The National tribune., 1890-01-09

building to strike tho
eye is the Equitable Assurance Society of New
| York, which is n marble building three stories
in hight. Then comes the Standard Bank
! Building, then the Railway Depot, and then
am taken down Darlington street to the Ma
sonic Hotel, tho largest hostelry in the place.
After cleanup and glass of " German
! milk (beer), | called on the American Consul,
whose Offices are next door TO the hotel, and
was very cordially received by Capt. George +.
Hollis, formerly of Boston.
l must here give vent to my Indignation Mt
! the shabby pay granted by the United States TO
| its Consuls salesman in dry-goods store
! here gets more pay than the American Consul /!
His salary 81, 800, hardly suilices for his living
expenses. much less TO allow for any saving.
! At distance Cape Town is a very picturesque
! town, situated rs it is at the foot Of Table
Mountain whose gloomy grandeur is crowned
! by a-halo of silyery clouds, which rise and fall
at the pleasure of the atmosphere which gave
/ them birth. Upon nearer approach ] was dis
enchanted the badly paved streets. half dressed
/ Katiirs, and generally neglected appearance of
/ the town giving proof that the predominatng
/ power of the Capo Dutch who. as / learned
/ later on, arc the curse of the Colony and pre-
! vent any material advance in the scale of CIV
! ilization.
| Entering the harbor, which Is protected by
| splendid breakwater, built by convicts, /
landed at the foot of Dock Road, where tho
Customhouse is situated. The road TO the right
| leads 10 the klOOf, "A sort of canyon between
| Table Mountain and Lions Head, hill to the
right. ] rode TO the kloof and dsmOuntlng
assembled Lions Head. where my labors were
rewarded by truly magnificent view.
10 the right lay the Southern Pacific as
smooth mirror dotted here aud there by
some becalmcd sail. Before me was the har-
Dor, with its forts and bastions, and with It's
hundreds of ships from all parts of the world.
Al ha iaft TrIu Ia. hos,
Coonys insane and lepers. Still farther 10 tho
left could be disoorned False Table Bay and the
Indian Ocean, the whole forming a scene whose
imposing grandeur is certain 10 make lasting
impression.
Vending my way down tho hill, was struck
by the peculiar formation OF the soil. IL is
evident that some tremendous upheaval of sub.
terranean forces threw up the mighty masses Of
iron and sulphur called Table Mountain and
Lions Head.
The population of Cape Town Is very cosmo.
poiitan IN character, every nationality earth,
from the Bushmau to the American. being rep
resented. The prodominating race IL the Cape
Dutch, a mongrel breed. whose stupidity, stub.
bornness and cowardice are proycrbial. Next
come the Malays, whose chief distinction Is
their love for gaudy colors, bright green and
orange predominating. Their shoes look like
this Ia - the part being in.
sert ed between the large
toe and its neighbor. Then come the Kafiirss
by which are meant all the negroes In Cape
Town. This includes the Zulus, Bushmen,
H0ttcptots, Damaras, Griqnas, etc. They are
not inclined 10 overwOrk, neither do they prac.
tice total abstinence. Then como the English
aud Europeans, who. although very influential,
are IN reality in the large minority.
Ny second day devoted 10 the Botanical
Gardens aud the Houses Of Parliament. Par
Lament cOnyencs at the head Of Addefloy
street, in a spacious red brick building facing
the Gardens. Here, as in business. the Dutch
element prevails, aud, must say, TO tho seri-
Gus detriment of the Colony. All measures for
the Improvement and advance of the Colony
are crushed by the Dutch majority. because they
emenate from, and might prove useful to tho
verdommed Englanders" The English p0r-
tion retaliates by obstructing nil business, thus
causing their poor constituents Of all parties o
suffer for the stubbornness of their representa-
tiyes.
Bribery and corruption arc as prevalent here
as nj home. Last April during a contest for
Parliamentary hOnors In Kimberley, one of the
contestants, Barney BaFnato, an enormously
rich Dutch Jew, is said 10 have spent G20OO0
ia securing his own election. lie was totally
unfit, having been on trial some years ago for
perjury.
In strange contrast to this mass Of venality
and corruption, stands forth the character Of
the Ex-Governor Of the Colony Sir Hercules
aud honorable character made him beloved by
the whole Colony, irrespective of race lie re-
signed, owing 10 difference with the Home
Government
Leaving Parliament to fiibuster, turned 10
the Botanical Gardens, and although it was
Midwinter, found the fora in full bloom
This Inconsistency 10 explained by tho fact
that tho thermometer registered 80 in the
shade. Although the fauna Of South Africa Is
Of greater variety than at hOme yet the
American flowers aud plants are much the
sweetcr scented. The roses here, although
called by the same name, do n0tsnIel rs sweetly
| as our Jacks" aud Marcschal Mel" etc The
violets are absolutely devoid Of anything re.
| scmbing odor.
The gardens are very pretty, the brilliant
| colOrBg Of the many hued tropical plants add
ing additional charm to this pleasing spot.
| The next day being Sunday, contentcd myself
| with witnessing the church parade Of the Cape
| Rifles who, although considered the crack regi-
ment Of tho Colony, cannot hold "A candle 10
! tue 9Th Of New York, or the Esd of Brooklyn
| They manuver ia a listless fashion; their uni
forms are ill-ftting, aud their guns old fash
! toned
After dinner Capt. Hollis called for me- and
we set forth in "A sailboat for Robin Island
Alter splendid sail Of about an hour, we
beached our yacht, aud after having explained
| the object Of our VISIT, we were shown about by
| DIR. Wynnc, the superintendent. The quarters
| for the insane are very similar TO those on
Backwcll's Island, New York. The male and
| female quarters are about quarter Of u mile
| apart, the intervening space being used az rec
| reatiOn ground. small theater also aids in
| amusing the patients.
| From there we were conducted to the Le-
| per Asylum, about a mile distant The male
| quarters consist Of wrctched matched one
| story wooden shed, having no flooring and COW
| cred only with filthy straw. In this vile hole
a sight met my gaze which, used as / am to
seeing suffering and distress, made me shudder
Father Damien was, indeed, hero, to have
| passed his life among such as these. There on
the dirty straw, reclined or sat 70 lepers wrap.
| ped in rags which tramp would be ashamed
| TO wear There were 70 partially decompOsed
| wTetches, literally r0tting away, some gTeas-
| ing their ulcers aud sores, some bandaRing
! wound. One mans face was almost entirely
eaten away by the dread disease; his left arm
was gone from the elbow; his ears were hang
ing by thread. But the sight was too dread
| full; had TO turn away.
| From there We went TO the female quarters
half a mile distant which were slightly better
consisting Of corrugated iron buildings.
child OF about two years Of age came tod
ding up TO us. DIR. Wynne pointed out dead
| white spot on each check. Was this heredity
| or contagion? The keepers too seemed TO be
lepers in the early stage Of the disease. / could
stand il no longer, and we took leave of this
| living charne- house.
| / seemed to breathe easier as / left the isl.