Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-04-14

Correspondence of THE EVENING STAR.
KINGSTON, JAMAICA. March co.
We sighted Jamaica about daylight and at IL a
! m. the city Of Kingston was In view. Seven miles
out our good ship was boarded by the quarantine
ofncer, and after very thorough inspection we
were allowed to continue our way to Kingston.
The bay before the city presented quite an ami.
mated appearance, with vessels from all parts of
the world lying at anchor, among which only one
small schooner bore the American flag, but IL was
satisfactory 10 US even II 1t was small The island
OF Jamaica has been in possession OF the English
for over two hundred years and everything has be-
come decidedly English.
Upon our approach to the wharf a crowd OF
natives welcomed US with a gibberish. SAID to be
English, but sounding like a mixture Of English
spanish and Indian. The first TO board the steamer
was a delegation OF hotel runners, each with an
unlimited supply OF advertising cards and great
amount or talk When we went ashore we were
assalied by hackmen, In great numbers, who gave
US no peace.
The houses Of this tropical city are built of
rough brick and wood. They are generally two
stories hgh and very dirty looking. In the suburbs
the houses present much better appearance,
being QUILT or wood, surrounded by large gardens
growing luxurfou, tropical plants, and nesting
prettily under overhangtng fora and looking more
Kingston has over forty thousaSd ,n5sh,1a,
1fteen-stxteenths Of whom colored. The En-.
giish people have not the race preJudices the
Americans have, although they held the negroes
as slaves for about one hundr d and fifty years
The negroes were largely in the majority. When
they gained their freedom the English people mar
red among them, and the result Is a race or native
Jamaicaians Of every shade, from pure white to
the deepest black. 1t would be hard, indeed to
draw the color line here. Tn-re are but few white
iattos.
AT THE DRILL GROUND.
Tired Of wandering around the streets afoot we
at last employ two carriages and 90 out TO the
camp ground to see the provincial troops 90
ri no
very nice sort OF vehicle, In which four persons
could be comfortably seated. IL was drawn by
The little animal struggled heroicaIy over dusty
| road for about three-Quarters OF an hour and we
arrived at the drill ground, where we saw
three companies OF soldiers, numbering about
400 men, and brass band. The drill ground is
| large level held Containing about 500 acres A
Corner OF the ground and their nresencs ,sn one
pleasing enect TO the scene. When the soldiers
were through drilling we returned TO the city.
| The streets or this ancient town present a very
dirty aspect. They are entirely devoid OF paving
and the entire sewage OF the city lows peacefully
stencil unequalIed. To-day one OF our party mad
| the great misfortune TO drop his Waterbury watch
on tue door Of mis- stateroom, and It stopped run
ming. We concluded 10 take the damaged master
piece OF American ingenuity TO a jewelers.. One
jeweler took the face casing on, and after looking
into all the holes and sits decided TO UNDER
take the job. Another would have nothing to do
with II under any circumstances, and at last we
were Obliged 70 take the machine apart and repair
4
two small screws and breaking the minute haDd
Our ship Is besieged at all hours by dirty negro
women vending tropical fruit is grown In great
abundance aalnSn avg sold wonderfully cheap Tnis
custard apples, grapes and many other fruits. AS
| soon as We appeared on deck after breakfast we
wsrr sssa que Big negroes little
tons all hnportuning US TO buy their fruit These
negroes are great oeggars, and II they cannot sen
| lor themselves. We purchased some fruit at fair
prices; four pineapples one dozen lines and thirty
oranges cost Us snllings, or 50 cents
| RUN AND SUGAR
KUN ana sugar being the staples OF Jamaica we
boarded the street cars and Travelled miles to
Constant Spring, where both rum ana sugar are
Manufactured on large scale the capacity OF
THIS mill being "a tons OF sugar a week. The en-
poyes OF this company are East India coolies, who
consisting OF urban, a shirt, and breech-ciout
maoe OF white muslin Great heaps of su0ar-ca ne
nv ,hs o ana was being carried TO the
large and very dirty .louking vat; rom this vat
boiling down 70 sufncienI thicKness II Is
cooled, and the sugar in its crude state
then piaseS IN SI i.1 .ns ,o refuse matter II 4
! Slowly passes Into a centrifugal mill which re-
1t ssv Win ughsning raPidity The sugar comes
only KIND OF sugar made In jamaica because there
are no sugar refineries on the island The nrtce m
sugar mas become 50 low In Europe and Amertcs
that many sugar makers VIII stop growing cane
oecauss u docs not pay The waste Or refuse mat.
oea ~" gomes INTO use A large still heats lhfs
matter over again and IL Is then drawn on into
large val, then rectifed and barreiled ready 10,
the market IN the shape OF Jamaica num-. Return.
ing 10 the city hot tired and thirsty we retfrd n
; restaurant and asked for lemonade. which was
! osoogns 70 Us ~ bottle, Tor which we pay
and lemons 1t ID impossible to get fresS iemonads
pNiSurrvE oYsrKRs
, we had engaged oysters for the next morning
. At the appointed hour We repaired 10 the resr.n'
rant and had placed before US q large plate Gov.
cred with oo1ects. each about the size OF a hail
dollar which upon closer Investigation nrovS6 ~
DC oyster shells containing oysters about me ~
, OF full-grown peanuta They tasted VERY m ncr
moilusks 70 satisfy the Appetite The ps1ce OF Tn
. oysters was tourpence, or eight cents per dozen
; scum, through which We pass, looking n srs,s
tons Of all Kinda reptiles and insects pseeefye n