The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-01-28
AFFA AIRS IN JAMAICA.

AFFAIRS IN JAMAICA.
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Our Kingston Correspondence
.s KINGSTON. ia, Jan. 4, 1856.
RistosicZ SkaeA Of the Lslamd-Hs Appeara~c'
from ne Ssa--ASJicai of the Steamer-Hs Pas
smgws-IHe "Mayor"- Kingston--Hs House.
-xMd Streets Concert IN Aid of the Patriotic Fxna
---ST Henry BarkiS-His Last Message-TH
Mines--7Re Races-Erploits of Lady Barley
The OpeTa- Christmas and Ne,c Year's DAY.
Journey Through the Llamd-Bah Botsnica
Gardens The Medicinal Baths--Scenes and In
cidents, &c. oa
Ivas ordered out here by my physician for the
benefit Of my health, and having made Q three
months tour in this island for the first time, for
want Of something better TO do, have now come to
he desperate discrimination of giving you my i'm
pressions Of this beautiful country. Jamaica, or
Xsymaca, signifying 1.-THE land of springs" was as
we all know, discovered by Columbus in the year
1494, on bis second voyage of discovery; and not
being successful in landing at the town now known
a. Port Maria owing TO the feceuess Of the waters
he pushed further north ward, and landed at the
little town ct Ora Cabessa- Tie Indians numbered,
on the first discovery Of the island some 5000 or
100 000 but owing to the barbarous cruelty OF the
Spanisrds, they soon became entirely extinct.
In 1855 the island was subjugs'ed by Cromwell,
and since that period has belonged to England. A
few years after this 1t was that Morgan the great
buccaneer, was made Lieutenant Governor Of Js-
maica, In honor of his flibustsring exploits, and
shortly after knighted and made full Governor.
Port Royal, which had for q long time been the
resort Of these buccaneers and become very wealthy
in consequence, was in 1892 with 1000 of its inhabi
tants, suddenly immerged by terrible earthquake,
and entirely destroyed together with all the public
documents relating to the island. It is said that the
sunken houses are to this day discernible beneath
the waters Of the ocean.
From these frequent earthquakes the island has
tains, deep everglades, abrupt preoipices, smiling
valleys and rushing cataracts that often reaches to
the highest pointing Of grandeur.
In 1872 Lord Rodney defeated Count De Grasse
in an attempt on the part of France and Spain to
retake the island, and to commemorate the event,
splendid marble statue OF Rodney now stands In the
public square of Spanish Town. So mu Oh for the
early history Of Jamaica.
The traveller as he approaches by sea is first struck
With tho fine appearance of the blue mountaine rising
IN the distance from the sea- their tops covered with
beautiful white Aeecy clouds, and clothed from the
base TO their submits with the most luxuriaut vege.
tafisn. As he reaches nearer he beholds the sea
shore lined with immense number of cocosnut
trees, whose tall and graceful appearance when
bending to the sea breeze has the most pleasing
effect.
But we are now nearing the wharf upon which we
are to land, and which takes considerable time to
accomplish. In the meantime the steamer is boarded
by myrads of natives, who have come of in their
canoes, fled with all kinds of fruits, their mer-
chsH0ise moving eff much quicker than should
suppose to be the case at the present time In New
York-no such thing b.ing known hers Is q tight
money market or bank defalcation. nm
While this profitable traffic has been carried on,
uumberless little copper colored boys, as naked as
he day they were born, have swan to the vessel,
Ind the passengers have found new source Of
amusement 10 throwing silver change to them. The
sequences and nsuar gestures Of the boys rs
shout twenty OF item Give for single sxpeuce, al
going dom together in ole spot, and knocking
heir heaes together while squrming under the
wakr for the money, and the successful one at
ength coming up with the prize, shouting out in
Is gee, in his outla0dsn gibberlsh- sl this, say
eemed to me very strange, and in my mind could
ompsre them to nothing but imps Of the evil one
ivilg IN the river Styx. The steamer has now get
lonssice of her wharf, and the passengers are hur-
yiDg on shore and swarmiDg the streets; they are
met on all sides by the females OF the city who,
ressed In their handsomest, stand IN long close
mes from the stesmer's wharf up along many a
treet Come OF them are pretty, and use all their
fascinating powers to attra 1t attention. The ar.
rival Of steamer Is looked upon by them as great
event, an d they turn 1t to full account.
good many of the passengers have dubbed to-
gether and hired 0mhiDuses for the afCernOon-for
they are bour for California and the steamer will
be cosed and of In the evening-and are driving
through the streets. exchanging, now aad tnen, a
word with some pretty girl they meet.
TIE storekeepers here, although glad to see them
come, because they spend q good deal Of money,
are, think, little Jealous OF them; for they have
got out csrcsurs representing them owe. crowded
angle Of many degrees above taeir heads, and huge
moustaches and boards, and long mines stuck 10
their mouths, putting from them large volumes OF
o tolerable sized steamer. Not being smoker, and
having neither moust ,ches CT beard TO b0as. Of
proceeded gu city to Mrs. Blundels ope Of the best
houses here you may ga 9pose, for would not even
be suspected Of going 70 any other.
lad been recon mepded 10 60 to cha Date
Tree, another gond house, but :" fat friend"
Of mine who came out passenger with me. ia-
sisted on my going to the aforesaid Mrs.
tSe you may very syum ass s w dS
Is our fat friend?n He shall be nameess; bat will
tell you that on board ne went by tue name Of
Meier" although must d. MIN the ere lit to CON-
credible amount Of msgt anmity and informed me
that he was not entitled TO IL. He was very eccen-
trio board, and arrived here just in time learn
of his defeat candidate for Assembly; upon winch
intelligence he again most magranimously asserted
that be would on no account have served, waich
OF course ss a gentleman, vas bound 20 believe.
He was very large man, with nose slt)gether
disproportioned to mis- size, being mere like the
proboscis Of q young tlsp ant; within bounds. it
was fully equal to Fix Of mine, (sbeii have not
very large ope but IL is not to be questioned the
score Of respectablity) This large excrescsn Q, U
wish could call it healthy one, but would not
be telling the truth II did, he used 70 irrigate
many times during the day, not seemingly with any
intention Of extending the OF Its frsedo A. bat
rather, ss l thought, with q resigned hope Of re
ducipg its size and iofammatory tendencies. Deter