The daily gazette., 1880-07-19
Our London Letter.
LONDoN's sPARKs-BoATING ON THE
ENGLISH BEAUTY.
LONDON. June 40. 1890.

IHAMES- ENdLloll DEAUI1s
LONDON, June 30, 1880.
Special correspondence of the Gazette.
London abounds in parks and gar
dens on scale of magnificence, and
Kew Gardens are unique and cover
several hundred acres, located on the
Thames about ten miles from the
city. We embarked at London
Bridge on one of the swift put ugly
and uncomfortable steamers that
ply on tho river and reached the
gardens in little over half an hour.
Our first sight was stretch of undu-
lating ground reaching from the riv-
er into the dim distance, planted
with trees of every variety indigo
nous to the soil and all pruned into
perfection of form. Lakes, some
flower bordered-some others set in
marble basins-though acres in ex-
tent with ducks, geese and swans
swimming over their silvery surface.
Hedges and thickets of Towering
shrubs, of which the rhododendrons
formed a large part, in every variety
of color. Some of the latter were
twelve feet in height and mass of
color.
In the tropical department were
seen flourishing as in their native
soil and climate, the most beautiful
palms, ferns, cacti and delicate Aow-
ering vines. Oranges, lemons, pine
apples, bananas were loaded with
fruit, and all seemed perfectly accli-
mated.
This garden has been established
many years and is masse of beauty.
No expense is saved to make it per-
feet in all respects. 1t was the par
ticular hobby of a former queen and
is considered one of the finest gar
dens in Europe.
On our sail up the Thames we
passed the Houses of Parliament,
Clcopatra's Needle and under about
eight great iron bridges. We also
had a good view of the Bishop of
Lambeth's Palace as we'll as ofmany
beautiful parks and palatial struc-
lures.
but TO us the boats were very at
tractive. There was a race between
the row boats, and the river for miles
was so crowded with small craft that
our steamer could with difficulty make
her way. Boating may be called an
English national amusement. All
along the banks of the Thames are
beautiful boat houses for all kinds of
pleasure craft. At one place we saw
house exclusively for steam yachts, in
which were some fifty steamers of all
sizes up to twenty tons. At another
place we counted one hundred and
twenty-eight row boats, many of them
with silken cushions and beautifully
painted and gilded.
Hyde Park is to the "horsey" people
of London what the Thames is to the
boat men. On "Rotten Row" in Hyde
Park, on fine afternoons, may be seen
the finest display of horses and equi-
pages in the world.
We have been here several times and
watched the procession hour after hour
as two constant streams poured in and
| two other constant streams poured out;
the beauty, wealth and nobility OF
London on exhibition.
There is also wide, we'll shaded
avenue appropriated to equestrians, on
which hundreds of ladies, followed by
their grooms, walk, trot and gallop
their pretty Arab-like ponies. But l
must acknowledge my disappoint-
ment as to the grace and beauty of
these high-born danes. The young
people, owing to the moist eli
mate, have beautiful compilations, but
by middle age they grow red and gross
and are positively ugly. Some of the
old women clothed in jewels and fine
raiment, were positive frights, and
very few possessed the fine features
and sweet expressions that make the
rule with our old ladies. Many of the
men, particularly of the titled class,
we're even uglier than the women if
that comparison were possible-though
both sexes were superlative in that re-
spect. Not all were so, however
Standing near an old gentleman Of
singularly refined features that seemed
to invite advances, was about to ad-
dress him, when | observed the occu-
pants of passing carriage bow very
respectfully. Another, and yet many
others with high stepping horses and
liveried footmen paid him marks of re-
spect, until he seemed to be the focus
of all ewes. What grand bashaw he
was and with how many tails l never
| earned.
The Princess of Wales and party
of ladies drove by in her carriage.
There was nothing to distinguish her
| from the other carriages except that
she was preceded by a trooper, or
mounted policeman. She generally
takes a ride ON the Park on pleasant
afternoons. The Prince goes not Of
ten with her, and the Queen very rare
| ly shows herself there.
The girls rode beautiful little silky
coated ponies, but they were not grace
full riders-rather heavy and lumpish,
and rode in trot in preference to any
other gait. Each one was followed by
a groom with powdered hair and in
high silk hat. The girls themselves
wore silk hats of the same kind. The
grooms were generally mounted on
large carriage horses by way of con-
trast, suppose.
Many old grey-haired men were out
on horseback too, but they did not go
faster than a walk. Remembered, in
nv own country, a stately old gentle
man with silver locks who bestrode his
coal l-black steed like a god. What a
sensation he would produce in this