Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-02-27

we had reached the western coast Its
mountains were higher than we had
previously seen. and the range more
continuous and sleeper toward the
sea. About midday we came to Port
au-P Prince, and very impressive was
the sail up the noble bay on which it
stands The appearance of Hayti is
SO full of charms, and natural re-
sources, according to the guide books.
SO rich and varied, one can not help
wondering that the white race should
have INDUCED the cruelty and stupid
ity which caused it to fall into the
hands of an inferior race.
Although the beauty of the ap.
proach to Portau Prince can scarcely
be surpassed, the appearance of the
place itself is most unattractive. a
few boats put out from it to bring
some passengers on board; one
brought oranges and bananas for sale,
a dilapidated lighter took some boxes
ashore, passengers and boatmen being
all alike Jet black, and all their ae-
pointments alike inadequate and
wretched. Having left boxes and
mail, we started again for Jamaica
and watched the mountains of
Hayti grow dim behind us with a
vague regret.
Next morning early we were IN sight
of the equally beautiful mountains of
Jamaica, still higher and of finer
outlines than those of Hayti. This
whole region is certainly the chosen
abode of beauty. 1t is a constant
surprise to feel the warmth and de-
licious softness of the air, to see the
brilliant sky, and to watch the sue
ccssion of verdure clad mountains on
these exquisitely picturesque islands,
which are perpetually earessed by the
set. 1t is painful surprise, though,
to see that such enchanting natural
loneliness has become the home of
an unsatisfactory phase of human
life. The ship comes to anchor be-
fore the town of Kingston, landing
at the foot of plain which slopes
downward from the magnificent hills
to blue and shining sea. As soon
as you disembark you find the streets
filthy, lined with wretched novels
and poorly built houses, the black in
habitants, dirty, with torn clothes,
lounging along the streets,
yet laughing and contented
in the midst of dirt and degradation
Even the white people who have lived
here long seem to have become affect
ed with the prevailing spirit or to be
unable to cope with it, for they are
contented to have such disorder around
them as they would never have sub
mitted to in their native countries.
No one expects to have orders exactly
carried out or anything done at the
time set. At the best hotel, univer.
sally so considered, the food is wretch
ed, the tablecloth dirty, the company
extremely naked, and the walters
seem to get along as well as they can
without brains. The whole appear
ance of the city and It's inhabitants is
depressing. You wonder if such 8
forlorn condition of affairs is the ne
cessary result of life III hot climate
or whether it may be owing to errors
of government or to the reputed eX
haustiun of the soil of jamaica, and
consequent decay of the islands pros
perity, or even to the enormous pre-
ponderance of the black race. Fol
here as in the other islands, white
faces are the exception; the mass o.
| the population are black, with Ger
tain proportion Of colored people, aE
those Of mixed blood are called. Or
the whole island, by the last census
there were IA, 432 whites, 100, GAG col
ored people, and 444, 1876 blacks
Whatever the cause may be, the result
is repellent, and the aspect of human
ity here does all it can to offset the
attractiveness of the land.
But that attractiveness, at any rate
in the winter season, is wonderfully
great After few days at the bes
hotel, we decided that, in order Il
spend wiuter in Jamaica with any
comfort, it would be necessary tt
keep house, and so went to look a
furnished houses in the mountain,
back of Kingston. To do this we haC
first to drive to the foothills, and thef
go on horseback over the narrow brl
die paths which led to the summit o
lHC w . "OuIo ANU
through the mountain gorges, thick )
planted with broad-l eaved banana!
and occasional orange groves. Perch
ed upon them on the steep sides we
saw solitary negro huts, matched will
palm, with sides woven of rude wick
err work | had read so often of rav
elers who felt thrill OF delight al tbs
first sight of tropical vegetation, tina
| had come to distrust them, and wa!
amazed to end that there really wa!
something thrilling in the sight o
even such n mildly tropical vege
tation as we saw tina
day. There were myriads of hi
discus shrubs with glowing scarle
blossoms, polnsettias waved across tn,
way like red flags, purple passion
flowers twined along the path, aEC
strange orchids and ferns nodded from
It's sides Long, thin cacti crawlet
over the rocks like green snakes, ane
near them grew immense clusters O
pink begonia, which the boy with u
called rock bush. 1t was not that tht
vegetation, at least in the part of thu
mountains which we traversed, wa:
denser or finer than In some damn
northern forests, or the flowers more
plentiful, but that they were either
new or that such as we are accustomed
TO see cherished in hot houses herr
grow wild.
After passing for two hours through
scenery of the widest and most pic
turesque beauty we finally reachet
the summit. where the view vas su
perb. The mountains below us looked
like an angry ocean, and beyond then
we saw Kiagston harbor and the Ca
ribbean sea.
In spite Of all the practical draw
back to living here, it is quite a mis-
! taken theory that either an artist or 9
botanist has completed mis- education
if he has not been to Jamaica.
THE AWFUL TORPEDO.