of his death. tenced each to a day in jail. ' Someone had stolen cassava. Because the owner had not stored Builder of The Bottom this food away properly, both thief and victim got ten days in jail. Moses Leverock lived in The Bottom. Its narrow streets were A person who accepted 46 cents which he knew to be stolen - unpaved. Houses stood in a helter-skelter way. When it rained the three days. ,village was one big pool of mud. When it was dry the roads were One evening when Leverock was visiting St. Johns he heard HOlllooncusing obscene language. The Lieutenant Governor was Anyone who reads these verdicts sees that a system of sorts was very much opposed to such behavior. When, in addition, he learned being followed. For thievery there nearly always followed the com- that the man had mistreated his wife, he sent the offender to jail bined punishment of the cell and picking up stones. In this way for five days. Leverock got his capital clean, for thievery, although not of hjghly Another time Leverock was visiting with acquaintances when a valuable things, was part of the pattern of life. Usually it was some Ilearby woman began yelling. He ordered her to stop, but she only potatoes, a pumpkin, and very often in the case of teenage girls, Hotup a greater commotion. She was warned a second time and the snatching of one another's petticoats. told that the police would be called. "I don't care," shouted the wo- The atmosphere of the island was decidedly not peaceful, for /llan. She got three days for disturbing the peace and for contempt Leverock dealt with some 30 or 40 cases per year. Serious in- of authority. stances of disturbing the peace did not occur, however. Mostly A drunk who entered the home of Dr. J. W. Kloppers and would there were quarrels such as occur in a family, and Leverock's ad- not leave when first warned - ten days. ministration of justice was always appropriate to the situation .. On New Year's morning a tipsy man began singing during a Once a disturbance occurred involving a maid and two. boys as church service - six days. a result of which a lmsket containing 35 eggs was lost. The sen- In the village of Hell's Gate someone cursed Mrs. C. with the tence was as follows: for the maid, three days in jail and payment words, "Damn you, I wish you might die a'calving!" The witnesses for half the eggs; and for the boys, each to be given a sound beat- could not travel to The Bottom, so Leverock made the trip to Hell's ing by his mother in the presence of the Lieutenant Governor and Gate. He ruled that the words used were unchristian and that, payment for the other half of the eggs. moreover, it is insulting to compare a person to a cow·. The offender got ten days. In 1866a boy accompanied a twelve year old girl to For~ Bay and allegedly wanted to peek under her skirts whereupon the girl lit out screaming. Moses Leverock did not pronounce sentence without witnesses, and the accused was acquitted because of insufficient evidence. Leverock knew how to tackle youngsters who were too lazy to work and only sauntered about. He had them jailed and for four hours each day they were required to pick up stones in order to clean the public roads. Practical sentences From the last mentioned sentence we can see that Leverock was exceptionally practical. The Bottom needed clean streets so why not impose street cleaning as a punishment? He did not restrict this punishment to mischievous and lazy boys. A woman who, four days after she was released from jail, had to appear again for steal- ing potatoes was sentenced to ten days in jail with the extra. obligation of picking up stones four hours every day. A man who had stolen a dinner plate from his neighbor and had sold it besides received fifteen days and was ordered to pick up stones for two Public works.' The official log of Commander Edward Beaks in 1837 shows that he hours every day. The purchaser of the plate was acquitted, be- notified the citizens to see to it that all public roads were cleaned up within 10 cause she did not know it was stolen property. days. HOlllooncusing obscene language. The Lieutenant Governor was Anyone who reads these verdicts sees that a system of sorts was very much opposed to such behavior. When, in addition, he learned being followed. For thievery there nearly always followed the com- that the man had mistreated his wife, he sent the offender to jail bined punishment of the cell and picking up stones. In this way for five days. Leverock got his capital clean, for thievery, although not of hjghly Another time Leverock was visiting with acquaintances when a valuable things, was part of the pattern of life. Usually it was some Ilearby woman began yelling. He ordered her to stop, but she only potatoes, a pumpkin, and very often in the case of teenage girls, Hotup a greater commotion. She was warned a second time and the snatching of one another's petticoats. told that the police would be called. "I don't care," shouted the wo- The atmosphere of the island was decidedly not peaceful, for /llan. She got three days for disturbing the peace and for contempt Leverock dealt with some 30 or 40 cases per year. Serious in- of authority. stances of disturbing the peace did not occur, however. Mostly A drunk who entered the home of Dr. J. W. Kloppers and would there were quarrels such as occur in a family, and Leverock's ad- not leave when first warned - ten days. ministration of justice was always appropriate to the situation .. On New Year's morning a tipsy man began singing during a Once a disturbance occurred involving a maid and two. boys as church service - six days. a result of which a lmsket containing 35 eggs was lost. The sen- In the village of Hell's Gate someone cursed Mrs. C. with the tence was as follows: for the maid, three days in jail and payment words, "Damn you, I wish you might die a'calving!" The witnesses for half the eggs; and for the boys, each to be given a sound beat- could not travel to The Bottom, so Leverock made the trip to Hell's ing by his mother in the presence of the Lieutenant Governor and Gate. He ruled that the words used were unchristian and that, payment for the other half of the eggs. moreover, it is insulting to compare a person to a cow·. The offender got ten days. In 1866a boy accompanied a twelve year old girl to For~ Bay and allegedly wanted to peek under her skirts whereupon the girl lit out screaming. Moses Leverock did not pronounce sentence without witnesses, and the accused was acquitted because of insufficient evidence. Leverock knew how to tackle youngsters who were too lazy to work and only sauntered about. He had them jailed and for four hours each day they were required to pick up stones in order to clean the public roads. Practical sentences From the last mentioned sentence we can see that Leverock was exceptionally practical. The Bottom needed clean streets so why not impose street cleaning as a punishment? He did not restrict this punishment to mischievous and lazy boys. A woman who, four days after she was released from jail, had to appear again for steal- ing potatoes was sentenced to ten days in jail with the extra. obligation of picking up stones four hours every day. A man who had stolen a dinner plate from his neighbor and had sold it besides received fifteen days and was ordered to pick up stones for two Public works.' The official log of Commander Edward Beaks in 1837 shows that he hours every day. The purchaser of the plate was acquitted, be- notified the citizens to see to it that all public roads were cleaned up within 10 cause she did not know it was stolen property. days. Prison too small Because of the relatively large number of cases there was indeed a need for a jail. In earlier times there had been none. Leverock's predecessor had one built in 1837,but it was too small. Very often it was stated when pronouncing a verdict that the sentence would be carried out as soon as there was room in the jail. In 1864someone thteatened to murder the brigadier and had to be imprisoned. (The brigadier was head of the police force consisting of two state policemen). This felony could not be tried on Saba and while waiting for a ship sailing for St. Eustatius the man was locked up. The jail must not have been too secure, for the brigadier, eager to keep a whole skin, convinced Leverock that the man should be put in irons every evening. Shortly thereafter, Leverock had a better jail built.

As far back as people can remember the capital of Saba has been called The Bottom, a name which we have explained earlier. In the last century the Sabans themselves simply called the little place "The Town." During the first five years of his administration Moses Leverock made himself loved and respected. In 1868 sOme of the leading citizens decided to immortalize his name by linking it with the capital. On Christmas morning in 1868 they gathered in the home of Richard Simpson and decided officially to name The Bottom "Town of Leverock," or "Leverock's Town." An elegantly hand lettered scroll was drawn up to that effect. The original document does not exist any longer or, at least, has never been found. However, we have succeeded in recovering a faded picture of the document. A print of it hangs in the Administrator's office together with Moses Leverock's photograph.The text of the document reads:

At a Public Meeting of the Citizens of the Town of Bottom held at the House of Capt. Richard Simp sons this Twenty Fifth day of December 1868 the following Resolutions were unanimously adopted.

In 1868 the inhabitants of Saba passed a resolution giving the name of Town of That in token of our Love and Esteem for our most worthy and Excellent Lieu- Leuerock to The Bottom. The picture shows the document (which is displayed in tenant Governor and Chief Magistrate of this Island of Saba the Administrator's office of The Bottom). Prison too small Because of the relatively large number of cases there was indeed a need for a jail. In earlier times there had been none. Leverock's predecessor had one built in 1837,but it was too small. Very often it was stated when pronouncing a verdict that the sentence would be carried out as soon as there was room in the jail. In 1864someone thteatened to murder the brigadier and had to be imprisoned. (The brigadier was head of the police force consisting of two state policemen). This felony could not be tried on Saba and while waiting for a ship sailing for St. Eustatius the man was locked up. The jail must not have been too secure, for the brigadier, eager to keep a whole skin, convinced Leverock that the man should be put in irons every evening. Shortly thereafter, Leverock had a better jail built.

At a Public Meeting of the Citizens of the Town of Bottom held at the House of Capt. Richard Simp sons this Twenty Fifth day of December 1868 the following Resolutions were unanimously adopted.

In 1868 the inhabitants of Saba passed a resolution giving the name of Town of That in token of our Love and Esteem for our most worthy and Excellent Lieu- Leuerock to The Bottom. The picture shows the document (which is displayed in tenant Governor and Chief Magistrate of this Island of Saba the Administrator's office of The Bottom). In Memory And also of our just appreciation of his many noble traits of character as a pri· of v~te gentleman; be it therefore Resolved,That from and after this date the name Moses Leverock of the Town of Bottom shall be and is hereby changed and it shall henceforth be Died 1 August 1857, aged 61 years, For twelve of which he administered the known as the Government of Saba. The Pride of a large family. Exemplary in all the relations of life; Devoted to his country and ever true to TOWN OF LEVEROCK; the interest of the church which he faithfully served; He was snatched away in the vigor of a useful life, honored and beloved and deeply lamented. Resolved, that a copy of these proceedings be transmitted to our kind and much respected Secretary of this Island Hercules Hassell and that he be requested to place same on record. Direct descendants of the Leverock lineage have since disap- (underneath are some signaturGs peared from Saba. which are no longer legible.)

After that Christmas of 1868Moses Leverock still governed his island for almost seven years.On August 1, 1875, he died. He was buried in the Anglican cemetery where his tombstone bears the following inscription:

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Of course there are no photographs from Leverock 's time, but this picture from 1923 gives an impression of how Fort Bay looked in the olden times.Not much had changed since Moses Leverock. There were only a shed at the beach and a steproad up which could hardly be called steps and even less a road (Leeuwenberg Collection). In Memory And also of our just appreciation of his many noble traits of character as a pri· of v~te gentleman; be it therefore Resolved,That from and after this date the name Moses Leverock of the Town of Bottom shall be and is hereby changed and it shall henceforth be Died 1 August 1857, aged 61 years, For twelve of which he administered the known as the Government of Saba. The Pride of a large family. Exemplary in all the relations of life; Devoted to his country and ever true to TOWN OF LEVEROCK; the interest of the church which he faithfully served; He was snatched away in the vigor of a useful life, honored and beloved and deeply lamented. Resolved, that a copy of these proceedings be transmitted to our kind and much respected Secretary of this Island Hercules Hassell and that he be requested to place same on record. Direct descendants of the Leverock lineage have since disap- (underneath are some signaturGs peared from Saba. which are no longer legible.)

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One wonders what the inhabitants of a rock in the sea do to earn l;l daily livelihood. In this connection the year 1927 constitutes the boundary between the present and the past as in this year many Sabans started to migrate to Arubli and Cura~ao (see chapter 16). Some farming, cattle raising and fishing were the former means of existence. We have already learned from Labat how the people butchered communally. This would have occurred in each village. Persons made exchanges with each other and whatever was left was taken to St. Thomas to be bartered for items that Saba did not produce. This simple economy remained as broadly outlined until Lh third decade of our century. Captain Ernest AlfredJohnson and daughter, Mary, standing next to an old sugar mill in 1940. ugar In the course of the 19th century the cultivation of sugar de- In the 17th and 18th centuries much was done in cultivation of clined. Only a small part of the ruins of the boiling houses remain, as sugar cane. The total arable area of the island is not more than 540 people used the bricks for the construction of back walls, chimneys acres, about 17% of the total area. Though there is mention of two and kitchen fireplaces in their homes. plantations, one in The Bottom and one at Spring Bay, one should Cultivation of sugar cane has not yet entirely disappeared. The not form too grandiose a picture, for each was 20 to 25 acres. Gen- last hand operated sugar press was made after the Second World erally sugar cane for domestic use was cultivated in small fields. War and us~d until about 1965.One still sees cane growing in small Yet around 1790 Saba is said to have yielded 100,000 pounds of patches, but it is not of any significance. ugar, the yield of 2plantations, which was traded via St. Eustatius. ugar cane was also cultivated on the slopes of English Quarter and Rum, coffee and indigo Windwardside, and on the levelland of Kelbey's Ridge. Sugar and rum always go together. In the 18th century there [0 the 18th and early part of the 19th centuries there were boil- were several tiny rum distilleries on the island. These supplied in houses at Flat Point, not far from the present airport near their owners' needs, and some was exported too, again via St. ov Bay, and one at Spring Bay. Around 1825, according to local Eustatius. In the 19th century the rum disappeared together with b Ii f, the two boiling houses were abandoned. the sugar. A letter of Father Gast has already told us that in 1857 Thore were never any sugar mills on Saba sU'chas larger islands rum was being imported from St. Eustatius. hud. When there were sizeable crops the cane was exported. Also coffee and anil are old crops of Saba. Anil or indigo is a I,IIL,., when one kept within the bounds of one's needs, hand oper- plant that produces the well known indigo blue. When coffee III, d Hugor presses came in vogue. With them the juice was pres- growing had long before disappeared on other islands, it was still Hnd from Lhecane, and the so-called "cane liquor" was drunk in just flourishing on Saba. The earlier mentioned hurricane of 1772 des- t.hllL I'orrn. troyed the various plantations. The cultivation of both crops was The Sabans' occupations, past and present

A quaint custom reflecting a seafaring population was the tolling of the hours by the police in Windwardside and The Bottom similar to the way bells are sounded aboard a ship. (Picture by Charles Herbert, 1939).

established in the early days of colonization of the island, and the remarkable part is that they were grown almost entirely without the help of slaves. Saba is an exception in the Caribbean area, because the number of slaves was far in the minority as compared with the white population. It was the white Sabans who worked on the sugar plantations and at the growing of coffee and anil. But the white people of 1780 were not those of 1680. The desire to work that hard at farming was gone, and much was not restored after the hurricane. They busied themselves instead with fishing and catching turtles. We saw earlier that only the cultivation of sugar cane was somewhat restored, but not nearly to the extent of the past. in lhe absence o{ newspapers it was, up to a shurr Itrn,' UK", c/lslumary {Drthe gov- Other agriculture ernment to make official notices in the manner shown above. Isolated as the island was, there was always much interest in the daily rates of exchange, and these Yams, sweet potatOes, ordinary white potatoes (on Saba called were, up to a few years ago, recorded by the police each day on a slate in the Irish potatoes), bananas, cabbages, carrots, eddoes, pineapple, glass case. sweet peppers, lettuce, breadfruit and cassava, all of which form a Street lighting began in The Bottom in 1894. The Colonial Council apprDpriated 500 guilders for oil lamps. Two lighting attendants walked around every evening to trim the wicks once in a while. In times of hurricane warning the lamps were not lit, nor when the moon was full. The oil lamps were later replaced by gasoline lamps, and finally electricity arrived.

Commodore ARTHUR HASSELL THOMAS N. SIMMONS Emeritus professor in the 1895-1970 University of Hartford, Connecticut (see page 69)

Above two Sabans who carved their way in the United States; below a Saban who did much for the conservation of relics of the past. During the 1850's it was discovered that the richest deposits of sulphur were fOOndon the north side. In 1860 these plots of land fell into the hands of North Americans. John Godden, an English- man who found phosphate on Klein Curacao, was the largest shareholder of the McNick Sulphur Mining Company which under- took the exploitation of Saba's sulphur in 1875. Several shafts were sunk by two miners from Sicily where there are also sulphur mines. The place which, according to the experts, offered the best chances of success lay in an almost inaccessible area. From a protruding boulder more than 325 feet above the sea the sulphur had to be transported via a cableway from the shore to tiny Green Is- land because on the main shore of Saba at that place there is no anchorage. It turned out 'that the anchorage was no better close to Green Island. For this reason the North American company discon- tinued operations already in 1876. Since then the lands returned to Saban ownership. Interested North Americans have repeatedly visited the island and although their judgements were favorable, the transactions always fell through because the landowners asked too much. J The sulphur mines were more objects of speculation than opera- I tion. In 1900the Colonial authorities devoted some attention to the " . wealth in the soil, but results were not encouraging. Attempts in ---__..f . 1903and 1905 yielded just as little. At the request of the Nether- JI""Y • lands Antillian government in 1961, North American geologist D. S. Sharpstone, technical assistant to the United Nations, conducted research. 'He reported, ''The sulphur deposits of Saba could not compete in present world markets."

Straw hats In the course of the centuries various cottage industries kept the Miss Christine Hassell is here at work on drawn thread needlework solely found in Saba. Sabans occupied. Shoe making, the oldest and already discussed, was replaced in the 18th century by the manufacture of stockings and gloves from locally grown and spun cotton. This industry still Draw n thread work existed in 1829;but in the course of the 19th century the advent of During the latter half of the last century a sp~cial type of ready-to-wear clothes put an end to this source of income. The cottage industry developed on Saba from which the island acquir· need for cotton disappeared along with the industry so that by the ed a certain fame. It was the making of drawn thread work, also middle of the last century cotton cultivation came to an end. known as Spanish work or Saba lace. By 1860 the only common hand industry was the plaiting of The story has come down and still lives 'among very old Sabans straw hats. It was centered in Hell's Gate. Straw came from Cuba that a certain Eleanor Dunor or Elma Duser is supposed to have and later from Puerto Rico. Exports amounted to a trifling 100 to introduced drawn thread work on.Saba. Historical evidence with re- 125guilders per year. gard to this does not exist. On the contrary, the names "Dunor" and During the 1850's it was discovered that the richest deposits of sulphur were fOOndon the north side. In 1860 these plots of land fell into the hands of North Americans. John Godden, an English- man who found phosphate on Klein Curacao, was the largest shareholder of the McNick Sulphur Mining Company which under- took the exploitation of Saba's sulphur in 1875. Several shafts were sunk by two miners from Sicily where there are also sulphur mines. The place which, according to the experts, offered the best chances of success lay in an almost inaccessible area. From a protruding boulder more than 325 feet above the sea the sulphur had to be transported via a cableway from the shore to tiny Green Is- land because on the main shore of Saba at that place there is no anchorage. It turned out 'that the anchorage was no better close to Green Island. For this reason the North American company discon- tinued operations already in 1876. Since then the lands returned to Saban ownership. Interested North Americans have repeatedly visited the island and although their judgements were favorable, the transactions always fell through because the landowners asked too much. J The sulphur mines were more objects of speculation than opera- I tion. In 1900the Colonial authorities devoted some attention to the " . wealth in the soil, but results were not encouraging. Attempts in ---__..f . 1903and 1905 yielded just as little. At the request of the Nether- JI""Y • lands Antillian government in 1961, North American geologist D. S. Sharpstone, technical assistant to the United Nations, conducted research. 'He reported, ''The sulphur deposits of Saba could not compete in present world markets."

Straw hats In the course of the centuries various cottage industries kept the Miss Christine Hassell is here at work on drawn thread needlework solely found in Saba. Sabans occupied. Shoe making, the oldest and already discussed, was replaced in the 18th century by the manufacture of stockings and gloves from locally grown and spun cotton. This industry still Draw n thread work existed in 1829;but in the course of the 19th century the advent of During the latter half of the last century a sp~cial type of ready-to-wear clothes put an end to this source of income. The cottage industry developed on Saba from which the island acquir· need for cotton disappeared along with the industry so that by the ed a certain fame. It was the making of drawn thread work, also middle of the last century cotton cultivation came to an end. known as Spanish work or Saba lace. By 1860 the only common hand industry was the plaiting of The story has come down and still lives 'among very old Sabans straw hats. It was centered in Hell's Gate. Straw came from Cuba that a certain Eleanor Dunor or Elma Duser is supposed to have and later from Puerto Rico. Exports amounted to a trifling 100 to introduced drawn thread work on.Saba. Historical evidence with re- 125guilders per year. gard to this does not exist. On the contrary, the names "Dunor" and "Duser," do not now exist on Saba and are not to be found in the census records of the previous century. In those times foreign women did not work on Saba. It is indeed surprising that two names have been handed down. Historical evidence we do find regarding ~ary Gertrude Has- sell, born in 1854in Windwardside and sent to school by her parents to Spanish nuns in Caracas. Gertrude learned drawn thread work from these nuns, and because they were. Spanish it is also called Spanish work. After Gertrude's return to Saba she married James Benjamin Johnson and is known after as Gertrude Johnson. In 1939 she died at the age of eighty-six. Her photograph was not preserved. In order to provide some occupation to the iadies fighting bore- dom on their rock, Gertrude took her needlework back to Saba. It

I .' \.\h' 0(.11·\-I· 11•,..•_• il,\'\_.

In 1898 an exhibition was held in The Hague, The Netherlands, of handicraft by women, which included Saban drawn-thread work. Florence Every, who sent in Saban needlework, received honorable mention. Above: the diploma issued to Miss Every. is not surprising tpat it came to enjoy its greatest vogue in those neighborhoods where people lived in greatest seclusion. Hell's Gate, then very difficult of access, became the center of this kind of needleyvork, followed by Windwardside. Closer to The Bottom the number of women so engaged grew less. Blouses, handkerchiefs, sheets, pillow covers, tablecloths, and whatever else seemed appropriate, were embroidered with square ornamental stitches. This work was in some demand in the United States. Especially in the years after 1900the Saba drawn thread work became an export commodity. In 1907exports amounted to 712 guilders, in 1921 to 20,000 guilders, and in 1928 this industry reached its peak at 22,690 guilders. Later, owing to changing tastes in needlework in the United States, inadequate organization of this cottage industry and the disappearance of a generation with the patience for the work, exports fell off to some hundreds of guilders per year. Youn- ger people were not as interested, and the general quality became less. "Duser," do not now exist on Saba and are not to be found in the census records of the previous century. In those times foreign women did not work on Saba. It is indeed surprising that two names have been handed down. Historical evidence we do find regarding ~ary Gertrude Has- sell, born in 1854in Windwardside and sent to school by her parents to Spanish nuns in Caracas. Gertrude learned drawn thread work from these nuns, and because they were. Spanish it is also called Spanish work. After Gertrude's return to Saba she married James Benjamin Johnson and is known after as Gertrude Johnson. In 1939 she died at the age of eighty-six. Her photograph was not preserved. In order to provide some occupation to the iadies fighting bore- dom on their rock, Gertrude took her needlework back to Saba. It

I .' \.\h' 0(.11·\-I· 11•,..•_• il,\'\_.

In 1898 an exhibition was held in The Hague, The Netherlands, of handicraft by women, which included Saban drawn-thread work. Florence Every, who sent in Saban needlework, received honorable mention. Above: the diploma issued to Miss Every. is not surprising tpat it came to enjoy its greatest vogue in those neighborhoods where people lived in greatest seclusion. Hell's Gate, then very difficult of access, became the center of this kind of needleyvork, followed by Windwardside. Closer to The Bottom the number of women so engaged grew less. Blouses, handkerchiefs, sheets, pillow covers, tablecloths, and whatever else seemed appropriate, were embroidered with square ornamental stitches. This work was in some demand in the United States. Especially in the years after 1900the Saba drawn thread work became an export commodity. In 1907exports amounted to 712 guilders, in 1921 to 20,000 guilders, and in 1928 this industry reached its peak at 22,690 guilders. Later, owing to changing tastes in needlework in the United States, inadequate organization of this cottage industry and the disappearance of a generation with the patience for the work, exports fell off to some hundreds of guilders per year. Youn- ger people were not as interested, and the general quality became less. In recent years the draw n thread work has revived in popularity under the influence of international tourism. It provides a unique souvenir of Saba. The very fact of its being handwork requiring Ship building was once one of the actual industries of Saba. We many hours of labor makes it rather expensive, particularly those mentioned earlier that Saba had a number of island-built rowboats pieces made of Irish linen. It is sold from shops in Windwardside, and sloops at its disposal. Maarten D. Teenstra, who visited Saba from homes, and by;a few street vendors. in 1829, wrote that, "excellent and much in demand, fast sailing rowboats and canoes are built." With great pleasure people tell of ships built somewhere on the summit and let down to the sea by means of ropes. This, of course, is a fairy tale. Anyone who has seen Saba knows that nowhere is there a place where one could carry out such an operation. The hulls of larger boats, in their entirety or in part, were put together in The Bottom and then carried down for further finishing. Row- boats and other s:rnallboats were entirely finished in The Bottom

Shipbuilding in the 19th century was indeed not widespread, but it surely was and intensive activity. Even nowadays boats are built from time to time on Saba, and, more remarkable, they are usually built in the higher villages. This boat is under lJe{ore there were automobile roads a completed boat was placed on a false keel con.struction in Windwardside, about 1,500 feet above sea level. Picture taken in (llId dragged down through a gorge - quite a job. (Picture by Charles Herbert, 1972. 1939). In recent years the draw n thread work has revived in popularity under the influence of international tourism. It provides a unique souvenir of Saba. The very fact of its being handwork requiring Ship building was once one of the actual industries of Saba. We many hours of labor makes it rather expensive, particularly those mentioned earlier that Saba had a number of island-built rowboats pieces made of Irish linen. It is sold from shops in Windwardside, and sloops at its disposal. Maarten D. Teenstra, who visited Saba from homes, and by;a few street vendors. in 1829, wrote that, "excellent and much in demand, fast sailing rowboats and canoes are built." With great pleasure people tell of ships built somewhere on the summit and let down to the sea by means of ropes. This, of course, is a fairy tale. Anyone who has seen Saba knows that nowhere is there a place where one could carry out such an operation. The hulls of larger boats, in their entirety or in part, were put together in The Bottom and then carried down for further finishing. Row- boats and other s:rnallboats were entirely finished in The Bottom

Shipbuilding in the 19th century was indeed not widespread, but it surely was and intensive activity. Even nowadays boats are built from time to time on Saba, and, more remarkable, they are usually built in the higher villages. This boat is under lJe{ore there were automobile roads a completed boat was placed on a false keel con.struction in Windwardside, about 1,500 feet above sea level. Picture taken in (llId dragged down through a gorge - quite a job. (Picture by Charles Herbert, 1972. 1939). fessor of Anthropology at the University of North Carolina, did intensive sociological research on the island ;ll 1964. Her findings were .published in book form in 1971, and, typifying Sabans who are forever leaving the island of their birth, she entitled the work Educated to Emigrate. Seamen generally returned, but others, especially in the second generation, lost their ties with Saba and remained in the United States. About 1915,according to a rough estimate, more Sabans resided in the United States than on Saba itself. In 1917 the Saba Mutual Benefit Association was formed in New York by Godfrey Leverock and A. Chester Hassell in an effort to unite the emigrated Sabans. Because of lack of interest, the association attracted only 51 members and before long drew to a close.

Most Sabans who left the island are no longer known by name. Others are remembered, however, because of their achievements. S. J. Kruythoff in his book The Netherlands Windward Islands mentions, among others, Dr. Moses Leverock Crossley, born in 1883 at Windwardside, who. became a profesor of chemistry at Signal man guiding a boat downhill. (Picture by Charles Herbert 1939). Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, and specialized in sulfa drugs. In 1929 Dr. Crossley became one of the assistants of and then tugged on a false keel down along a gut or chasm being Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer ofpenicillin. The Dr. Moses made fast to a rope which was eased off over a pole standing at the Crossley School, the government public school at The Bottom, top. which was closed in 1973,bore the name of this prominent Saban. In 1854 a schooner of 60 tons was built on Saba - the largest of which we have found any record. Yet ship building was no bustling Another, Howard L. Hassell, born in 1932 in Richmond Hill, industry. No ships were built between 1854 and 1880..A sc~t~ering of boats were built after that, but by World War I shIp bUIldmg as Long Island, of Saban parents, became a member of the chemistry an industry had come largely to a standstill. An occasional boat is group of the Manhattan Project which involved the processing of still being built. In 1972 two handsome small vessels were to be plutonium. Arthur S. Hassell, born in Rhode Island in 1903, took his Ph. D. seen under construction in Windwardside. degree at Brown University in 1926, and the degree' of Master in Business Administration at Harvard Graduate School of Business Guards in Bermuda Administration in 1929. After having occupied leading positions With the outbreak of the Boer War in South Africa the English in several enterprises he joined the U.S. Army, took part in employed Sabans as guards for the prison camps built in the the African campaign during the Second WorId War. and even- Bermudas. In 1902 more than one hundred Sabans were employed tually reached the rank of colonel. For many years thereafter he there. Many remained, and at present there are about 170 Sabans was a professor at the University of Hatford, Connecticut. He residing there. retired in 1972.

An emigrant people Ernest A. Johnson, born in 1884on Booby Hill, Saba, was a Sa- Around 1870 the situation on the island became so depr~ssed ban cabin boy who rose to be master of an American freighter. A that more and more Sabans left. Dr. Julia G. Crane, Assistant Pro- special merit of this man is that he wrote down his memoirs. These were published in mimeographed form in 1950 on behalf of the De- crews' wages around 1900were $ 25per month, boatswains $ 90 and partment of Education. This book shows what could be achieved in chief mates $ 120per month. those years by a man with scant education yet with cleverness and During World War I more than 100Saba-born men served as of- determination. The life and work aboard a sailing ship of former ficers in the U.S. Army and Navy. There were usually some times are described in a lively manner. In 1920 Captain Johnson Sabans employed in the Brooklyn Navy Yard until that facIlity was was awarded a medal and a gold watch for his part in the rescue of closed. 38 crew members of the United States submarin~ S-5. In 1936 he In 1964 when Saba's population numbered 1,022 persons there returned to Saba where he lived until his death in 1965. resided, according to Dr. Crane, 5,950 Sabans off the island. Nevertheless, these nearly 6,000 persons cannot all be labelled Dr. Julia G. Crane also mentions a number of Sabans who rose to emigrants because 3,651 resided within their own country but on be ship masters, even with large companies including the Grace other islands of the Netherlands Antilles. On neighboring St. Eus- Line and the Moore-McCormack Lines.With the latter line tatius there were 52 Sabans; on St. Maarten, 228; on Aruba, 1,899; Thomas N. Simmons, born in 1895 in The Bottom, acquired the on Bonaire, 18; and on Cura~ao, 1,454. Thus there are 2,299 true rank of commodore. Commodore Simmons died in Palm Beach, emigrants left - more than twice the total population on the is- Florida, in 1970. land. The major part, numbering 1,387, reside in the United States where they are concentrated in New York in Richmond Hill, Long Except for those who achieved top positions, Sabans sailing Island, and Harlem. A number of retired Sabans live in Florida. aboard American ships earned very little. According to Dr. Crane, In 1964The Netherlands had 259Saban residents. The Windward Islanders living in the Netherlands decided in 1970to found an association called the S.S.S.-Progress, headquatered in Vlaardingen. Of the approximately 80members at the time of writing, no more than two were from Saba.

Of other places to which Sabans migrated in significant numbers only the Bermudas are of importance with 186 Saban residents in 1964. The rest is spread allover the Caribbean islands, and a few dozen are in some South American and European countries.

Each village developed a preference for emigration to a certain country. From The Bottom persons went to the United States and the Bermudas, but after 1925 the trend changed in favor of Cura- ~ao. Those from St. Johns migrated generally to Aruba and Cura- cao. Windwardsiders preferred the United Sates while Hell's Gate supplied emigrants for Aruba. Many emigrated Sabans returned after years, some even as na- turalized Americans. It was not unusual with such·a return for the person to bring along the wood necessary for the construction of his own home! Plan to depopulate the island An American Master's Certificate, entitling the holder to be Master of steamships In summary, we have seen that Saba did not produce much in of any tonnage and on any ocean. The above was issued to William J. Hassell in 1923, in Providence,Rhode Island. Lhe 18th century but at the same time cost the gOVt:lrnmentnoth- were published in mimeographed form in 1950 on behalf of the De- crews' wages around 1900were $ 25per month, boatswains $ 90 and partment of Education. This book shows what could be achieved in chief mates $ 120per month. those years by a man with scant education yet with cleverness and During World War I more than 100Saba-born men served as of- determination. The life and work aboard a sailing ship of former ficers in the U.S. Army and Navy. There were usually some times are described in a lively manner. In 1920 Captain Johnson Sabans employed in the Brooklyn Navy Yard until that facIlity was was awarded a medal and a gold watch for his part in the rescue of closed. 38 crew members of the United States submarin~ S-5. In 1936 he In 1964 when Saba's population numbered 1,022 persons there returned to Saba where he lived until his death in 1965. resided, according to Dr. Crane, 5,950 Sabans off the island. Nevertheless, these nearly 6,000 persons cannot all be labelled Dr. Julia G. Crane also mentions a number of Sabans who rose to emigrants because 3,651 resided within their own country but on be ship masters, even with large companies including the Grace other islands of the Netherlands Antilles. On neighboring St. Eus- Line and the Moore-McCormack Lines.With the latter line tatius there were 52 Sabans; on St. Maarten, 228; on Aruba, 1,899; Thomas N. Simmons, born in 1895 in The Bottom, acquired the on Bonaire, 18; and on Cura~ao, 1,454. Thus there are 2,299 true rank of commodore. Commodore Simmons died in Palm Beach, emigrants left - more than twice the total population on the is- Florida, in 1970. land. The major part, numbering 1,387, reside in the United States where they are concentrated in New York in Richmond Hill, Long Except for those who achieved top positions, Sabans sailing Island, and Harlem. A number of retired Sabans live in Florida. aboard American ships earned very little. According to Dr. Crane, In 1964The Netherlands had 259Saban residents. The Windward Islanders living in the Netherlands decided in 1970to found an association called the S.S.S.-Progress, headquatered in Vlaardingen. Of the approximately 80members at the time of writing, no more than two were from Saba.

Change The years from 1929 until about 1950 embody a change because the refineries in Aruba and Curacao recruited so heavily that many persons left Saba. In Chapter 16we describe these years and what the consequences have be.en. In the 1950's the refineries wert: automated with the result that many workmen were laid off, and because the supply of crude oil changed, many sailors were also dismissed. With a pension, a lay-off allowance or an ann\lity, many Sabans returned to their island. Those who did not have these means of existence generally found work building roads or The circumference of Saba is app. 7112 nautical miles (13 km). The island is a vol- engaged in private enterprises. cano which became active during the middle or late pleitocene era 500,000 years ago with the last volcanic symtoms presumably occurring in the mid-holocene era about 5,000 years ago. Here and there solidified lava flows are found, an easily identifiable, one being Flat Point, a flat tongue running into the sea on which the airstrip of the airport is now located. In the later stages of its activity the crater of the volcano became filled and plugged by a huge basalt andesite plug.Because the crater is completely filled, the top of Mount Scenery does not show any trace of the crater that existed more than 5,000 years ago. The valley in which The Bottom is located is not, contrary to what is frequently said, the former crater. Also, the small valley just under the top of Mount Scenery which used to be thought to be the crater actually is not, according to the latest geological findings. After the plug formation closed up the mouth of the crater slowly flowing masses of lava continued to be pushed out of pipes and cracks. After settling, these streams formed Ihe characteristic somewhat reddish summits of Saba such as Paris Hill (1,050 f('et, 352 m.),Great Hill near The Bottom (1,568 feet, 422 m.) and The Level (1,686 f('et, 514 m.). Thereafter only a post volcanic solfataric activity took place causing /wd., of sulphur like the one Behind the Ridge that was explored about a century (I/(O (see page 61). The only present manifestations of post volcanic activity are a few warm water sources like the one on the little beach near Ladder Point. ing. Saba, compared with the other islands in the neighborhood, boasted a certain prosperity, for, in one way or another, the people on Saba knew how to manage in almost every respect. In the 19th century the actual situation on the island remained much the same, but, because the rest of the world was changing, Saba fell behind. In a relative sense it became poorer and more primitive, and the situation of the island grew more miserable. Modern times held little for such a society. When Henry van Kol, a socialist member of the Lower House of the Dutch Parliament, visited Sab.a.in 1903 he proposed to transport all inhabitants en masse to St. Eustatius where, so he said, there was land enough to be cultivated. He simply wanted to depopulate the island. It never went that far, and, seeing that his suggestion was not practicable, this same Van Kol worked dili&ently for the foundation of a navigation school on Saba. We shall tell about this school in the following chapter.

In keeping with the progress in navigation of the' United States 1493· Columbus is the first European to sail past the island on in the 19th century, an increasing number of Sabans, reliable sea- November 13or 14. men that they were, found work aboard the three-masted and five- 1595 Saba mentioned by Sir Francis Drake in his journal. masted schooners of the North Americans. The ablest among them 1604 Anonymous traveler recommends the use of Saba as a bea- rose to master. Some arrived in the United States and remained con on the way from Guadeloupe to San Juan. there. Afew North American families find their origins on Saba. In 1624, Earliest mention of Saba from a Dutch source when Pieter 1898 when the Spanish-American War broke out, many Sabans Schouten sails past. were serving on North American warships. 1626"Admiral Piet Heyn sails pastSaba. We mentioned earlier that Van Kol, a member of the Dutch 1632. Some Englishmen land on Saba but find no one living there. Lower House, became committed to the cause of a navigation 1635 .Pierre d'Esnambuc takes possession of Saba for the King of school on Saba. This plan succeeded in 1909, and this school was. France. founded in The Bottom. P. A. Simmons, a Saban, was charged with App. 1640' Zeelanders from St. Eustatius establish themselves on its direction. There were quite a few candidates for the school - as the south coast of Saba. Governmentally this has the con- many as seven to nine at a time. sequence that Saba becomes annexed to St. Eustatius. During World War I Saban masters and mates could easily find work. Interest in the school became greater, and in 1917 the course was divided. Lessons were given one day in The Bottom and the following day at Windwardside. Teaching was done in English and was aimed chiefly at the requirements then existing in the United States. A final examination was not given. As time went by the interest and regularity of attendance proved greater in Windwardside than in The Bottom. After World War I it became more difficult for those having finished the studies to find employment, for the arrival of maritime unions and tighter immigration policies in the Ut:lited States made it nearly impossible to sign aboard North American ships. The character of the course changed, and in 1922it ceased. After a few years a new possibility opened itself to Saban mariners. They found work on small tankers used by Shell of Curavao and Lago of Aruba to bring crude oil from Venezuela .

.Contrary to the Statians and St. Maarteners who sought work on neighboring islands during crop time and generally stayed away no longer than the appointed season, Sabans returned only after three or four years. Just as they did earlier while sailing on American schooners, so did they send money home from the refin- 11/ Furlller times eueryt.hing had to be done by hand.Here grain is being ground eries and the tankers. !Picture CharLes J-brbert, 1.93.9). 1651- A landslide destroys the coastal settlement and people settle in The Bottom. 1665' The English occupy the island for some months. 1672 to 1679 The English occupy Saba for seven years. After their departure the Sabans construct their own system of defense. 1689 Saba repulses a French attack. Movement for freedom from St. Eustatius. 1701 Pere Jean Baptiste Labat O. P. visits the island and writes the oldest extensive description. 1772 - A severe hurricane destroys coffee, sugar and indigo plantations. 1775 ' Presbyterian Church works on Saba. 1777 . The Anglican Community established. C. 1780 The Dutch language has nearly disappeared from Saba. n81 Sir James Cockburn captures Saba for Admiral Rodney. In the same year the British are driven off of Saba by the French who remain for three years. 1801-1803- First Britishinterim administration. 1810-1816' Second British interim administration. 1816· Saba becomes permanently Dutch. 1830· Sugar cultivation dwindles. 1843 Sarah .Mardenborough initiates Roman Catholic religious instruction. 1854 J. G. Gast; first resident Roman Catholic priest, arrives. 1860 In Windwardside the still existing building for the Roman Catholic Church, St. Paul's Conversion, is constructed. 1868 Name of The Bottom changed to the Town of Leverock. 1870 The first wave of emigration, especially to the United Sta- tefii,begins. 1877' Construction begins of the present Holy Trinity Church (Anglican) in Windwardside. The first resident rector, Rev. . David Hope, arrives. In the villages the streets formerly were also stairways because few houses were Construction begins of the Roman Catholic Sacred Heart of on the same level. With the arrival of the automobile the steps were gradually lev- Jesus Church in The Bottom (see 1909 and 1934). eled. This 1938 picture of Hell's Gate shows Mount Scenery in the background, and Chie f Cons table Be rnard Halley is in the foreground. C. 1880 Gertrude Johnson introduces her drawn thread work on Saba. 1911 - First Roman Catholic Church, Ghurch of the Holy Rosary, 1902' The Free Gospel Mission Church (now Wesleyan Holiness) built in Hell's Gate. . begins its work on Saba. 1919 • Construction of the present Wesleyan Holiness Church in 1909' Navigation school established in The Bottom. The Bottom. Roman Catholic Church building in The Bottom replaced by a 1922 . Government guesthouse opened in The Bottom. new one. The navigation school closes. 1651- A landslide destroys the coastal settlement and people settle in The Bottom. 1665' The English occupy the island for some months. 1672 to 1679 The English occupy Saba for seven years. After their departure the Sabans construct their own system of defense. 1689 Saba repulses a French attack. Movement for freedom from St. Eustatius. 1701 Pere Jean Baptiste Labat O. P. visits the island and writes the oldest extensive description. 1772 - A severe hurricane destroys coffee, sugar and indigo plantations. 1775 ' Presbyterian Church works on Saba. 1777 . The Anglican Community established. C. 1780 The Dutch language has nearly disappeared from Saba. n81 Sir James Cockburn captures Saba for Admiral Rodney. In the same year the British are driven off of Saba by the French who remain for three years. 1801-1803- First Britishinterim administration. 1810-1816' Second British interim administration. 1816· Saba becomes permanently Dutch. 1830· Sugar cultivation dwindles. 1843 Sarah .Mardenborough initiates Roman Catholic religious instruction. 1854 J. G. Gast; first resident Roman Catholic priest, arrives. 1860 In Windwardside the still existing building for the Roman Catholic Church, St. Paul's Conversion, is constructed. 1868 Name of The Bottom changed to the Town of Leverock. 1870 The first wave of emigration, especially to the United Sta- tefii,begins. 1877' Construction begins of the present Holy Trinity Church (Anglican) in Windwardside. The first resident rector, Rev. . David Hope, arrives. In the villages the streets formerly were also stairways because few houses were Construction begins of the Roman Catholic Sacred Heart of on the same level. With the arrival of the automobile the steps were gradually lev- Jesus Church in The Bottom (see 1909 and 1934). eled. This 1938 picture of Hell's Gate shows Mount Scenery in the background, and Chie f Cons table Be rnard Halley is in the foreground. C. 1880 Gertrude Johnson introduces her drawn thread work on Saba. 1911 - First Roman Catholic Church, Ghurch of the Holy Rosary, 1902' The Free Gospel Mission Church (now Wesleyan Holiness) built in Hell's Gate. . begins its work on Saba. 1919 • Construction of the present Wesleyan Holiness Church in 1909' Navigation school established in The Bottom. The Bottom. Roman Catholic Church building in The Bottom replaced by a 1922 . Government guesthouse opened in The Bottom. new one. The navigation school closes. 1923' Queen Wilhelmina Library established in The Bottom 1950 First visit of a member of the Royal House - Prince Bern- (Windwardside branch in 1932). hard on January 26. Archeological excavations bring to light indian artifacts in 1951 With the forming of the Island Territory of the Windward The Bottom, Windwardside, St. Johns and Spring Bay. Islands Saba gets greater autonomy under a government C.1927 Beginning of the second wave of emigration, especially to consisting of the administrator and two local deputies. Aruba and Cura~ao (see 1870). St. Johns and Windwardside become accessible by auto- 1931....Telegraphic connection established with St. Maarten on mobile. Last remaining horse is sent to St. Maarten. November 2. First movie house opens in The Bottom. 1932 . Mountain path between Windwardside and Hell's Gate 1952 • A helicopter from the Dutch aircraft carrier Karel Door- made passable. man is the first aircraft to land on Saba at St. Johns on Feb- 1934 ,The village of Mary's Point is evacuated. ruary 14, The present Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church in The 1954 . Second movie house opens in Windwardside. Bottom is built (see 1877and 1909). 1955 . Visit of Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard on October 24. 1935 I Telephone system is put into use with 10connections. 1957 North Americans begin to show interest in houses on Saba. Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts founded. 1958 •Visit of Princess Beatrix on February 13. 1938 • Cement road from Fort Bay is begun (completed in 1943). 1959 Shrubbery cleared from Flat Point and Mr. Remy F. de Hae- 1945 Radio-telephone connection with St. Maarten established on nen lands first conventional single-engined aircraft on Saba November 29. accompanied by a mechanic on February 9. 1946 Mr. Remy F. de Haenen lands off Fort Bay in a Vough Sikor- 1960' Princess Irene Hospital opens at St. Johns. sky type O. S. 2 U. seaplane. Sister Waltruda composes the "Saba Song." 1947 • Arrival of first motor vehicle, a jeep, on March 17. 1961 Three helicopters from the carrier Karel Doorman land at Flat Point. 1962 Visit of the Princesses Irene and MargrietonJuly 19. New Roman Catholic Church of the Holy Rosary in Hell's Gate completed. Antillian Girls' Guild founded. (February 21). 1963 • Beginning of air service to St. Maarten and St. Eustatius on July 24. Opening of the Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport on Septem- ber 18. Opening of first supermarket in Windwardside. Electricity becomes available in The Bottom (October 20). 1964 , Ele~tricity reaches Windwardside and St. Johns on January 23 and Hell's Gate later the same year. Fir$t supermarket opens in The Bottom. 1965 • Caribe Guest House opens in The Bottom (February 8). Second visit of Princess Beatr~ on February 27.- Second visit of Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard on Oc- tober 5. Esso gasoline station at Fort Bay begins operation. fn 1968 Princess Beatrix visited the island. The then 9 years old Mary Darnell ,Johnson (now Mrs. Douglas Johnson) presented flowers to the princess. At left, Radio-telephone communications with the United States Gerardus van der Wall who was then administrator of the island. established. 1923' Queen Wilhelmina Library established in The Bottom 1950 First visit of a member of the Royal House - Prince Bern- (Windwardside branch in 1932). hard on January 26. Archeological excavations bring to light indian artifacts in 1951 With the forming of the Island Territory of the Windward The Bottom, Windwardside, St. Johns and Spring Bay. Islands Saba gets greater autonomy under a government C.1927 Beginning of the second wave of emigration, especially to consisting of the administrator and two local deputies. Aruba and Cura~ao (see 1870). St. Johns and Windwardside become accessible by auto- 1931....Telegraphic connection established with St. Maarten on mobile. Last remaining horse is sent to St. Maarten. November 2. First movie house opens in The Bottom. 1932 . Mountain path between Windwardside and Hell's Gate 1952 • A helicopter from the Dutch aircraft carrier Karel Door- made passable. man is the first aircraft to land on Saba at St. Johns on Feb- 1934 ,The village of Mary's Point is evacuated. ruary 14, The present Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church in The 1954 . Second movie house opens in Windwardside. Bottom is built (see 1877and 1909). 1955 . Visit of Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard on October 24. 1935 I Telephone system is put into use with 10connections. 1957 North Americans begin to show interest in houses on Saba. Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts founded. 1958 •Visit of Princess Beatrix on February 13. 1938 • Cement road from Fort Bay is begun (completed in 1943). 1959 Shrubbery cleared from Flat Point and Mr. Remy F. de Hae- 1945 Radio-telephone connection with St. Maarten established on nen lands first conventional single-engined aircraft on Saba November 29. accompanied by a mechanic on February 9. 1946 Mr. Remy F. de Haenen lands off Fort Bay in a Vough Sikor- 1960' Princess Irene Hospital opens at St. Johns. sky type O. S. 2 U. seaplane. Sister Waltruda composes the "Saba Song." 1947 • Arrival of first motor vehicle, a jeep, on March 17. 1961 Three helicopters from the carrier Karel Doorman land at Flat Point. 1962 Visit of the Princesses Irene and MargrietonJuly 19. New Roman Catholic Church of the Holy Rosary in Hell's Gate completed. Antillian Girls' Guild founded. (February 21). 1963 • Beginning of air service to St. Maarten and St. Eustatius on July 24. Opening of the Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport on Septem- ber 18. Opening of first supermarket in Windwardside. Electricity becomes available in The Bottom (October 20). 1964 , Ele~tricity reaches Windwardside and St. Johns on January 23 and Hell's Gate later the same year. Fir$t supermarket opens in The Bottom. 1965 • Caribe Guest House opens in The Bottom (February 8). Second visit of Princess Beatr~ on February 27.- Second visit of Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard on Oc- tober 5. Esso gasoline station at Fort Bay begins operation. fn 1968 Princess Beatrix visited the island. The then 9 years old Mary Darnell ,Johnson (now Mrs. Douglas Johnson) presented flowers to the princess. At left, Radio-telephone communications with the United States Gerardus van der Wall who was then administrator of the island. established. J onge Wacht founded on June 24. Hotel Captain's Quarters opens in Windwardside (Decem- ber 15). 1966. The Argonaut is the first sizeable cruise ship to call at Saba on January 17. Princess Beatrix and Prince Claus arrive by warship on July 28 and spend the night at the hotel Captain's Quar- ters. (Saba Girls' Sport Society founded on September 30. )

Telephone exchange and Library, formerly the office of the vice-lieutenant-gover- nor and police. Background Sacred Heart School. Joycelyn Simmons walking down the street.

Formerly everyone was buried on his own land next to' his house. This is .an old grave in Windwardside. (Picture: Royal In'stitute for the Tropics). Government offices in The Bottom. From left to right: post-office and tax collec- 1967 ' Stairway of 1,064 steps from Windwardside to the top of tor, the council hall, the Administrator's Office, offices of the Deputies. For half a Mount Scenery is put into use. century ago, see page 73. 1968 Banco Popular Antiliano N.V. opens a branch in Windward- 1972 .(The Leo A. I. Chance 'Pier at Fort Bay is dedicated on side. (September 13). November 8) Housing project "Under the Hill" forms new residential At the top of Mount Scenery a microwave relay station is area of The Bottom. begun by British Cable and Wireless to link Tortola and 1970 ,Saba gets 24-hour electrical current on December 24. Antigua via Saba. 1971 ' Automobile road built from Upper Hell's Gate to Above- (West Indies Television Network begins construction of a the-Bush. transmitter in Upper Hell's Gate to be linked by microwave Christian Youth Crusade founded on October 10. to studios.in St. Maarten. ) The ''Voice of Saba" radio station begins operation on Nov- The Saba Stone Company N.V. is established at Tent Bay to ember 25. export crushed stone and sand. J onge Wacht founded on June 24. Hotel Captain's Quarters opens in Windwardside (Decem- ber 15). 1966. The Argonaut is the first sizeable cruise ship to call at Saba on January 17. Princess Beatrix and Prince Claus arrive by warship on July 28 and spend the night at the hotel Captain's Quar- ters. (Saba Girls' Sport Society founded on September 30. )

Telephone exchange and Library, formerly the office of the vice-lieutenant-gover- nor and police. Background Sacred Heart School. Joycelyn Simmons walking down the street.

Numerous Anglicans The curious fact presents itself that the Anglican Church or Church of England is indigenous to an island colonized by the Netherlands. The first colonists, of course, brought the Dutch Re- formed Church to Saba. There was never a resident pastor on the island except from 1736 to 1739, and for this reason the Dutch Re- formed Church never flourished. Because the language spoken was English and the island was situated amidst English islands, the Rev. Kirkpatrick requested and was granted permission in 1777by Commander Johannes de Graaff of St. Eustatius to establish an Anglican Church and parish on Saba. Thus the Anglican Church in The Bottom came into existence although it.is not certain whether the present building dates from 1777. The majority of the white population joined. However, the Anglican Church was no more able to provide a resident pastor than the former church had been. Still the popula- Lionremained actively Anglican, and in 1877 a second church, the 'hurch of the Holy Trinity, was built in Windwardside which still occupies the same building. Since that year there has also been a resident priest on the island. There were then 1,458 Anglicans among the 2,072 inhabitants of the island. Because other churches established themselves in the course of Lhe 19th century, the number of Anglicans decreased. At the present time 221/2% of the population of Saba belong. to the Anglican Church. In the COurseof time, four Sablms have become Anglican clergymen. Proportionally the Anglican Church has the highest number of native clergymen in the Netherlands Antilles. According to cannon law the Anglican community falls under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Antigua. A particularly devoted ecclesiastical worker of the Anglican Church on Saba from the beginning of the 20th century until her d ath was Elizabeth Johnson. She conducted Sunday school clas- Interior of the Christ Church (Anglican) in The Bottom. The year it was built is ~ , assisted the priests and cared for the church. She was born in unknown. Windwardside on September 7, 1879and died on June 5,1971. Metdodists disappear Ill'marhable advent of the Roman Catholic Church The Anglican Church took its cue exclusively from the white In 1836 Msgr. Martinus Niewindt, the apostolic prefect of the people. To fill the gap, Methodism, which had been brought some Roman Catholic Church of the Netherlands Antilles, visited the limc earlier to St. Eustatius, came in 1811 to Saba. Because of lack Windward Islands. Having been on St. Maarten and St. Eustatius of organization, an uncommon phenomenon among Methodists. the carlier, he now also wished to visit Saba. On none of the islands dcnomination disappeared from Saba as early as 1818. was there a priest in 1836. The advent of Roman Catholicism on Saba reads like an adven- ture novel. When Father Labat had been on the island in 1701 he did not have missionary intentions. Niewindt most certainly did. At the end of May, 1836,he arrived at Ladder Bay accompanied by Manuel Romero, a Venezuelan priest who had come to Cura~ao a year earlier as a political refugee. Niewindt spoke French and Dutch; Romero spoke only Spanish. The climb to the top led over piles of stone and between steep chasms. . Having arrived at the Gap the pair was stared at perplexedly by the Sabans. Communication was not possible. Neither of the two priests spoke English, and the Sabans spoke no French, Spanish or Dutch. One can imagine how they stood making gestures to each other. Finally there came forth a woman from Guadeloupe with whom Niewindt could speak Frencll.. She led the two priests to the deserted home of an earlier departed Anglican clergyman.

View of Windwardside. In the background the Holy Trinity Anglican church built in 1877. Metdodists disappear Ill'marhable advent of the Roman Catholic Church The Anglican Church took its cue exclusively from the white In 1836 Msgr. Martinus Niewindt, the apostolic prefect of the people. To fill the gap, Methodism, which had been brought some Roman Catholic Church of the Netherlands Antilles, visited the limc earlier to St. Eustatius, came in 1811 to Saba. Because of lack Windward Islands. Having been on St. Maarten and St. Eustatius of organization, an uncommon phenomenon among Methodists. the carlier, he now also wished to visit Saba. On none of the islands dcnomination disappeared from Saba as early as 1818. was there a priest in 1836. The advent of Roman Catholicism on Saba reads like an adven- ture novel. When Father Labat had been on the island in 1701 he did not have missionary intentions. Niewindt most certainly did. At the end of May, 1836,he arrived at Ladder Bay accompanied by Manuel Romero, a Venezuelan priest who had come to Cura~ao a year earlier as a political refugee. Niewindt spoke French and Dutch; Romero spoke only Spanish. The climb to the top led over piles of stone and between steep chasms. . Having arrived at the Gap the pair was stared at perplexedly by the Sabans. Communication was not possible. Neither of the two priests spoke English, and the Sabans spoke no French, Spanish or Dutch. One can imagine how they stood making gestures to each other. Finally there came forth a woman from Guadeloupe with whom Niewindt could speak Frencll.. She led the two priests to the deserted home of an earlier departed Anglican clergyman.

View of Windwardside. In the background the Holy Trinity Anglican church built in 1877. ing, and the woman from Guadeloupe was not sophisticated enough to understand. Niewindt had brought English catechism books along, and these he liberally distributed. Except for a few, the 1,800 inhabitants of Saba were illiterate. After the celebration of the Holy Mass the people presented five children to be baptized. Niewindt happily obliged. After this the two priests set out, supposedly with a guide, along the. western flank of the mountain to Behind the Ridge and to Hell's Gate which would undoubtedly have been a difficult but fascinating journey. Who could have suggested such a strange route to them? Late in the day Niewindt and Romero arrived at Windwardside where they received shelter in the home of Peter Hassell, an Anglican. In his home another Holy Mass was celebrated the following day. Niewindt writes that, "curious girls peeped through the shutters when the 'new priest' put on his vestments." From this we again conclude that the people simply regarded Niewindt as the successor of the departed Anglican priest. Niewindt could interpret nothing; there was not a single person who understood him. Five years later in 1841 Niewindt succeeded in finding a pastor for St. Eustatius, at that time the most important of the three islands. Just as Saba was colonized from St. Eustatius in the 17th century, so it was from there that it received the Roman Catholic Church in the 19th century. Father Joannes F. A. Kistemaker from St. Eustatius visited Saba in 1843 and appointed Sarah Mar- denborough to give some religious instruction .. Sarah became in fact the founder of this church on Saba and the Ecclesiastical Chronicle also refers to her as Apostola Sabae. For 29 years she gave religious instruction, and, after 1854 when a resident priest came, she served as assistant to each succeeding priest until 1873. She taught the youth, took care of the churches, and nursed the sick. As a result of the last mentioned occupation she contracted leprosy. Even then she had the children gather around her bed to prepare them for Holy Baptism and Holy Communion. Each year on Maundy Thursday she had herself taken to the church where she spent the night and remained until after the ceremonies of On the following day, June 21, 1836, the first Holy Mass by a Good Friday. In 1903this remarkable woman died and was buried Roman Catholic clergyman was said on Saba. in Windwardside. Were there people then on Saba who considered themselves Ro- man Catholic? For more than a century no priest of that religion had been there. Could those present have had the faintest notion of Saba had other dedicated women. Mary Jane Johnson worked in a difference in religion any more than the woman who took Nie- Hell's Gate and Ann Elizabeth Johnson (Miss Sheshe) did ecclesi- windt to the home of the Anglican? Niewindt could explain noth- astical work from 1858until her death in 1931at the age of 93. ing, and the woman from Guadeloupe was not sophisticated enough to understand. Niewindt had brought English catechism books along, and these he liberally distributed. Except for a few, the 1,800 inhabitants of Saba were illiterate. After the celebration of the Holy Mass the people presented five children to be baptized. Niewindt happily obliged. After this the two priests set out, supposedly with a guide, along the. western flank of the mountain to Behind the Ridge and to Hell's Gate which would undoubtedly have been a difficult but fascinating journey. Who could have suggested such a strange route to them? Late in the day Niewindt and Romero arrived at Windwardside where they received shelter in the home of Peter Hassell, an Anglican. In his home another Holy Mass was celebrated the following day. Niewindt writes that, "curious girls peeped through the shutters when the 'new priest' put on his vestments." From this we again conclude that the people simply regarded Niewindt as the successor of the departed Anglican priest. Niewindt could interpret nothing; there was not a single person who understood him. Five years later in 1841 Niewindt succeeded in finding a pastor for St. Eustatius, at that time the most important of the three islands. Just as Saba was colonized from St. Eustatius in the 17th century, so it was from there that it received the Roman Catholic Church in the 19th century. Father Joannes F. A. Kistemaker from St. Eustatius visited Saba in 1843 and appointed Sarah Mar- denborough to give some religious instruction .. Sarah became in fact the founder of this church on Saba and the Ecclesiastical Chronicle also refers to her as Apostola Sabae. For 29 years she gave religious instruction, and, after 1854 when a resident priest came, she served as assistant to each succeeding priest until 1873. She taught the youth, took care of the churches, and nursed the sick. As a result of the last mentioned occupation she contracted leprosy. Even then she had the children gather around her bed to prepare them for Holy Baptism and Holy Communion. Each year on Maundy Thursday she had herself taken to the church where she spent the night and remained until after the ceremonies of On the following day, June 21, 1836, the first Holy Mass by a Good Friday. In 1903this remarkable woman died and was buried Roman Catholic clergyman was said on Saba. in Windwardside. Were there people then on Saba who considered themselves Ro- man Catholic? For more than a century no priest of that religion had been there. Could those present have had the faintest notion of Saba had other dedicated women. Mary Jane Johnson worked in a difference in religion any more than the woman who took Nie- Hell's Gate and Ann Elizabeth Johnson (Miss Sheshe) did ecclesi- windt to the home of the Anglican? Niewindt could explain noth- astical work from 1858until her death in 1931at the age of 93. In 1859 the Church of the Conversion of St. Paul was built in The first church in Hell's Gate was the work of Father Windwardside. In 1877the Church of the Sacred Heart was built in Norbertus de Groen, a Dominican who became a historical figure The Bottom. Its present building is the third one and dates from on Saba. An old salt with wrinkled brow and rough hands, he lab- 1934. In 1911 the Church of the Holy Rosary was established in ored on Saba for 21 years. He was equally at home handling the Hell's Gate, and its first structure was replaced by the existing one rudder of the bark in which he sailed from island to island as that of the bark of St.Peter (the church whose priest he wasl or the in 1962. reins of the horse on which he climbed the step roads of Saba. He used few clergyman's words, yet he was respectful and humble in a way excelling many city pastors. After Saba he worked for another 12 years on St. Eustatius and St. Maarten. When cancer cut him down he was sent to Calvary House in New York where he died in 1944. The work of the Roman Catholics was not without success. In 1878, 35 years after Sarah Mardenborough had begun, Saba had about 600 Roman Catholics. Apparently that religion appealed to the people of the island. Presently almost two thirds of the population is Roman Catholic. Wesleyan Holiness Church The third religious community of Saba, with churches in The Bottom and St. Johns, is the Wesleyan Holiness Church, formerly The Reverend Norbert de Groen a.p. 1879-1944. named the Christian Mission Church and then the Pilgrim's Holi- Parish priest of Saba from 1911 till 1930. ness Church. This congregation of about 50 persons also' had an interesting origin. In 1898 a Saban lost his son and his home in a hurricane. Seek~ng comfort he joined a sect that was active in Antigua and Barbados. Out of this a community developed which joined the Pil- grim's Holiness Church in the United States. In 1968 there was a merger with a Methodist community after which the combined name of Wesleyan Holiness Church was used. The sect has a church in The Bottom (19191and a small chapel at St. Johns (1965). Eccle sias tical Division From the census records of 1972one can divide the population of Saba as follows: Total Roman Wesleyan inhabitants Catholic .Anglican Holiness The Bottom 343 198 110 St. Johns 111 67 19 Windwardside 297 201 87 Hell's Gate 212 212 In addition there are some Adventists, Methodists, and persons who register as not belonging to any religion. In 1859 the Church of the Conversion of St. Paul was built in The first church in Hell's Gate was the work of Father Windwardside. In 1877the Church of the Sacred Heart was built in Norbertus de Groen, a Dominican who became a historical figure The Bottom. Its present building is the third one and dates from on Saba. An old salt with wrinkled brow and rough hands, he lab- 1934. In 1911 the Church of the Holy Rosary was established in ored on Saba for 21 years. He was equally at home handling the Hell's Gate, and its first structure was replaced by the existing one rudder of the bark in which he sailed from island to island as that of the bark of St.Peter (the church whose priest he wasl or the in 1962. reins of the horse on which he climbed the step roads of Saba. He used few clergyman's words, yet he was respectful and humble in a way excelling many city pastors. After Saba he worked for another 12 years on St. Eustatius and St. Maarten. When cancer cut him down he was sent to Calvary House in New York where he died in 1944. The work of the Roman Catholics was not without success. In 1878, 35 years after Sarah Mardenborough had begun, Saba had about 600 Roman Catholics. Apparently that religion appealed to the people of the island. Presently almost two thirds of the population is Roman Catholic. Wesleyan Holiness Church The third religious community of Saba, with churches in The Bottom and St. Johns, is the Wesleyan Holiness Church, formerly The Reverend Norbert de Groen a.p. 1879-1944. named the Christian Mission Church and then the Pilgrim's Holi- Parish priest of Saba from 1911 till 1930. ness Church. This congregation of about 50 persons also' had an interesting origin. In 1898 a Saban lost his son and his home in a hurricane. Seek~ng comfort he joined a sect that was active in Antigua and Barbados. Out of this a community developed which joined the Pil- grim's Holiness Church in the United States. In 1968 there was a merger with a Methodist community after which the combined name of Wesleyan Holiness Church was used. The sect has a church in The Bottom (19191and a small chapel at St. Johns (1965). Eccle sias tical Division From the census records of 1972one can divide the population of Saba as follows: Total Roman Wesleyan inhabitants Catholic .Anglican Holiness The Bottom 343 198 110 St. Johns 111 67 19 Windwardside 297 201 87 Hell's Gate 212 212 In addition there are some Adventists, Methodists, and persons who register as not belonging to any religion. In 1854 Father Gast established a Roman Catholic school which before long had 20 pupils. In 1870the government gave a subsidy to a teacher living on Saba to supply free education to the needy. Education and culture There were 30 such pupils. The year 1878finds a school in The Bot- tom with 41 pupils and two schools in Windwardside with 33 and 54 pupils. The standard of education, however, left much to be Education in the islands has always been an ancillary function of .desired. the protestant churches with the sexton serving as teacher. Where From the 1890's until during World War I the Christian Mission, there was no clergyman, obviously there was no sexton. Until well the present Wesleyan Holiness Church, had an Elementary School into the 19th century there was no mention of school teaching on established at The Bottom and a branch at St. Johns. Miss Braith- Saba; Parents gave lessons to their children or anyone who had a ~aite, a former headmistress of a Girls' High School in Antigua, desire to do so gathered children from several families around him. was charged with the leadership of this school; later an American In 1829.for example, there was such a private class of 15 children. Miss Larson, opened a branch at St. Johns. The school had 6 The Anglicans, who were already active on Saba, established a grades. All subjects were taught in the English language. small school in The Bottom. Apparently the results were good, be- This changed after the arrival of the Dominican Sisters from cause the previously mentioned letter of Father Gast in 1857 Voorschoten in The Netherlands who opened a school in 1905in states that nearly all the white. people of Windwardside and The The Bottom and one in Windwardside in 1907.One of the nuns, Sis- Bottom could read. ter Winnefrida, of English descent, was a particular asset to educa- Sarah Mardenborough in Windwardside and Mary Johnson in tion. Besides the schools operated by the nuns, the government Hell's Gate, neither with much education, taught generations of opened public schools in The Bottom and Windwardside. Like the young Sabans to read and write English as this was absolutely private schools, these were seven-grade elementary schools. necessary for religious instruction. Because of declining enrollment in the public schools, the two were combined in 1958and the remaining one was closed in 1973.

Musical performances Because of the relative isolation of the villages, many c\lltural activities never developed. In 1932 acting Lieutenant Governor Willem F. M. Lampe took the initiative to layout what is now the Wilhelmina Park at The Bottom. There Lampe organized musical performances, but these were no longer held after his departure. However, the favorable climate transformed Wilhelmina Park into a garden full of flowers. •

Libraries Lampe had more success with the founding of the Queen Wilhel- mina Library, also in 1923when the late Queen celebrated her Sil- The Tennis Club Excelsior In 1923. Left to right; BACK ROW: Dr. Emanuel; Rev. ver Jubilee. Intere"st in the library was so great that in 1932 a Thomas W. Lambert, the Anglican curate; Stanley Simmons, Caracas; the late Engle Simmons; the late Edwin Simmons; the late W. F. M Lampe (Administra- branch was opened in Windwardside. The two libraries are actual- tor); FRONT ROW: the late 1na Vanterpool; Mrs. Emanuel with daughter, ly one organisation subsidized by the government. The collection Carmen; the late Ethel Simmons; Carolyne Hassel~ Curafao; and the late Lena in The Bottom numbers 1,100 books and that in Windwardside is VanterpooL 1,800.The two libraries circulate about 3,000books per year. In 1854 Father Gast established a Roman Catholic school which before long had 20 pupils. In 1870the government gave a subsidy to a teacher living on Saba to supply free education to the needy. Education and culture There were 30 such pupils. The year 1878finds a school in The Bot- tom with 41 pupils and two schools in Windwardside with 33 and 54 pupils. The standard of education, however, left much to be Education in the islands has always been an ancillary function of .desired. the protestant churches with the sexton serving as teacher. Where From the 1890's until during World War I the Christian Mission, there was no clergyman, obviously there was no sexton. Until well the present Wesleyan Holiness Church, had an Elementary School into the 19th century there was no mention of school teaching on established at The Bottom and a branch at St. Johns. Miss Braith- Saba; Parents gave lessons to their children or anyone who had a ~aite, a former headmistress of a Girls' High School in Antigua, desire to do so gathered children from several families around him. was charged with the leadership of this school; later an American In 1829.for example, there was such a private class of 15 children. Miss Larson, opened a branch at St. Johns. The school had 6 The Anglicans, who were already active on Saba, established a grades. All subjects were taught in the English language. small school in The Bottom. Apparently the results were good, be- This changed after the arrival of the Dominican Sisters from cause the previously mentioned letter of Father Gast in 1857 Voorschoten in The Netherlands who opened a school in 1905in states that nearly all the white. people of Windwardside and The The Bottom and one in Windwardside in 1907.One of the nuns, Sis- Bottom could read. ter Winnefrida, of English descent, was a particular asset to educa- Sarah Mardenborough in Windwardside and Mary Johnson in tion. Besides the schools operated by the nuns, the government Hell's Gate, neither with much education, taught generations of opened public schools in The Bottom and Windwardside. Like the young Sabans to read and write English as this was absolutely private schools, these were seven-grade elementary schools. necessary for religious instruction. Because of declining enrollment in the public schools, the two were combined in 1958and the remaining one was closed in 1973.

Five additional views of travel on the Saba roads in the old days. E.very now and Landing place at Fort Bay half a century ago. Some sheds serve the customs; to then the travelers paused for a rest. (This and the photographs on pages 94,95 and the left of the chasm the steproad to The Bottom: 200 unequal steps. 96 are by Charles Herbert, 1939). Movies Movies were first shown on the island by a certain Mr.G. Hodge and Mr. Larmony, who visited periodically in the forties from St. Maarten. A tent and folding chairs would be taken along. One Consequences of the oil-industry week was spent at The Bottom and one week at Windwardside. The tent was set up in each of these villages and in this way the in Aruba and Curacao movies were shown. In 1951 the first cinema was opened in The Bottom. Shell established an oil refinery in Cura~ao in 1915. Lago Oil and Transport Company built a bunker station in Aruba in 1924 and a refinery as well in 1929. Both refineries required more workmen than were available in Aruba and Cura~ao so that from far and near people moved to the two islands. Around 1920 this trend began in St. Maarten and to a lesser degree from St. Eustatius. Sa- bans, who tended to migrate to the United States, saw that after the First World War employment possibilities were less because of tighter U.S. immigration laws, and they again directed themselves for a time to the Bermudas. Around 1927 Sabans also began to move in significant numbers to the Dutch Leeward Islands. The refineries offered more steady work than agricultural labor elsewhere, and the fact that English was the prevailing language in the Aruba refinery was another at· traction.

Less than a thousand The refineries of Lago and Shell began to automate around 1950. Many employees were laid off and chose to return to their native '. countries. This shows clearly in the population figures of St. Maar- ten and St. Eustatius. Sabans returned home also to the extent that the sex ratio became normalized (468 males to 490 females in 1972),but at the same -time it was evident that many Sabans had left their island to make a future elsewhere. At first the population increased somewhat, and the year 1962 recorded 1,022persons living on the island. However, the census of 1972showed that many had said farewell, for then there were only 958persons on Saba - the lowest number since 1816.

The number of inhabitants on Saba went down rapidly: 1923 1,655persons 1933 1,416persons 1960 980 persons

Remittance economy Especially men and boys were those who left the island. Only a few' took their families along. As they had done formerly when working in the Bermudas, the Saban migrants supported their families by money sent home via postal money order. Thus the island became known as having a money order or remittance economy such as is found on many small Caribbean islands. In 1951 postal money orders totalling 88,000 guilders were received on Saba and in 1971, 92.,000guilders inordin~~' a..>nountsfor a population of about 1,000persons. \',~ '"

<';:' ry: '~.i." Surplus offemales . . ... t. ' Because it was especially men in the prime of lif~ who left the island, there came about a community in which the number of children and aged persons was greater than normal. There was also an unusually large number of females. In 1931for example there were 906 females to 551 males on the island. Saba reached its peak population in 1915with 2,488 persons. By 1940 the population was half that many with the result that small settlements. such as Middle Island and Cow. Pasture completely disappeared. Concomitantly, planting and cattle raising also declined.

The number of inhabitants on Saba went down rapidly: 1923 1,655persons 1933 1,416persons 1960 980 persons

<';:' ry: '~.i." Surplus offemales . . ... t. ' Because it was especially men in the prime of lif~ who left the island, there came about a community in which the number of child- More liberal means The establishment of Lago and Shell in Aruba and Curar;ao created a prosperity in the Netherlands Antilles reflected by a more generous flow of government funds. Governor Bartholomeus W. T. van Slobbe visited the Windward Islands in 1930 and 1931 to draw up a plan for their aid.

III earlier days donkeys were popular as they could be used both in and out of resi- delltial areas. A picture of The Bottom, without a traffic jam, made in 1939. More liberal means The establishment of Lago and Shell in Aruba and Curar;ao created a prosperity in the Netherlands Antilles reflected by a more generous flow of government funds. Governor Bartholomeus W. T. van Slobbe visited the Windward Islands in 1930 and 1931 to draw up a plan for their aid.

III earlier days donkeys were popular as they could be used both in and out of resi- delltial areas. A picture of The Bottom, without a traffic jam, made in 1939. The first motor vehicle

The road leading from Fort Bay to The Bottom is called Fort Bay Road. Until 1938 it was made up of about 200 steps which were nearly all different in height and width and among which some were worn as smooth as mirrors. For centuries long everything that was necessary on Saba from a sack of nails to a piano was carried up hundreds of feet on human heads and shoulders. Twelve men were needed to transport a piano. A porter's job was profit- able. When in 1923a donkey was imported to carry uQ freight the porters protested just as strongly as dock workers wh6 were made superfluous by containerized shipping in the 1960's. But donkeys continued to arrive the same as shipping containi:lrs, and former Stairway to Ladder Bay. In bad weather schooners formerly used to anchor in porters became donkey drivers. They found that with less sweat Ladder Bay away from the wind. The visitor: had to climb over boulders until 1934 and toUthey could charge more money. The number of donkeys on when a stairway of 524 steps was built over a distance of 656 feet (200 m.J. Because Saba reached its peak in 1951when there were 96 donkeys ---:still of the gradual disappearance of the schooners and the better equipment available not many for everything that had to be hauled. at Fort Bay, Ladder Bay fell into disuse. ,~...r[,,,,j,/'t1t: The first benefit for Saba was inclusion in 1931in a regular fort- ~:\". nightly steamer connection between the islands. At that time Hell's Gate could be reached only by a path in which there was a dangerous curve appropriately called "The Marefall," B;nd the people were reluctant to go there on horseback. In 1932 government money paid for construction of a decent mountain path. On the northwest side of the island thei~ lay since early times an almost inaccessible hamlet called Mary's Point. In 1865 there were 75 persons there; in 1934there were only 32 divided among eight families and nearly all related to each other. Intermarriage and the impossibility of school attendance threatened to extingUish. this small population. More adequate government funds made it possible in 1934to evacuate Mary's Point and to resettle the 32 inhabitants on a building site near The Bottom appropriately named The Promised Land by which name it is still known today. There were two other government financed improvements. The Ladder, the way down to Ladder Bay, received 524 cemented steps. (However, because of the disappearance of schooners this landing place fell steadily into disuse). In 1935 Saba got a IJringing an automobile ashore used to be a tall order. This picture shows an auto- telephone system although it had only ten connections. mobile at sea lashed across coupled rowboats. Picture taken in 1967. The first motor vehicle

;~~s t~~,fc;::erunfne,;of the taxi in the days of the steps. For certain visitors the ss c zm mg 0 t e steps was too much. Muscular Sabans built a kind of sedan (rom up~olster~d chairs and saplings. Here Father Raymundus Wahlen, who vis- ::r~~';; :s~~d ~n t~e c~mp~y of Monsignor Verriet (in the background), is being o zs estmatwn. 0 the far left is Pastoor Martinus Meesters In eak years the charge for the "drive" from Fort Bay to The Bottom by seda .h . P 30 'ld (P' n c air was gUI ers. Icture from the Leeuwenberg collection).

Only a few well·to-do residents had horses (the largest number was 26 horses in 1900). Visitors who shunned riding a horse or a donkey and for whatever reason could not climb, were carried to the top. A se~an .was made, generally from a rocking chair, and fo~r men c~rrie.d It to the summit. Increasingly this was a luxury wIth th~ prices m 1940 reaching 30 guilders. ?nce m The Bottom the visitor was awaited by still 800 steps to Cnspeen and a~ a~ditional 100 to Windwardside. It was a rustic, narrow roa~, wmdmg and steep, through groves to the summit and presentmg over the sea, panoramas of other islands and over the lan~, of the other villages of Saba. Flowers bloomed everywhere m pr~fusion, and birds warbled on every hillside. One seldom ~et a chm~er, for there was hardly any foot traffic between Port Road photographed from Thais Hill. This artful picture is by Jos. Maes who the different villages. The step road from The Bottom to Wind- used to teach on Saba.

100 wardside was unique in the whole world. Although the present high road offers splendid prospects, it cannot equal the scenic won- der of the old step road winding among trees and along ravines. The cementing of the section of road from Fort Bay to The Bot· tom was begun in 1938 and completed on October 16, 1943. It is '0.715 miles (1,150 m) long, 13 feet (4 m) wide, and the difference in elevation between Fort Bay and The Bottom is 653 feet (199 m). The maximum grade is 20 per cent which means three feet or approximately one meter rise to 16running feet (5 m). The entire job was carried out by Sabans under the leadership of Erroll Hassell who, in spite of 15 years residence in the United States, had no technical training. Although workmen came from all over the island, the majority consisted of farmers from Windward- side and Hell's Gate whose fields produced less than they required. Usually these men continued their farming and then worked for several additional hours on the roads. In spite of the fact that it is constructed in incredibly difficult terrain, Fort Bay Road cost no more than 33,600 Netherlands Antillian guilders or 60 guilders per yard.

100 of the Saban, Lambert Hassell, the ro~d con~i~ued via ~ell's dGate to the airport. From Fort Bay to the airport It ISa?out SIXan :~ half miles (10 km). The road begins at sea level, rises to a sum of 1,968 feet (600 m), and descends to 131 feet (40 m) above sea level at the airport. t d'ff lty At the beginning of the automobile era there was ~re.a 1 ;.cu 't in obtaining gasoline. Businessmen had no interest m Impor mg 1

for the few vehicles that there W erMe.On;Sa~~~~~~~~~i~h~e~e:i~~ tins of gasoline brought froms t. aar en . h o osition from the'boatmen who were unabl~ to smoke dUring t e pp. I 1965 an Esso storage tank was bmlt at Fort Bay. crossmg. n

In 1947 the first jeep arrived on Saba. Now 120 cars are driven through roads that are very narrow at some points.

While the road was being completed the military jeep had in the meantime been developed. In 1944 a naval officer studied the road and concluded that theoretically it could be negotiated by a jeep. However, ajeep was not to arrive on shore until March 17, 1947. After the difficult task of getting the vehicle on land, it was found to be defective because the Depaxtment of Public Works in Curacao, which had shipped it for the Public Works Service on Saba, had neglected to have it overhauled. The captain and the engineer of the cargo ship succeeded in getting the vehicle running. Setting out at 4:00 p.m. from Fort Bay the jeep arrived in The Bottom seven minutes later. "Donkey on wheels," shouted the spectators. The following day all the children were taken in groups for a ride. "Look how fast the trees are passing us," they exclaim- ed. A mont? later a motorcycle was landed for use of the police. At that time vehicles could make use only of the Fort Bay Road, for in all other roads there were steps. Work began immediately to remove them. In 1951 one could ride to St. Johns and later that year to Windwardside. In 1963, now under the technical direction of the Saban, Lambert Hassell, the ro~d con~i~ued via ~ell's dGate to the airport. From Fort Bay to the airport It ISa?out SIXan :~ half miles (10 km). The road begins at sea level, rises to a sum of 1,968 feet (600 m), and descends to 131 feet (40 m) above sea level at the airport. t d'ff lty At the beginning of the automobile era there was ~re.a 1 ;.cu 't in obtaining gasoline. Businessmen had no interest m Impor mg 1

In 1947 the first jeep arrived on Saba. Now 120 cars are driven through roads that are very narrow at some points.

While the road was being completed the military jeep had in the meantime been developed. In 1944 a naval officer studied the road and concluded that theoretically it could be negotiated by a jeep. However, ajeep was not to arrive on shore until March 17, 1947. After the difficult task of getting the vehicle on land, it was found to be defective because the Depaxtment of Public Works in Curacao, which had shipped it for the Public Works Service on Saba, had neglected to have it overhauled. The captain and the engineer of the cargo ship succeeded in getting the vehicle running. Setting out at 4:00 p.m. from Fort Bay the jeep arrived in The Bottom seven minutes later. "Donkey on wheels," shouted the spectators. The following day all the children were taken in groups for a ride. "Look how fast the trees are passing us," they exclaim- ed. A mont? later a motorcycle was landed for use of the police. At that time vehicles could make use only of the Fort Bay Road, for in all other roads there were steps. Work began immediately to remove them. In 1951 one could ride to St. Johns and later that year to Windwardside. In 1963, now under the technical direction . r 1IlUdo available in 1961. 1111111 dill- c(:\rrylOgo~t these ~~rkt woears' or multi-years' plan compriHinJ.( tely followmg came e e~ y . S b also can ben .[it.. hundreds of ~illi?ns .of gUildTerhsfr?m Wth(I~~63fa~d the pier (19n) until its terffilOatlOnIn 1975. e ~Irpor Isolation broken have both been financed under thIS plan.

In 1956 the Technical Economic Council of the Netherlands An- tilles (TERNA), charged with the social and economic development of the islands, drew up a plan for the Windward Is- lands and Bonaire. Concerning Saba, TERNA concluded that topo- graphic conditions stood in the way of agriculture, that development of fisheries is too long a process, and that mining and industry could no more be considered than the other possibilities. They saw the only chance of progress as lying in the field of tourism and to this end proposed some infra-structural projects (i.e., projects which themselves yield no profit but are necessary for further development). These included a pier, a water supply, electricity, and, if possible, an airport. Through a welfare plan financed by The Netherlands, funds for

.:et, -

. Hell's Gate. There are 20 curveS over Drs. H. A. Korthals Road from the alr~ort/o b' 1 312 feet (400 m). This section of and 11/2 (2.6 The airstrip of the Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport is located o~ one of the rare flat a distance of miles km')C t e c ~~ lJat'wnal Geographic Society). road was opened in 1963. (ourtesy e tracts of land, a solidified lava flow. (Courtesy the National Geographic Societyj. Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport Electricity At the well known guesthouse in The Bottom visi.tors who own- The first airmail on Saba was received in 1946 when a pilot flying over the island simply threw down a bag of letters. In the ed electric razors had to crosS the street in the ~~r~~eg ~e::~~: :~ the telegraph office where there was a genera .. to same year Remy F. de Haenen visited Saba twice in his seaplane, and in 1952a helicopter of the Royal Netherlands Navy landed in duty willingly offered the o~portu~ity, for he ~a\~~t~~~ ~~~kto . the talkativeness of hiS shavmg guests. n St. Johns. enJoy . ht see the police brigadier-harbor master, The thick shrubbery was cleared in February, 1959, from a flat the guesthouhse one ml g e .a barber on the lawn before his hou'se t rm projecting rocky point 131 feet (40 m) above sea level and who was at t e same '. appropiately called Flat Point. On February 9 a small plane piloted serving.customers. ThidS~ll;~~~:~a ~~~~~~~t;;::~~dwards, nee by our now familiar Frenchman R. F. de Haenen. who by then was But trme goes on, an m '., I t' e in the Jackson (1901-1970),a Saban who had reSided for a ?~g rm er mayor of St. Barthelemy, F.W.L, made the first landing of a con- United States, helped her native island.to get electr~c~y. T~ge~~62 ventional aircraft on Saba. Flat Point proved to be the only place 'th her nephews Elmer and Rufus Lmzey, both a ans, m suitable for landings, but it was far from suitable in another way. :~e formed the S;ba EleCtric Company N.V.?n 0hctober.20, 1 9 6 3, It was 1,312feet (400m) below the nearest village, Hell's Gate, and · I urrent m t e evemngs f r0 m The Bottom began to have e1ec t nca c. 'd d H 11' there was no vehicular road connecting Hell's Gate to either Flat ..' d St J h s Wmdwardsl e an e s Point or Windwardside. 6:00 p.m. until mldmght, an . 0 n, . 1964 The Saba Elec- From the improvement funds mentioned earlier, 400,000 guil- G~te were connected i~;~ th~9s:;~s~~~.~. (Ge~eenschappelijk ders was made available for the airport and 300,000 for building a tnc Company wa~. so m. . d ) a limited liability Electriciteitsbedr1)f Bovenwmd.se Elldan en , equal basis by the road to it. On September 18, 1963,both were put into use. The air- , an founded in 1960 and fmance on an port was given the name Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport, and the road was called the Dr. H. A. Korthals Road. Thus were commem- ~~~rm~ent an~ th~ esDtablishbede;~ct{~~6°~~a c~:P::I e?~~~~~~; of Curavao. Begmnmg ecem er, , orated the two persons who did their utmost to see that the airport and the road would become realities. Yrausquin was Minister of a full 24 hours a day. Finance and Welfare of the Netherlands Antilles; Korthals was the Netherlands politician who succeeded in interesting the ·govern. ment of The Netherlands in the project. The airport is 1,312 feet (400 m) long and therefore one of the smallest in the world. At the same time it is larger than the deck of an aircraft carrier - the Karel Doorman's flight deck is 754 feet (230 m) long, the Saratoga's is 987 feet (301 m) long, and the long- est is that of the Constellation at 1,069feet (326mI. _ The road to Hell's Gate from the airport climbs a good one and one half miles (2.6 km) and contains 20 sharp curves. Before the airport was officially opened, Windward Islands Air- 1 ways, N.V. ), which maintains schedules between St. Maarten, St. Eustatius and other neighboring islands, began a regUlar service to Saba on July 24, 1963. In 1964, the first full year of operations, there were 401 landings with 1.400 passengers. In 1973 landings .•.. .,~ totalled 1,168with 6,111 passengers. -,.-~.-••.'"""!:JII'.J'l'f' Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport Electricity At the well known guesthouse in The Bottom visi.tors who own- The first airmail on Saba was received in 1946 when a pilot flying over the island simply threw down a bag of letters. In the ed electric razors had to crosS the street in the ~~r~~eg ~e::~~: :~ the telegraph office where there was a genera .. to same year Remy F. de Haenen visited Saba twice in his seaplane, and in 1952a helicopter of the Royal Netherlands Navy landed in duty willingly offered the o~portu~ity, for he ~a\~~t~~~ ~~~kto . the talkativeness of hiS shavmg guests. n St. Johns. enJoy . ht see the police brigadier-harbor master, The thick shrubbery was cleared in February, 1959, from a flat the guesthouhse one ml g e .a barber on the lawn before his hou'se t rm projecting rocky point 131 feet (40 m) above sea level and who was at t e same '. appropiately called Flat Point. On February 9 a small plane piloted serving.customers. ThidS~ll;~~~:~a ~~~~~~~t;;::~~dwards, nee by our now familiar Frenchman R. F. de Haenen. who by then was But trme goes on, an m '., I t' e in the Jackson (1901-1970),a Saban who had reSided for a ?~g rm er mayor of St. Barthelemy, F.W.L, made the first landing of a con- United States, helped her native island.to get electr~c~y. T~ge~~62 ventional aircraft on Saba. Flat Point proved to be the only place 'th her nephews Elmer and Rufus Lmzey, both a ans, m suitable for landings, but it was far from suitable in another way. :~e formed the S;ba EleCtric Company N.V.?n 0hctober.20, 1 9 6 3, It was 1,312feet (400m) below the nearest village, Hell's Gate, and · I urrent m t e evemngs f r0 m The Bottom began to have e1ec t nca c. 'd d H 11' there was no vehicular road connecting Hell's Gate to either Flat ..' d St J h s Wmdwardsl e an e s Point or Windwardside. 6:00 p.m. until mldmght, an . 0 n, . 1964 The Saba Elec- From the improvement funds mentioned earlier, 400,000 guil- G~te were connected i~;~ th~9s:;~s~~~.~. (Ge~eenschappelijk ders was made available for the airport and 300,000 for building a tnc Company wa~. so m. . d ) a limited liability Electriciteitsbedr1)f Bovenwmd.se Elldan en , equal basis by the road to it. On September 18, 1963,both were put into use. The air- , an founded in 1960 and fmance on an port was given the name Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport, and the road was called the Dr. H. A. Korthals Road. Thus were commem- ~~~rm~ent an~ th~ esDtablishbede;~ct{~~6°~~a c~:P::I e?~~~~~~; of Curavao. Begmnmg ecem er, , orated the two persons who did their utmost to see that the airport and the road would become realities. Yrausquin was Minister of a full 24 hours a day. Finance and Welfare of the Netherlands Antilles; Korthals was the Netherlands politician who succeeded in interesting the ·govern. ment of The Netherlands in the project. The airport is 1,312 feet (400 m) long and therefore one of the smallest in the world. At the same time it is larger than the deck of an aircraft carrier - the Karel Doorman's flight deck is 754 feet (230 m) long, the Saratoga's is 987 feet (301 m) long, and the long- est is that of the Constellation at 1,069feet (326mI. _ The road to Hell's Gate from the airport climbs a good one and one half miles (2.6 km) and contains 20 sharp curves. Before the airport was officially opened, Windward Islands Air- 1 ways, N.V. ), which maintains schedules between St. Maarten, St. Eustatius and other neighboring islands, began a regUlar service to Saba on July 24, 1963. In 1964, the first full year of operations, there were 401 landings with 1.400 passengers. In 1973 landings .•.. .,~ totalled 1,168with 6,111 passengers. -,.-~.-••.'"""!:JII'.J'l'f' Prior to the construction of the pier, when a ship called at Fort Bay passengers had to be rowed ashore from the open sea.The technique was to maneuver the rowboat to the beach on top of a high wave and lift the occupants out before the next wave washed over them. Here some nuns go ashore.

un for animals. The donkey seen here ill Being brought ashore on Saba was no f h of a wave (Picture by Charles The trick was to get the car ashore riding a high wave, and this always drew quite mid-air is about to go ashore by rowboat on t e cap . a crowd of onlookers. In the background are the remains of an attempt to build a Herbert, 1939). pier in 1934. (Both pictures by Charles Herbert, 1967). Prior to the construction of the pier, when a ship called at Fort Bay passengers had to be rowed ashore from the open sea.The technique was to maneuver the rowboat to the beach on top of a high wave and lift the occupants out before the next wave washed over them. Here some nuns go ashore.

un for animals. The donkey seen here ill Being brought ashore on Saba was no f h of a wave (Picture by Charles The trick was to get the car ashore riding a high wave, and this always drew quite mid-air is about to go ashore by rowboat on t e cap . a crowd of onlookers. In the background are the remains of an attempt to build a Herbert, 1939). pier in 1934. (Both pictures by Charles Herbert, 1967). 't ~. .~\.i :, ~ . 1.<" ,< X erience than landing because the boat had to Leul'illg Saba was even a wettere P dat' f om 1957 shows some guests be rowed against the swell. ThiS p~cture . mg r leavmg the Island. Furniture, too, had to be taken ashore in rowboats. Visitors to old Saban houses are astonished by the large and costly items of furniture that were landed on the island in this way. (Picture by Charles Herbert, 1939).

The Leo A. 1. Chance Pier at Fort Bay The landing of persons and goods on Saba has been a difficulty throughout the centuries because no ship could come near the shore. Every attempt tobuild a pier or jetty failed. In 1905 plans were made to build a jetty on St. Eustatius and one on Saba as well. The St. Eustatius jetty was completed in 1906 but proved un- satisfactory some months later. Thus the plan for Saba was abandoned. A new plan was drawn up in 1908, and material for the jetty was supplied. The Director of Public Works in Cura<:aocame over to see to the operation but did not succeed in getting the piles driven. The next attempt was in 1934 and was one of Van Slobbe's projects. This time a jetty head was built, but because of the con- tinuous beating of the waves no boat could come near it. Only in calm weather were rowboats able to disembark passengers and unloa~c rgo there. This concrete colossus, which appears to be an extensi n of the rock, has for years caused visitors to inquire about This picture shows clearly that things were n~t so quie t. (Courtesy The Nartional its id ity and purpose. Passengers and cargo continued to be un- Geographic Society). loaded at sea in rowboats and then rowed to shore where the boat 't ~. .~\.i :, ~ . 1.<" ,< X erience than landing because the boat had to Leul'illg Saba was even a wettere P dat' f om 1957 shows some guests be rowed against the swell. ThiS p~cture . mg r leavmg the Island. Furniture, too, had to be taken ashore in rowboats. Visitors to old Saban houses are astonished by the large and costly items of furniture that were landed on the island in this way. (Picture by Charles Herbert, 1939).

The Leo A. 1. Chance Pier at Fort Bay The landing of persons and goods on Saba has been a difficulty throughout the centuries because no ship could come near the shore. Every attempt tobuild a pier or jetty failed. In 1905 plans were made to build a jetty on St. Eustatius and one on Saba as well. The St. Eustatius jetty was completed in 1906 but proved un- satisfactory some months later. Thus the plan for Saba was abandoned. A new plan was drawn up in 1908, and material for the jetty was supplied. The Director of Public Works in Cura<:aocame over to see to the operation but did not succeed in getting the piles driven. The next attempt was in 1934 and was one of Van Slobbe's projects. This time a jetty head was built, but because of the con- tinuous beating of the waves no boat could come near it. Only in calm weather were rowboats able to disembark passengers and unloa~c rgo there. This concrete colossus, which appears to be an extensi n of the rock, has for years caused visitors to inquire about This picture shows clearly that things were n~t so quie t. (Courtesy The Nartional its id ity and purpose. Passengers and cargo continued to be un- Geographic Society). loaded at sea in rowboats and then rowed to shore where the boat had to be beached. The boat canted on its keel and the surf dashed over, so it was always a bit of luck to come ashore dry. ,1I':'~" ,.),f.l~. With modern technology and financing from the Development

~ ' "', I, '" Fund (two and one half million Netherlands Antillian guilders) a . . ,: .'··~;Vi» 277 feet long (84 m) pier was built in 1972. Small motor vessels and tenders can moor alongside; cruise ships cannot. Those visiting Saba by ship must still be carried ashore in a smaller vessel but ' now without the dunking. The sea at Fort Bay is too deep for a longer pier to have been built. The Leo A. I. Chance Pier, is called after a Saban who as Minister of Communications in the central government of the Netherlands Antilles, helped to make the pier a reality. The pier was officially dedicated on November 8, 1972.

Activities surrounding the construction of the Leo A. I. Chance pier in the Fort Bay. The caissons were made in St. Maarten and towed from there to Saba where they were sunk. Each caisson measures 32.8 feet (approximately 10 m.) in length and at its bottom 29112 fee t (approximately 9 m.) wide. Once the caisson had bee n lowered to the bottom it was filled with rocks and connected by means of a concrete deck with the already fixed caisson. The entire pier has six caissons.

On November 8,1972, the Leo A. 1. Chance Pier was dedicated by Mr.Leo Chance, The Antilia at the Leo A. I. Pier. The Antilia makes monthly trips between the a Saban who was then Minister of Communications. Netherlands Antillian Leeward and Windward islands. had to be beached. The boat canted on its keel and the surf dashed over, so it was always a bit of luck to come ashore dry. ,1I':'~" ,.),f.l~. With modern technology and financing from the Development

The opening up of the island through the construction of roads, the corning of movies, automobiles, supermarkets, and television, the. migration of the males and later their return, the influence of children born elsewhere, the affluence and life styles of foreigners - all of these have blurred the distinct insular character of Saban society. What still remained of the original character was further obliterated by political developments.

At the Bunk Until the forties, important visitors who had accomplished the difficult climb from Fort Bay to the entrance to The Bottom were

No doubt traffic in Saba formerly was ~ore picturesque than nowadays. Here Ad- ministrator Xavier Krugers, accompanied by Chief Constable Bernard Halley, rides from Windwards ide to The Bottom in 1934.

At the Bunk Until the forties, important visitors who had accomplished the difficult climb from Fort Bay to the entrance to The Bottom were

officially greeted at The Bunk. Something ~ke this ha~pened at The Peak on a journey to Windwardside. WIth the commg of the Bunker Hill marks the spot where the step road from Fort Bay links up with the vehicular roads these receptions along the way were gradually flat road of The Bottom. Formerly the reception of prominent visitors who had dropped, and with them disappeare? a~ old and pleasant custo~. made the climb took place here on the public road. Since November, 1971, Bunker Ilowever , with more intercommUnICatIOn between the four vII- Hill Cottage has housed the studio of the radio station 'The Voice·of Saba" and the lu~ s, the harp dividing line bec~me o~scure between what was Bunker Hill Club and Restaurant. Here some porters arrive having made the 200 steps from Fort Ray in the thirties. ('onsid r d a whit or 8 color d r sId ntJal area. Mutual contact Formerly the Lieutenant Governor put on his riding breeches once a week and went from The Bottom to Windwardside for the purpose of holding hearings there. The doctor, who resided wherE) the hotel Captain's Quarters now stands, went once or twice a week to The Bottom. The priest had two presbyteries and lived half the week "up" in Windwardside and the other half "down" in The Bottom. Over centuries thousands of Sabans lived together on a rock, but marriages between inhabitants of the different villages seldom occurred. A resident of Hell's Gate told us in 1945 that she had never been to The Bottom because "wicked people" lived there. Unlike the males, the females travelled very little in those days. In 1945 we even met those who had never been down to Fort Bay. Exactly in that year the first Saban was sent at government expense to Curacao because of illness. She was a young girl who had never \- , '\ seen a moving vehicle even on the screen, for then there were no ,~:.' cinemas on Saba. She was acquainted only with horses and don- . ," ·r,.r'l,:/.,~- ~.,~..,;,;..!":J, • , "'t,.. '. :. :t-;.} \'''' 'f~-'-r"~}"~~~~~ keys. Ships she had seen only from a distance. The trip to St.Maar- "'..,.' ''':~, ..~..2~;-,'";.. ., ~ • ~: .tII!... ;, ~,J7 .~.,.\,t . ten was by motor launch and from the pier to the airport there, by N P G. AFD. SABA 'l~, .· .' . ••"••. "jf6. ' /', A.!l" "' ''~"'~:f j .'"'~-~. Ii, . ~... ,..w.. ''"£ ~,'"jf~ "~k equally unfamiliar automobile. Further, she underwent the exper- . ,- ' - I ft t . ri ht· TOP ROW: Helen Pe- ience of an air flight and then was driven to the hospital in Curacao Girl Guides grou~ i; 19~?';:';;a::rzb;~~:r:is~ey ;oh~so~-Hassell, Aruba; Euge- through traffic that must have been quite disconcerting in her con- terson.Johnson, a a; 10 'II' . t t leader of the group, Cur~ao; cept. Her companion told us that the girl was flab1rgasted for nie Hassell, U,S,A.: Lynette Hasse , ass~ an. . Vincentia Sloterdijk.Johnson, days. ' Maisie Boles-Ha~sell, leader of the gr~ico,;~~o6w: Olive Hassell, Saba; Lillian U.S.A.; and Rubina Has.s~J ~ur;;::S~'ell_Peterson, Saba; then !;itting in the centef', Engaging in sports has always been at a minimu because of I Maduro-Hassell, Aruba, e e k l' Joanna Martin.Johnson, Aru- lack of communication between the villages. Around 1910 tennis Marguer!te 1!assell-Peterson, Sa~r. ,;;xt, in;: Z;;:~sell,Saba; and Louise Hassell, ba' BeSSie Rlchter.Johnson, U,S, ., yac and cricket were played, indicative of the Anglo-Saxon heritage of , U.S.A . the island, but there were separate clubs for Windwardside and The Bottom, both too small to be viable. Yet the forming of one ..' b h collapsed within two or three club was out of the question because of the isolation of each of the enthusiastic begmnmg ot :rf0ui~e roads and automobiles have villages. In fact, who would climb 900 steps to playa game of ten- years for lack of members. oW nis? chanhgedev~rythin;as built in 1951 in The Bottom, young people The first.radio set arrived in 1935. At that time there was no W en a cm~mathe 900 steps from Windwardside to see the pic- electricity hence it had to be battery powered. Batteries made in began traversmg '11 b came ac- . the outh of the separate VI ages e, 1935 did not last long, and provision had to be made for a fresh tures. In this way Y . d outh movements came supply. Later people bought wind chargers (there were about 20 ~uaint~d with each other, and ?rg::z.:ntiruan Girls' Guild (Antilli- on the island), and batteries could be recharged. mto bemg. On February 21,1962, t the Reverend Sister Agatha In 1936 Boys' and Girls' Scout groups were formed. Six Saban aanse Meisjesgilde) was fou;de: b~ 30 1966 the Saba Girls' Boy Scouts attended the World Jamboree in the Netherlands in at Windwardside, and o~ ep e~t:m A boys: group, the Jonge 1937. However, the time was not favorable for Scouting, for as J~~~t~~:~i:;: ~~~:efn;'~:~wardsid~ on June 24,1966, and in soon as a boy or girl got the chance they left the island. After an 117 Mutual contact Formerly the Lieutenant Governor put on his riding breeches once a week and went from The Bottom to Windwardside for the purpose of holding hearings there. The doctor, who resided wherE) the hotel Captain's Quarters now stands, went once or twice a week to The Bottom. The priest had two presbyteries and lived half the week "up" in Windwardside and the other half "down" in The Bottom. Over centuries thousands of Sabans lived together on a rock, but marriages between inhabitants of the different villages seldom occurred. A resident of Hell's Gate told us in 1945 that she had never been to The Bottom because "wicked people" lived there. Unlike the males, the females travelled very little in those days. In 1945 we even met those who had never been down to Fort Bay. Exactly in that year the first Saban was sent at government expense to Curacao because of illness. She was a young girl who had never \- , '\ seen a moving vehicle even on the screen, for then there were no ,~:.' cinemas on Saba. She was acquainted only with horses and don- . ," ·r,.r'l,:/.,~- ~.,~..,;,;..!":J, • , "'t,.. '. :. :t-;.} \'''' 'f~-'-r"~}"~~~~~ keys. Ships she had seen only from a distance. The trip to St.Maar- "'..,.' ''':~, ..~..2~;-,'";.. ., ~ • ~: .tII!... ;, ~,J7 .~.,.\,t . ten was by motor launch and from the pier to the airport there, by N P G. AFD. SABA 'l~, .· .' . ••"••. "jf6. ' /', A.!l" "' ''~"'~:f j .'"'~-~. Ii, . ~... ,..w.. ''"£ ~,'"jf~ "~k equally unfamiliar automobile. Further, she underwent the exper- . ,- ' - I ft t . ri ht· TOP ROW: Helen Pe- ience of an air flight and then was driven to the hospital in Curacao Girl Guides grou~ i; 19~?';:';;a::rzb;~~:r:is~ey ;oh~so~-Hassell, Aruba; Euge- through traffic that must have been quite disconcerting in her con- terson.Johnson, a a; 10 'II' . t t leader of the group, Cur~ao; cept. Her companion told us that the girl was flab1rgasted for nie Hassell, U,S,A.: Lynette Hasse , ass~ an. . Vincentia Sloterdijk.Johnson, days. ' Maisie Boles-Ha~sell, leader of the gr~ico,;~~o6w: Olive Hassell, Saba; Lillian U.S.A.; and Rubina Has.s~J ~ur;;::S~'ell_Peterson, Saba; then !;itting in the centef', Engaging in sports has always been at a minimu because of I Maduro-Hassell, Aruba, e e k l' Joanna Martin.Johnson, Aru- lack of communication between the villages. Around 1910 tennis Marguer!te 1!assell-Peterson, Sa~r. ,;;xt, in;: Z;;:~sell,Saba; and Louise Hassell, ba' BeSSie Rlchter.Johnson, U,S, ., yac and cricket were played, indicative of the Anglo-Saxon heritage of , U.S.A . the island, but there were separate clubs for Windwardside and The Bottom, both too small to be viable. Yet the forming of one ..' b h collapsed within two or three club was out of the question because of the isolation of each of the enthusiastic begmnmg ot :rf0ui~e roads and automobiles have villages. In fact, who would climb 900 steps to playa game of ten- years for lack of members. oW nis? chanhgedev~rythin;as built in 1951 in The Bottom, young people The first.radio set arrived in 1935. At that time there was no W en a cm~mathe 900 steps from Windwardside to see the pic- electricity hence it had to be battery powered. Batteries made in began traversmg '11 b came ac- . the outh of the separate VI ages e, 1935 did not last long, and provision had to be made for a fresh tures. In this way Y . d outh movements came supply. Later people bought wind chargers (there were about 20 ~uaint~d with each other, and ?rg::z.:ntiruan Girls' Guild (Antilli- on the island), and batteries could be recharged. mto bemg. On February 21,1962, t the Reverend Sister Agatha In 1936 Boys' and Girls' Scout groups were formed. Six Saban aanse Meisjesgilde) was fou;de: b~ 30 1966 the Saba Girls' Boy Scouts attended the World Jamboree in the Netherlands in at Windwardside, and o~ ep e~t:m A boys: group, the Jonge 1937. However, the time was not favorable for Scouting, for as J~~~t~~:~i:;: ~~~:efn;'~:~wardsid~ on June 24,1966, and in soon as a boy or girl got the chance they left the island. After an 117 Puerto Rico and St. Thomas. Beginning in 1973 the West Indies Television Network, a full color operation with studios on St. Maarten, began transmitting from Upper Hell's Gate, Saba. The Saba Herald, a monthly newspaper, was started on August 24, 1968.The editor is a young Saba politician, Will .Johnson, who was born in 1941.In addition to the Netherlands Antilles the paper enjoys a wide distribution in the United States and Bermuda.

Self identity The isolation that has characterized Saba for centuries has br?- ken down. There has qeen a reversal in that Hell's Gate, once die most inaccessible, is now the first village passed throug~ by new arrival's from the airport, and The Bottom, formerly the first to be reached, is now the last visited. . With these changes there has gradually come to be a Saban identity rather than identity with a specific village. As early as the 1940's Father Beda Weyers composed a hymn poem he hoped would become Saba's national song. However, the time- was not ripe and it did not catch on. In 1960 Sister Waltruda, a Dutch nun Scout troop in 1937. The members are, left to right: TOP ROW: the late Gerald who' had worked for years on Saba, published her Saba Anth~m Hassell; Julius Hassell, Panama; Arthur Anslijn, Saba; SECOND ROW: George ("Saba, you rise from the ocean," see page 133) and the populatlOn Johnson, U.S.A.; unidentified person; Kenneth Peterson, Saba; Vivian Hassell, immediately adopted the song. The first and last verses are sung Aruba; THIRD ROW: A'lex Hassell, Aruba; the late Leon Johnson; Clifton John- at public functions, so this song can be considered Saba's anthem. son, Saba; FOURTH ROW: Hubert Johnson, Saba: N~rman Hassell, U.S.A.; the late Lloyd Peterson; Garnet Peterson, Cur~ao; John Hasliell, U.S.A.} Ambrose Johnson, Aruba; FIFTH ROW: Aldric Hassell, Saba; Lester Johnson!, U.S.A.

The Bottom on June 21,1968. Since all of these organizlons were of Roman Catholic origin, the Wesleyan Holiness Church organized its youth in The Christian Youth Crusade on October 10, 1971.

Radio, television and the press Radio has achieved real popularity since the advent of transis- torized sets. People listen mostly to the stations on surrounding islands. There is little interest in broadcasts from Aruba and Cura- ;Ler Waltruda (Chris- fao because they are mainly in Papiamento. With 24-hour electri- tina Maria J eurissen), who composed Saba's city in 1971a local radio station, The Voice of Saba, was founded by national anthem in 1960. Maximillian W. Nicholson, a young local politician. It is much list- Sister Waltrudaformer· ened to on the island. by Sabans on neighboring islands, by Sta- ly worked on St. Maar- tians and by St. Maarteners. ten and St. Eustatius. From 1959 till July 1974 In 1965 t.he first television set arrived on Saba. Presently there she has b;en a teacher are over 100 sets of which many receive color. Stations are on Saba. received on various parts of the island from St. Croix, Antigua, regulations concerning membership of Sabans on these councils. In 1845 Suriname was dissociated from the union of the Nether- lands West Indian Possessions. There was talk at the time of Political development making the Windward Islands a separate colony directly under The Netherlands. Since they were considered too small, the Wind- wards and the Leewards were combined together as one colony. A On December 13, 1686, the oldest known instructions for the colonial constitution was promulgated in 1848. The Governor was Comman~er of St. Eustatius were drawn up by the Council of Ten to reside in Curacao, but each of the other islands was given its (Heren.Tlen), the management of the Dutch West India Compan own Lieutenant Governor and local Advisory Committee. The lat- These Instructions stipulate that there shall be a council of sh ter consisted of two members appointed by the Governor on re- ihembers chose.n from among the inhabitants of St. Eustatius and commendation of the Lieutenant Governor. Thus in 1848 Saba got Saba. The archIves of St. Eustatius were later almost completely a local government that was equal to that of the other islands lost, and for lack of documents it is not possible to trace whether excep.t Cura~ao. anyone from Saba ever actually sat on the council. The Advisory Committee was authorized, ultimately subject,to In 1816, after periods of English and French occupation Dutch the approval of the Governor, to issue police regulations and to rule was permanently established. The three Windward islands impose fines and imprisonment. In the absence of the Lieutenant S~. Maarten, Saba and St. Eustatius, became together one colon; Governor the eldest member acted in his stead. :V1tha gevernor who resided on St. Eustatius, at the time the most The Advisory Committee was changed in 1865 to the C;ouncil of lmpor.tant of the three islands. On St. Eustatius and St. Maarten Policy, whereby the real difference was that the two members, co.u~clls ~ere set up. Depending on circumstances Saba fell ad- called local councillors, were elected rather than appointed. The mInIstratively under one island or the other, and the councils of St. franchise was, in the style of the times, not general and subject to Maarten and St. Eustatius served for Saba also. There were no certain restrictions. Interest in legislative affairs was virtually non-existent. In 1900 only seven of the 50 qualified voters took part in the elections; in 1924 not more than two of the 102 voters; and in 1942 but one of the 116 voters. After 1942, in anticipation of new l.egislation, no further elections for the Council of Policy were held. The Council did not meet often - for example, twice in 1924, five times in 1940, and twice in 1950. The number of council meetings on St. Eustatius and St. Maar ten was only slightly higher. Sabans could theoretically have been appointed to the thirteen member Colonial Council on Cura~ao whose jurisdiction spread over all the islands. As a practical necessity however, only persons from Curacao were appointed because travel to and from the meetings was not possible from the other islands. In 1938 the Staten - the name of the Netherlands Antillian Par- liament - with 10 of its 15 members to be elected, took the place of the Colonial Council. One of its members was elected jointly by the voters of the three Windward Islands combined. To be qualified to vote one had to be assessed at a certain valuation and have seven Sabans level small garden patc~es on the irregular slopes, high up, where ni 'ht years of schooling. On the Windward Islands together 140 persons, dew and cool breezes help raise a good crop. (Picture Charles Herbert, 19671 7% of the male population, met the requirements. (The same per- regulations concerning membership of Sabans on these councils. In 1845 Suriname was dissociated from the union of the Nether- lands West Indian Possessions. There was talk at the time of Political development making the Windward Islands a separate colony directly under The Netherlands. Since they were considered too small, the Wind- wards and the Leewards were combined together as one colony. A On December 13, 1686, the oldest known instructions for the colonial constitution was promulgated in 1848. The Governor was Comman~er of St. Eustatius were drawn up by the Council of Ten to reside in Curacao, but each of the other islands was given its (Heren.Tlen), the management of the Dutch West India Compan own Lieutenant Governor and local Advisory Committee. The lat- These Instructions stipulate that there shall be a council of sh ter consisted of two members appointed by the Governor on re- ihembers chose.n from among the inhabitants of St. Eustatius and commendation of the Lieutenant Governor. Thus in 1848 Saba got Saba. The archIves of St. Eustatius were later almost completely a local government that was equal to that of the other islands lost, and for lack of documents it is not possible to trace whether excep.t Cura~ao. anyone from Saba ever actually sat on the council. The Advisory Committee was authorized, ultimately subject,to In 1816, after periods of English and French occupation Dutch the approval of the Governor, to issue police regulations and to rule was permanently established. The three Windward islands impose fines and imprisonment. In the absence of the Lieutenant S~. Maarten, Saba and St. Eustatius, became together one colon; Governor the eldest member acted in his stead. :V1tha gevernor who resided on St. Eustatius, at the time the most The Advisory Committee was changed in 1865 to the C;ouncil of lmpor.tant of the three islands. On St. Eustatius and St. Maarten Policy, whereby the real difference was that the two members, co.u~clls ~ere set up. Depending on circumstances Saba fell ad- called local councillors, were elected rather than appointed. The mInIstratively under one island or the other, and the councils of St. franchise was, in the style of the times, not general and subject to Maarten and St. Eustatius served for Saba also. There were no certain restrictions. Interest in legislative affairs was virtually non-existent. In 1900 only seven of the 50 qualified voters took part in the elections; in 1924 not more than two of the 102 voters; and in 1942 but one of the 116 voters. After 1942, in anticipation of new l.egislation, no further elections for the Council of Policy were held. The Council did not meet often - for example, twice in 1924, five times in 1940, and twice in 1950. The number of council meetings on St. Eustatius and St. Maar ten was only slightly higher. Sabans could theoretically have been appointed to the thirteen member Colonial Council on Cura~ao whose jurisdiction spread over all the islands. As a practical necessity however, only persons from Curacao were appointed because travel to and from the meetings was not possible from the other islands. In 1938 the Staten - the name of the Netherlands Antillian Par- liament - with 10 of its 15 members to be elected, took the place of the Colonial Council. One of its members was elected jointly by the voters of the three Windward Islands combined. To be qualified to vote one had to be assessed at a certain valuation and have seven Sabans level small garden patc~es on the irregular slopes, high up, where ni 'ht years of schooling. On the Windward Islands together 140 persons, dew and cool breezes help raise a good crop. (Picture Charles Herbert, 19671 7% of the male population, met the requirements. (The same per- centage were eligible on Cura~ao; on Aruba, 5%; on Bonaire, 1.2%). We have not found a breakdown of the votes cast on the three islands in 1937,but in 1941there were 39 qualified voters on St. Maarten. 39 on St. Eustatius and 23 on Saba. With the introduction of the general franchise for males and females in 1948it was decreed that each island would elect a member to the Staten. In 1945the number of qualified voters on Saba rose from 43 to 451 of which two thirds were women. Two candidate slates were presented. One was an independent slate, and the second bore the stamp of the National People's Party of Cura~ao. The number three candidate of this second slate, Ch. E. W. Voges, who had been acting Vice-Lieutenant Governor of Saba, was elected with 179preferential votes. Saba did not maintain its own representative in the Legislative Council very long, for in 1951the "Interim Order of Government" was set up by which, once again. only one member in the Staten was allotted to the three Windward Islands. Because more qualified Windward Islands voters lived on Aruba than on all the Wind- The beautiful new residence of the Administrator, completed in 1972. The former dwelling (see preceeding picture) was built of wood; the present one is of concrete. The total cost was NAf 216.000,00. Photograph taken during the celebration of QueenJuliana's 25 years' Jubilee in 1973. ward Islands together, they repeatedly succeeded in electing to the Staten a Saban living on Aruba, W. C. Anslijn. In 1951 the Islands Regulation came into force as a result of which the Territory of the Windward Islands acquired a joint legis- lature ana. a joint administration. A Lieutenant Governor appointed by the Crown on recommendation of the Netherlands Antillian government is assisted by two deputies from each island. They are elected by the 15-member-Island Council made up of five members from each island. On Saba and St. Eustatius the Lieutenant Gover- nor is represented by the Administrator, the former Vice-Lieute- nant Governor. It is the practice that on Saba and St. Eustatius the Administra- tor and the two resident deputies settle matters, of course .in con- cert with the Lieutenant Governor. The plenary island council and . the plenary executive council of the Lieutenant Governor with six deputies assemble only a few times a year.

The Administrator's residence in The Bottom built in 1890-1891 and seen here in a photograph made in 1940. In 1972 the building was razed and replaced with a new one. (See next picture). centage were eligible on Cura~ao; on Aruba, 5%; on Bonaire, 1.2%). We have not found a breakdown of the votes cast on the three islands in 1937,but in 1941there were 39 qualified voters on St. Maarten. 39 on St. Eustatius and 23 on Saba. With the introduction of the general franchise for males and females in 1948it was decreed that each island would elect a member to the Staten. In 1945the number of qualified voters on Saba rose from 43 to 451 of which two thirds were women. Two candidate slates were presented. One was an independent slate, and the second bore the stamp of the National People's Party of Cura~ao. The number three candidate of this second slate, Ch. E. W. Voges, who had been acting Vice-Lieutenant Governor of Saba, was elected with 179preferential votes. Saba did not maintain its own representative in the Legislative Council very long, for in 1951the "Interim Order of Government" was set up by which, once again. only one member in the Staten was allotted to the three Windward Islands. Because more qualified Windward Islands voters lived on Aruba than on all the Wind- The beautiful new residence of the Administrator, completed in 1972. The former dwelling (see preceeding picture) was built of wood; the present one is of concrete. The total cost was NAf 216.000,00. Photograph taken during the celebration of QueenJuliana's 25 years' Jubilee in 1973. ward Islands together, they repeatedly succeeded in electing to the Staten a Saban living on Aruba, W. C. Anslijn. In 1951 the Islands Regulation came into force as a result of which the Territory of the Windward Islands acquired a joint legis- lature ana. a joint administration. A Lieutenant Governor appointed by the Crown on recommendation of the Netherlands Antillian government is assisted by two deputies from each island. They are elected by the 15-member-Island Council made up of five members from each island. On Saba and St. Eustatius the Lieutenant Gover- nor is represented by the Administrator, the former Vice-Lieute- nant Governor. It is the practice that on Saba and St. Eustatius the Administra- tor and the two resident deputies settle matters, of course .in con- cert with the Lieutenant Governor. The plenary island council and . the plenary executive council of the Lieutenant Governor with six deputies assemble only a few times a year.

The Administrator's residence in The Bottom built in 1890-1891 and seen here in a photograph made in 1940. In 1972 the building was razed and replaced with a new one. (See next picture). Saba today

In the past Saba attracted mainly thoSe who were able to arrive on yachts. For a small island with one thousand inhabitants the figures on ship arrivals are relatively high. During World War II when visits to Europe were out of the question, North American travel agents began sending their clients to the Caribbean. Once the U.S. Virgin Islands were established as a popular destination, representatives of the Virgin Island Tourist Company visited Saba in 1941 to investigate the feasibility of including Saba in their tours. This was done, and several motorboats with ten or more passengers came to Saba until 1942 when the submarine menace became acute. Saba remained unsuitable for large cruise ships because of the difficulty of transporting large groups to shore in a minimum of time. The draftsmen of the Welfare Plan in 1956had observed accura- tely. Once the island was supplied with certain economic basics, then private initiative unfolded. ElectriCity came. Stores opened

Around the year 1922 government guesthouses were built on all islands of the Netherlands Antilles for travelling officials. Non-officials were permitted to be ac- commodated also. This is the guesthouse in The Bottom which came under private management in 1964. It is an often repeated anecdote that during a visit of court officials to Saba they were placed in the guesthouse in the state room which contains a huge four-poster. It is said that the judge and the prosecutor slept length- wise in the bed while the recorder slept across the foot, (Picture by Charles Herbert). their doors. The guesthouse at Windwardside became a small private hotel. In 1959when the hospital in Windwardside was gutted by fire, what appeared initially to be a disaster was turned to ?o~d in the long run. The modern Princess Irene Hospital was bUilt m 1960in centrally located St. Johns where it can serve the whole island. A hospital in The Bottom was no longer necessary, and the building is now used for the office of the Tourist Bureau and the Saba Artisans' Foundation. In 1960Windjammer Cruises began coming to Saba. Each year architecture of the old wooden one which dated from the last cen- three or four of their ships make a call with around 100 passengers tury. aboard. Since the Leo A. I. Chance Pier created a protected har- In the villages one walks through narrow walled lanes, here and bor, an increasing number of yachtsmen are finding their way to there still paved with the old cobblestone. Where lanes are widen- Saba. ed for automobile traffic, concrete is the paving used. It is remark- To the visitor Saba represents something which grows increa- able how architecture reached a certain level of sophistication on singly rare in the rest of the world - an overall harmonious pict- such a secluded island in contrast to the shanty-type construction ure. One does not find any large historic buildings or monuments, found on many West Indian islands. but, on the other hand, the abundant old wooden houses and the The opening of the Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport in 1963 meant six churches nestle attractively in the scenic terrain. The small the breaking of the isolation barrier for Saba. There had always homes with English double-sash windows and verandahs look out been visitors, but the number was quite limited. In 1952 the .num- over panoramas reaching to the islands in the distance. The oldest ber of visitors exceeded one hundred for the first time, and by 1961 homes have roofs as well as siding of cypress shingles, later homes it was five times greater. The number has continued to climb with have shingles only on the roofs, and the newest (alas) have galvan- 6,111 persons arriving by plane in 1973. Proportionally, the per- ized roofs. Regardless of the material the roofs are generally paint- centage arriving by ship had decreased, there being 778 persons in ed a soft tile red, the siding is sparkling white, and the storm shut- 1973. This means that in 1973 no less than 6,889 persons visited ters are most often white with a green trim. The Administrator's Saba. residence in The Bottom is new (1972) but built according to the Soon after the opening of the airport a North American concern I purchased the site of the burned hospital and, combining it with the former clinic and doctor's home, together with Captain Henry Hassell's house, developed this in 1965into the complex that is the hotel Captain's Quarters. From there one commands a view over land and water from 1,800 feet above sea level. Princess Beatrix and Prince Claus stayed overnight in this hotel during their visit of July, 1966.The former government guesthouse in The Bottom and late!; the one in Windwardside became privately operated. In 1972 the latter became known as Scout's Place, named after its present owner. In The Bottom, at the foot of Paris Hill, the Caribe Gl,lest- house, was also opened in 1965.Saba now has 25 hotel rooms. After the opening of the airport, agencies which organize cruises began to include Saba in their itineraries. The first cruise ship, The.Argonaut of the Donald-L. Ferguson Line, ca,lled,at Saba on January 17, 1966. More than ·145 passengers came ashore. The next month the same ship called twice. Since 1968 the calling of cruise ships, usually of the smaller variety, has become usual. Within living memory there has been a forest path from Wind- wardside to the 2855 feet (870.4 m) summit of Mount Scenery. Al- though the climb was rewarding, it was not easy. In 1967 a step road was built with 1,064steps hewn in the rock. Without any danger of becoming lost one can pass through the rare rain forest and Captain's Quarters hotel opened in 1965 in the former residence of Captain Henry tree ferns reaching the mahogany groves at the top within an Hassell. There is an annex building on a plot across the lane. hour. In 1960Windjammer Cruises began coming to Saba. Each year architecture of the old wooden one which dated from the last cen- three or four of their ships make a call with around 100 passengers tury. aboard. Since the Leo A. I. Chance Pier created a protected har- In the villages one walks through narrow walled lanes, here and bor, an increasing number of yachtsmen are finding their way to there still paved with the old cobblestone. Where lanes are widen- Saba. ed for automobile traffic, concrete is the paving used. It is remark- To the visitor Saba represents something which grows increa- able how architecture reached a certain level of sophistication on singly rare in the rest of the world - an overall harmonious pict- such a secluded island in contrast to the shanty-type construction ure. One does not find any large historic buildings or monuments, found on many West Indian islands. but, on the other hand, the abundant old wooden houses and the The opening of the Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport in 1963 meant six churches nestle attractively in the scenic terrain. The small the breaking of the isolation barrier for Saba. There had always homes with English double-sash windows and verandahs look out been visitors, but the number was quite limited. In 1952 the .num- over panoramas reaching to the islands in the distance. The oldest ber of visitors exceeded one hundred for the first time, and by 1961 homes have roofs as well as siding of cypress shingles, later homes it was five times greater. The number has continued to climb with have shingles only on the roofs, and the newest (alas) have galvan- 6,111 persons arriving by plane in 1973. Proportionally, the per- ized roofs. Regardless of the material the roofs are generally paint- centage arriving by ship had decreased, there being 778 persons in ed a soft tile red, the siding is sparkling white, and the storm shut- 1973. This means that in 1973 no less than 6,889 persons visited ters are most often white with a green trim. The Administrator's Saba. residence in The Bottom is new (1972) but built according to the Soon after the opening of the airport a North American concern I purchased the site of the burned hospital and, combining it with the former clinic and doctor's home, together with Captain Henry Hassell's house, developed this in 1965into the complex that is the hotel Captain's Quarters. From there one commands a view over land and water from 1,800 feet above sea level. Princess Beatrix and Prince Claus stayed overnight in this hotel during their visit of July, 1966.The former government guesthouse in The Bottom and late!; the one in Windwardside became privately operated. In 1972 the latter became known as Scout's Place, named after its present owner. In The Bottom, at the foot of Paris Hill, the Caribe Gl,lest- house, was also opened in 1965.Saba now has 25 hotel rooms. After the opening of the airport, agencies which organize cruises began to include Saba in their itineraries. The first cruise ship, The.Argonaut of the Donald-L. Ferguson Line, ca,lled,at Saba on January 17, 1966. More than ·145 passengers came ashore. The next month the same ship called twice. Since 1968 the calling of cruise ships, usually of the smaller variety, has become usual. Within living memory there has been a forest path from Wind- wardside to the 2855 feet (870.4 m) summit of Mount Scenery. Al- though the climb was rewarding, it was not easy. In 1967 a step road was built with 1,064steps hewn in the rock. Without any danger of becoming lost one can pass through the rare rain forest and Captain's Quarters hotel opened in 1965 in the former residence of Captain Henry tree ferns reaching the mahogany groves at the top within an Hassell. There is an annex building on a plot across the lane. hour. The government guesthouse in Windwardside, also dating back 'to the twenties, was sold to private individuals in 1960. In 1972 it changed hands again and is called Scout's Place after the present owner.

The bowl shaped valley in which The Bottom is located is excep- Street scene in The Bottom. From left to right: James Linzey, Kenneth Heyliger, tionally picturesque' but commands only limited views. Those who Leonard Zagers and Lesley Rock. (Picture by Charles Herbert, 1967). were away from the island for a long time tended, on their return, to prefer living in St. Johns or Windwardside. In an effort to make The Bottom attractive for new building, in 1968 the island government made available a beautifully situated site called "Under the Hill" or "Englishmen's Land." There a new residential area of The Bottom has come into existence. Most visitors to the island are from the United States, The Neth- erlands and Canada. Some of them have bought land on Sab~ to build a home away from home. Other persons have succeede'd in buying one of the old Saba homes built of wood. In either case, such persons usually spend only part of the year on the island, but economically their significance is great. They give employment in the building or restoration of their houses, and by hiring Care- takers and domestic help. Also, they become additional patrons for the purveyors of goods and services on the island. \ These friendly "immigrants" sometimes provide a humorous note. On our last visit to Saba we arrived together on the airplane with an American housewife who had to travel from her hom'e in the United States to the island in one day to get her 44 pounds of frozen meats as soon as possible into her freezer on Crispeen. The government guesthouse in Windwardside, also dating back 'to the twenties, was sold to private individuals in 1960. In 1972 it changed hands again and is called Scout's Place after the present owner.

Commodore ARTHUR HASSELL THOMAS N. SIMMONS Emeritus professor in the 1895-1970 University of Hartford, Connecticut (see page 69)

Above two Sabans who carved their way in the United States; below a Saban who did much for the conservation of relics of the past. Some well known Sabans

Commodore ARTHUR HASSELL THOMAS N. SIMMONS Emeritus professor in the 1895-1970 University of Hartford, Connecticut (see page 69)

Above two Sabans who carved their way in the United States; below a Saban who did much for the conservation of relics of the past. SABA

Saba has an area of 5,1 square miles (13 km2). Circumference 71/2 nautical miles (app. 13 km). Highest elevation 2690 feet (870 m). More details on page 72. SABA

Saba has an area of 5,1 square miles (13 km2). Circumference 71/2 nautical miles (app. 13 km). Highest elevation 2690 feet (870 m). More details on page 72. Postage stamps with views from Saba Little Saba and Hassel Island

Little Saba Saba is not a large island, but there is a still much smaller one called Little Saba, situated about 23/8 miles (nearly 4 kilometers) south of St. Thomas, to which it belongs. It is therefore United States territory. It is no longer than 575 yards (526 meters) and it comprises a total land area of only 30.3 acres (0,13km2). The island rises like a cone out of the sea with a central hill of 202 feet (611/2 meters), which slopes downwards to a small area with a brackish-water pond and a small gravel and sand beach. The only historical event is reported in 1867when during a destructive tidal wave, several ship captains saw puffs of smoke coming up from the southern side of the island indicating some kind of volcanic activity. Because of its extinct volcanic cone the island has a slight resem- blance to Saba, from which it probably derived.its name. Little Saba is totally uninhabited, there are no animals either, not even wild goats. The vegetation is confined to scrub, cactus and guinea grass. But there is some bird life, pelicans, gulls, an occasional cormorant and abundant doves. One goes there by sailing yacht or motor launch, because fishing around Little Saba is excellent. On the earliest maps - Spanish - the tiny island is referred to as Montalvan, now the name of a protruding rock of Little Saba. The first postage stamp with a scene of Saba was issued in 1943, Nevertheless also the name Little Saba is very old, because in the a photograph of the island seen from the sea. 17th century the Brandenburgers who lessed a portion of St. Tho- In 1958there followed a second stamp, also a view of the island, mas from the Danes, at that time the colonizers, called it Klein but now a design, by Harry Disberg. Additional values of this (= Little) Saba. They also referred to the island with the odd 0111114 stamp has been issued since'1973. Klein Sabbath. The Dutch took over this last name and wrot,1 II The 1965 postage stamp of Saba'shows drawn-thread work, a the spelling of the time Klyn Sabbath. The Candler map (I'll 'Il design of Oscar Ravelo. And the last Saba stamp 'w~s issued in calls it Saba Rock; the Bellin map (1764) has Petite Isla (ll ,'1/1'11 1972 and shows ~ or rather tries to show - The Bottom, also a and Isle a Crabe, of course not the same as Crab or Viequ( rI I d,llld design by Oscar Ravelo. . closer to Puerto Rico. Hassel Island Only in 1860 the isthmus became an island, when at tho lJlHis- There is another island which by its name shows connections tence of the (British) Royal Mail Steamship Company who hlld with Saba, Hassel Island, now written with one 1, separated by a their holdings on St. Thomas, and who complained about the budly narrow waterway from St. Thomas. It is larger than Little Saba polluted harbor which caused yellow fever. The Danes then mad and differs from it in many respects, but since it belongs to St. an outlet in order to prevent the British to move to Barbados. Thomas it is also United States territory. Before it became an island the land was known as Orkanshullet Hassel Island has been highly developed of late and is residen- Gat (Danish for Hurricane hole or inlet), or Careening Cove. When tial. It has a marina and hotels. The island is about 1 mile (1,609 it became an island, it came into the hands of C. A. Hazzell (then km) ~ong,170to 650yards (155 by 595 meters) wide. Its area is ap- written in this way) of St. Thomas; there are many indications that proxImately 134.6acres (0.5 km2) or including three shore rocks, the early Hazzells or Hassells of St. Thomas came from Saba or St. 134.8acres. Eustatius or both. Up till 1902 one Hazzell after the other were The highest elevation is 267 feet (81.3 mI. It has small rounded still owners of the biggest part, particularly the northern side, hills and lies practically in St. Thomas harbor; actually it forms the bordering on the harbor and closest to the city of Charlotte Ama- southern and southwestern side of the harbor. The oldest known lie. Parts of the island were sold or let: on the extreme western map (1719) shows the present island as an isthmus connected to end, harbor-side, one finds a marine repair slipway, known as the mainland by a low lying strip of land. In 1719 there was only Creque's slip. A parcel adjoining the slipway was rented out to the one dwelling house, evidently lived in by a Danish planter, David (British) Royal Mail Steamship Company, which kept coal supplies Iansen, who raised goats and other livestock. there. Other companies also had parcels for coaling stations. At the harbor entrance of Hassel Island (as it is spelled nowa- 'I 'I: . '/ ..• days) one finds a small Danish fort, built in the 18th century, cap- '" " tured by the British in 1801. Nearby is the former powder maga- \'1: j, zine and 250 feet above this Cowell's Battery, built by the British in 1801-'02.On a hill at the western end of the island, bordering on the area which was opened by the dredge in 1860, one finds the remnants of Shipley's Battery, so called in honor of the engineer who ·built all the fortifications on Hassel Island. Further there is a large walled-in British Military Cemetary used for the victims of the yellow fever epidemic during the second British occupation, 1807-1815. Cowell's Battery used to be a signal station for ships for more than a century. The signal station, however, was closed down in 1973as an economy move by the Virgin Islands Port Authority. Nowadays approximately 125 acres out of the 134.6 are owned by Mr. Isidor Paiewonsky and his brother, the well know merchants of St. Thomas.*)

*) For the notes on Little Saba and Hassel Island the author is largely indebted to Hassel Island in St. Thomas Harbor, became an island only in 1860. Its name is Mr. Arthur B. Hassell of Dallas, Texas, Mrs. ,Florence Lewisohn, St. John, Mr. connected with the Hassells from Saba. Isidor Paiewonsky, Charlotte Amalie, and Mr. G. A. Seman, Windwardside. Hassel Island Only in 1860 the isthmus became an island, when at tho lJlHis- There is another island which by its name shows connections tence of the (British) Royal Mail Steamship Company who hlld with Saba, Hassel Island, now written with one 1, separated by a their holdings on St. Thomas, and who complained about the budly narrow waterway from St. Thomas. It is larger than Little Saba polluted harbor which caused yellow fever. The Danes then mad and differs from it in many respects, but since it belongs to St. an outlet in order to prevent the British to move to Barbados. Thomas it is also United States territory. Before it became an island the land was known as Orkanshullet Hassel Island has been highly developed of late and is residen- Gat (Danish for Hurricane hole or inlet), or Careening Cove. When tial. It has a marina and hotels. The island is about 1 mile (1,609 it became an island, it came into the hands of C. A. Hazzell (then km) ~ong,170to 650yards (155 by 595 meters) wide. Its area is ap- written in this way) of St. Thomas; there are many indications that proxImately 134.6acres (0.5 km2) or including three shore rocks, the early Hazzells or Hassells of St. Thomas came from Saba or St. 134.8acres. Eustatius or both. Up till 1902 one Hazzell after the other were The highest elevation is 267 feet (81.3 mI. It has small rounded still owners of the biggest part, particularly the northern side, hills and lies practically in St. Thomas harbor; actually it forms the bordering on the harbor and closest to the city of Charlotte Ama- southern and southwestern side of the harbor. The oldest known lie. Parts of the island were sold or let: on the extreme western map (1719) shows the present island as an isthmus connected to end, harbor-side, one finds a marine repair slipway, known as the mainland by a low lying strip of land. In 1719 there was only Creque's slip. A parcel adjoining the slipway was rented out to the one dwelling house, evidently lived in by a Danish planter, David (British) Royal Mail Steamship Company, which kept coal supplies Iansen, who raised goats and other livestock. there. Other companies also had parcels for coaling stations. At the harbor entrance of Hassel Island (as it is spelled nowa- 'I 'I: . '/ ..• days) one finds a small Danish fort, built in the 18th century, cap- '" " tured by the British in 1801. Nearby is the former powder maga- \'1: j, zine and 250 feet above this Cowell's Battery, built by the British in 1801-'02.On a hill at the western end of the island, bordering on the area which was opened by the dredge in 1860, one finds the remnants of Shipley's Battery, so called in honor of the engineer who ·built all the fortifications on Hassel Island. Further there is a large walled-in British Military Cemetary used for the victims of the yellow fever epidemic during the second British occupation, 1807-1815. Cowell's Battery used to be a signal station for ships for more than a century. The signal station, however, was closed down in 1973as an economy move by the Virgin Islands Port Authority. Nowadays approximately 125 acres out of the 134.6 are owned by Mr. Isidor Paiewonsky and his brother, the well know merchants of St. Thomas.*)

The writer wishes to express his gratitude to Mr. Walter Camp- bell and Mr. Richard Gibson of Messrs. Van Guilder N.V., who made the publication of this book possible. He is also indebted to 1. Indians dwelt on four sites...... 5 Mr. Frank Hassell, head of the Saba Tourist Office, who took it 2. Sighted by Columbus 12 upon him to translate the original Dutch text into English, and to 3. Mentioned for the first time in 1595 ...... 15 Rev. Father Joachim Leeuwenberg O.P., who gave permission to 4. The English language supersedes the Zeeland dialect 20 make use of his collection of old photographs. Mr. Charles W. Her- 5. No foreign privateering along the coast 23 bert of Tucs6n, Arizona, who visited the island in 1939 and 1967, was kind enough to put his photographs at our disposal. 6. Prosperous Saba ...... 28 7. Saba as a dependency of St. Maarten ...... 34 Most of all the author wishes to thank his beloved wife, Elisa- 8. Life in the 19th century 37 beth, his inspiration. 9. What title is given the man who governs Saba? 45 10. Town of Leverock ...... 47 Acknowledgements for the photographs: 11. The Sabans' occupations, past and present...... 56 Jos. Maes, cover and pages 7, 11, 13, 18,20, 32, 44, 45, 51, 54, 55, 12. Navigation school ,74 57,58,61,63,64,65,66,70,74,82,88,96,98,100,101, 102,103,107, 13.'~aba's chronology...... 75 111,112,117,118,119,124 and 128. 14. Saba's three churches...... 82 Charles W. Herbert: 12,28,30, 39, 58, 59, 67, 68, 74, 75, 93, 94, 15. Education and culture 90 95,96,99,103,108,,109,110,114,120,125 and 129. 16. Consequencies of the oil industry in Aruba and Cura~ao .. 93 Rev. J. Leeuwenberg: 83, 84, 112and 123. 17. The first motor vehicle ...... 99 Bob Wands, St. Thomas: 136. 18. Isolation broken ; 104 19. Social changes 114 20. Political development 120 21. Saba today 124 Some well known Sabans ...... 131 Map of Saba . ~ :...... 132 Song of Saba ,...... 133 Postage stamps with views from Saba 134 Appendix: Little Saba and Hassel Island 136 Acknowledgements 138 Contentls ...... 139 Dr. J. Hartog is the author of a history of the Netherlands An- tilles in five volumes written in Dutch and entitled Geschiedenis der Nederlandse Antillen. Other publications in English by the same author are: Short history of Aruba (published by Van Dorp, Inc., Aruba- Cura~ao) and the following books published by De Wit, Inc., Aruba: Short history of Bonaire. Short history of Cura9ao. Short history of St. Maarten, Saba and St. Eustatius. The Courthouse of St. Maarten. By the same author, also in English: Aruba, Past and Present, the history of the island of Aruba; Curapao, from colonial dependence to autonomy; The Story of the Maduros, history of the famous merchant firm and the Maduros, and Photo-Album ofCura9ao 1837-1962; Stone Portraits, a book on the statues and monuments of Cura~ao; U.S. Consul in 19th century Cura+ao,a biography of Leonard B. Smith, originator of the Cura~ao pontoon-bridge, with old history of the State of Maine; This is Aruba, text with 32color photographs.