Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-02-15
In THE BAHAMAS.
What Visitors See at Nassau,
New Providence Island.
The Products and Population OF
Noted Winter Resort.

Tho harbor OF Nassau is protected by
long strip of land callod Hogg Is
land. This acts rs broakwater, and
small vessels and steamers GIN rua to.
tho docks, but th,ro is not depth OF
water for larger ocean steamers. We
consequently anchored noar tho light
house at tho point of Hogg island aud
signallod for u tug to tako us of, which
was successfully dono, aftor much toss
lug and pitching, to say nothiu Q OF tho
shouts of tho colorod seamon upon her,
Tho whole island looks as groen as IN
omerold. Tho orange trees arc full of
fruit. In fow weeks tho present
crop will DO in perfection; now thoy
arc rather grcoa. Limos, sugar apples
and many vnrictios of fruit arc now
ripe. Most of tho fruit trcos bear two
crops during tho year. Tho air which
surrounds us is soft aud mild, tho sky
clear and tho evenings, with tho full
moon shining down on tho waving
palms and restless VIZ tcrs, simply en-
trancing.
Nassau is n small settlement contain
ing in oil population of te, 900 por-
sons, not moro than 1000 of whom are
whites. Tho city is poor-largo for
tunos dwindlcd to nothing aftor tho
close of our war-a fow morchants re-
tain fair competence, but tho most of
tho inhabitants havO become grnsping
and close, narrow and bigotcd from tho
necessities of life and their isolated sit
uation. There is very littlo intcr-
course with other parts and no cable,
and steamers from tho United States
atrivo only once q month in summer
and only fortnightly in winter. Tho
English government supports ono or
two regiments Of soldiers. Tho present
governor of tho islands i, Sir Ambrose
Shea, who is very popular and who,
with his most agreeable wife, enter
tains during til, wiator months at tho
government house.
Three ports. now quito useless, but
wy picturesque, crown tho heights
md give dignity to tho town, which. of
course has no high or stately buildings.
The Ii ousos nrc low and without Chin
neys, and many Of them arc CONGO alcd
by the dcnso tropical foliage.
The colored population which forms
tho larger portion of this settlement,
nrc study to the stranger Thoy fill
all tho thorous hfaros, thcy crowd the
streets, thcy laugh and shout like chill
dron at play, but they aro not as ag-
GressivO as ono might suppose from
their caroloss. independent habits.
They arc rather mild and in o frcnsive.
They talk religion, they sing psalms
and go to church with great persis-
tency, especially when they can dress
In their fiuo clothes, and their livos arc
much tho Same as whom in n state of
slavery. Wages arc very low. In tho
sponge yards so conts d ay is con-
sidorod good pay for an ablc-bodicd
man and no ''hnds" himsolf.
A good cook commands 81 or SIS n
month, and they generally go homo at
night. All laundry work is done out
OF tho house. Complaining servants
would work better if they could SEQ
how patiently the colorod people of
Nassau perform their duties with their
crudo surroundings. THOR cabins are
mostly ut Grantstown, milo or two
back from the city, and they all possess
land enough for tho cultivation of veec-
tables, bananas and oranges, and for
the training of beautiful roses, of which
they AFRO justly proud and which
bloom all around their doors, perfum-
Ing tho air everywhere. THOR cabins
arc very clonn and wholesome. After
tho days work is over th,y congre-
gate Mt tho doors of thoir cabins chat
ting, laughing and singing like merry
children, and fight or street row is an
almost unhoard-of evont among them.
They are superstitious in tho extreme
and believe in dream', charms ami in
carnations. Nov York World.
A Fatalistic Spot.