The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1895-06-13
IN THE TROPICS,

che religion of his time. but such was
the case Now it is quite orthodox to
believe in the earth's rotundity, and we
can see by this that even religious be-
lief is q matter Of growth.
The natives of these islands were, rs
Columbus found them, noticeable for
''their sweetness Of temper and goodness
Of disposition. They also believed in
one Supreme Being. and yet the Span
iards actually depopulated these islands
by converting them to their belief Not
one of the original natives or their de-
soendants is supposed to live here now.
There are good many divorces, formal
and informal, in this country, the causes
being ''nonsupport and infidelity." lam
greatly panied to know that infidelity is
80 common here. With so much good
Bible teaching as there has been in this
country the presence of infdelity as
shown by tho divorce trials is perfectly
astonishing.
After the Spaniards had depopulated
the Bahamas and other. western islands
the buccaneers followed. These gents
started in with a few dugeuts and
canoes, valued at sos and soon cap
tured the Spanish shipping by heroism
worthy OF better cause. These buoca-
neers knew the reefs so we'll that they
could board a Spanish vessel, loot the
cargo, hold the prisoners for ransom and
be out Of the way before any one could
get at them with large boats or heavy
armed forces
A good deal the same custom is now
prevalent among the land pirates OF
Cuba and the West Indies. A Cuban
bandit, after graduating at college, or
ganizes little athletic team and starts
out for the hills The party hangs about
in the deep defiles of the mountain coun-
try, where it can swoop down on the
tourist. Then it surprises them, takes
their ear hobs and watches, sells them
to the pawn people Of Havana and holds
the more likely ones for ransom.
Notice is sent into town to inquiring
friends as follows: 1--WE have your pa
here with u.s. Would you like to have
him come home and rattle round in the
bosom of his family Please send 2, 500
Spanish dollars by an attractive un-
armed person, and we will return him.
Otherwise we shall repeat this notice
with Enclosures.
The family hurries about and sells the
piano at a sacrifice, but cannot quite
get the money on time. A second letter
comes from the chief, written ON the
finest kind of papeterie, with beauti-
full monogram and crest, and reads as
follows:
1--WE are panied to send this second
note.
$50 is your pa.
1--WE inclose his ear. You will recog-
nize it by the wart. Other selections
from him will be made from time to
time. Three thousand dollars will now
be required, though he is not so valuable
as he was. AS we remit to you INSTALL
ments of your pa from time to time we
realize that we are cutting down his
value, especially when we begin to work
on him in thorough earnest. Please do
not make it necessary for us to resort to
vital matters. as the weather is getting
warm, and your pa might be held at the
dead letter Office. In the interest of those
who have the best interests of the resur-
rection at heart we urge that you will
not encourage Us to scatter your pa any
more than necessary.
In closing allow me to subscribe
myself, very sincerely, your most obedi.
emit servant,
RICARDO COLORADO MADURo,
"Chief Anthropologist."
New Providence, the island on which
Nassau is situated, contains IS square
miles Of geology and eight mules. There
is no soil.
The trouble is that the farmers mo-
nopolize all the soil personally, and thus
rob vegetation. II the agriculturist here
would divide up with the farm and let
the crops have what dirt he does not ao.
tually need to make himself healthy,
things would prosper here.
The island has good stone founda-
tion for farms, but requires the soil.
which seems to be walking about the
streets Of Nassau begging for drinks.