The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-11-27
A Week Upon the leland OF Tehaxo
I'm Summ0rs IVA
OUR NAV GRANADA CORBsspoNDENos.

Week Upon the leland Of Tsbago
I'm summer
OUR NAV GRANADA CORRESPONDENCE.
ToBAGo, N. G., Oct "a, 1853.
1rpJrom Panama to Tobago--A Summer Week
upon me i'tand-Pleasans Landing and Interest
"g hscept'on-A NeW Granada BeNc-An Hos.
p'faoe Host-inland Rambss--IA MORO
me Fdc.fc Steam Navigation Company Their
W"8s ana disbursements - Il Naturalised
Scotch laughter AccOm~nlishments. Ersrsions.
AID Pcp1larty-H Hotel, and Society," Californian
Gold and american Influence.
Ny curiosity had been excited. els it possible =
.ald l. chat what this sketch says true that this
Island, this Tobago, Is really such paradise, whore
the inhabitants have not yet tasted OF the fruit of the
tree Of knowledge ooh" said my friend. laugh
ing, at is an overdrawn picture no doubt, but go
and see the place yourself 60 and pass week with
my young friend s., you will certainly be pleased"
1t did not require much to induce me to leave the
miserable accommodations Of Panama, and that same
afternoon, the little steamer Tobago landed me on
the beach, indeed at the very door of the genemans
house to whom was going. It was high water, and
stepped from the skiff upon fight of steps leading
up to the balcony, and thence into a room Ia which
An abundance OF clean clothes were hanging to air
The house, standing exactly upon the beach, at least
quarter OF mile from any other habtat0n, and
overshadowed by two enormous Nspero trees, pre-.
serted such an air Of comfort that am tempted TO
describe all saw.
However, my footsteps had been overheard and q
young woman came bounding towards me-here she
is Apparently about eighteen she had an expression
OF countenance almost Chinese while her complexion
was Of that peculiar tint denoting Indian blood-her
heavy black hair too, hanging in two magnificent
plaits behind, was evidently Cholabut her style Of
dress, high, white muslin fr,ck, and long black
sash, to say nothing Of pair Of black silk mttens
and heavy gold chains and earrings, with perhaps
dozen rings her hands and two solid gold buttons
confpipg the dress made it evident she was under
the influence Of an estrangero. Lucretia, for that
was her name, was pleasing-not beautiful, and was
evidently the lady Of the house, though we will not
pry too closely into my friend SIS, engagements.
Don Agustin no &C aqsi hora," she ntimated,
in reply to my inquiries, and begging me to walk up
stairs and wait left by myself; not however. be-
fore having in most graceful manner, and half in
English, half in Spanish, complied with the hospita-
BILE custom] of these hot countries, in Offering me
with almost every other description of wines and
spirits and ice-cOld water, stood upon side table
for all corners. was not long in observing the con-
tents and arrangements of the room, in which an eye
and hung with pictures, guns pistols books, blocks,
&c, there were strewed about on various tables,
specimens Of nearly every class OF merchandise and
even medicines.
threw myself into enc of the three ca.
pacious hammocks, and just caught glimpse
Of an equally beautiful bedroom thought
it must be genius, for out OF it came, scream
ing and walking on the floor, one of those
horribly rnoisy but beautiful birds, red macav.
closely followed by species Of raccoon-a "coat"--
playfnly endeavcring to steal piece of orange from
the bird who, however, was in no ways inclined to
part with it. There was also magnificent parrot.
talking all sorts Of nonsense, and who placed himself
without ceremony upon my shoulder and thus In
duced me to rise and proceed into she balcony over
looking the harbor and vessels, and which cOmmuni.
Gated with door on the level of the room was then
in Here found two coatis (called "gato-solo"
and really elegant aaimals,) large and perfectly
black riDgtailed monkey, an armadillo, and fawn.
all OF which were especial pets, and allowed to
about the house and up the surrounding trees with
out fear Of loss
seated myself in the balcony, and enjoyed the
really charming scene before me. illuminated BY q
setting tropical sum- when my host-a young man Of
twenty eight, deeply brorz ed, and with heavy NOUS
tache and beard-made his appearance. My ply steal
wants having been supplied soon became friends. 4
On mentioning that l bad somewhere seen paper |
describing Tobaga as the modern island Of the
blest,' his face was sutfused with a deprecatory
smile.
"The paper,' added he twas sent to me for peru
SAL and is nicely written and amusing but, alas! the
Tobaganos have not only tasted, but have eaten Of
the fruit Of the tree Of knowledge and, as conse-
equence, are the same as elsewhere. As to being
BILE to subsist without labor, deny It; they arc
eempelled to undergo the hardest description Of it
either working In the fields or up to their necks in
snd respecting the few foreigners, few days resi-
dence will convince you that we can by no means be
reckoned in the category Of the best for expenses
here are 80 fightfal- exceeding in many instances
those of California trade withal Is bad, that
none Of US can make any money, many are losing.
and We do not mantain friendly feeling towards
each other as would be desirable The island con.
fess has advantages far superior to most places on
the coast. Panama cannot approach it, and none OF
go there without regret but none Of us ever
intend making Tobaga a permanent resting place,
and do not enter into those arrangements and ex-
penses that would make US comfortable and envied;
though even rs it is many strangers envy our lot"
Thus our conversation continued until nearly mid
hight, when was accommodated in one Of the large
hammocks for the night, and only awakened ct
half past five next morning by s. asking me to
join him in . bath. Certainly 1 would. I should |
be delighted, and, accompanied by the two cato
solos, which followed 8. like dogs. we proceeded
with towels and largo calabashes in hand through |
grove of orange trees in full blossom, at the back
the house, to little rivulet of delicious spring
water running over bed Of solid rock, in which
the water has forned small basins about foot In
depth, from which the water is lifted in the cola
bah, (caled t0rtUmas ard dashed on the head aud
body. Here we performed our additions, complete
y sheltered from the sky by the enormous bran ,hes
OF trees surrounding us III oil directions. cup O
strong coffee and segar completed this arrange
ment; "snd," said s "this Is my daily life. ant |
to these constant ablutioDs, and quiet and regular
mode Of lite, do attribute my good health whilst
see strangers and others complaining OF sickness"
We now proceeded along the course Of the beach
under ON almost continued shade of palms, mis-
peros and tamaiinds, to point of the island called
the Restipgue. Here q small i;thmus of sand, dry
at low water comets Tobaga with aootber small
island, consisting Of elevated mars of solid rock
to which the designation OF the Moro has beer
given and which is the property Of the British Pc
cifc Steam Navigation Company, who have upon i
their depot, having expended large sum- Il un
derstooo $s0,000) in erecting wharf and grid,ron
the whole OF the timber under water being copperod
on account Of the ravages of the worms, which
would destroy the whole fabric in six months, bu
for this preCauOn: tram rQads aii from the coz