New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-12-14
PORTER'S PASTORAL.


Arcadia, where the slopes OF the lcebergs were
clad in perpetual verdure, and the walrus DIS
ported in tho nowcry meads, and tropical
monkeys gambOled in the SHOWS or Mr. Sumner
grew eloquent over the Sitkan Goldfish, and the
lettuce and chiccOTy of Alaska, no more
beautiful pastoral poem has been given to the
world than the lovely pieco which Admiral
Porter has just written about st. Thomas
While so many of his gallant shpmates are
forced to leave their sweet pastures and do
nestle lows. and are tossed about by raging
seas caught up by whirwinds, hurled through
the angry air, wrecked and drowned IN
Mr. Stewards chosen harbOr of refuge Itself,
the gallant Admiral recumbent meath the
shade of the United States Naval
Academy, like sea-faring 1ltyrus
pipes his rustic lay. His song begins in the
stately strain Of gazetteer, but the fire OF In
spration soon kindles in his veins the move
ment quickens the impetuOus numbers flow
headong forth, knocking each other into all
sorts of corners and filling the brain with be-
wildering visions Of waving palms, yellow
haired mermaids, dry docks, steamboats,, ba-
nanas, rum punch, Notifications, trade winds,
parrots, Parrot guns, plantations, and coal
yards. Regarded simply "a terrestrial para
disc, the Island of st. Thomas is considerably
ahead of the Garden of Eden, while "a n naval
station it is UNNECESSARILY superior to any sea-
port since Tyre and SidOn Beside the charms
of its tropical scenery, it has the additional
advantage Of being inhabited by colony OF
prosperous marne-Storc dealers. 1t has three
or more harb0rs, each one of which Is better
than any of the others. IL is ian enchant-
ling place to cruise ill.," especially
during n hurricane. There are shops
where you can buy things. 1t is
good naval station. Up on the hill there are
nice little cottages, and everybody who Is rich
enough buys one of them. They do this be
cause it is too hot to live anywhere else. The
island is surrounded by reefs and breakers
All the shop keepers clerks are negroes. St.
Thomas is a good naval station. Strangers
always have capital fun when they go there
! The Government is strictly republican in form,
aud closely resembles our own. all tho officers
except two or three being appointed by the
King Of Denmark. The most beautiful sight
in the world is the town and harbOr of st.
Thomas, seen from the hill above it.. Also the
most beautiful sight in the world is the town
and harbor of st. Thomas viewed from the
sea. You can take ~ coal there very rapidly.
Another advantage is that il hostile army
should land on the island they would mmedi-
ately starve to death, there being no food and
very litcle water. The inhabitants excr-
else princcly hospitality, and make up
for the want of water by liberal
use of other beverages. If we bought
the property BE should have rare opportu-
nifty of building foyts, docks, coal-sheds, and
navy yards, there being no improvements what
ever upon the estate. THU st. Thomas would
become the paradise of contractors, as " IS al
ready of ship chambers and dealers IN second
hand clothing and dirk knives. Moreover, 1t is
good manifestation. 1t would make Dc
liehful watering-placc. NewYork merchants
might send their families there in the Summer,
and run down every Saturday afternoon for
their Sunday holiday. The healthiness Of the
place the poet cOnfesses, is doubtful :" but it
ia singular fact that, however deadly the
climate may be to other people, it invariably
spares citizens (natiye or naturalizeO of the
United States; and any man who has been
registered as a voter in any part of the Union
may go to ST. Thomas not only without
fear of getting sick, but with certain
prospect Of being cured of any all
mcnts he may have had beforehand. The
epidemcs to which the natives are subject are
attributed TO the evaporation of English coal.
But if we went there we should have Amer-
can coal, which is not in the habit of evap0-
rating. There is hill from which one gets q
very pretty view Of ships passing through the
Anegada passage. The land scenery would be
fine, only, unfortunately, all the trees have
been cut down; but there are cactuses and
prickly pears, and many other funny plants,
which are very amusing to look at. Finally,
it is good naval station.
So the gallant commander sings away, and
the little midshipmcn, we suppose, sit in order
round, and listen to his fowery verse. And so
America vindicates her claim not only to pos
sess the best Government, but to produce the
best Government poetry out Of the worst ma
teral of any nation on the earth. Mr.. Seward
found beauty in the polar bear; Mr.. Sum-
ncr drew inspiration from train oil, pine
trees, and caDnibals; aud now, amid the
rumble Of earthquakes the believing OF
volcanoes, the shrek OF the whrlwind, the
crash of timbers, and the roar of the angry |
waters, our sentimental sailor pipes his pasto-
raj notes on a boatswain's whistle, and makes |
us most elegant little song out of the uproar |
of the warning elements. We have never seen |
the equal of this achievement, except, perhaps, |
now and then at the theaters, where, when the |
thunder has rolled, and the red and lblue light |
ming flashed, and devils come up ont OF the deep, |
and gone down again with their victims into |
yawning abysses and everything for while
been one demnitiOn crash and bang, ana
hullabaloo, the canvas has rolled away and n
flood of rosy light been poured upon the grand
transformation scene, where all the fairies APP