New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-03-26
TROPICAL SKETCHES.
r.1Nrrp IN NASSAII-III.

arrival. IN January last.
AvIsIr TO FORT CHARLOTTE.
To the westward OF the town. on "a considerable elc
vaton overlooking sea, ia situated Fort Charlotte
Long low walls black with age aud saltsea air. running
parael with the shore, marked our first approach Ar
rived at the entrance we gave our permit 10 inc sentry
who detailed companion TO act as guide Crossing the
now unused moat by drawbridge more picturesque IN
name than in reality, entered the main Fortress
which looks quite it might contain all the Mysteries
Of Udopho though to my chagrin found nothing more
uncanny than spiders. Down dark, crazy, crumbling
etarway through long corridors, made our way see
Jug only by the eight Of the lantern dimy burning.
Occasionally we met with ventilang shafts through
which the sunlight flashed with the suddenness
of a vision There great number OF subterraneah
rooms which / learned meant as refugees ior the
people times of danger. One larger than the otheS
and differing from them by halfdecayed board hoor
ing 1.-THE others have nOnc) designed for the Govern
or and his family There is secret passage connecting
this fort with the odtme residence OF the GOVerhor
1t IS now partially choked up and wholly impraeucaoie
one OF the powdermagazines took hre am toiu
come few years and, though the conclusion made
apprehend an earthquake the iol Hsen was ho'
materially injured
most singular fact about Fort Charlotte is that 1t Is
cut not built Of the solid rocky elevation on which 1t
stands Lest should appear 10 touch upon the marvel
GUS will remind my friends that coral rock, OF which
this island consists is when first exposed to the air. so
face it quite hard enough to strike fire with flint But
even then have taken long and arduous labor 10
have excavaed the labyrinth Of arched and often WIND
ing sub,erranean passages which explored.
fortress protects the western entrance 10 the mar
Dor which is also guarded by an open water battery
Charlotte erected in l7OS; and so great was te
cost Of it that the Home Government inquired IN as
match If il were built Of dollars There are beside tns
r,s Fincaste and Montagu, but they are neither OF
I'm remarkable While on the subject OF Notifications,
would be well, perhaps, TO allude TO those wooden
walls which have long been Englands securest ram
parts.
think we have all Of us heard at least once in our lives
that britannia rules the waves and Brtons never never
WILDE slaves As the former assertion has been generay
borne out by history it with considerable interest
that visited for the first time an English Inanofwar
There have been three here all Wnter-the Eclipse, the
Dart and the Lapwing (of Lillian memory. The men OF
the first had prepared little evening entertainment for
their officers and themselves, and / considered my
self fortunate in being one Of few outsiders
invited to attend. After rowing six miles, we
came upon the Eclipse, anchored Off Salt Cay
Arrived on board we were made welcome by the COM
mander and his wife, and found ourselves seated
in the theater mprovsed for the occasion on deck and
nclosed with awnings What with the officers and ma
rines and ourselves, there quite an audience as
became aware when the applause went around Inc
lights being oil about the stage. had no other
judging Of the number present The stage cur
tain was quite gorgeous affair puzzled to locate
the painted scene thereon, TIL neighbor suggested
popourri Of vesuvus and Drachenels, with piece OF
the Coliseum thrown in The play was the Rough Da-
mOnd," and was much entertained as II had beeh
At Wallacks The fair represented by boys as
Shakespeares time, and the male parts not played Dy
urls as is much the fashion nowadays Lady Ever
green the country lass personaed by freshcon-
pexiOned saorboy, whose unmsakable bass voice was
the only incongruty The part of Lord Plato husband OF
the Refined Being, taken by man who was told dld
not know how read. He had to learn quite lengthy
role, repete with heavy moral sentiments by amt OF
hearing it repeated again and again. do not know
which to admire most his patience or that of the one
who taught him. glad to say that he did very well
After the play, we good dancing; tall well
made marine from Green Erin appeared upon the
stage aud executed hornpipe with admirable skill and
spirit There dancing worth seeing which Is more
than one can say of the painful antics OF professional
bailetdancers After this. man and woman in IRISH
costume danced breakdown, singing, Oh, charming
Judy Calaghan" The whole TO conclude with the
singing of the National Anthem, so the programme in
formed but, the minstrels were rather tedious,
and Of Kind is always dreary retired TO the
commanders cabin, where We had capital supper and
shortly afterwarl returned to our hotel.
The Eclipse is a long narrow vessel formed for speed
and heavily armed. She has all the modern improve
mcnts in armament and machinery; her engines took the
prize at the last Paris Exposition What / noticed
especially the excessive neatness OF everything on
buard Her deck swept every three hours though DO
not believe ii ever needs it.
on sipDoaTd, ono is generally RECALLED with every dis
agreeable Od0r in the calendar by turns. There is
nothing Of the kind however, on board the Eclipse and,
# cleanliness be next TO goGliness she must stand mgh
IN grace Hcrcapain, although strict discpinaran,
shows the greatest kindness ana humanity to those uncer
his command When nc the sentry on duty, pacing
up down the little bridge above the ships deck in
he hot guu he SEM for
walk in the shade The other day. man fell from one Of
the masts and badly hurt When he had been taken
to the Optal the captain, thinking he would be lonely
with none but strange faces about him, sent com.
panon 10 take Of him. As all orders come through
he lieutenant such little kind attentions credited to
him. heard of them quite incidentally. and mentioned
them as straws which show the way the wind blows
The African once more cannot say too much OF the
admirable treatment the cOlored people receive here
Not only do they enjoy equal civil rights but what is
quite a. important just aud kindly usage at the hands OF
the superior race There is desire 10 prevent their
attaining to any development Of which they are capable
To use homcy but expressive phrase, there is no at
,empt 10 nut them down" In church, they sit just
here they choose and not penned up in the farthest
corner OF the gallery and only tolerated there as done
in very many churches IN NewEngland. when went
10 the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral here was not
little surprised TO of the best pews occupied by
colored persons and still so when noticed that
the altar boys were black white and yellow respectively
Its equally the case in all churches here am told
There is know, Rualst clergyman, whose congresa-
lion consists exclusively Of coored people. who take i'm
,nense satisfaction church banners candles and pro-
cessons. If they do not appreciate the more material
points of his teaching.
was the other day most forciby reminded OF the DIFF
ference the general feeling toward the Blacks
here and in the States The Scotch Prcsbyterans held
a church festival in the open air. and passing near went
in attracted by the merry voices of children and the
picturesque aspect Of some ruiHs relics OF recent hur-
IcaDe hung with nnumerabe gay banners for this fes-
lie Mandrring among the crowd, found the