Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1886-03-26
INTHE TROPICS.
A. Northern Man in the Abode Of Beaut.
and IndOlenCo <rt"

". INTHE TROPICS.
A Northern Man in the Abode Of Beauty
and Incidence.
Correspondence Philadelphia Evening Call
sailed from New York January &c
on the. Atlas, with the intention o.
spending afew weeks rusticating on the
picturesque island of Jamaica. l. vii
remark here that, thecisland being 8
little larger than the State of Connect
icut, months instead of weeks might
be spent to advantage, and one could
still find something new and interest,
ing. Our course lay directly south
from New York, and the first land
sighted was Watling's island, one OF
the bahama group, on January IS.
We made the city Of Kingston in The
Island of Jamaica on the morning OF
the 9th. Kingston is the largest city
on the island, containing IS, 900 in.
habitants. It is laid out on the Phil.
adelphia plan, with streets at right
angles, intersected with lanes just hall
the width of the streets. A gradual
rise of 80 feet to the mile insures good
drainage. Like all tropical cities
Kingston is built almost wholly OF
wood, and the streets are lined with
beautiful trees-the palm Of course
predominating. The green mount.
aims oyershadow the city and present
a grand and picturesque background.
Remained at Kingston g. week, with
the mercury at 80 deg. in the shade,
and having so recently left a, zero
climate the change was not quite
agreeable. Fortunately 9 more CON
genial climate was within easy reach.
Rising at 6 o'clock on February ]
INDUCED in coffee and toast, and then
took q carriage for the mountains.
There are no steep hills to climb,
nothing but q gradual ascent for nine
miles to the little village of Gordon
Town, situated in notch in the
mountains 1000 feet above the sea.
This place is the terminus Of all car.
riage travelling, and from here ex.
cellent and easy grade bridle-paths
branch out in zig-zag routes to- all
points Of the mountains.
Early next morning coffee and toast
and off again, with q little black boy
for a pilot, with my valise on his bead.
Most people ride donkey back from
this point, but I preferred to walk,
ALL transportation is confined to
donkeys and the heads Of the negroes,
and it is astonishing to see the enor-
nous loads they the negroes) will
carry with perfect ease. A sight
for Northern eyes any morning
in Kingston is to see the swarms
OF men,. women and children cen
tering towards the city, bringing fresh
fruits and vegetables to market.
Many come from distance OF fifteen
miles, and if they realize one or two
shillings--twenty-fve fifty cents-they
are satisfied.
Three hours trsmping brought me
to the summit Of Port Royal Mount
ain, six miles from Gordon Town,
and four thousand feet above the sea
Here / found a beautiful little cottage
which had been recommended as a
boarding house. The landlady, q
stout Englishwoman, was very GLAD
to see me, and remarked that / must
be very hungry, and then added calm
ly that she had not an eatable thins
in the house-not even q slice OF bread
1t was q mystery to me how she anc
her pretty 8-year-old daughter lived
perhaps on cir. / was not disposed
to be inquisitive, but knew that
could not exist on any such etherea
fare, so at once wrote an order for 6
supply Of provisions and sent the lit
tie black pilot down to Gordon Town
At ! p. M. the provisions arrived in s
large hamper on the boys head.
This is q beautiful sEot, with day
temperature OF 70 deg. and at night
so deg. The view, of course,is nagnif
icent. Kingston lies below, apparent
ly two or three miles distant, but
really fifteen miles by the shortest
path. Where any soil exists tho
mountains are cultivated from base
to summit, while little thatched cot
cages are everywhere visible. A few
miles north is Blue Mountain peak
1t is the highest on the island, 1866
feet, about 200 feet higher than Mt
Washington, New Hampshire. There
is 81 bridal path to the summit
a little to the left on Port Roya
Mount is a cinchona plantation, car
ried on by the Government of Jamaica
Like most Government undertakings
It does not pay, and they are trying te
induce private capital to invest in thu
enterprise. The population of ia
maica in 1881 was 5S1 900, an in
crease of $4,000 in ten years TIL
proportions to each 100 persons ar
two coolies, three whites, twenty mu
lattoes and seventy five blacks. Wage
are very low, and the blacks will no
work unless compelled to by starva
ton. For health, recreation, climat,
and scenery this island is unsurpassed
but trade and labor are at a stand