Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-08-17
NO. 1874.
Calls aud Sketehes.
THE GREAT TROPICAL PALLACY.
From Belgrsvia..
Continued from Yesterday


tropical country, we may find a fair
spriukling OF handsome flowers and bril-
liant birds. The nigbt-fowering cereus,
with its great white hanging blossoms and
rich luscious scent, forms the very ideal
OF tropical plant; bright-colored orchids
grow here and there on solitary trees in
remoter woods; aud few cultivated by
hiscus bushes surround the negro hpls.
Hummng- birds tlit rapidly from tree TO
tree while "a pretty hLtle red-and-green
tody, the tropical robin, may sometimes be
seen perchng on wayside bough. Cold
en- lizards sun themselves on the trunks,
protruding now aud then the orange
pouches beneath their sky-blue necks;
FURNISHED beetles crawl among the under
wood and butterflies as lovely as our own
brlmstones. emperors, peacocks, or admi-
rails, CLEAN through the foliage OF the
mountain sides. All these and more than
these, freely grant. But they only count
as "A small item in the total account, far
less numerous than the corresponding
beauties of our own island Thousands
OF such plants and animals have been
seduously gathered from all countries to
form our great European collections. and
therefore confidently say, if you wish 10
see the tropics in their glory, lake u cab or
a tiacre. and 90 to Regents park or to the
Jardn des Plantes.
Certain other good points about the trop-
les allow with equal readiness. Undoubt-
edly, fine sunsets are commoner on the ay-
erage than in temperate climates though
even here the difference is one OF requen-
cy rather than ot kind. | have watched The
great red orb sinking behind Bardsday
Island in Carnarvonshire or dipping into
the cdln bosom OF Lake Ontario, with Just
as grand II clICle OF golden or crimson
clouds rs any that ever met my eyes in
the charmed circle OF equatorial earth.
But such displays, exceptional in our cold
er region, are Of night y occurrence in
IT. ppical seas and mountains. Moreover,
there are certain mysterious undertones
of faint green, delicate blue and melting
violet in southern sunsets which never
appear, to my fancy, in any other earthly
object. Then the ferns, again, must be
frankly conceded 10y a conscientious critic.
The more isolated the tropical islands
with which one has to deal, the greater the
wealth of maiden hairs, adders tongues,
spleen-worts, and club-mosses. Even in
Jamaica, The number ol graceful Ironds
which clothe the grottoes on the roadside
cannot fail to attract the notice of the
yields masses OF green terny vegetation
unknown in any other portion of the
world. Yet we must remember that ferns
and club-mosses bear NJ flowers, and so,
Just in proportion as they ptedominate
among The flora, must brilliant blossoms
he at Il discount. Thi, fact obtrudes it.
self most conspicuously on our notice in
New Zealand, where the pIlms, tree-ftrns,
pines and other plants with spores, cones.
or green iutlorescenccs tolm striking tea-
lures in every landscape; while red, blue,
orange or willow flowers are almost en-
tirey wantiug from the perpt ttual sea of
glossy green.
On the other hand, if candor compels
me to admit these few good qualities in
the boosted tropics, | can safely assert
that Europeans generally overlook most
OF their dscomiorts the moment they be-
gin to think rapturously OF their supposed
beauties. For example, there is the sin
gle fact OF the unceasing heat. When
you think OF the tropics in your own COM
Portable Belgrayian drawing-room, you
may for moment take the heat into con-
slderation; but as soon as you turn men
tally II the scenery, you have dropped
the heat out OF the account altogether.
Not so, however, IN real life; you can
never enjoy those cool-looking mountains
except under the scorchng blaze of IA red
hot sun; you can never separate those
lovely rocks, covered with gold and silver
ferns, from the food OF molecular mo.
ton" which not even Professor Tyndan
can render once more into its desirable
latent and potential form.
Then look again at the mosquitoes. A
small pest, it IS true, but ever present,
walchiul, thirsting for blood day and night,
maddenlng your sleepy ears with their de-
testable hummlng, disturbing your liter
any enjoyment with constant attentions to
your nose or your forehead; imperturba-
ble. invinclble, Unsuitable, pltiless; genu-
Inc vampires, who surround you in or
ganiZed tlOcks, and 50 numerous that TO
Xii one is only to lay yourself at the
mercy OF another. ou forget these
minor torments, too, as you lay back In
your easy-chair at home and gaze dream
lly at that imaginative picture on the wall
but ii you have ever tried TO read Ienny-
son on the cliffs at Scarborough with
blue-botlle and II horse-ny alternating
their visits to your btteu veins. you can
form sOfse ii1nt conception OF the mis-
erles which man endures when he lies
down on the sofa or IN the hammock tor
IulCt aiASihOOu tIC
verandah OF an Indian bungalow or on
the piazza OF Brazilian cottage.
ct all such little vexations sink into
nothingness compared with the absolute
exile from every serious interest or habit
of ones being. For, disguise 1t As you
may, life IN the tropics is an exile. The
political world disappears. What matters
the Eastern question, OF the last genera
tion to Il man who sees European news
papers once month? What unseltish or
cosmopolitan feeling can person nourish
who finds his own dinner the only serious
difficulty OF the day2 In that utter famine
OF books. pictures, music, society, science.
thought, all the pursuits that make lite
worm living to civilized and rational be-
ing, what can one find to arrest ones at
lention or to occupy ones brainP The
little routine OF official business once COM
pleted Ior the day. there is no club where
one may Interchange ideas on politics, art
or social topics, no institute where one
may hear the latest conquests OF scientific
har ri