The sun., 1893-07-16

Il have tolie with their heads onto the quay an
unload over the bow: an immense disadvar
: tage. especially for discharGing grain in bull
a which comprises o considerable part OF the
trade.
I 1t takes 400 men here to do tho work OF on
OF our elevators.
, The harbor OF Marseilles Is circular basir
} with narrow neck outlet closed by Ratei
which lead directly to the open sea- There 10
belt OF land which projects beyond the town an
sweeps round In front. forming an open road
stoad. There is no rlso and fall OF tide in tn
Mediterranean. and therefore no currents II
this harbor. But tho outer swoll Is always fel
In Its monotonous and depressing sameness.
After Chrlstmas found them gathering
hay crop all along the road from Marseilles t
Toulon. At tho latter place the sun shinei
warm on the quay facing tho harbor. and avn
ings are up Tho harbor OF Toulon is smooth
as glass. Tho shop doors are open and
women sit bareheaded knitting on tho side
walk. whilo in Paris the skating is good.
The scrubby pine OF high northern latltudes
is the only forest tree OF this sterile soil.
| Toaion.
Between Toulon and Nice is the homo OF the
olive. The trees grow to the size OF those In
an ordinary orchard. and look at this time OF
year not unlike u willow in their leafy aspect.
This tree does not get fully into bearing till 1t
| Is twenty years old. and 1t lives and nourshes
| for hundred years and moro. The olive be-
| gins to ripen In December and is picked till
| February. To be put into jars It must be
gathered Greon. When used for oil 1t is al
lowed to ripen. The oil is worth on the spot
about dollar q gallon. and the product Is
about forty gallons per acre. 4 good olive
plantation is worth $500 the acre. The soil is
generally the coarse gravel 1 have every
whero met with siuce leaving tho Jura. and
Is nnproductve. except when irrigated.
Tho hills about Toulon aro vast piles OF
naked rocks, like those about Marseilles. and
this character Is preserved oil the way to Nice.
except that for a short distance some lesser
ranges have wooded submits OF black forests.
At Touon 1 visited the Baknio. made i'm
mortal by Victor Hugo in :" Les Miscra bles."
This establishment is to be broken up. ard
the convicts. now about 5000 In number arc
to have their punishment changed into penal
servitude at Cayenne. 1t is understood the
prisoners are gratined at tho change. and
talk now OF nothing else. Tho ships are be-
Ing prepared. and tho embarkation is to take
place In a few weeks. Each prisoner wears a
belt Of iron around his waist and another
around his ankle. the two connected with o
chain. The whole weighs eighteen kilos. or
almost forty pounds. II he escapes and is
caught these irons are removed and those
weighing double are substituted.
These unhappy prisoners are often chained
two and two when working These are sem
fenced to the Bagnio for all terms. from one
year to life Imprisonment. The crimes for
which they arc incarcerated are sassination.
theft. robbery. fraudulent bankruptcy. &c,
They are mostly dressed in buff Tho prison.
ers for life wear green cap. This fatal SYM
ho1 hn nlI ND 1T.
countenances.
The forcheads Of all OF them were worn by
deep, horizontal furrows. and the expression
generally was o picture OF misery.
How hopeless must that sorrow be which
secs no prospect OF termination but with life,
and life under such conditions No wonder
tho poor wretches sigh for relief. even II 1t
must DO obtained by encounte-nR tho pesti- |
lental malaria OF CAYENNE.
Some OF the prisoners have wives in Toulon |
who are allowed to go with other friends Of the |
prisoners TO visit them for three hours every |
Sunday. to carry them food and to furnish |
them money! TO buy it, to the amount OF ten |
francs month.
The prisoners sleep on board OF hulks and
are chained to their sleeping places. Tho
chain Of every prisoner is examined four times
in every twenty-four hours.
We were rowed out into tho harbor which
was smooth as q mirror. and went on board
The fron-clad frieate Solferino She is con-
,tructed like the British ship Warrior. the
plating above water not extending beyond the
central portion Of the ship. thus leaving her
;wo ends exposed, which could easily be blown
% bits. She carries two rows OF broadsde 6S-
pound rifles. mum berlng about ninety in all On
he upper dock are no guns at ALL Her crew
lumbers nearly eight hundred men. Her bow
cCho oraIt Ia f1Af fNrr - III. |
he bowsprit gear SO made as to allow of its
most effective use.
The ship looks we'll enough. but one is not
with her formidable character
Ioulon Is an admirable harbor. 1t is a broad
ay surrounded by islands. making 1t entirely
andlocked. There Is plenty Of water. there is
ever any frost. the climate Is healthy. and
here is no tide flow. Every condition OF per-
oct harbor seems thus to be here com pletely
nswered.
II the surrounding hills were covered with
erdure. instead Of being. as they arc. mere
caps OF arid rock. the situation would be
'orthy the celestial regions The gods could I
SIX no more.
Tho Mediterranean is. after all. but a lake.
% waters are salt. but its quiet shore line '
Ikes away the idea OF an ocean. Its surface I
quiet. and the surf indicates no deep sea
Oil There Is usually but o gentle ripple,
hioh would not threaten a bark canoe. The
ant Oh tides results In an absence OF visible
lrrents. and the ordinary struggle OF CON- l
'nding winds and tides is thus wanting. The
hole body OF water lies blue and unrufied as 6
r as the eye can reach. Vessels come and 60 !
pom the horizon. opposite my windows. In =
'ssantly. and open boats and great drift nets
e conspicuous feature. The beach of r
Jingle Is tossed up against the opposite side i
tho great promenade. and Just on a level 4
ith 1t. and the line between them is marked .
a row OF shrubbery and newly planted trees, t
hich In their fiourishtng state testify to the 4
Ibitual sobricty Of the sea IN these parts. :
SNAKES THAT HERE SNAKES, II