The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1878-01-31
SKETCHES FROM BERMUDA.

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SKETCHES FROM BERMUDA.
A General Review OF the Vegetable aud
Animal Kingdoms, ia which Man
Takes no rnimportani Part.
BY MARK TWAIN.
The birds we came across in the COun.
try were singularly tame ; even that wild
creature, the quail, would pick around
in the grass at eaae while we inspected it
and talked about it at leisure. A small
bird of the canary species had to be
stirred up with the butt end of the whip
before it would move, and then it moved
only couple of feet, 1t is said that even
the suspicious flea is tame and sociable in
Bermuda, and will allow himself to be
caught and caressed without misgivlngs.
This should BIZ taken with allowance, for
doubtless there is more or less brag about
it. In San Francisco they used to claim
that their native flea could kick child
over, as if it were n merit in a flea to be
able to do that as if the knowledge of il
trumpeted abroad ought to entice immi-
grafton. Such Il thing in nine cases out
of ten would be almost sure to deter a
thinking man from coming.
We saw no bugs or reptiles to speak OF,
and so was thinking of saying in print,
in general way, that there were none at
all but one night after | had gone to
bed, the reverend came into my room
carrying something, and asked, Is this
your boot?' | said it was. and he said he
had met spider going off with it. Next
morning he stated that just at dawn the
same spider raised his window and was
coming in to get a shirt, but saw him
and fed.
inquired, "Did he get the shirt p
"NO."
elbow did you know it was shirt he
was after? ?"
81 could see it in his eye."
We inquired around, but could hear
of no Bermudian spiders capable OF doing
these things. Citizens said that their
largest spider could not more than spread
its legs over an ordinary saucer, and
that they had always been considered
honest. lie was testimony of a clergy
man against the testimony Of mere
worldlngs--interested ones, too. On
the whole judged it hest to lock up my
things.
GRAPE BEARING TREES.
Here and there on the country roads
we found lemon, papaia, orange, lime
and fig trees; also several sorts of palms,
among them the cocoa, the date, and the
palmetto. We saw some bamboOs forty
feet high, with stems as thick as mans
arm. Jungles of the mangrove tree stood
up out of swamps, dropped on their in
terlacing roots as upon tangle of stills.
In DRYER places the noble tamarind sent
down its graceful cloud OF shade. Here
and there the blossomy tamarisk adorned
the roadside. There was a curious
gnarled and twisted black tree, without
single leaf on it. 1t might have passed
itself off for a dead apple tree but for the
fact that it had star>like, red.hot I,wel
sprinkled sparsely over its person. II
had the scattery red glow that a conslel
lation might have when glimpsed through
smoked glass. 1t is possible that oul
consultations have been so constructed
as to be invisible through smoked glass
if this is 20 it is a great mistake.
| We saw tree that bears grapes, and
lust as calmly and unostentatiously as 4
vine would do it. We saw an India
rubber tree, but out of season, possibly
80 there were no shoes on it, nor sus
penders, nor anything that a person
would properly expect to find there
This gave it an expressively fraudulent
look. There was exactl y one mahogany
tree on the island. know this to be re
liable, because ! saw man VINO said IN
had counted it many time and coult
not be mistaken. He was a man with
hare-lip and pure heart, and everybod.
said he was as true as steel. Such mel
are all too few.
POTATOES, ONIONS AND TRANiPs.
We saw scores of colored farmers dis
ging their crops of potatoes and onion
I. their wives and children helping
, entirely contented and comfortable,
, looks go for anything. We never met
man, or woman or child, anywhere
this sunny island, who seemed to |
/ unprosperous, or discontented, or sorr
, about anything. This sort of monoton
3 became very tiresome presently, an
| something worse. The spectacle of q
, entire nation groveling in contentmel
) is an iniuriating thing. We felt the lac
. of something in this co immunity -
4 vague, an indefinable, an illusive som
t thing, and yet lack. But after cons
/ erable thought we made out what
t was-.ramps. Let them go there, rigl
e now, in body. 1t is utterly virgin 50
r Passage is cheap. Every true patriot
It America will help buy tickets. Who
6 armies of these excellent beings can
d spared from our mid,t and our poll tn,
Is can find a delicious climate, and a gree
IS kind hearted people. There are potato
IT and onions for all, aud generous W,
l. come for the first batch that arrives, al
&c elegant graves for the second.
o II was the Early Rose potato the pr
l. pie were digging. Latter in the ye
y they have another crop, which they c
le the Garnet. We buy their potatoes {
0. tall at $l5 a barrel and these color
n. farmers buy ours for a song, and live
le them. Havana might exchange Gig
er with Connecticut in the same advanta,
Gus way, if she thought OF it.