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Tuesday 22 augusT 2023 locAl
A10

Episode 38: A Scientific journey across the island

It was in the first week of
January 1885; Aruba had
received an interesting visi-
tor in the person of a Ger-
man Professor, Dr. K. Mar-
tin of the Leyden University
who was a passionate Ge-
ologist with a special inter-
est in moths and butterflies.
He came for agro-geo-
logical research, but left
a book of cultural- histori-
cal value and he was ac-
companied by the students
Van der Pol, De Haan and
Molengraaff, and also by
Professor Dr. Suringa. The He continues his story: us with a refreshing bev- and wide before them the always think back to this
island journey was planned “About noon we arrived erage, the enjoyment of big Strombus and cone- benefaction, for our lazy
to start on the 29th of Janu- at Spanish Lagoon on the which was not spoiled by shaped boulders were the donkeys kept pace with
ary, at six o’clock in the south-west coast of the is- our having procured them only objects on which the those plodding before us
morning. Professor Martin land, where we encoun- in an illicit manner. After eye could rest. and when they finally left us
is the one who will narrate tered numerous petrifac- scarcely an hour’s rest the “Under these circumstanc- we already arrived at Sint
his adventure: “We were to tions. Behind this lagoon a insistent thought of the long es it was an agreeable di- Nicolaas. There, in the dis-
depart, but we were about few coconut trees offered distance we still had to version to see the scenery tance, on the blue waves,
to experience that time is a shady place of repose cover made us rise again.” enlivened by some human we discerned the white
something scarcely heed- on the alluvial sol. But any beings, at whose behavior sails of the Essex, which had
ed on Aruba for of the five attempt to lie down on the From then on their way we could not help laugh- taken us to Aruba yester-
donkeys and three servants ground and stretch our without interruption led ing at times. They were a day and was now strug-
we had managed to obtain limbs was prevented by across coral formations couple of boys who had gling close-hauled against
with great difficulty the pre- the stony surface of this ex- arisen in later times and drawn water from a small the trade wind on her voy-
vious evening nothing was tremely thinly grown spot. bordering the west coast well dug into the coral and age back to Curacao.”
as yet to be seen. True, our Our boxes were taken off of the island. The uniformity were carrying it in tubs on
guide gave himself every the donkeys, and we sat of the landscape, the bar- the backs of donkeys to To get to know more about
conceivable trouble to ac- down on them whilst the ren rock-soil and the sea their far homesteads. One Aruba’s stories of origins,
celerate our journey, but animals were being wa- baffle every description. of them had a big drum, a about animals and culture,
only after the lapse of more tered, coconuts provided In the plain stretching far musical instrument whose art and desert gardens you
than an hour was every- existence in this region de- can visit Etnia Nativa. Our
thing ready, the donkeys serted of all mortals I am as renowned cultural encoun-
with their saddles and girths yet unable to explain but ter session has been enter-
having meanwhile been whose sound appeared taining curious participants
wetted through by a sud- to fascinate our worn-out for decades. Mail us at et-
den shower.” animals. However that may nianativa03@gmail.com to
be, we were entertained confirm your participation.
Past Hooiberg and the pic- by this music walking some Our facilities and activities
turesque fields the com- way in front of us and it is take place close to high
pany journeyed to Santa with thank-fullness that I rise hotels. q
Cruz, reaching the road via
Spanish Lagoon in order
to go from there to the ex-
treme eastern point of the
island, Ceru Colorado.

“For a considerable time
masses of stone having the
height of good-sized hous-
es and consisting of heavy
worn-off diorite rocks grayly
striped by the weather are
the only objects arresting
our attention in the midst
of the high cacti surround-
ing them, for the sandy soil
stretching between is very
thinly covered with plants
and its monotonous hue
is rather enlivened by the
bluish green backs of lizards
than by any vegetation.
Our eyes are aching and
we prefer to lift our glance
from the shade less road.”