Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-09-15


thirds Of the time of the voyage may not
prove fine weather The beautiful harbor of
quaint old Kingston is protected by long
and narrow strip of land, past which the
steamers come slowly from the north, and
around whose point they enter still more
slowly, rounding in by old Port Royal, whence
long since set forth upon his memorable
raid Morgan, the buccaneer. Jamaica takes
its name from an old Indian word, signifying
wood and water" And most appropriately
so called The streams descending seward
srom the mountain regions of the center are
numberIess. There is hardly a month in the
year when everything has not a fresh and
lieliciously spring like look
The bloom of the hillsides is eternal; the
fruits are marvellous. Pass through the Vic
tOria market on December day and you can
hardly refrain from exclaiming aloud at the
variety, quality, and, indeed the cheapness
of everything. The market presents lively
scene. The negroes and negresses, mostly
kindly faced old uncleS and aunties, are ire
pressible as venders You may not desire to
purchase; YOU may even have resolved firm
Il not to purchase; yet you do purchase-and
in astonishing quantities. The old woman
lUshes at you with an 80, my sweet pretty
Young mistress!" or My dear handsome
NASSAU lays hold upon your arm and argues
YOU into first a BASKET to put things il, and
then something to put in it. They make in
Jamaica very pretty little baskets, too, hand
plated, of a sort of rushes. These are sold at
''thruppencen six cents apiece, or larger
ones at fourpence. They are very nice for
souvenirs of Kingston, and. strangers always
take away several.
The market is a wide pavilion built of
brick and stone. One end of it faces upon
the sea, and here the fish are received fresh
ut 10 o'clock each morning. One finds nearly
ell the vegetables OF the temperate zone az
we'll as the products Of the tropics. Here are
potatoes and cabbages and souashes, no less
than huge yams, and fragrant little mandarin
oranges and the kind OF granadila Tor little
ponlegranate), with hard she'll that is indi
gcnous This hard shell granadilla, by the
way, is nice to darn stockings over, the ladies
say. Beside the regular market there is
open market place, whore vendors too poor
20 hire space in the pavilion are privileged to
gather and cry their wares Here also one
sees n great number of little donkeys; these
stand patiently waiting, having brought their
masters or mistress product into town, to
return home Perhaps a pickaninny or a
good sized chunk of a girl may ride home
donkey back
The Kingston park is one of the loveliest
spots imaginable. Entering by the main
gate one comes very soou 70 the fountain, on
either side 0i which two huge trees provide
an eternal and penetrable roof. Everywhere
are seen superb orchids and poyntsettas.
The towering tree called the Jerusalem
thorn provides a splendor Of its own. This
latter grows wild along the road from Kings
ton up to Gordon Town, many cottage is
completely embovered and crimson rooted
with its dense foliage. The road up to Cor
don Town is n romantic and a delightful
drive of nine miles Above Gordon Town
one may take saddle horses and proceed on
up into the mountains as far as New Castle,
where is a military station. Seen from afar
the white houses of the camp high on the
mountain side are picturesque in the extreme
But Kingston alone supplies the visitor
with sufficient that is interesting and quaint
30 fill book There is a midday slaepiuess
about the narrow streets. Some of the shops,
with their faded green shutters, make one
think of a painted stage scene. The better
dwelling houses are mostly built with high
and solid brick walls before them, and on
ground considerably above the level Of the
street Originally the streets were of the
same level, but the little streams Of water
flowing constantly down through thenl-a
primitive drainage system, indeed = have
washed them away. The parish church
stands up with stately purity of its own
white above the dull yellow Of brick of the
city. Kingston is rather closely built 1t
has a population of 10000. On approaching
Jamaica the aspect is enhancing. The Blue
mountains rise back Of the town 10 some
1000 feet. The atmosphere is balmy. Al
though the sun shines holly, there is con-