Morning journal and courier., 1880-12-11
Price Four Gents.

water more delightful Imagine bath down 1 at Savin Rock or East Haven shore Noven- | Der 29th! l There is great yield of fruit this year ! oranges and bananas are ripening and retail | at one cent apiece. Two thousand barrels of
 oranges will be shipped by the steamer day 1 aI0er tomorrow, and a large number of punches Of bananas. There is species of Cne orange tribe grown here called grape l frult, of which many of the natives are very iond, but which do not find so palatable as l It mas very bitter rind. The colored peo-
 pie here are very peculiar class, and the ma Jorlty or them are agreed in one thing | e not to do any more work than they have to-
 never saw so many to the square foot (of ground as can be seen on Bay street any day except Sunday, especially in the morning, apout the market, and 1t is evident very soon
 ta tt,' , sIis must De very poor place to start the boot and shoe trade. But wait until
 Sunday, and then you will see that they all
 nave shoes, which some of them also wear
 Monday, but by that time they commence to
 start corns, and so Tuesday morning finds
 all the dardes just they came into the
 world, so far as their feet are concerned.
 Carefu1 observation convinced me that the
 average size worn by an able bodied man or
 woman is about No. 12.
 As to education, think they are very in
 ferior to the colored people in our northern States. The children are supposed to attend
 school, put don't know when, for they are
 about as thick at one hour of the day as an
 other.
 This IS the queerest spot for money ever
 saw. Some years ago when the Mexican siI-
 yer dollar was worth 100 cents it was made a legal tender here for this amount Now. when that same dollar is worth S2 to S5 cents in the States, 1t still goes for 100 here ,,eti tion to the Queen is being circulated and pretty generally signed asking to have that law repealed. Meantime the best money here IS the American greenback or national bank note, which commands a premium of 10 per cent. heard merchant to-day of fer 10 per cent. premium for $6O draft on New York, and it was refused. American 30 and p cent pieces pass better than any other silver, and 1t isn't bad to have stock of our old fashioned copper cents which pass here for penny" or two cents
 The greatest curiosity here, to me, is Hoc Island, long narrow strip, half mile out side the main land, and which forms nat ural breakwater, making this an unusually safe harbor, when vessel gets in, but the narrow entrance and shallow water make en- trance for a large vessel difficult The island ls covered with shrubbery and some palm trees, and on the inner shore with many wrecks, which have been foated there The ocean side of the island is one of the finest beaches to be found anywhere. Speaking of wrecks, 1t is said many of the inhabitants are actually wretched because there has not been 8 wreck for five months, and when, two or three days ago. schooner arrived with in telligence that a schooner loaded with iron, from New Yorkf for Galveston, had been wrecked about 12O miles from here, hope took the place of despair and now further news is eagerly awaited. This used to be large and profitable business, but the increase of lighthouses has lessened it. A pretty hard story is told, that when former governor who had been very active in getting lighthouse No Orr Toi1a here was about to give way to his successor, at public meeting expressing his interest in the prosperity of the Bahamas, and promis- ing if ever opportunity offered to do any thing he could with the home government in England for their help the people cried as one man, ''Take away the lighthouse on Hog Island" S
 There are a good many churches, or chap els as they call them here, and all seem to be well attended, the colored. people of course being the majority of the membership. And how they do sing Sitting in my room hear the hearty singing of the choir practising" in the colored Baptist chapel, scarcely 15O feet distant I led ''service of song' there ast evening, and have an appointment for similar service in the Methodist chapel to- morrow evening. Gospel Hymns No 3'' is new here and they seem to enjoy the songs, md one not in No. 3, entitled "Deliverance Will Come"
 Much more might be written concerning this wonderful place. but fear my letter is already too long. It is certainly just the place for over-worked, tired-out people who are lble to endure the ocean trip, and who are willing to come to place with which com nunication only be had once fortnight The hotel is fine, the scenery varied, and the air such as the poet might have had in mind when he wrote:
 ''No chilling wind poisonous breath.
 Can reach that peaceful shore"