Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1856-04-05
4 Trip to California.

IN the steamers bow. that he is at Aspinwall |
Tho "noisc and confusion" attendant upon the hour
Of departure from New York ut-Dabels Babel |
Late corners hurry up the gangways; in one corner
Of the ladies' saloon is group whose firm inter-
grasp of hands, silent lips and moiscned eyes cvince
deep sorrow at the hour of long separation; that
noise upon the quarterback is from bcyy of fact
boys who are hastily mbibng parting drink with
one of whom their latest rccullectons may prove
those shouts Of revcry; at length the order for all
but passengers to go ashore is given hurried and
fearful ndeus are spoken; the gang planhs bend
undr the rush to the pier; the bawsers are let 60
and hauled in; and the "Georgs Law," this 10th
day of January, Sc, moves with stately air into the
stream, amid the of the signal gun, the ing
Of handkcrchicfs and the cheers from the crowds
which darken the wharycs. As the Low moves
slowly down the Narrows towards the Atlantic, "A
Gordon, formed of the bodies and limbs Of dclcga
ton froa Africa is thrown across the extreme afer
part Of the steamer. In front walks the inicxibc
purscr, who, unwilling to carry "dead-heads' or
skulkors, examines tickets. pockets returns
check and We pass to the On reaching the
Ii17t, the veteran pilot i. discharged, and with
cargo of "skulkcrs' is soon seen bending sail and
oar for the city. Night soon comes on, and in the
morning tho shores of jersey and gallant steam
or are in a fog. Another day discoscs the proxim
jty Of lIatcras by the risu: wind, the plungns of
tho strong ribbed steamer and the numerous contri-
buttons to Neptune, which appear to have been lev
led on many uniulating somachs.
rassin; the lesser Bahamas, we are rcminlcd that
Of the group, though barren and uninhabited,
is yet rich in historic associations for upon that
sterile spot first appeared the hgH to Columbus and
his Disconnected crew, on the evening previous to
his recorded discovery of land, and though not FIST
roldcn b. the foot Of the great uiventurcr it may
he said to have been the first Land seen by him west
Of the Canarics. On the sixth day were in a
sunny cline, anil perpetual summer. We had been
running all day between the mountains ON the cast
era of Cuba, and the hi sh mountains and hills
Of st. Domingo, and rapidly approaching the lotticr
mountains ofJLmaica. The sights and scenery
stirrin: anil exciting in the extreme. The night
was ma .nicent. The moon shone with that clear
d GIT peculiar to the tropics. The milky way
woNrespendent with stars, which We'd with the
moon in briIliarcy and beauty, and the buoyant,
fresh and blmy tropical winds, the profound,
nal sea- and the starry roof of the Universe, far to-
ward Heaven, inspired thoughts of happier worlds,
Passing by Port Royal in the morning, up the arm
of the towards Kingston, the gorgeous beauty and
the splcndor Of tropical scenery the eye every
eide. The horizon, on either hand, is bounded by
mountains which rise in majesty, till their peaks
almost blended with the azure of torril cline
As the lar Is being anchored at Kingston, the
novel spectacle Is presented Of swarm of coorcd
women and girls, who, with tubs Of coal upon their
heads, throng in Indian file up one of the after
gang-ways and empty their loads of anthracite, sing
Ing, the while, their old plantation airs. Most of
the passengers go ashore to take look at this
dilapidatcd and roting city, and not a few return
laden with dr,cks from on jamaica. The planta-
tions in waste their former workers living life
of indolent, dissolutc and thieving freedom more
b.ggary and degraded than the tassaron of Italy.
Not fresh streak of paint breaks the monotony of
grey old buildings which compose Jamaica's
prosperous commercial metropolis.
The natural advantages of the Island are unsur-
passed; for, to a climate most delightful, is added
soil fertile and exhaustcss the praries Of own
Great West, and teemng with all the products Of
the tropics. Kingston stands upon broad plain, at
the base Of lofty mountains. The streets-laid out
with chess board regularity-arc lined on either side
with the orange tree, the cocoa, banana, Plantan,
and the waving palm. Flowers of every kind -four
Is in perpetual bloom in the gardens. and cothe in
varied and gorgeous drapery, every lattice and
portico And with those sublime mountains nd the
heaving solemn sea, the spot is one Of the ovclest
on earth.
Visiting the military grounds We saw upon drill
regimen, Of blacks, in red AMI white, and MARTA
band in similar hue and dress, Of thirty performers
In honor Of the froemcn present, the bani-lcd by
an Enslshman, played Y,niec Doo9ic and Hni
C,'unt,,. Never did hear those stirring national
airs with such glow of pride and love of my own