The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1869-06-30
Life at the Dry Tortugas.

From the GALAXY we take the follow
ing description of life at Fort Jefferson
The extract is from an article entitled
Thirty Months at the Dry Tortugss,
written by soldier of the garrison at the
fort:
The entrance to the fort is through {
handsome, well built and massive sally
port. Immediately inside which is the gar
rison guard-house. The view, on entering
is, | imagine, to stranger, rather pleas
ant. On the right Of the entrance is the
lighthouse and residence of the keeper
on either side are cocoa-nut trees, furnish
ed with dozen or two large green nuts
that never seem to ripen. Trees, green
all the year round, and Spanish grass
planted with great care and watchfnl ten
derness, greet the eye quite refreshingly
Underneath the trees long ranges OF shot
piled symmetrically, and great guns not
mounted yet, remind the visitor, should he
for moment be inclined to forget the
fact, that he stands within the Enclosure OF
one of the greatest fortressess of the Uni
ted States. A well-kept, hard-cemented
walk leads in straight line from the sal
ly-port to the officers quarters. In the
centre of the fort is miniature garden,
nicely rallied in, in which tropical fruits
and vegetables are supposed to grow.
What its actual production for the last 2
years has been am unable to state. 1t is
however, well watered and kept in good
order, and makes nice show to strangers,
which is something. Our best water is
the rain, which we catch and contine in
cisterns. We have also steam machinery
in full running order, capable of condens-
ing several thousand gallons per day.
Part of the troops, owing to the other
buildings being unfinished, are quartered
in the upper easements, which are perfect
ly airy, pleasant, and constantly white
washed. The greatest want experienced
on the island is that of vegetables.
Occasionally we get watermelons, bana-
mas, and pineappes from Cuba. which sell at
very extravagant prices good head of
plain vulgar cabbage, so little esteemed in
the outside world, would sell readily for a
dollar here. The wonder is that some live
Yankee does not settle somewhere on
the coast of Florida, and supply this place
and Key West with vegetables, fruit, eggs
and butter. One with moderate capital
and energy, would shortly realize for
tune. An attempt was made last summer
to establish garden on I.oggerhead, two
miles distant from the fort. This Island
contains about twenty-five acres, the soil
consisting altogether of coral sand, cover
ed with cactus; but the idea was abandon
ed, the labor, expense and Inconvenience
attending it, being too great price to pay
for any doubtful good to be derived.
We have good library we have, also,
for those who desire to attend, the occa-
sional services of an Episcopal chaplain !;
and we have that which decidedly draws
greater crowds than both the chaplain and
library together very good theatre, got
ten up entirely, at very great cost and la
Dor, and well supported by the present
battalion. There are performances nearly
every week. The plays are sent on from
New York, and the dramatic company is
kept pretty well informed in theatrical
matters. The great difficulty that the man
agement labor under is the want Of fe-
male characters, personated by real wo-
men. Soldiers do not, as rule, make
good lady characters, and especially here,
the face of every man being SO well known,
their employment in the female depart
ment destroys the Illusion Of reality SO
necessary to good playing. A shout Of
derisive laughter often greets the false wo-
man in expansive crinoline; the awkard
ness of the figure and long stride betray
the deception. Besides, despite of care,
very Ridiculous accidents in the dress ar
rangement will sometimes occur-pins
will get out of place, and skirts will fall,
betraying the masculine trowsers. For
brief period we had indeed "real live
woman character; the very pretty and
talented wife of non-commissioned Off
Ger, since promoted to another department,
consented to act with the boys. Her act
ing and department were both excellent,
and the enthusiasm on such occasions
among the audience was unbounded. On
the evening previous to her departure
benefit was given her, and goodly pile of
greenbacks raked in.
have endeavored to give some idea of
this out-ofthe-world fortress and its sur
roundings. Strangers landing here for a
few hours, no doubt, may indulge in rhap-
sodies about its beauties, its few cocoanut
trees, just like those in pictures that adorn
little missionary tracts, its apocryphal ba
mana trees, its luxurient grass and ever
green foliage; but perhaps if they were
doomed to three years residence on this
barren, broiling, coral island, their ideas
would be considerably modified, and good
deal of the rosy-tints bleached out of
their pictures.