Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-09-14

and two women, with their market produce,
entered the canoe. One man at the prov held
a rope in his hand, which was attached to
horse that SWAN alongside. AT times nothing
but its nostrils could be seen; but 1t swan
bravely and landed safely.
Now came our turn. The canoe was long
one, but deep, narrow, and without single
seat. The bottom was wet and dirty. There
were four men and woman to cross. The
baskets, and paniers, and knapsack were
thrown together in heap at the head of the
boat and, as it was impossible to sit or
stand, we were all ordered to crouch down and
hold on to the sides of the canoe, our faces
turned to the prov. The feryman stood at
the Storm and pushed off with long bamboo.
A horse was to cross and was soon unwllingly
whipped out of his depth. We were now in
the swift current, which was almost rapid, as
there was at this point bend in the river. All
! at once it was discovered that the horse could
not swim or stem the current. The ferryman,
forgetting to use his paddle, vociterously
| shouted direction to the man who held the
rope.
The man himself shouted the woman
shouted, the two other passengers shouted,
and the people on the bank shouted back to
| the shouts of the Others Meanwhile the af-
affair began to look serious. The horse in its
death-strugges approached the canoe and
threatened every instant to oyerturn it. The
shouts increased to yells, and oaths, and
screams. | looked at the nearest point and
felt confident of reaching it i'll case of need So
kept cool and made the motion to snatch the
rope from the hand of the man and throw it
it into the river. He took the hint and as
the horse made lunge which just missed the
canoe, flung away the halter. We were safe
now ; SO the oaths changed to CALCULATIONS of
pity. We were rapidly drifting down all this
tir1a Of ha tbo
sumed his padding. This kept us near the
horse. Suddenly the plunging ceased, and the
horse began to disappear. This was too much
for its owners feelings; he darted out Ills hand
for the rope and caught hold of it, but at the
imminent risk of overturning the canoe. He
pulled it toward him, and holding the horses
head out of water, told the ferryman to put
back. He made for land but it was long
way below the place we entered that he reach
ed it. 1t was too late-the horse was dead.
All this while the chattering was going on. A
tall black woman with colored handkerchief
tied round her head, and a long cotton print
robe, her only visible garment, stood on the
bank and delivered her opinions in relation to
the affair. The woman in the canoe, the fer
ryman, the owner, the two other passengers
followed.
1t was really scene. The tall black woman
on the bank of the rapid-fowing river; the
rays of the rising sun reflected on her face;
her elegant gestures as she spoke with impet-
uous energy; the negro on the lower bank
dragging his still-breathing horse to land; the
crouched figures in the canoe, with the eXcep-
ton of the terryman, who stood talking and
gesticulating with fervid eloquence the tropi-
cal fruits and vegetation on both sides of the
clear Artibonite; the raft CT logwood and ma
hOgany coming quickly down the stream, with
two of the Haytien backwoodsmen on it-form-
ed very pretty picture of life in the tropics,
which l regretted could not preserve with the
pencil of the painter.
After the debate subsidized, in about fifteen
minutes, the canoe was showed off again and,
excepting pause after passing the current, to
enable the raftsmen to know the melancholy
story of the horse, we were taken across the
river without further difficulty.
ROUTE TO ST. MARKS.
There is a considerable tract cultivated after
passing the river. | walked some way with
my companion of the night before, who was
now fully dressed, but l found it impossible to
keep along with him. The woman was
ahead AT every house she came to, she stop
ped and acclaimed to the persons at the door
and, at this time of the morning, everybody
seemed to be near their houses. Then when
we came up, the eX-breechless Haytien took
up the wondrous tale and narrated the acct
NShb WIN ttil luS SldCSj dtutuuS5 anu move
ment Of a veteran star actor and elocutionist.
The Indians are praised for their natural
gift of oratory but they are not to be compar-
ed with these Hayt.n negroes.
For several miles, after passing a little dis
lance from the river the road, wide and level,
was in horrible condition. 1t had to be
waded. | began to believe now that the Hay
items were correct i'll supposing that very few
white men could perform the journey. The
road was as bad as any road which it is posi-.
hlo to walk through can be- The rest of the
route offered nothing worth seeing. AT one
point you ascend a hill and see a vast plain be-
meath you, seemingly forest uninhabited, the
road you have travelled being indicated only
by dark line through the trees.
For few miles before reaching St. Mark,
the road runs through little valley or gorge
between two lofty mountain ridges. The first
view of st, Marks bay is beautiful 1t looks
like a perfect square, extending, | should
judge, nine or ten miles inland and from side
to side JAMES REDPATH