The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-05-31

ST. TEsAAs. March g. lsSs.
.apPesrsner Of 81. Thomas from the S<a-th~ ca
Government Of ST. ThOmos-Mil.tayy Psssla.t.s--
Bmldings-BGe Boards Castle snd Black Bsoyd,s
Cattle.
date from this general mart Of the West Inds% the
capital and indeed only town the Danish Island Of
st Thomas. Of the group known a. the virrin
Islands After having been out Of sight Of land for xy
teen seventeen days, from New York |
know of nothing refeshing and delightful at sast
to landsmnn after having experienced In that space Of
time, all varieties Of temperature and weathsrths 10y
cold fthe north the scorchng Of the tropics severe
gales and storms and the more unpleasant Gains
of the horse atitudss mariners call in these seas
the space between and 90s than the welcome sight
Of land once more though II be the rugged and noun.
taneous heights Of this chain Of islands of which
the Virgin Gorda, looms up coudke above the hori-
ron and gives notice to tho mariner while yet far on
of his approach to the dangerous reef and breakers
the Anegardo Passage. Nor could more pleasant aan
be desired than that which the passenger for St. Tho
mas enjoys s his vessel coasts along this chain Of ssnds
of delightful erlike afternoon or morning ths
bamy trade winds blowing gently just filing the spread
sails and raising slight ripple the placid surface OF
this summer sea- which now rather resembled a quiet
lake than the mighty aud heaving ocean And now 90
the voyager Is borne along OF the of the little Da
nsh Island Of St Johns he for the arst time discovers
signs OF fertility and cultivation In the occasional green
spots that themselves along shore and Ia the
valleys or rather gorges between the hills that rise
to DO fields Of aud dscoses to view the
neat and secluded habitations Of the planters How han
py he Is ready to excaim-stl weak feeble perhaps
from the lingering effects Of sckness-must be tks
jewellers within these quiet abodes thus secluded frorr
the noise and strife OF the world in region where per-
tropical heat moderated to delightful temperature BY
the ever moving currents Of the trade winds
Soon the bold heights Of st. Thomas appear in view
and the headlands that mark the entrance this har
bor either side OF which rises eminence of an oval
and slightly pointed shape, Qks all the elevations Of
81 for hat nr<s
and marine telegraph station with which they are
crowned This entrance or mouth is about mile wide
and as the vessel stands In IT, hardly conceive Of
more picturesque and pleasing panoramic view than
presented to the eye There In front to the north
ut the farther side Of this spacious and commodious har
Dor lies tho city stretching along tho shore and back
the rounded surface Of three eminences that rise
hanging mountains, that form a bold and LOFTY back
ground and which extending round beyond the city
form circular mountain wall that completely grds tie
harbor Except Its mouth) which s about four miles
across In either direction and could contain the whole
British navy.
The appearance OF the city itself novel and strange
to one who has never before travelled beyond the Sac
The low buildings generally Of one at most two short
stories their fiat pointed roofs with reddish
tiles OF burnt clay their brick Of dingy white
brown, " yellow color their darkly yawnng windows
without glass articles that are slmoet though
not quito universally unknown in hsre-sll remind
the he advances towards the town that he
approaching Il foreign shore and strange city On
landing, every thing-esch sight and sound dsepeus
this impression the narrow though well paved or IRA
veed streets the quaint architecture Of the buildings
doorwAys with their black dark coored and corres
popdngly painted double doors resembling for ali ths
world in dimensions and shape those Of the wagon ana
carriage houses TO be seen In country villages the
Babel confusion OF languages tongues in the stresxs
for almost every nation under heaven represented
hereand the crowds Of the coored population chatter
Ing like monkeysin many different Languages as we'll
in their own creole patos and In all kinds and de-
grecs OF dress from the smallest bras that can run
alone, (snd in my life small things on the
strset up to those Of six years old rum ming
about some actually as naked az they came into ~
md n m her wi hi.,wh ufa sh;
and through all grades OF dress to speak more
accurately recovering to the neatly and gsntssy drsss
northern cme passes along through the etrsts he
IL further reminded Of his presence q foreign soil ana
also in tropical country. II the heat of the sun haa
failed to do by the appearance along the stress add
in the enclosures Of various tropical shruba
plants such as the cocoa nut and cabbage trees the
date. the tamarnd. tho cAlabash. banana &c whieh
to me presented striking and unpleasant courust
With the cold the snow. slet rain, and mud Of your
good city (Which heaven prosper where had last
before walked on terra tirmd
This city being the general depot Of trade and the
resort for TINT purpose from all the india Islsnds
its wharves and present very business srrins
appearance for so small and with& tropical city and
being also free port ths trning import and sxport
duty Of one per cent being scarcely worthy OF that
name0 the prices Of ell commodities except provisions
are quite moderate.
and royal council consisting Of three members all sp-
pointed by the King of Denmark, and subordinate 70
the governor and council Of Santa Cruz in whom \
vested the general government OF all the Danish West
Indian possessions aud who make the general Laws or
DEGREES for this End the other islands the "a
pervison and approval or rejection Of the King The
internal police of this city Ia regulated by council by
and from among the burghsrs citizens The terms on
which burghershp may bs acquired by foreigner are
somewhat peculiar No length OF residence vhstsyer IL
requisite, the candidate only having pay the fes Of
four douboons or sixtyfour dollars to obtain ali the
rights Of citizenship and this he pay any
rate before he engage in practise any business
profession calling 10 the courts under penal
ty for neglect to report himself TO the proper officer for
that purpose
The military force Of the city consists of very small
body Of government troops stationed In the inner
within tho city. aud the organized citizen volunteer
soldery which IL divided into divisions sections
one composed OF white people" and the other Of
colorcd gentlemen" To make Of what a wagKish
acquaintance said 5ivorite expression among tho
latter class Of worthless. who will do them the Justice
To say are quite respectable looking get Of fellows In
This island. is not so much of barren rock - I, for
one at least had supposed True its surface IL exceed
nply rugged the island being but succession Of noun
tans But then, the narrow plains that In places
lie between tho foot Of these and the shore the gorgs
between their sides, and In some instances their
SUBMITS present occasional Of cultivation the
form Of fields patches of sugarcan the crop Of
which the island produces annually, as am inform
ed about two thousand hogshesds, besides q small
quantity Of rum
The population of the city is about nine or ten thou.
sand of which number the colored population eonsti
tues probably about threefourhs " not more About
half these being slaves though have not the means
Of verify ing this estimate.
The lions of this city, 0or like most cities It bs.
them are two ancient towers. known respectively by
the name OF Blue Boards Castle and Black Beard
CASTLE called from the names OF the celebrated
pirates who built and fortified them, long before thu
island inhabited At that early period this harbor
favorite resort Of the Of the West In
dian and these towers castles designed
places Of retreat and refuge In case Of pursuit and emer
gency will give brief description Of Blue Beards
castle which Is apparently the older OF the two and In
much more ruinous state than the other II Islands
an eminence at the eastern extremity Of the Cit CON-
nding barbor is constructed Of rough roundah
laid in mortar In form between round and quad
ranpuar the length Of it's sides about thirty and
the height Of what now remains OF II about the came
number little more The walls at the tase sbou
thick and four at top; pierced small In
teryas along with port holes for cannon (of which
four five lying half buried beneath the rubbish
the bottom. insdc and loop holes Tor musketry The
entrance TO the inside Is through hole Ia the wall (ths
pirates having their entrance at top by rope
ladder fastened there and let down the outsde and
the ascent to the top is by ladder erected
the inside The other castle 10 similar except that It
has entrance Mt the base, and IL kept in state Of