Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1867-02-08
[Elitorial Correspondence Of the Free Press. |
From the West Indie.
NovII.

ST. CRoIx, Jan. 9, 1867.
We have had a ,'eold snap" perhaps the cold
snap Of the winter. Yesterday vas unusually
rainy from the North East, aud it continued
through the evening. The sir wss uncommonly
damp; and a little while before Ia, light, very
thin coyerlet in allition to a thin sheet did
not seem oppressive, but rather comfortable
1t appeared in the morning, that the thermome-
ter had actually settled down to 729 just
think Of that Al agreed that it must have
been the cold snap Of the winter and it is
spoken of by citizens as an uncommOnly cold
night We must submit to hardships, wherever
we are, and We tried to bear this one brsyely
The season has been spoken Of as an unusually
warm one, 80 far, and We are glad to have al
our three windows open as we sit in our room.
Once in a while the wind Will blow from the
north for a few hours and it will seem little
cooler but not enough to drive US to thick cloth
ing. This forenoon, the mercury has risen to
79o again.
The surface Of this island is very uneven and
irregular +; the valleys are very narrow, but the
hills are many Of them not steep and cultivated
clear to the top, and view Of both hill and
valley covered with the rich cane and cotton
fields, toget her with the variety Of gay flowers
and trees Of rich foliage, presents to the eye
most charming landscape, bounded on one side
or other. almost always, by the ocean with its
rolling. heaving, tumbling surf.
There If much less Of fruitful field here for
collections Of natural history. except in Botany,
than had supposed. There are no fine birds
in the island and the marine shells are Of few
species compa ratively, and those quite common.
Colored boys bring around quite often little col
lections of shells for sale, usually made up
almost wholly Of shells left On the beach and
more or less injured but have not as yet seen
the semblance Of a rare or even snowy species.
As for land shells, there are next TO none, on
the island. which seems very remarkable aud Is
SO spoken Of by nsturslists find. One or two
small species are all have heard Of, and those
are extremely rare. The fish are very attractive
for their great beauty and the number Of species
sttainable l shall be strongly tempted to
bring some home if can, in spirits.
We have some Of these fine fish on our
table every day, as well as beef. mutton
and poultry, all well cooked after the
manner Of the country. The vegetables are BY
no means equal to ours in any OF their forms or
favor the Irish potatoes are poor; the squash
looks like ours in color, but has sourish taste.
Ou,e in while we have dish Of yans, which
look and taste Ike very coarse potato, such SIS
we do not think ea;able The plantain, when
fried brown, is very good. resembling little
the taste of sour apples fried. The cousin
cousin is another vegetable cooked here some
what like our potatoes in milk but insipil ike
others. Nice pastry is not known; the dessert
consists Of some delicate pudding with plenty
Of fruit, which are full compensation for the
absence Of pastry. Fruit Is also invariably
eaten after breakfast.
There were not the usual festivities here this
season at Christmas or New Tesrs, as there was
a Governmental inierdict on them in conse-
quence of the severe sickness at St. Thomas.
We saw negro dance however on New Years day
1t is the custom here for all the negroes on each
estate to have dance at the expense Of the
proprietor; punch and plum-cake Is furnished
in abundance and the negroes time for the
afternoon. and evening generally I'LL twelve
o'clock, is wholly their own. They moved to
and fro in the dance, to what they call music,
made by beating with the open hand on sheep
skin drawn tightly over one end Of an old key,
the performers taking turns at 1t, as each grew
tired 1t was wonderful to see how many atti-
tudes the dancers would throw themselves into
and how long they would hold themselves in
their curious positions. Some Of the men, who
seemed the leaders, were fantas;ieslly dressed,
but the women did not make very elaborate
show Of c5lors After We hsd looked on a
while, the king as they call the chief dancer,
took his partner and danced out to Us, shaking |
hands all around, and wishing US great many
Happy New Years; and then we left them to
iuish up their idea Of hspplness.
Yours. G. W. D.