Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-07-27

A People Who May Be Lfkened to Lax-
zaroni Unconsciously Possessing Heaven
Natures Hand Forever Wide Open
Luxuriance of Land and Sea.
The Bahamas are said to have been settled
as early as lo2t, and their population is es-
tiInated to be about forty thousand souls.
But they are listless, indolent lot, to whom
simple existence is the highest aspiration
For the most part the language is curious
mixture of the English, Spanish, and negro
tongues Sponge gathering, fishing conch-
gathering, fruit-picking, and wrecking con-
stitute about all the labor done. The ISL
ands swarm with these wreckers, who are
nearly all good natured souls that regard
every thing cast upon the shores, every
vessel that grounds upon the dangerous
wrecks and Gays, and every craft that can
g even lured upon the rocks, as their right
full gain and receive all such ocean salvage
as if the blessing of heaven accompanied it,;
though for that matter our own government
permits quite as bad state of things at
Key West and along the Pine islands, off the
south coast of Florida. In the capital,
Nassau, there is some wealth, some refine
ment, and some regard for the fitness of
things, but even here the enervating blight
of society largely impregnated with
political and novel castaways has fallen.
AREIGN OF PRoDIGAL PROVISION.
For the traveller the scientist, the inva-
lid, the dreamer, the outcast, or the outlaw,
these islands are the ultima Thule. Life is
sustained with scarcely an effort. 1t is
region of prodigal provision, Of thyme, and
balm, of life in endless lullaby. All this is
the vision OF toilers Its realization to any
people begets squalor. The population Of
the entire ISLANDS, whose capital AMI gov
ernor- general are at Nassau, New Provi-
1ence, is nondescript, with English, Span
ish, and negro commingling, and comprise
such people as might be lkened to Lazla-
roni uncOnsciously possessing heaven: and,
in coming to know and think of it all, it is
one of those intellectual evidences that al
most compes the rejection of any sort of
future state in which activity and progress
sion are nOC possible
There is actually a sense of rest in these
ATTITUDES SO intense as to be oppressive.
Something in the very air compels sleep
that can be Iikened only to rest which
brings no renewal o. that citation and vigor
we in the colder climates know, and doubt
not that this carries on from physical to
mental effects, and dims intellectual and
spiritual alertness sadly. But to know it
and experience it-and to leave it-are de-
licious though it all leaves with it an I'M
dertone of sadness. because one SO much
longs to change the Interchangeable law of
compensation and give the sweet cline to
the driven, jaded men and women of our
harder, more verile peoples, and compel
these half-awake eXistences to live and labor
where the awful friction of things would
straighten the form, Put light behind the
ayes, and polish the perception until recog
nizable
But all about you it is weird charming,
sensuous, narcotic, dreamful 1t is to you
like old wine That lulls and soothes, but does
not fire the blood and brain. The sea has
changed from its hard, cold, stee!y blue, and
is now opaline, almost milky white, but
translucent The horizon that, abreast Of
he dreary, dangerous headlands OF the
north, seemed shut down upon near and
quick and hard by as dreary sky, is now
tar and far away and the waters and sky
meet lovingly. The sky, too, that was so
close and forDidding 500 leagues behind now
seems infinitely far above you, and has a
aeeciness and softness which opens to the
unlreamed-of flights toward
heaven.
NATURES HAND Is FOREVER OPEN.
In these islands natures hard is forever
wide open. Here the pineapple, citron,
melon, guava, custard apple, yam, bread
fruit, sweet potato, pomegranate, banana,
orange, lemon, cocOanut, and hundred
other vegetables and fruits, spring unasked
from a surprising and prodigal product
.veness The forests TEEN with the coca
nut tree, hundred feet to its strange
pinnate leaves, the ceiba or silk-cotton tree,
The black mangroye, almond, mahogany,
ebony, ignum vitce, lance, and the royal
palm, while the swinging cactus, oleanGers
as tall our trees and Towering every
month in the year, the glowing coral vine,
he tuberose the Cherokee rose, and roses of
every hue and size, the alligator pear, tho
light blooming cereus and myriad of
shrubs, ferns, and flowers delight the eye
and gladden. with perennial color and odor,
md that forever without the bidding of
wish or touch OF labor
The luxurance of land is also equaled by
5he prodigality of sea life and form, SO
varied, beautiful, and wonderful No shores
are SO enchanting no waters SO wi.lsome,
and no depths ol ocean hold such ma les of
ny stery and deli hi. The fish alone are re-
in variety. Among them are the
olackfish, the porpoIse, which seems to
tumble about in all waters; the shark, that
leadly foe OF the sailor; the dolphin, which
S in endless pursuit OF the delicate flying
ish which scuds through the air because it
S chased and not because ii enjoys it, which
same dolphin is never cooked aboard vessel
Unless a silver half dollar is put in
,he same pot, for if the half-dol-
ar backens then the dolphin is full OF
POISON from having sucked copper from
hip bottoms: the whipray, like the founder
and with tail like coachman's whip. |
ten feet long; the jew fish, which
S to these waters as the halibut of cur north
'ast coast; the yellow-tailed snapper,
gigantic turtles, the catfish, the groupa, |
striped snapper, bonito, Spanish mackerel, |
nigel fish pork fish hound iish and sucking |
ism Then there is that dread mystery to
eamen, the Portuguese man of-war, that |
TRANCE formation of marine life like mass
# jelly with its ventral fins extended in
very direction, riding the heaviest seas like
bird, anu which sea folk say is deadly |
,oision to the Iou, h. Edgar Wakeman in
lineage News
The Historical Table of Appomattox.
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