Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-03-17


taking Of the softness Of the air aud The
mildness Of the climate.
As we rounded up 10 the wharf and looked
over the town, we saw some things which
looked singular TO northern eyes. Cocoauui
palms were thrusting their tall, bare trunk
up from between the houses, and waving
their huge but graceful, feather-like leaves
in the lazy air, over the chimneyless roofs
On the wharf was a sprinkling Of men, some
in motion, some reclining. Linen coats with
white vests alternated with shirt sleeves and
men with no vests at ALL ! had seen boat
landings in New York and Baltimore, with
rush and whirl and loud-voiced shoutings
But here was no rush nor hurry no loud
voiced calls. One or two friendly greeting'
were exchanged between acquaintances, The
mate gave his orders, the captain looked ON
the line was thrown out and made fast by q
man who was in no hurry, but looked and
acted rs if he had been there waiting for
that line all night. After a while the gang
plank was showed out, but there was no
]
The passengers, luggage in hand walked
down in ones aud twos aud threes. Wewerc
fairly ashore at Key West, but there were
no porters or runners for the hotels 10 dis
turb the quiet there wasn't even a bus.
One negro timidly inquired, "Does yer
want a boarding house but quiet d" No -
discouraged him completely. There was
but one way off the wharf and we went in
/ that direction At the corner of the first
street we asked for the principal hotel, but
the man shook bis head and passed ON. We
thought it queer then, but we know now
that the man was fresh from Cuba, and un-
derstood nothing but Spanish Another
person standing near overheard the question
and gave the required information. We
found the hotel was of wood painted white,
1 three stories high, with piazzas extending
along the entire front Of each story. We
| found the office, entered, and while we were
registering a clerk came In. Soon followed
a servant There was no hurry. yet there
| was somehow no waiting. Thing, seemed
TO Slip into their places without hurry or jar.
Men wore slippers, or very light boots, and
there was no crashing in their tread. We
were shown up a single flight Of steps, along
a broad hallway into a clean room opening
by door and window on the piazza in front
We were fairly landed in Key West
The town contains eight or ten thousand
inhabitants; a considerable portion of these,
perhaps haf-are from Cuba. either refu-
gees or men who have left the island on ac-
count Of the troubles there. Among the re-
mainder can be found representatives of al
most every type, from the enterprising Yam
kee to the complaining Southemer There
/ is anoticeable number Of blacks also. Every
day there were considerable numbers Of
sailors from United States war vessels rem
dezvoused in the harbor The streets are
straight, and generally cross each other at
right angles. The houses are almost exclu-
sively of wood. The vegetation is nearly all
strange. Perhaps the most noticeable is the
cocoanut palm. ! saw one tree which
thought looked some like my old acquain-
tance, the pine. \ closer examination con
vinced me Of uy mistake. made enqui-
ries 30, yes that is pine--sonthern pine
You know We know now, We had been
told.
Instead OF apples peaches and pears for
sale in the fruit stables, were oranges, ba.
nanas, pineapples, grape fruit not grapes
but a large fruit looking much like oranges)
and sapadilloes flsh were very plenty and
very good; but beet was very scarce and
very poor indeed / saw drove of cattl,
landed from one of the boats and they were
n....n.-:f...,- ,-..-.,.,,4 s..,.,..',,.. ~.
80 ioo' wa. ''''
hardly thlhk oil "lhIeflhs tneln' let lhfA
were intended for beef There is no graz
inc. or raising of grass on the island. In
-. .i., ;.i.,i a.. .,l,.,,,,.. IL.
any appilahce LOT warming he houses
striking, for chimnes are the exception
thei ~ nee the rule On the other hand
nar+io,lorI,, il, ,l,o ,,oorsr class of bo,sos an,
80 '''-'
those mhHDi'ed 10y NupanS' everything Il
thrown wide open TO catch every breath o
air and this is appropriate in a cliInat
IL. f.os, l. ,,,l,,,o,,, -rboro ,ra als,
Ie" slsns AZ the pi"0e' Vi ousi
pecially is this true of the Cuban shops,
The Cubans who make so large portion o
,bo ,orrl,,ior ,nostl, 1.-Two in s,ou wooJe,
'..,.;'.f ,.;,i. -, A.,
nouseS' que s'''3 ,'is'' WIN 'io''i o,'o ~ ,'''
dozen rooms, winch are generally paeke'
full. The daily occupation is often carrie,
an all through the house. fsaw families en-
..s.,.... .,
J gage" III we 'i"'' '''' 'u'' VI Ois"ia VIM
every room IN tne mouse was devoted TO tn
business, as "ell as 10 eatlhg' cooking, sleei
ing etc very many Oh the poorer house
are without glass, the WINDOWS being close
with shutters. Al night sometimes, tn
scene IN the cuban quarters Is very amin;
ted; doors and windows all open, room
brightly lighted streets ana houses lille
with groups IN eager, animated conversation
the passer-hY sees al glance one phase q
! their domestic lie, In the more pretentiou
I portions of the town tins Is not SO much So
and in some quarters one IS strongly II
, minded in the appearance OF the building
i of quiet town IN the middle or nor
e northern Of the southern states.
a Formerly Key West was great wreckin
station, but wrecks are less frequent nov
" and science has removed the business iroI
the hands of adyenturers with sailing We
+ sells, to the great company running It's smal
4 / powerful and speedy steamers. lhls la