The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-06-26
PONCE, p. r., Nav IL, 1913.


SOCIAL Life in Ponce-Interesting Description of
| SOCIETY in the West b,dies-BaAs-Dancss, &c.
| AS promised in my last letter, will now en-
deavor to give you and your readers an idea of
| social life and manners in this one of the most
beautiful of the West Indian Isl ands.
| have already given you glimpse Of the nature
and importance of our commercial relations with
the United States, and have marked, with sur
PRISE the trifng influence which that intercourse
has heretofore exerted upon the somewhat original
and peculiar customs of our people. | may now
add, that although there are many merchants in
the Atlantic cities of the United States who have
long been indebted for the most extensive as well
as most profitable part of their business, to this
! island and though few of your grocers are I'M
aware of the value of Porto Rico sugar and cof-
fee yet there is very little known, even by persons
| OF the best general information, OF the character
OF our country and people.
1t would, perhaps, be well, therefore, to tell you,
first, that Porto Rico, for size and population,
ranks as the fourth in Importance among the ex-
tensive group of islands which form the West In
dian archipelago. Its length is hundred miles,
and its width fifty, so that its shape Is quite regu
lar, oblong quadrangle. Its surface, like that of
the three larger islands, Cuba, ST. Domingo and
tains of no inconsiderabe magnitude, which run
East and West through its centre. 1t is this feature
which gives rise to the name Antilles, applied by
the Spaniards to these islands. So formidable OBJ
way of inland travel, that many in going from one
port to another, prefer sailing half round the island
little coasting vessel, rather than risk the dis
location of their necks by taking the short cut over
the mountains on horseback. The wild and ro-
mantle scenery which they thus miss, would well
repay the traveller of leisure, however, for any risk
or trouble he might incur in his explorations.
scarcely think 1t would be possible to concentrate
scapes each uniting in ITSELF as they do here,
all the grand elements of beauty. From almost
every point of view, single comp d'oH will EN-
brace the towering peak the prec'pice, the smiling
hill side, the valley, the cultivated plain, the
matched hut, and often the silvery stream wind
ing amid the luxuriant verdure Of the tropics, or
the sea, ever beautiful, rolling its surf upon the
yellow sands ofthe shore. A morning ride among
the mountains, and view from of these peaks,
whence the rising sun may be seen as he energies
from the bosom OF the ocean, surrounded by ca
nopy of gorgeousy tinted clouds-the varied land
scape below, the distant music of birds, and the
thousand aromatic plants, form together combi-
nation which could not fail to impress any one pos
sessing an eye, and heart, with the most exqui-
site sensations of delight
But | am aware Of the inadequacy Of sketch
like this to convey correct impression of the
| scenes / would describe. They would furnish
ample matter for volumes, and would lend lustre
to the fame of the artist whose pencil should be
thu portfolio.
Meanwhile, will proceed with matters more
| common place. You must know that a large pro-
portion of our population consists OF class which,
called 81 poor white folks" The name which they
obtain here, Jibaros" is perhaps quite as sgnifi-
cant and contemptuous. There is striking SIM.
| larity, in many points, between these. people and
| the natives OF another green gem of the seattle
finest plsantry" in the world. The resemblance
| even extends to personal appearance, and You NAV
| often be confronted by phlz so perfectly Hiberni-
| an, that you start in enlistment when you hear
Its owner swear at his donkey in the classic idiom
of CASTLE, instead ofthe rich brogue you had ex-
pected. The same custom exists among them of
waking the dead, so common In Ireland. No soon
| er is it announced that a member of family is
dead than the female portion utter the most frantic
cries. beat their breasts. dlshevel their hair, and
pour out perfect torrent of lamentations and ten
der expressions When they have thus fairly ex-
| haustrd themselves, they change their mood and
deceased In his best attire; and making him look
as elegant as possible they stretch him out upon
table in the middle of the floor, where, with light
ed candles at his head and feet and the crucfix IN
his hands, which are crossed upon his breast, he
awaits farther proceedings In the evening, the
friends of the family drop in; and ere long, this
singular reception room is perhaps crowded, with
the old, the young, the grave and gay, who come
| last mortal remains of their departed host
Coffee and cigars circulate freely; the fair, as we'll
| as the sterner sex indugng largely in both uxu-
res, and fun gossip, and Irritation are the order of
the night. Rather an ill-tmed Jovalty, according
| to American ideas OF proprIety; but / assure you
when one becomes accustomed to 1t, the presence
of defunct guest by no means dlminishes the zest
of game of pawns with the black eyed senOr7tas
| or quiet rubber of cards with their papas. The
| death OF child, or ct young unmarried female,
| is particularly an occasion OF merrlment some
| times among the poorer classes, amounting to the
most boisterous conduct; but never like their Hi
fhev CIV IN he nh
ence OF their animal spirits by hammering each
| other over the sconce. This look upon as one
| grand redeeming feature.
While speaking of the Jbaros'' I am reminded
! OF one OF the proposed measures, and believe
quite an original one, of our new and popular gov
| ernor, the Condo de Reuz His plan is to form the
white laborng population into battalions, and COM
panes; fix their wages and their hours of labor
by general regulations, and make them at all times
come-at-abte to the planters, through their officers,
who will probably be the various civil function
aries of each district. AS yet we have heard moth
ing of the minute of the sysfem nor is 1t certain
| that 1t will be put in operation but among those
best acquainted with the character of the people,
| and the wants OF the country, 1t IS regarded
most desirable reform, which will tend to prevent
all disappointment or imposition on the part of the
employer or employee.
| wish you could have witnessed the reception
given by our little city, week or two since, to the
Condo de Reuz on the occasion OF his first official
visit. You would scarcely believe that, amid the
general cry of hard times and ruinous prices of
sugar, we could afford TO appropriate $1,000 to the
getting of brilliant ais. concerts and dinners;
yet such is the nndeniahe fsct-and never did our
fun-IoviDg people abandon themselves with more
devotion TO the enjoyments of the flesh For three
| days and AS many nights, Ponce was fairly gwen
up tn the genius of froc, and the of carni.
val re-enacted, without, however, its exlravag,n
Incorporating. took sirolI On the evening Of the
grand ball, given by the "p,itIculars" at the town.
hail, and CHANGED to enter just as some of the
most splendid forms. that ever ravlshed the eye OF
painter were swe-pne through thu evolutions OF
a lively waltz with all the grace peculiar ~ the
Spanish women The chandeliers thr, brilliant
flood of light upon the rich and tasteful costumes
OF the dancers, and the flashing of costly jewclry,
rivaled the electrical gl,nces that shot forth from
oh, such eyes For while forgot that
had been transported to the enchanted dwell
lug ct the hours. Put hear how ! discover
ed my mistake Stepping ont into the plaza,
where the ..'Jibaros" were kicking up a young