Theme one HISTORICAL CONNECTION Chapter 1 Pirates and Buccaneers

Nearly 400 years ago, in the 17th century, the Caribbean islands became the home of many buccaneers. They were a mixed group of mostly English, French and Dutch men and women. Many of them were shipwrecked and marooned off the coast of Hispaniola. They hunted wild boar and cattle, and learnt from the Carib people how to cure meat. Curing is a way of preserving meat with salt and spices so that it does not go bad in a hot climate. The meat was spread in strips over a wooden grate or Boucan. This was placed near a slow-burning fire. The heat dried the meat to a fine red colour. It had a delicious taste. The sailors sold the meat (which was also called boucan) to ships that passed by. This is why they were called buccaneers. Later the buccaneers were chased off Hispaniola by the Spaniards. They also became known as pirates. Over the next one hundred years there were many pirates in the Caribbean. James Johnson was a cabin boy who, without knowing it at the time, joined a pirate ship in New Providence. Here is his story. My dream came true in May 1716, on the day the Vengeance sailed into Nassau. Captain Joe strode ashore, and beckoned me towards him. He said: Ah lad, I see you watch with a longing in your eye as the ships come and go. Youve got the sea in your bones. We need a cabin boy, and youre welcome aboard! I bid my aunt goodbye and set sail with Captain Joe and his crew that same afternoon. As we left the harbour behind us, the crew hoisted the pirate flag, the Jolly Roger which was sometimes called The Banner of King Death. Only then did I realize that I had joined a pirate ship.

Life on board was frightening and very dangerous. We attacked other ships, seized their goods and treasure, and fought many fierce battles. Suffering, misery and death were a part of our lives. Life on the high seas was not as Id imagined it would be.

Some pirates had their headquarters in Nassau. The Governors who ruled the islands could not stop their raids. There were too many hiding places for our ships amongst the cays and bays. Although there was a lot of fighting, we still had to obey the shipboard rules and traditions.
If any man steals from another crew member, he will be left on a deserted island. Forty lashes will be given to a man found smoking tobacco in the cabin. If any man should lose a finger during battle, he will receive 400 pieces-of-eight. Any man who loses an arm or leg in battle will receive 800 pieces-of-eight.

I met three famous pirates. The most frightening was Edward Teach. We all knew him as Blackbeard, and he struck terror in the hearts of us all. He was a tall man, with a long, thick, dirty black beard tied up with red ribbons. During a battle he stuck burning cord in his hair to terrify his enemies. He shouted at his own men for no reason, and no one dared challenge him. He was finally killed in 1718, a fierce battle with a government warship.

Can you imagine women as pirates? Anne Bonny and Mary Reade were pirates who dressed like men and fought like devils! Anne Bonny was born in Ireland and moved to America. There she secretly married a sailor, but her father disowned her, and the sailor left her when he found she had no money. Then she met Captain Jack Rackham, a pirate who was known as Calico Jack. She went to sea with him, and together they captured many ships, stealing the goods the ships were carrying.

Mary Reade was raised as a boy. She ran away from home and fought as a soldier in Europe. She did not find this life very exciting, so she sailed across the Atlantic and joined Calico Jacks ship. One day the ship was ambushed by government vessels. Anne Bonny and Mary Reade both fought bravely alongside the men, but finally they were captured. Both of the women should have been hanged, but Anne was saved because she was pregnant. Mary died of fever in prison. Another pirate I heard about but never met was Stede Bonnet. He was an army officer who became a pirate with a ship called the Revenge. He filled it with guns and men, and told everyone he was going trading among the islands. Instead he terrorized the Caribbean, stealing and burning as he went. Then he sailed north to Virginia where he met Blackbeard, who took over the Revenge for a time. Bonnet was finally captured by government forces and hanged. Chapter 2 The Establishment of Religions

On Sundays, and sometimes on weekdays, most Bahamians go to church. Many belong to one of the Christian denominations or groups. In The Bahamas there are Anglican, Baptist, Methodist and Roman Catholic churches, The Church of God, Jehovahs Witnesses, Seventh Day Adventists and several other denominations too. Churches have always played an important part in the lives of the people of the Bahamas. Anglican churches The early settlers came to these islands in the first place because they wanted freedom to worship in their own way. In 1670, settlers built a church on New Providence called Christ Church. The first building was destroyed by the Spaniards in 1684. The second was rebuilt in 1695 by Governor Trott. This was destroyed in 1703 by French and Spaniards. A third church of wood began in 1721 under Governor Woodes Rogers. A fourth church of stone was completed between 1753 and 1754. A steeple was added in 1774. The foundation stone of the present church was laid by Governor Sir Francis Cockburn in 1837. It was consecrated in 1845 by Bishop Spencer. Governor Rogers wrote to the Church of England in London, and asked for missionaries to come to the Bahamas. The priests came, and they taught both white and

black people, many of whom joined the Anglican Church. Over the next few years, Anglican churches were built on most of the inhabited islands. The church we know today as Christ Church Cathedral, on George Street, was later enlarged and beautiful stained-glass windows added. All places with a cathedral are cities. When, in 1861, the church was re-named The Cathedral Church of The Bahamas, Nassau became a city. St. Matthews Church, also on New Providence, is the third oldest place of worship on this island. For a long time all the people worshipped in Christ Church, which was at first just a small wooden chapel. Then more and more people came to live in Nassau. In 1799 the British government donated some money for the building of a new church. The foundation stone was laid in 1800, and the first service was held in the new church on 18th July 1802 (the steeple was added later, in 1816). For a long time the clock in the steeple of St. Matthews Church, and another in Christ Church Cathedral, were the only reliable time-pieces on New Providence.

Baptist churches The Baptists have the largest number of followers in The Bahamas today. The first Baptist church was founded by a man named Prince William. He was a slave from America. He and another slave, Sharper Morris, escaped from Florida in an open boat. The landed on New Providence and here Prince William preached in the open air, near Government House. Most black people in the Bahamas were still slaves at this time. To obtain their freedom, men had to pay 90 to the government, a very large sum of money in those days. On 1st August 1790, the ground-breaking ceremony for Bethel Baptist Meeting House was held. Other freed black people joined Prince William and helped him to build the new place of worship. That first wooden meeting house was just 11 metres wide and 20 metres long. The members of this church called themselves Native Baptists. Bethel Baptist Church is still on the original site, on Meeting Street. Hundreds of people now attend service here. St Andrews Presbyterian Kirk

In 1798, 55 Scottish settlers founded St Andrews Presbyterian Kirk (Kirk means church in Scotland). They laid the foundation stone of their church on 7th August 1810. St Andrews Kirk is the second oldest church building on New Providence. The Kirk was not a missionary church. Only a few black people were converted to the Presbyterian denomination. Rastafarians Rastafarianism is both a religion and a way of life which originated in Jamaica. The movement in The Bahamas really began to grow after a concert performance by Bob Marley in the late 1970s. Rastafarians believe that Ras Tafari is God and that black people can find salvation by going back to Africa. They call their God, Jah. Muslims The Muslims belief comes from the religion of Islam. The followers are called Muslims. The Muslim religion was first actively introduced to The Bahamas in the early 1970s. They believe in the one God who is called Allah, and Mohammed is their prophet. Women and men worship separately and the women always have their heads covered. Their place of worship is called the Masjid, and their holy book the Quraan.

Chapter 3

The First Parliament

Woodes Rogers, the first Royal Governor, arrived in The Bahamas on 26th July 1718. The pirates knew of his coming and many of them fled. Some of those who stayed

decided to put up a fight. One, Captain Charles Vane, attacked two of Woodes Rogers ships. He tried to stop Rogers and his men entering the Harbour, but this attempt failed. Governor Rogers and his crew landed safely on New Providence. The island was in a sad state. The fort was I ruins, the roads were overgrown, and garbage was piled high everywhere. The plantations were not producing enough crops. Rogers first aim was to rid New Providence of pirates. He planned to bring law and order to the island, so that the colony could grow and flourish. Woodes Rogers formed a council of 12 men to help him govern the islands. With the help of these men and other citizens, he cleared up and rebuilt the town. The fort was also repaired, because Rogers knew that he might have to defend the islands against invaders. In 1720 the Spaniards tried to attack Nassau, but they were driven back by Fort Nassaus guns. Governor Rogers then offered a Pardon to all pirates who would stop attacking ships. Nearly 300 pirates gave up their way of life. Those who refused to surrender were captured and put in prison. Many were tried and hanged at Fort Nassau. The islands became a safer place to live, and trade with other countries increased. The motto of The Bahamas then was written in Latin. It read: Expulsis Piratis Restituta Commercia. This means When the pirates were driven out, trade was restored. Parliament, as we know it today, began when Woodes Rogers came from England to New Providence for his second term as Governor, in August 1729. He called together a group of men whom he hoped would help him rule The Bahamas. The new parliament was called the House of Assembly. The Assembly first met on 29th September 1729. John Colebrook was the first Speaker, or chairman. The Speaker ruled the House of Assembly. The House of Assembly at that time was made up of 24 members elected from three islands: 16 were from New Providence, 4 from Eleuthera, and 4 from Harbour Island. From the time of that first Assembly, its members opposed the Governor on many issues.

Chapter 4

Early Connections with America

The people in The Bahamas have always been closely associated with America. In 1629,, King Charles I of England gave the lands of the American Carolinas and The Bahamas to his chief legal advisor, Attorney-General Sir Robert Heath. By this grant, these lands became British territories. In those early years settlers in The Bahamas looked to settlers in North America for advice, help and trade. Settlers in America sent help to the Adventurers. In return the Adventurers later gave money towards the building of the famous Harvard College in Massachusetts. Many of our islands made a living by trading with the American colonies. Nassau became a second home to many American sea captains and pirates, and Bahamians sailed to and from Carolina, Virginia and Massachusetts. The Lord Proprietors of Carolina were also Proprietors of The Bahamas. In 1670, Charles II of England had given The Bahamas to the Lord Proprietors of Carolina. This meant that the Proprietors took over The Bahamas to make money. But they had very little interest in the islands, and appointed Governors to rule over them. The people who lived in The Bahamas were expected to pay some of their wages to the Proprietors in America. The Governors were supposed to collect this money, but often the people refused to pay. The rule of the Lord Proprietors ended in 1718, when Woodes Rogers was appointed as the first Royal Governor of The Bahamas. Nearly 60 years later, in 1775, the American War of Independence began. Americans wanted to govern themselves, and not to be ruled by Britain. Ships of the American navy were sent to Nassau to take the powder and ammunition stored at Fort Nassau. But Governor Montfort-Browne had already sent most of it away. When the Americans landed they found only 24 barrels of gunpowder and a little ammunition. They took over Fort Nassau for two weeks. Then they set sail again, almost empty-handed. Not long afterwards, in 1782, New Providence was invaded again, this time by Spaniards. The Governor was forced to surrender to the Spanish troops who took over the island. They remained there for nine months, until a Loyalist officer, Colonel Andrew Deveaux, attacked with forces from Harbour Island and Eleuthera and recaptured the fort.

Wrecking had been big business in The Bahamas since the first settlers arrived. Many ships were caught by the tricky currents around these islands, and swept ashore. Some ships were deliberately attracted on to the cays and reefs by false lights. Then the goods on board were carried away by the wreckers, and later sold. In the 1780s, after the end of the American War of Independence, trade between America and The Bahamas increased and so did the wrecks. Many Bahamian wreckers worked along the shore of Florida, and carried goods from the wrecks there to Nassau. The first official American representative or consul in Nassau arrived in 1821. By 1859 the consulate was known as the Consulate General. It was not until this century, on 10th July 1973, when he Bahamas became fully independent, that an embassy was established here, headed by an ambassador. The first steamships began a regular service between New York and Nassau in 1859. This was the start of our tourist industry. Many years later, in 1929, the first regular airline flights between Miami and Nassau began. Between 1861 and 1865, during the years of the American Civil War, all ships were prevented from using the ports in the southern states of America. This was a Blockade. Nassau became very important at that time, supplying guns and ammunition to the troops of the Southern States, which were called The Confederacy. Nassau also exported cotton from the plantations in these states to Britain. In 1919 the American government passed an act which prevented the American people from making, selling, importing and exporting liquors anywhere in the United States. So from 1920 to 1933 during the period that was called Prohibition, many people in The Bahamas were involved in smuggling liquor into America. During the Second World War (1939 1945), many American men went to Europe to join the troops there. It was a difficult time for farmers in America, because there were not enough people to work the land, so people from The Bahamas also went to America to work on the farms and in the food production factories there. This was the result of an agreement call The Project, or The Contract, arranged between the governments o f the United States and The Bahamas. Chapter 5 Links with USA today

It is good to have friends. All of us like to do things with our friends. Friends share secrets and help each other. Sometime they join together to fight an enemy. They become allies. The Bahamas has many allies. One of these is the United States of America, the USA. We do things together, we share secrets, we help each other, and sometimes we fight together. As friends, each country has a special place, called an embassy, in the others country. The United States Embassy in Nassau issues visas to Bahamians so that they can travel freely to the USA, and to other American territories. The Embassy provides help in other ways too. For example, helping young Bahamians to study at American colleges and universities, and providing special help to our Government for drugs detection. We learn more about such help later in this book, in Chapters 9 and 10. The embassy also helps Americans who lives in The Bahamas, or who visit our islands as tourists. The Bahamian Embassy in the United States is in Washington, DC. It is a small piece of Bahamian territory inside the USA. The Bahamian ambassador to the USA keeps our government informed of political events in that country. The ambassador helps the good relationship between our two nations. Most of the money that we spend in The Bahamas comes from tourism, and most of the tourists who come here are from the USA. The money that the tourists spend helps our country to develop. The Bahamian government uses the money from tourism to build roads, schools and hospitals, and to pay people who work in government. It also buys things that the country needs from other countries. Most of these goods food, clothing, cars, for example are imported from the USA. Many United States companies and banks do business in our country, adding more money to our economy. They pay a special fee to the Bahamian government, and they also train and employ Bahamian people to work in their businesses. The USA has developed a plan so that it can provide more help to Caribbean countries by offering special trade agreements on some goods. This is called the Caribbean Basin Initiative. The Bahamas exports a few things to the USA fish and fish products, agricultural products and rum.

Many Bahamian people travel to the USA for vacations and to shop, especially to Florida, which is the closest US state to our islands. Many people who live in Florida enjoy our Bahamian culture. Some of the festivals in Florida celebrate the music, food, craft and dance of The Bahamas. In turn, The Bahamas has aspects to the US lifestyle, such as fast food. There are a number of organizations through which Bahamians and Americans can share social, historical and cultural relationships. The Bahamas will always share strong ties with the USA. Tourism Perhaps the most important link that The Bahamas has with the United States is the tourist link. This link is not a new one since tourism really began in the 1740s. at that time, Nassau, the capital, was known as a place where poor health could be restored. Hence the first tourists were invalids. Tourism arrivals increased with the completion of the first hotel, the Royal Victoria, in 1861. The Colonial Hotel was built in 1900, and in the same year, the Miami-Nassau Winter Steamship service started. Visitors of a different kind began to visit Nassau, mainly during the winter. These were mostly the rich and famous. Tourism grew at a slow pace, but first began to be looked at as a business in the 1950s when the late Sir Stafford Sands was put in charge of the Development Board. He aimed to increase the number of visitors that came and also make tourism a year-round business. To achieve this, he encouraged hotels to install air-conditioning. Gambling was made legal and casinos were built in Nassau and Freeport. These were added attractions for the tourists. Another important step to increase visitor arrivals was the massive advertising campaign that was carried out in the USA, Canada and Europe to encourage visitors to come. Tourism took on added importance after 1964, the year which saw the introduction of internal self-government. The Development Board was replaced by the Ministry of Tourism. In 1967, the new Progressive Liberal Party Government recognized the importance of tourism to the economy of The Bahamas. From 1969 to 1979, under Minister Clement Maynard, spectacular progress in tourism, based on market research, was implemented. Tremendous effects were made to improve tourism through staff training, courtesy campaigns and in helping hotels and hoteliers in planning new programmes. The majority of tourists that visit The Bahamas are from the United States. The largest market being in the north-east region from cities like New York, Boston and Philadelphia. The next largest market is found in the southern states of Atlanta, North Carolina and Florida. The least number of visitors come from the mid-western states such as Ohio, Nebraska and Missouri. This tourism link is the bread and butter of our country. Chapter 6 Links with the Caribbean

Many of the customs of the Caribbean people are linked with Africa, because of our African ancestors. Culture in The Bahamas and the Caribbean has also been influenced by the Europeans, especially the British, who set up settlements or colonies on many islands. For example, many Caribbean countries, including The Bahamas, have systems of government that are based on the British parliamentary system. There are many other signs of the European influence in the Caribbean: Architecture there are many buildings around the Caribbean built in British, Dutch, French and Spanish styles. Police forces several Caribbean police forces wear uniforms of similar design. Education system the way young people are educated in different Caribbean countries is similar to European systems of education. Names there are many people, streets and buildings throughout the Caribbean that have names of European origin.

Can you think of any other ways in which The Bahamas has been influenced by the European way of life? Many of the festivals celebrated today in the Caribbean were started by slaves. Although many such festivals are similar, each island celebrates in its own special way. The Bahamas and many other Caribbean countries celebrate similar special days. In The Bahamas we celebrate Discovery Day on 12th October, which is the date when Christopher Columbus

first landed here. On Emancipation Day people in different islands remember when slavery came to an end. Each country also has its own Independence Day, when the people celebrate the day when their country first began to govern itself. Another link between the islands of the Caribbean is Carifesta. This is an event that brings together the cultures of each Caribbean country in one place. Those who attend can experience the food, crafts, music and culture of Caribbean countries. Carifesta stands for Caribbean Festival of Creative Arts. The festival began in 1972 as a vehicle for developing greater appreciation and knowledge of the culture of the Caribbean region. At the beginning, only CARICOM members participated but later the festival opened to all countries of the region. It provided a forum for all art forms and is held in a different country each year. Caritfta stands for Caribbean Free Trade Association. This was formed in 1965 to promote trade among Caribbean countries. It started with two member countries trading among themselves. Goods entering one member country from another would be duty-free. In 1974 the members were ready to make a bold step toward the creation of a common market. The treaty of Chaguaramas established Caricom (see Chapter 14). The Caribbean Development Bank was set up as a regional bank to provide loans to Caribbean countries for special development projects. The Bahamas is a member of this bank, and contributes money to it. To qualify for a loan, a project must be designed to improve the way of life of the local people. Caribbean people are known for their love of exotic food. It is possible to find a favorite dish almost anywhere on our islands. The Bahamas Stewed fish Boiled fish and Johnny Cake Crab and dough Pea soup and dough Barbados Jamaica Flying fish an coo coo Ackee and salt fish, Jerk pork, Curry goat Dominica Pilau

Here is a recipe for a Bahamian dish. You might like to copy the recipe and try it out at home. Crab and Rice Ingredients 4 crabs 2 tablespoons vinegar in 2 cups of water 1 tablespoon cooking oil 3 strips of bacon or 50 grams pork, chopped Chopped accent and thyme Salt, pepper 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 stalk celery, chopped 2 tablespoons tomato paste Half a small sweet pepper 2 cups water

2 cups rice Method 1 Clean the crabs and remove the fat. Place crab bodies and fat in separate bowls. 2 Use the vinegar and water to wash the bodies of the crabs. 3 In a saucepan, heat the cooking oil. Add the bacon or pork, stirring occasionally until brown. 4 Add herbs and cook until meat is tender. 5 Add crab fat, cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. 6 All crab bodies. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. 7 Add the tomato paste. Stir and cook for a further 2 minutes. 8 Add water. Season to taste. Bring to the boil. 9 Add rice. Stir, reduce the heat and cook for 30 35 minutes or until rice is tender. Note: The amount of water needed may vary depending on the type of rice used.

Chapter 7 Mosko Chea

Immigration from other parts of the world Papa George Pierre Wong

Where did these names come from? How do they fit into our society? People have come to live in our islands from all over the world. Most came because they were looking for a better way of life. Many Greek people came to our islands to work in the sponge industry. The sponge industry was started in 1841. Sponge was gathered with iron hooks attached to a pole in a kraal. They were allowed to soak in the kraal for a few days then taken out and beaten with sticks to remove the outer covering and then scraped to clean. After cleaning they were weighed and prepared for export to Paris in France. This was a lucrative business until disease attacked the sponge beds in 1938. When the industry failed, the workers found other work some of them set up restaurants. Their descendants have names like Maillis, Psilinakis and Mosko. Chinese people started arriving in The Bahamas during the early 1940s, when there was a change of government in China. People were not as free as before and so some Chinese people came to The Bahamas to find freedom. The Chinese in our community own and operate restaurants, furniture stores, food stores and laundries. Some Chinese names are Chea, Wong, Tai, Lee, Ching and Lim. Workers from other parts of the Caribbean came to The Bahamas seeking better opportunities. They came from Jamaica, Grenada, Trinidad, Barbados and Guyana. Police and prison offices, nurses and teachers have been recruited from other Caribbean countries to assist us in The Bahamas. Other large groups of people who left their country and settled in The Bahamas were from the Turks and Caicos islands. They came because they were not able to earn much money in their country. The latest and largest group to come to The Bahamas are the Haitians. They left their country because they felt they were treated unfairly, and there were few jobs for them. They first arrived here in the early 1960s and have been coming ever since. So many have come here that The Bahamas has not been able to take all of them. Many are returned to Haiti, but they would still prefer to be here, or to go to America. The Haitians are hard-working people. Newcomers work as tailors, gardeners and labourers. Early Haitian settlers are now lawyers and business people in our community. Chapter 8 Our Government since Independence

The Bahamas has had a Parliament since 1729. For centuries , The Bahamas was a British colony and although the House of Assembly could suggest how the country should be run, all laws had to be approved by Britain. The Bahamas finally became an independent nation, the people on 10th July 1973. Now, as an independent nation, the people of The Bahamas make their own laws. Today everyone in The Bahamas over the age of 18 has the right to vote. We vote to elect people who will represent us in the House of Assembly. Until 1958, however, voters had to own property, be aged at least 21 and male. Women did not win the vote until 1962, after a long, hard struggle for equality with the men. The diagram below shows the structure of our Parliament today.

HEAD OF STATE The Queen GOVERNOR GENERAL The Queens Representative SENATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY

16 SENATORS

49 MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT Prime Minister +

GOVERNMENT PARTY

OPPOSITION MEMBERS

VOTER S THE PEOPLE Although The Bahamas is an independent country, Queen Elizabeth is still our Head of State. Her representative in The Bahamas is called the Governor-General. The Queen no longer has the power to make laws in The Bahamas, but she or the Governor-General - still signs every Law that is passed in our Parliament. There are two parts, or chambers, of Parliament. Currently there are 49 members of the House of Assembly who are the Members of Parliament (MPs) elect4ed by the people in a general election. You will learn more about elections in Book 6. The other chamber in Parliament is the Senate. The members of the Senate Senators are appointed by the Governor-General, on the advice of the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition. A general election is held every five years. In an election, people choose their representative from the different political parties. Each party has its own ideas about how the country should be run. The party that wins most seats in the House of Assembly forms the Government. The Leader of the winning party becomes the Prime Minister. The party with fewer seats is the opposition Party, headed by the Leader of the Opposition. This form of government is called a democracy. The way our country is run is set out in a special document called The Constitution. The main purpose of government is to pass laws so that the country can function well. The wording of any law is discussed first in the House of Assembly, and then in the Senate. Each law is looked at in detail by two sets people. This ensures that the law is as flawless as it can be, and that it is stated as clearly as possible. Only when both chambers have discussed and agreed on the new law, and it has been signed by the Governor-General, does it actually come in to effect.

It is through the laws of the land that the rights of all citizens are protected. Our laws are enforced by the police and by the law courts. Theme Two WORKING WITH OUR NEIGHBOURS Chapter 9 Our countrys development

When The Bahamas became an independent nation in 1973, our government took an many new responsibilities. The government tries to ensure that all Bahamian people can earn a living, and enjoy freedom and safety.

The economy of a country is the way in which it manages its resources, and how its people earn and spend money. It was important when The Bahamas became independent that everyone in our islands should be employed. Full employment is a sign of a strong economy. When people are employed, they earn money and can afford to buy better food and clothing, improve their houses, pay for electricity, telephone and water, and perhaps even buy cars and televisions. They also pay taxes, which means the government has more money to provide better services in the community, such as: schools health care and protection water and electricity services transport and communications facilities.

These are all important in the development of our country. They mean that the people can enjoy a higher standard of living. Improving facilities In our country, great demands are made on electrical and water supplies, both by Bahamians and by visitors. New Providence has a limited source of water, and was in urgent need of a better supply. Andros, the largest island in The Bahamas, has a much smaller population and more water than New Providence. A plan was drawn up to transfer water from Andros to New Providence. Look for Arawak Cay on the lower map on p.11 of your atlas. How does the water get to Arawak Cay? Find out where the wells are in Andros. Why do you think this project was so expensive?

Loans for development Such a large plan requires a lot of money. The Bahamian government applied to the Caribbean Development Bank for help. The water project was accepted, and The Bahamas was granted a loan. This loan was important to The Bahamas because conditions laid down by the Caribbean Development Bank meant that the government has a longer time to repay the loan, at a lower rate of interest, than if the money had come from a foreign bank. Loans are also needed in The Bahamas to pay for special skills. The industrial Training Centre provides such training for young people who want to become welders, mechanics, carpenters or dressmakers, or to acquire such skills. Training centres like these have been set up in The Bahamas using loans from the World Bank. This is a special bank based in Washington DC, which lends money for development. A country is given 20 years by the World Bank to repay a loan. Increasing our food supplies Even though the population of The Bahamas is growing steadily, we must be able to feed everyone. Bahamian farmers and fishermen cannot produce enough to feed us and our visitors, so most of our food has to be imported from other countries. To increase our local food supplies we need money to develop farmland, crops and livestock, and to train people to have special skills and knowledge. The government successfully applied to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which is an agency of the United Nations, for help with training and the development of facilities. New facilities were added to the agricultural station at Gladstone Road in New Providence, which is now called the

Gladstone Road Agricultural Complex. Bahamians train here to teach local farmers how to produce more from their land. Experiments are being carried out to find ways of increasing the production and improving the preservation and distribution of food. Developing our skills Other countries help us by lending money. They also help us to develop our skills in other ways: Once a bank has lent money for a project, it may send people with special skills specialists to help supervise the project. While they are here these specialists pass on their skills to Bahamians. Bahamians may be offered special awards, or scholarships, to learn new skills in another country. The World Bank awards loans that allow Bahamian teachers to be trained in special skills. Doctors and nurses come from other countries to work in our hospitals, and to train Bahamians to take over their jobs when they return to their own country. A special apprenticeship scheme has been set up by the government for grade 12 students. They are attached to various government programmes so that they can learn a trade. Defending our boundaries

Chapter 10

The sea separates us from our neighbours, the United States of America (USA) and Cuba. The governments of The Bahamas and these countries have each agreed that their territorial boundaries will extend to 19 kilometres from their coastlines. This means that The Bahamas has a right to project all the waters within 19 km of those islands that lie furthest north, south, east and west. These are our territorial waters. The Bahamas defends its boundaries for several reasons. These include: to prevent poaching to keep out drug smugglers to stop illegal immigrants to prevent the smuggling of weapons.

The Royal Bahamas Defence Force patrols the waters within our territorial boundaries. It apprehends poachers of marine life, smugglers of drugs and aliens. It also intercepts ship found polluting the waters. The Defence Force also assists in the enforcement of order along with relief in times of disaster. Poaching Our waters are rich in fish and shellfish, which are important sources of food in The Bahamas. Fishermen from other countries often try to catch fish in Bahamian waters. They are poachers. Ships from the Defence Force such as HMBS Marlin and HMBS Flamingo patrol the waters around the Great and Little Bahamas Banks to prevent poaching. If foreign fishermen are caught in our waters, they are arrested and taken to Nassau. Their catch is taken away from them, or confiscated. They are put on trial and, if they are found guilty of poaching, they must pay a fine and may spend time in prison. Drug smuggling Only about 100 kilometres of water separate the northern Bahamas from the USA, and many drug smugglers try to send drugs from South America through The Bahamas to Florida. On the Family Islands there are many small airports which can be used by small planes to land the drugs. It is difficult for the police and other law enforcement officers in The Bahamas to protect all our boundaries. The USA helps The Bahamas by providing helicopters, fast boats, and people from the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), who work with the Bahamian police and Defence Force. Together they try to stop the drug smugglers. A new system has been developed to try to stop the smugglers. Two special balloons, called radar balloons, have been floated 450 metres in the air at High Rock on Grand Bahama, and George Town in Exuma. These balloons carry special instruments which enable people on the ground to detect boats or planes up to 300 kilometres away. If any boat is suspected of drug smuggling, it can be tracked, chased and caught. Anyone who is found guilty of drug smuggling faces a heavy fine, and is usually imprisoned.

Illegal immigrants Sometimes people from other countries try to enter The Bahamas without official permission. Some are trying to reach the USA, others are looking for work in The Bahamas. Most of these illegal immigrants come to our island by boat. If any such boats are found in our waters, they are stopped and the passengers are sent back to sea, beyond our boundaries. If the boats are in too poor a condition to put back to sea they are brought in to Nassau. The people on board are deported to their own country as soon as possible. Many illegal immigrants in The Bahamas come from nearby Haiti. It is important that all Bahamians help to defend our boundaries. We want our country to be a safe place, and one that tourists will enjoy visiting. Chapter 11 Hurricane warning!

Betsy, David, Donna mention these names, and older Bahamians will tell you of the hurricanes they remember because of the damage they did in our islands. In one year all the hurricanes are given male names; the next year they are given female names. Early explorers and the missionaries who came to the Caribbean were told by the people they found here of great storms. They described torrential rainstorms and winds so violent that even the strongest man could not stand upright. Enormous waves destroyed whatever the winds and rain left behind. Every year storms like these kill people, uproot trees and often destroy buildings and property worth billions of dollars. Storms affecting this part of the world are described in different ways according to the speed to the wind. Type of storm Tropical disturbance Tropical depression Tropical storm Hurricane Wind speeds (per hour) up to 85 km 89 119 km 120 km and over

The wind speeds also affect the storm tide, which is the height of the tide above its normal level. Hurricanes form far out in the Atlantic, and move quickly westwards across the ocean. The Bahamas islands lie in the path of some storms. The official hurricane season is from June to November, but hurricanes sometimes develop in other months. The people who record and identify the weather pattern are called meteorologists. They study the weather every day, and give information to the public by daily weather forecasts issued on radio, on television and in the newspapers. Our meteorological department, or Met Office, cooperates with the National Hurricane Centre in Coral Gables, Florida, which is in close contact with other Met Offices in the Caribbean. Together the networking Met Offices make sure that we receive early warning of any approaching storms. They use modern computer equipment to provide accurate information. We should always listen carefully to news broadcasts and be prepared to follow instructions promptly when a storm is approaching. Here are some terms you should know: STORM/HURRICANE ALERT means An area in the Bahamas might be affected by storm conditions within 60 hours. HURRICANE WATCH means Some parts of The Bahamas may experience storm or hurricane conditions with 36 hours. HURRICANE WARNING means A hurricane of storm is expected within 24 hours. At the beginning of the hurricane season, make sure you have emergency supplies in your home as shown below. When a hurricane alert is announced, you should make the following preparations: Check emergency supplies.

When a hurricane watch is notified for your area: Pay close attention to official announcements on the radio and television. Fix hurricane shutters to windows on upper floors of multi-floor buildings. Keep the shutters for the ground-floor windows nearby. Secure garbage cans, outdoor furniture and other loose items. Take down television and radio antennae, and satellite dishes. Clean and fill bath tubs and any spare containers with water. When a hurricane warning is issued: Fix hurricane shutters to all remaining windows. Listen to all hurricane warnings on ZNS and other radio stations, and follow any advice given. Seek refuge in a special shelter if your home is unsafe. During the hurricane: You must stay indoors. DO NOT GO OUTSIDE UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD IT IS SAFE TO DO SO. After the hurricane: Seek medical care for anyone injured in the storm. Avoid loose dangling wires. Report any you see to The Bahamas Electricity Corporation (BEC). Check the food in the refrigerator. Throw away any that has spoiled. Stay away from disaster areas. Remove shutters and store them for future use. Boil water before drinking. It may be contaminated (not clean). Many organizations do special work before, during and after a hurricane to ensure peoples safety. Some of these are: Bahamas Electricity Corporation Bahamas Red Cross Bahamas Telecommunications Corporation (Batelco) Meteorological Department Ministry of Health Ministry of Works Royal Bahamas Defence Force Royal Bahamas Police Force ZNS Radio. Most of these groups are represented in The Bahamas National Disaster Organization Committee. The committee meets before the hurricane season starts, and plans what is to be done if a hurricane should strike The Bahamas. The Bahamas Air Sea Rescue Association (BASRA) and CB operators also help the work of this committee. Chapter 12 Our trading partners All countries must have something to sell in order to buy or import those things they need but cannot produce themselves. If they have too much of anything, they can export it. The buying and selling of goods is called trade. Some examples are given below. In The Bahamas we are not able to manufacture or make much for export. Instead we sell our services to the world tourism, and banking. The USA is our main export market. Because The Bahamas is close to the USA, which has a large population, many Americans use our services. In return, The Bahamas imports many of those products it needs from the USA. So we are trading partners. After tourism, the second most important service exported by The Bahamas is its banking services. Almost all of the major international banks have an office in The Bahamas. They bring income to The Bahamas. What are the ways The Bahamas earns money by its banking services? One export that is special to The Bahamas is cascarilla bark, which is used in making a drink called Campari ( a kind of rum). Other items for export can be just the first stage in a manufacturing process.
6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Spiny Salt lobster Rum

Million $

Graph showing the value of some Bahamian exports. Examples of products traded by The Bahamas

Exports
aragonite crude oil salt cascarilla bark straw work

Imports
lumber steel asphalt gasoline food

We import many of the items we need from the USA, which has plenty of natural resources, raw materials, and labour to make manufactured goods. But we also buy goods from many other countries, including Japan, Brazil, Canada, Britain, Switzerland, New Zealand and Australia. Most of the cars on our streets were made in Japan or the USA. Much of the food that we eat comes from the USA and Canada. We also trade with a number of other Caricom countries (see Chapter 14). Chapter 13 Higher education for Bahamians Most than 2000 students attend the College of The Bahamas in Oakes Field, New Providence, and in Freeport, Grand Bahama. Many of them go there after they have graduated from high school they are young, and eager to learn special skills before they join the countrys workforce. Students can obtain a degree in Education, Business Administration, Nursing or in Agriculture Science: Education: Students are trained as teachers over four years. This includes learning how to teach their subjects. Nursing: Business Administration: Agricultural Science: Students are trained in the basic skills in nursing, midwifery and first aid. Students are trained how to manage and set up a business, balance books, and other managerial skills. Students are trained in the care and management of soil, crops, planting seasons, irrigation, and fertilization.

Other students are adults who are already employed or who run their own businesses, and some come from other countries to study here. This higher education will help them to do their jobs better and to earn a higher wage. The Bahamas government knows that higher education is important because the country needs a well-trained workforce to do the jobs in a developing country. Many students do well at school, but not everyone has the money to pay for higher education. So the government helps by paying some of the fees for students to study at the College of The Bahamas, or abroad. Many graduates of our high schools and the College of The Bahamas go abroad for higher education. This is important because we are a small country and do not have all the resources we need for a complete education. For example, students who want a career in medicine, agriculture, teaching or law usually go to the University of the West Indies. The main campus of this university is in Mona, Jamaica, but there are also campuses in Trinidad and Barbados. Students from the other Caribbean countries who are seeking higher education in tourism and hotel management may attend the Hotel Training School, which is part of the College of The Bahamas. When you leave high school you might want to become a manager of one of our large hotels. If you do, you can study for a degree on the C.O.B. campus. Business and other organizations, both in the country and abroad, help too. They provide scholarships to help some students to get a higher education. Students who are given such help are usually expected to return to The Bahamas to work for a given length of time. If you want to go on to higher education, either in The Bahamas or abroad, you need to do well at your primary and secondary schools. Students who read many books develop good study habits. Good students listen to their teachers and parents, and do not spent all their free time watching television. It is important to learn all you can while you are in primary school. This is the first step towards a higher education. Chapter 14 Membership of Caribbean organizations If people live close together in a community, whether it is a village, a town, a country or a group of countries, they can help each other by working together. They cooperate often by forming local, regional or international organizations. Countries of the Caribbean have always been closely linked. Today this togetherness is continues with our membership of Caricom and other Caribbean organizations. Caricom

Caricom is a short name for the Caribbean Community and Common Market. It came into being on 4th July 1973 with the Treaty of Chaguaramas. The Bahamas became a member a member on 4 th July 1983. The main aims of Caricom are as follows: To encourage free trade between member countries (that is, with no duties to be paid on imports); To cooperate in economic development; To cooperate foreign policies; To find solutions to problems facing the members of Caricom; To exchange information and work together particularly in areas of health, education, sports and communications. Member countries also work together when there is a natural disaster (a hurricane, for example). The Bahamas also joins with other members of Caricom to promote the export of selected goods. The countries of Caricom are represented in several conferences and councils: The Conference of Heads of Government This conference, which is held once a year, is attended by the prime ministers or presidents of the Caricom countries. All major decisions are flown during the period of the conference. The Common Market Councils of Ministers These ministers are responsible for trade between Caricom countries. Other councils of Ministers These are other groups of ministers who look after activities other than trade for example: cooperation in agriculture, education, culture, or finance. The Secretariat The Secretariat is headed by the Secretary-General of Caricom. It is responsible for the daily running of Caricom. It arranges meetings, and decides what services are to be given to member states. The offices of the Secretariat are located in Georgetown, Guyana. The Caribbean Tourism Organization The Caribbean Tourism Organization or CTO has more members than Caricom. It helps to promote each member state world-wide, through trade shows and exhibitions. CTOs promotions encourage tourists to visit and enjoy our islands. The Caribbean Tourism Organization collects information about tourists and hotels throughout the region and trains people in the tourist industry. The head office is situated in Barbados. Chapter 15 The Commonwealth of Nations The countries of what was once the British Empire have always had a common bond. Even though they are scattered all around the world, their links with each other enable them to cooperate. This relationship continues today through membership of the Commonwealth of Nations. The Commonwealth works for equal rights of men and women, and for world peace. It aims to reduce ignorance, disease and poverty in its member countries. The Commonwealth of Nations has 50 member countries. A total of 1200 million people of different races, religions, languages and colours live in these countries. Some are rich and some are poor, but all share certain traditions and skills. Every four years the Commonwealth Games is held in one of the member countries. The Commonwealth of Nations began in 1947. The head of the Commonwealth is Queen Elizabeth II. In 1965 the Commonwealth Secretariat was set up, to supply information to the member states and arrange special meetings. It also helps to coordinate activities. For example, if one country needs someone with a special skill, the Secretariat finds someone with that skill and arranges contact between the two counties. It also arranges for students to travel from one country to another for specialist training. The head of the Commonwealth Secretariat is the Secretary-General, who is elected by the Commonwealth member states. Each country provides money to keep the Secretariat running. The heads of the member states meets regularly, at a special Commonwealth Conference attended by the Queen. Here the heads of state share their views and agree on new plans for Commonwealth cooperation. The Commonwealth has a special interest in its young people, and in showing them how important it is to work together. This interest is celebrated on Commonwealth Day on the second Monday in March. On this day schools of member countries assemblies, projects and guest speakers. A special message from the Queen is read out to the schoolchildren. Chapter 16 Shekia goes to Disney World Weve all heard about Disney World, but not many of us manage to get there. Shekia was lucky. She travelled there with her family this summer. When she got back home, the first thing she did was to call on her friend Lakeisha, to tell her all about the trip. Lakeisha: What was it like? Tell me, man, I want to hear all about it! Shekia: Everything was great! We had such an exciting time, Keisha. I wish you could have come

too. Anton and Paul and I went wild over the rides and all the sights. You know all those cartoon characters we watch every Saturday on TV? Theyre all there, at Disney World! People dress up in costumes as Micky and Minnie Mouse, and Pluto, and Donald Duck, and all the rest, and we could go up and talk to them. Lakeisha: What about all the rides we hear about? Shekia: The rides are fantastic. It took Mom and Dad ages to drag us away from our favourites, Big Thunder Mountain and Space Mountain. Lakeisha: Did you visit any other Places? Shekia: Yes, we went to the Epcot Centre and to MGM Studios. Can you imagine a movie screen that goes all around the room? Man, I never thought I could go to France, Spain, China and Britain all in one vacation, but we did! And then we spent a whole day at Sea World looking at life under the sea. Lakeisha: How was the trip to get there? You havent been on an aeroplane before, have you? Shekia: Oh, once the plane took off I really enjoyed the trip. What I liked best of all was looking down on our islands from the air. I really saw then for the first time how beautiful our country is. We had a bit of excitement at the airport before we took off, though. We had to pass though a checkpoint. As Anton passed through, there was a loud ping-ping noise, and lights started flashed. The security officer stopped him, and he had to empty his pockets - and out came his penknife! Anton was really upset, because the man took it away from him. Dad told us that the security officers have to check that no one is carrying a weapon or anything that could be used to hi-jack a plane. Anton only cheered up after Dad said hed buy him another penknife when we got back home. Lakeisha: Where did you stay in Florida? Shekia: We had rooms in a lovely hotel in Orlando. You know, Keisha, were always being told that we must be friendly to tourists who come to our islands. Well, all said Have a nice day, all the time! We were made to feel really welcome. Lakeisha: Did you buy anything while you were there? Shekia: Did we buy anything? From the hotel we were able to walk straight out into a shopping, mall Mom went mad and bought us all lots of new clothes. I bought this T-shirt for you - I hope it fits. I bought you a little souvenir from Disney World too, but I havent got to the bottom of my suitcase yet. Lakeisha: Oh thank you, Shekia. It was kind of you to think about me when you were doing so many exciting things. I wonder if I can get my parents to take us to Florida next year. THEME THREE FAMILIES IN OTHER LANDS Chapter 17 Rice farming in Trinidad Mr. Ramchand Singh is one of many farmers in Trinidad who earns a living growing rice. He lives with his family in the country of Caroni. Nari, his younger son who is 9, goes to primary school. His older son Ramish is 12, and his daughter Shari 14. They both go to secondary school. At the Singhs home rice is a popular dish. Mrs. Singh cooks it with lots of vegetables. The children love it! The Singhs are Hindus. Mr. Singhs grandparents came from India, but his parents were born in Trinidad. On Sundays the Singh family attended their temple, which they call mandir. They celebrate the Hindu feast days, like the festival of Divali, which is celebrated as a public holiday in Trinidad and Tobago. The family at work The Singhs have a small paddy field near their home. Mrs. Singh helps her husband in the rice fields. The children also help after school. Every morning Mr. Singh and his wife go off to the farm. Rice will only grow during the hot rainy season. At the start of the season, Mr. Singh ploughs his fields. Then the field is flooded with water until it is very wet and muddy. The rice seedlings are planted by hand. As the rice plants grow the fields are continually flooded. The water is allowed to rise in the field, but must not drown the plants, which grow fast in the heat and rain. Gathering the rice crop After the rainy season is over, the paddy field dries out and the Singhs gather their rice crop. The whole family helps with the harvest. It is a tiring job and takes many days. Mr. Singh uses a hook-shaped knife called a sickle to cut the seedheads off the tall stalks. Mrs. Singh and the children gather these up and tie them together. The bundles are taken to the threshing shed where they are crushed and beaten so that the ripe seeds fall off. The family gathers up the seeds in bags. These are put on to Mr. Singhs truck, and he takes them to the mill where he gets a good price for the rice. Country of many peoples

Trinidad had a population of just over one million people. Some people live in towns, but others, like the Singhs live in villages. The Singhs neighbours are of different origins. There are descendants of the Changs from China, the Gibsons from Africa, and the Tuners from Britain. These different ethnic groups have an important effect on Trinidads culture. In some of the villages in the north, many people speak Spanish, and Spanish food is common there. In other villages the older people speak a form of French called a patois. Christmas carols are still sung in French or Creole. African dishes such as coo coo, callaloo and crab are enjoyed by many of the people, and African dances and stories have a great influence on life in Trinidad. The British influence is seen in the dress, speech, dances and songs of the people. As in The Bahamas, the way the country is governed is also based on the British system of government. And as we have seen, there are people here who originally came from India, and others from China. Chapter 18 Working in New York New York has many very tall buildings called skyscrapers. Some of these buildings have more than 20 floors. Most of these very tall buildings are offices, but some are hotels and others are divided up into apartments. One of these buildings is the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, which is famous for its good food. The food and beverage manager here is Mr. Henry Smith. Although Mr. Smith works in the centre of New York, he and his family live in Long Island. He has two sons, aged 8 and 10, and his wife is a teacher. Each day Mr. Smith travels by underground train, called the subway, from Long Island to Manhattan, then walks to the hotel on park Avenue. When he was a boy, Mr. Smith stayed at many hotels with his family. He decided then that he wanted to be a hotel manager one day. So when he left school, he went to Cornell University in Mount Vernon, in the state of lowa. There learnt how to be a successful food and beverage manager. When he had finished his training, he felt he needed some practical experience, so he came to The Bahamas. He became the manager of the Gulf Stream Restaurant in Paradise Towers Hotel on Paradise Island. He worked hard and eventually became the manager of the Sea Grape Restaurant too. After improving his skills and knowledge in hotel management, he returned to New York City. He knew that he needed to know still more if he was to achieve his real goal: to become the manager of a large hotel. So he took on the job of food and beverage manager at the Waldorf-Astoria. While doing this job he has been to trade shows and seminars, and has travelled widely to see what people in other hotels are doing. He has learnt how to hire the best staff for each job where to buy the freshest produce and the finest wines how to plan his budget to make a profit more about union laws, so that he can deal with any problems with his staff. As manager, Mr. Smith must make sure that his staff are giving the customers the best possible service. Everyone has a special job, and Mr. Smith has to make sure each person does that job well, and also does the job politely and courteously. These are just some of Mr. Smiths special tasks: He decides when the restaurant will open. He plans what dishes will be on the menu each day. He decides how the staff should be dressed, and insists that they follow his instructions. He makes sure that all safety regulations are followed. He passes on instructions from the senior manager to his own staff. Mr. Smith hopes that he will soon gain enough experience to become a hotel manager. Chapter 19 Canada: the Pierres on vacation The Pierre family Mr. and Mrs. Pierre, Mark and Marie who are 10-year-old twins, and Nicholas who is 7 live in Quebec City, in Canada. Mr. Pierre works as a supervisor in a wood pulp factory, and Mrs. Pierre is a part-time cashier at the bus station. The Pierres house has two storeys. It has a small front yard and a large back yard. The living room, dining-recreation room and the kitchen are on the ground floor. The bedrooms and bathrooms are upstairs. Below the kitchen is the basement. This is a large room underneath the house where tools and other equipment are kept. The children also use the basement as a play area in the winter. Winters are very cold the temperature often falls below freezing so the whole house is heated. Lets follow the Pierres on vacation Mark, Marie and Nicholas are up early. Its the start of their summer vacation. The family is going to spend a couple of days in the Gasp Peninsula. There they will sleep in tents, at a camp site. This is an area where people can stay for a while in one of the forest reserves of Canada. A reserve is an area where plants and animals are carefully protected. The children help to pack food and equipment into the station wagon, and then theyre off! Soon theyre crossing the St. Lawrence River and driving north-eastwards alongside it. The road begins to climb, and Mrs. Pierre explains that they car moving up into the Shickshock Mountains. This is an area

of high but quite level land. Once these uplands were much higher, but over thousands of years they have been worn down to a plateau. This is a process called erosion. After a long climb, the road opens out into a mountain lookout area, which has a wonderful view. Mr. Pierre stops the wagon, and everyone climbs out to stretch their legs. Look! exclaims Mark. Theres a really high mountain. Thats Mount Jacques Cartier, replies Mr. Pierre. Thats the highest peak on the peninsula. Its over 1000 metres high. It was named after a French navigator, one of the first white men to visit Canada. Camping in the forest Much later, as the day begins to fade, the Pierres arrive at the camp site. The children put their sleeping bags in the tent, while Mrs. Pierre lays out food on the picnic table and begins to grill some hamburgers. Soon these are ready, and the children sit down quietly to eat, hoping they might see some of the forest creatures. But nothing moves except the branches of the forest trees above, rustling in the breeze. After supper the Pierre join other campers around the reserves central campfire. They have a good time singing songs and listening to stories in both French and English. Finally, everyone joins in making Smores. These are a delicious dessert made by roasting marshmallows over the fire, and putting them with pieces of chocolate between two crackers. The next morning the Pierres set off for a walk down the forest trail. Mr. Pierre names some of the trees that tower above their heads pine, fir, spruce, hemlock, cedar and birch. After a little while they come to a stream. Mark hopes to find the home of some beavers, which Mr. Pierre tells him is called a lodge, but there are no beavers to be seen. Marie wants to see some deer. Mr. Pierre looks closely on the ground for animals footprints. He shows the children the prints of caribou, deer, fox and mink. The animals come here because they are safe no one will shot them or set traps for them in the forest reserve. Mr. Pierre suggests they sit down and wait. Mr. Pierre hands out bread and cheese and apples for their lunch, then everyone sits very, very still. At last they are rewarded. A deer comes stepping out of the forest with a young fawn at her side. She bends to drink from the stream. The children love the deers gentle eyes and glossy coat. Suddenly Nicholas sneezes, and both animals spring back into the shelter of the forest. The Pierres enjoy the rest of their day in the forest, exploring the trails, looking at the different trees and plants, and always keeping an eye open for more animals. They have one more night at the camp site next day they have to drive back to their home I Quebec City. Chapter 20 Penpals in Britain and The Bahamas Claire lives in England. Her teacher knew that Claire loves writing, so she gave her the name and address of Michael Albury, who lives in Spanish Wells in The Bahamas. Michael wanted and English penpal. Read the letters that they wrote to each other. 8 Allen Rise West Bridgford Nottingham NG27PY 10th July

Dear Michael Ive always wanted a penpal in The Bahamas, so Im really pleased to be writing to you. There are four of us in my family my mother and father, my brother Tom who is 2, and me, of course. Im 9 years old. I have a cocker spaniel called Rex. My mother stays at home and looks after us. My father works in a pharmaceutical factory, which makes different sorts of pills and toiletries. We live just outside the city of Nottingham. Its a large and important city in the heart of England we call that the Midlands. About 300000 people live in Nottingham. Our house is semi-detached Im sending you a picture of it. I imagine that The Bahamas is always hot and sunny. Its often sunny here too, but on some days it can be cold, damp and foggy. Our house is heated in the winter to keep us warm. Nottingham is famous for many things, like its lace, and bicycles. It has one of the largest bicycle factories in the world. Nearly there are coal mines and in the city there are textile factories. Robin Hoods Sherwood Forest is not far away, and a big leisure park called Center Parcs. Dad took us there once to swim and enjoy ourselves a lot of the area is covered over against bad weather. Please write to me soon and tell me about yourself and Spanish Wells. Your penpal Claire

Chapter 21 Haitian neighbours: the Josephs We have looked at some families who live in other parts of the world, and learnt a little about their way of life. Now we will look at the country and lifestyle of our neighbours in Haiti. Haiti is part of the island of Hispaniola. (The other part is the Dominican Republic.) We should try to learn more about our neighbours so that we can understand their problems and their country. The Jospehs live in Haiti, the first country to become independent in the West Indies. Like most people in Haiti the Josephs speak a form of Creole-a French dialect that is spoken in haitit. The five members of the Joseph family are Mr. St. Vil Joseph, Mrs. Desi Joseph and their three children 7-year-old Lucy, 10-year-old Rolande and 12-year-old Marie. They live in Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti. The Josephs are devoted Catholics. The family worships at the Cathedral and participates in many church activities. Mr. and Mrs. Joseph are both school teachers and are both respected in the community. Education is very important to the development of Haiti. The Joseph children do not find it easy to skip their homework. Mr. Joseph teaches at a primary school, while Mrs. Joseph teaches mathematics at a secondary school in the city. The children attend the Petite Seminaire College de Saint Martial. Rolande, Marie and Lucy look forward to special holidays to provide a break from school. Some national holidays in Haiti are Independence Day celebrated on 1st January Flag Day 18th May Jour des Ailux: Day of the Ancestors 2nd January Jour de LArme: Day of the Army 18th November. The children are very energetic. They