New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-07-04

within this curve OF hills. luis part, thoagn
st,. tcbipg out in some places in dead level for
FIVE miles Of rich and productive plain ia yet agree
ably diversified by graceful hills. II is said that
the effect produced by the view from the sea
souihward is tina, OF vast theater, and that il is
very fine. Riding through from one town to the
other, the prospect Ia most charming; on al sides
are fields Of sugar Gaze, sometimes Of great eX-
tent, in all stages Of growth-some in the process
Of harvesting. Scattered around oo elevations OF
tie surface so slight scarcely TO break the level
Cd tie points Of low hills or on the slopes Of the
mountains, green with cane, that stretch down
into the plain are the buildings of the different
estates They consist of the handsome and cheer
full though not elegant mansions of the propre-
tors, or the plaiBcr dOmiclls of the managers, if
the proprietOrs sbsentees; the village OF negro
buts orty or fifty in number, uniform in style
and placed IN rows; the various buildings for
sugar and run making, with their red tile roofs;
and the massive windmill towers with their pom
derous arms sweeping around against the sky, or
the tall, smoking chimneys of the engine.hou.es.
You n6y often see dozen of these settlements at
a tine; at distance they appear like our country
villages. Fences are nowhere to be seen natural
or artificial landmarks indicate the boundaries OF
estates. Everything inprcsses you with an idea
of regularity Tie cane-felds are bounded, fox
the most part, by right lines. The roads are gen
erally straight, crossing each other at right
Inland they are bordored By rows Of the cOcOa-nut
tree or mountain cabbage. The landscape is
marked by these lires Of trees; sometimes their
tall 1.-THE branches against the sky form graceful
wreath over the hrows of the highest hills, iDdi-
eating road for carriages or horsemen. The
island abOunds in roads for the eenience of the
estates the principal ones the finest possible,
broad, smooth and hard they are kept in this
excellent condition at the expense of the prOprle-
1f tha afa vCh uhllOpd he call nj
Goyernmt Mt 10 furnish their quota of laOorers to
work them. This they most Willingly do as they
thereby greatly facilitate the transportation of
tier sugar and run, and Of their supplies to and
from the town, beside afiording themselves the
celebrating pleasure Of whirlng over them in
their carriages. The main road through the
island from east to west, by simple aud mex
ptnsiye exercise of taste, has been rendered even
beautiful almost the whole distance it is bor-
dertd with palm-trees, which form a heightened,
and, in some places, winding avenue. Though the
cocoa nut has more tropical aspect, IL is 10 my
mind less beautiful than another species denomi-
mated MOuntainCsbbage. This, in all its varls-
tee, is the stTagbtest, most symmetrical tree
have ever seen its bark is of light hue, like our
white wood the trunk, though smaller, rarely ex-
ceedng foot-and.a-balf at its greatest diameter,
gradually swells from the ground til 1t ascends
to It's middle hight where il gracefully tapers-
terminating in a TUT of long green, pendant
branches consisting of a central stalk and long,
sword. 81 aged, serated leaves on each side. From
the midst of this browning mass of foliage ascends
sharply into the air shining green spre SIX feet
high and three or four inches thick at its base
and herein is contained a soft, pulpy substance re-
trembling, when cooked, the cabbage or caulI-
| flower whence the tree takes it's name. A single
tree furnishes one dish only, which, when ex.
tracted destroys its life These, standing at regl
lar intervals on either side of the road for mile
I l. lam oil nIllo
with beautiful capitals. The curves of the road
follow the truest line of beauty over low stone
bridges, at the angles of crossing or divergent
roads, ard other places where needful, are grace
full structures Of clay harden, d by the sun and
weather, and washed white or yellow These are
the guards or road-walls.
For the last two or three years blight has
fallen on the cOcoanut which it is feared will ultl-
mately prove fatal to the entire stock throughout
the island That result would be seriously felt; as
not only would striking and beautiful feature OF
| its scenery be destroyed, but the fruit itself ls
! much valued and used by the people. The decay
is not confined to this island but is am told OBJ
seivable throughout the Windward Islands.
The mountainous portion of the island is not
less interesting than the plain IL Is not made up
Of one continuous, compact MOUNTAINEERING, but
Of heavy, rolling hills, through which dark, mar
row vallies make their way, sometimes preserving
for son distance the sea-leyel As you stand at
ler debouche into the plain, or upon the sea-
shore, the dusky light peculiar to them suggests
the idea that they tunnel the mountain On either
side almost perpendicular hills rise to hight of
from 500 10 SEQ feet, placed with such singular,
alternate regularity that, suppOsing the bed of the
valley TO be suddenly depressed, you might easily
in seine them locking firmly together Others
again, in their winding course, by the side OF
scanty mountain rivUlets, gradually ascend to the
higher regions among the hills Here on all sides,
you gaze upon continuous scenery ofthe sugarcane;
the sides of the scoOping hopper-lke valleys into
which YOU look down. and the smooth round sum-
mits that rise around you describing their outlines
on the sky, allie wave with its luxurlant growth.
Here too are all the appliances of sugar-making
We have noticed in the plain; the finest roads
lined with the Manga tree of deep-green foliage,
| Row in blossom, in which state 1t resembles our
! chestI ut, except that il is shorter and more
| branching.
1t is wonderful to behold cultivation on such
steep decliyities; the idea of blowing there seems
| preposterous, aud yet it is done by oxen aud
/ mules and negroes. Manure is carried over all
| these hills on the backs Of mules; and it is by
means of these truly serviceable and patient ani-
mails that the canes are brought down to the
mills often we saw them far above us descending
by permanent zigzag path on the side of the
hill, with enormous loads of canes their backs,
followed by black, bare. eaded urehns as drivers
Tbs more rugged regions of the island are en-
ploytd for the pasturage of oxen, mules and
| sheep; the working stock of the estates during
| the months When not required for labor are here
| kept for so much month per head, Through
these districts, too, since emancipation the
culture has decreased, and entire plantations
have been turned into stockestates by permitting
tlaI utr anllo abruh harx IN