The Author:Special Feature
Walking Back ... in theDays of Cayman Past
How Cayman came into being
The big question yet to be answered in thisday and age of ease and plenty is how did the Cayman Islands weso broadly boast about come into being.
Did three little coral rocks, afloat a deep blue sea, by chanceevolve into a luxurious Paradise where people on a universal basismay find safety, peace, and a healthy existence? I say no; a thousandtimes no.
When Christopher Columbus and his party, on a cool May afternoonin the year 1503, spotted Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, therewere no people to either welcome them or challenge their presencethere.
Chances are the few seagulls and booby birds there were must haveeither put up quite a fight or flown as quickly and as far awayas possible for fear of their very lives.
Whatever the circumstance aloft, the discoverer's party foundabsolutely nothing of value on the ground on Little Cayman totake back with them to Spain. Neither did Cayman Brac have anywelcoming gifts to offer the strangers. What they did see weresea turtles aplenty.
How about Grand Cayman, then? Truth is, Columbus missed that onecompletely. But surely, there must have been lots of gold anddiamonds salted away somewhere on such a secluded coral isle,known only to great lizards, birds and the great sea turtles thatfrequented the beaches to lay their eggs? But no siree; therewas nothing of any such worth found there. Nor were there anysingle person's foot prints to be seen there.
I have been very seriously enquiring, and that without a sureanswer, who did first see and come ashore on Grand Cayman? Well,anyway, from those very early days of being spotted, it seemsas though these rocks were unwanted. The Spaniards could not usethem; the English did not want them, and the Indians did not knowabout them. So they just remained desolate, even as at creation,for a great many years after discovery.
However, as time progressed and after years of English and SpanishWest Indies trading and much bloodshed in the land called Jamaica,the secluded Islands became a hideaway for Cromwell's lily-liveredsoldiers who wanted out of the slaughter that took place for thepossession of Jamaica, then the great prize of the West Indies.
The South American trade with Europe grew into a vibrant businessand the great sail ships often stopped at the island to replenishtheir fresh water and meat supplies with the many turtles thatinhabited the beautiful waters around the Islands.
The dangerous reefs we see surrounding Grand Cayman today musthave always lain out there, thus causing the destruction of countlessships. The ships having been wrecked, many of the crews, if luckyenough to set foot on land, must have had no choice other thanto eke out an existence just where they were. And so, from onedisaster to another disaster, the island soon began to be peopled.
Little huts and crude houses started springing up in many areas.The head count began to rise, perhaps to 100 and then to 200,always moving upwards.
I am not attempting to write an unknown detailed history of theIslands. All I am doing is to remind my readers that what we seetoday bears no resemblance to yesterday's picture. The early settlersbrought nothing here; they found nothing, and therefore livedin nothingness.
Nevertheless, we must lift our hats to them for their courageand their ambition in striving to build something out of nothing.Those empty-handed forefathers laid a solid foundation on whichtheir descendants could build a firm homeland.
Today we see the `Land that time Forgot' for thousands of years,like the caterpillar entombed in his cocoon, emerging into a beautifulbutterfly. Truly, by the good grace of a Loving God as well asby the wisdom exercised by sound-thinking men, the Islands haveexcelled above many others which were long before us.
Where we have come from; our yesterdays, is history. The settlershave all gone; a new generation has taken over the old ship. The20th Century captains and officers must be praised and commendedfor the wonderful job they have done in handing down the old shipinto the hands of an untried generation to pilot her into a newand challenging millennium.
Our tomorrow demands much more serious thoughts and wisdom thanwe have ever known at any time. And even though we see a landof plenty and prosperity in its present state, it is most essentialthat those who would aspire to take over the running of its affairs,do so with Heavenly wisdom and tempered knowledge.
At this most critical juncture of our history, when all the newsis political and so many are saying: "I can do better, electme," much caution needs to be taken into account.
What does one's better ideas lead to? The `Forgotten Land' hasnow become universally publicised. No longer can the affairs ofthe country be officiated by half a dozen hot-headed, ill-temperedvestrymen and an equal amount of unlearned justices. Surely theyhave done well but the challenge for tomorrow is to do better.
The demands of the new millennium are greater today than in anyother known times. Cayman needs men today who will fearlesslyand boldly stand up for the good of the country and her people.The call is for men with backbone who will stand for right thoughthe Heavens may fall.
Let us pray this prayer from the depths of our hearts: "Lord,you who have led us through the past, hold us strongly in yourgracious remembrance now, and guide your people through all thedark clouds that may arise to threaten our Christian existence.
"Sustain us in the peace and security with which you havealways shielded us, grant to us good laws and Christian government.Suffer not the nobles and the mighty to destroy the peace andthe tranquility of the small and the weak. We ask these favoursin your son Jesus' name and thank you, Lord. Amen."
The Author:
Mr.Percival Jackson, known throughout the Cayman Islands as "Will"Jackson, is a born East Ender. He is a man of many experiences:A Home Guard during World War Two; A former policeman, a seamanfor 22 years who sailed around the world; and a retired businessman.
Mr. Will has been a Justice of the Peace for the past 20 yearsand a Marriage Officer, whose one greatest interest is preachingthe gospel.
He is the author of three books, one which will be published ina few weeks. Obviously, his pastime is in writing of life in theold days of Cayman, and he has written many local articles forthe local media.
The pride of his life is his wife, Miss Sybil Harris of GeorgeTown, whom he married 35 years ago. They are now retired, enjoyinglife together, living in East End, by the Sea.