Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1852-07-01
The TrOuics.

from the Island OF ST. Thomas, presents
some of the unpoetical aspects, of the
land Of perpetual bloom:
IL have taken some pains, by the
way, 10 enquire into the perpetual youth
OF the folisge Of the tropics. Coming
from bare trees and frozen ground so re-.
Gently as we did, it hardly seemed natu-
raj TO find everything as blooming and
verdan, as in Spring or Midsummer. /
find it is not unusual. There are trees
which seem to rest for month-drop-
ping most of their leaves and putting
forth no blossoms in that time. There
are others which the hurricane season
finds weak, and strips suddenly. by lis
first tornado though they were apparent.
ly as green as ever. There are several,
however, whose youth, freshness and
beanty. know no repose and no winter
the cocoa tree, the citron, the orange,
the banana--beauiiful creatures every
Que, which bud, flower and bear fruit,
all in one prodigal confusion of expert
ence. Are they to be envied by us,
with our detailed progression of exis.
tence, or noi!" ....... ....... ..
"The women do all the monotonous
and hard labor in this climate. The me-
groes are even the cham bermaids, as well
as the boalmen, drivers and tide walters;
but the negresses bear The heavy burlhens
oui Of doors. They unlade coal vessels
by troop of women, VIM carry baskets
of the incredible weight of two hundred
pounds. upon their heads, the men only
lifting their baskets for them, and work
ing the windlass which hois,s the lading
from the hold. AS we approached Lou
isenhoi. the road was undergoing some
repairs, and the stone which was taken
loose from the soil, was 10 be used in a
stone wall some fifty feet above. Two
men were overseeing the ;ob-one, who
seemed 10 be the path master, and stood
looking on; and another, who directed
the loading of the heads of seven negres-
ses, with fragments of rock, and then
walked before them in slow procession
20 the place of deposit. The poor bare
footed girls, straight as arrows, and as
deliberate as priestesses in their gait,
were submissively patient and grave; and
| thought as l looked at them from little
distance, that you would have 10 explain
to new visitant to this planet, that they
were not nobler in their employ yment and
demeanor than the merchants walking
hurriedly and ungracefully about the
market place below. s a
mo man lies down under tree in
this climate. The ants, lizards, toads
and snakes are in previous possession.
On almost every tree, one sees an ant
house, as large as half-bushel basket;
and the lizards, accustomed to be well
treated by man, coolly and deliberately
walk off froO any branch You may d.
rect your hard to, but show no haste or
apprehension of violence. The Consul
told US there was kind of lizard, how
ever, Of which the natives are very
much afraid. Its first impulse, when
surprised, is TO spring TO the human
hand, and fasten its teeth and claws into
the flesh; and, in proportion as this vam-
pire is resisted or terrified, il deepens its
hold, never loosing its clutch till it is cut
in pieces. OF this awkward custo mer
we fortunately saw no specimen.
Mr.. Willis adds that among the ten
ants of his bedroom are cockroaches that
have pretenlions to be Holsters, and spi-
ders on which you might Fry a beef
steak, mistaking it for gridiron.