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[[preprinted]] 6 [[/preprinted]] St. Croix 6. [[margin]] XI-2-36 [[margin]] Today started out rainy before breakfast. It rained hard several times during the morning, and practically continually all afternoon. The total probably wasn't much over an inch, but the day was raw and cold. Ruth wore a coat all afternoon and was still too cold to be comfortable. This house is wide open of course - nothing but jaulousies over the windows. The following information on St. Croix came from the "Census of Virgin Islands of the U.S. Nov. 1, 1917," loaned to me by Mr. Arthur W. Elliot in St. Kitts. He was one of the enumerators. St. Croix was purchased from Denmark on March 31, 1917, after 75 years of negotiations (started in Lincoln's administration), for $25,000,000. It had been Danish for 245 years, but English has long been the official language. (V.I. have been Danish for 245 yrs.; St. Croix only since 1733). Area 84 sq. mi.; 20 miles long by 1 to 5 miles wide; population in 1917 14,901 (177 to sq. mi.). It is 40 miles south of St. Thomas, from which it is separated by ocean 12,000' - 20,000 deep. It is distinct geographically from the Virgin group, but with them is part of the Leeward group. The northern side is mountainous; the highest hill being Mount Eagle (1164ft.); the southern parts are broad undulating valleys; average rainfall in Christiansted is 47 inches: The Virgin Islands have [[end page]] [[start page]] [[preprinted]] 7 [[/preprinted]] had over 130 destructive hurricanes. Earthquakes are frequent but seldom do any damage. Most of the forests have been cut down, but mahogany is grown commercially. Noxious reptiles are scarce; birds few; mongoose common; a species of deer fairly common. Finished the letter to Ed. His last letter confirms the previous hint that he will meet us in Jamaica in February. He will come down for the whole month, and we'll rent a car to go collecting. I'll dispose of the motorcycle in Puerto Rico, if possible. The letter to Kenneth Fender was in answer to his, rather naïvely asking me to identify Staphs and outlining "the usual conditions". Had to tell him I couldn't do it now, and also that his conditions weren't particularly attractive. [[margin]] XI-3-36 [[margin]] Today started out dry but the ground is still soaked from last nights rains. I spent the morning typing letters and writing to Martha. In the afternoon I dressed to go out collecting, but it started to rain before I left. So I spent the time taking the radio apart, to try to fix it to use this evening for the election returns. It worked once for a few minutes, but I couldn't start it again or find the trouble.
Transcription Notes:
note - his 'I' looks very much like a '2'