Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1885-02-12
Letter From the Wes, Indies.


Tie island NJ -. L,cs. j, ,s.- IL tie MOS,
s'nd".-i Of ..c w., ir..a .:aap. It's
Of volcanic osl..u, 4h...i ,s.ps..las.e mile.
il 'ya-'', ead rrt'!, ,b'u: ia ,hare and
having 9a 4! p, it lie las: crn,.., IT
aboa; jj.p1 pe .le. Although d M. f,ra
10 :; l.ar tc-a Ha!,r Site En..t,s ra,.rn-
m n'. lhc l-nrh language i. chira,
- Ken, aul Ffenca custom, and n.hi',
prevail Tie first lAng sh.ch visitor a;
this time wouiI notice. and crtiaialy m. ir.f
which any buslaes, person would bc remind.
c ~ ,, the pfc,"i.ing ,isgHAiion uf l.u,-
ness, o~sHs tn in- eaiisp,e 81 the sugar
TIA ie. Although some cocoa snd wood are
exported. VT the manufacture uf sus r =.
the prtneipai 10 la,'sy and the ,n.i7 ,lcpead-
ence "a that now, As the tine i. a.reaIv 3,
had 70 CONNIE nee cutting the cane pith The
price Of sugar so low that man, planters
claim that II will not even pay the cost 10
N luuftciare 1t. At Is easily seen that Tie it,
uaInn j. really alarming 4 notice, Of
when the following IS copy. signed h, the
principal m-fchtn,. Of the Island va. con.
spgcIcu,-, posted frw days since.
I'm rEarIE OF II. lrciA
Are ellae>,i. requested To attend public
meeting, 10 be held a, Cas,res. On Wei.
day neAt, the i2th INST, tn consider the
alamlag state nf Agriculture and trade. and
TO confer a u the best means to be adopted
for saving the COLONY from rum" The
meeting was quite largely attended aud
anon; the measures of relief introduced. il
was asked that the Home Government
world abolish the export tax. of eight cents
per 100 lbs. on sugar and also that sugar
raised IN English Colonies misat have
preference in the English market, The
Governor Of the Colony presided aud ex-
pressed himself as in favor of their PROPOSE
tons, bu. cautioned them not TO be too san
guine but to remember the old adage tina,
Heaven helps those who help Themselves
So II It be true That MISERY likes COMPANY"
the people in our country can have the salts
faction Of knowing that they are not the on
ly ones who are suffering from hard times.
Here may be seen very fair illustrations
Of the manner in which England's Free
Trade policy affects her Colonies. While
she demands Of these people duty Of one
dollar for each barrel of -four which they
import and twenty cents for each pound Of
tobacco, and MANY other articles in like /
proportion, the only return she gives them /!
Is chance to sell their sugar in the Eng |
!ish market, cheapIy as they can buy the |
beet root sugar from Germany. or starve. |
The advocate of Free Trade who sees in it |
the symbol of Eagland's greatness, and the |
salvation of the workihgman everywhere, /
might learn very profitable lesson if he /
could witness the condition of these Colonies |
to-day.
Among the native population of the |
West India Islands, there is no love for the |
Home Governments. They cas-, their eyes
anxiously towards the Great Republic, |
which is their natural market. and their |
natural ally and protector
A great part of the labor on the plan |
tations is done by coolies. They are brought |
here 10y cargoes, the government, paying |
one half the expense, and the planter who /
takes them the other half. They inden,ure
themselves to labor for period, usual, of |
SIX years, for twenty -four cents per day, and |
at the end of their term unless they choose
to remain they are carried back This ap-
pears to be not very inviting prospect for |
laboring man, bat a cargo is now on the way |
here from Calcutta and the Committee of |
immigration appears somewha, at loss to |
know what TO do with them, even on these /
terms. Among the iaboring class the |
women work the same as the men in the |
cane field, and perform nearly ali the light |
work IN the handling of merchandise. In |
moving articles everything is carried on the
bead. The mode of travelling is entirely on |
horseback on account of the roads being too /
billy for carriages. Indeed i, is said that
there IS only one riding wagon owned on the
Island. The horses are quite small, though |
strong and gentle.
The Island is mountainous throughout il
whole extend some Of the peaks rising near
ly 5000 feet above the sea. The highest Of |
these is the Soufriere, or Sulphur volcano,
which is justly regarded BY the inhabitants |
as great curiosity. and which no stranger
should fail to visit if he has Al opportunity. |
The mountain is so steep that the path is |
often in zig gag direction, and in many
places, should your sure footed animal make |
. mis-step,it would be yer. serious matter.
II about this time you happen to mise Jour
guide and can venture 10 look behind, you |
will ind that he is not far Of. at any rate
not further than the end Of the horses tail, |
which be i graspiny with both hands an ar
rangement which appears to help his pro-