The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-05-30


form the household labor and the agrl-
cultural work their limited acreage al
lows. They are slow and unprogress-
i've, and, despite the modern labor-sav-
ing devices that have penetrated this
remote region, the people cling to the
primitive methods of pounding corn
and coffee in huge wooden bowls with
the aid of heavy stone. Cooking is
done in the open air, except during the
months of October, November and De-
cember, which form what is known as
the rainy season.
The town of Porto Grande contains
some five or six thousand Inhabitants,
and is the only settlement on st. Vim
cent Island. Like most other towns OF
its kind, it has a Governor-General, or
Mayor, who is a monarch on a small
scale, and who resides in some grand
eur in a great one-story white stone
house in the most prominent part OF
the town. Just in the rear of this es-
tablishment is the garrison, two hum
dred strong; and to the left OF it is a
Jail large enough to accommodate
double that number of prisoners.
What roaring farce is all this ponp
and power! For it is happy, peace
ful toWn,-the men too indolent to
fight, and all too poor to be robbed.
Yet, what will not man do for lit
tie authority and money, and q row Of
Gilt buttons on his coat? But, in the
case of these officers there is q greater
object in their avocation than appears
on the surface they are also custom
house guards, and as the import duties
are cruelty unjust, smuggling is gener-
aily practiced along the coast. BY di-
viding the profits with the guard q
smuggler may ply his unlawful trade
with impunity, and as this rule of di-
vision is usually adhered to, the guards
receive far more than their nominal
stipend. :.
Porto Grande is known in the mari
time world as q coaling station for
steamers plying between the northern
and southern ports of the two hemis-
pheres. There are, on an average.
about hundred and fifty vessels in
the harbor each month, consequently
the coal trade amounts to considera-
BILE industry in the course of year.
The business is controlled by English
men, who were the commercial pio-
neers of the Islands, but who are now
threatened with formidable rivals
from the United States. Competition
Is greatly needed. in order that both
the prices and the qualities of mer-
chandise may become more satisfacto-
ry.
The buildings are nearly all of brick
or stone, and are seldom more than
two stories high,-in truth, most of
them are only one, and the walls vary
in thickness from one and half to
three feet. This remarkable strength
of structure is needed on account OF
the frequent earthquakes, and also as
protection against the heat.
The Roman Church predominates
throughout the Islands, but in the last
twelve months Methodist missiona-
ry has come to Porto Grande from En-
gland, and he is already meeting with
such success in his labors as to incur
the active hostility of the resident
"Padren and his flock. Shall 1 ven
ture to question the genuineness Of the
missionary's success? Try as may. 1
cannot help fearing that his new doc
trines are popular and are accepted be-
cause there is economy in them. A
practical illustration will explain my
skepticism? A man and woman wish
to be married-the priest charges
twenty milreis ($21.6O for performing
the ceremony, and requires cash in ad-
vance; as the average laborer's pay is
but eighteen cents per day, 1t can oe
readily seen what long time it would
require for the groom to accumulate so
large sum. Owing to this eccleslas-
tical high tariff the custom of formal
marriages has fallen into shall l say y
"innocuous desuetude." That is what
the natives claim, that the lack of GER
emonial marriages is altogether with
out evil effect, and that their informal
Capitalization is as strictly respected by
both parties to it as would be the most
ritualistic union. In this assertion
they are corroborated by the English
residents, hence I am forced to believe
that the revival of the marriage cere-
mony OH the free trade platform of the
missionary is somewhat indicative of
the nature of his success. Even this
possible insincerity on the part of the
converts does not relieve the priest OF
the odium of unchristian extortion,
but rather it emphasizes his sordid
practices most ingloriously.
The Cathedral is quite an attractive
structure, 50 far as the exterior goes !;
like all the other large buildings in the
town it is made of stone. The style of
architecture is Spanish, consequently
the general effect is different from the
surrounding houses. The bells hang
low over the entrance to the sacristy,
and any irreverent vagabond who
passes by may set them a-ringing.
However pleasant to the eye the exte-
rior may be, the interior is dismal and
ill-kept, and is devoid of furniture or
adornment, save the pulpit and chan
eel equipment and the scriptural paint
ings along the walls.
/ attended mass one morning ana
was rather amused to find the small
congregation of women and children
either kneeling or squatting upon the
bare, unswept floor. Occasionally a
child would relieve the monotony Of
the service by losing his equilibrium
and tumbling over with resounding
thump. Little heed was paid such di-
versions, however, and the mass drew
wearily to its finale, and was succeed
ed by q series of collections for various
lenten purposes. The priest pursues a
unique method of publishing notices
that usually are read from the pulpit.
He does not burden himself and his
congregation with long list of socie-
ty meetings, and the like, but simply
writes them out and nails them on the
Cathedral doors, where they may at
all times be consulted by forgetful
member. IA fellow at my elbow
sneeringly suggests that the Padre