The Monitor-register., 1896-05-15

arrived captain general OF the island, his
predecessor having died from yellow
fever. There was much yellow fever
among the military forces, but we were
not afraid Of it. From the accounts we
received the people are ''taxed to DEATH"
and there is much dissatisfaction expressed
against their mother country, Spain.
At noon the next day we left for San
kits, 214 miles distant from Puerto Rico,
an island with large sugar plantations.
At 8 o'clock in the morning, February
18th, we anchored in harbor, but could not
land as we came from a yellow fever port.
There was an insurrection the day before,
when the English soldiers killed forty
people in a riot. We cheerfuly went
away, passing the jagged peak of Mount
Misery and the green slope of Monkey
Hill. Next morning, February 10Th, we
landed at Guadeloupe, an island of French
possession. The scene at market was one
of the greatest we witnessed on the
island. The costumes of the WON On pre-.
sented a greater variety and contrast in
color and they chartered, grimaced and
g~esticulated, as only the negroes of the
French islands can do. The town was
bustliDg with activity. There is one of
the largest sugar mills here in the world,
except one in Egypt. The people COM
planned very much of the low wages, but
how can the planter pay It when he gets
only 50 30 per hundred pounds. We left
again at s p. m. and landed next morning
at Roseau, 56 miles distant, the capital of
Dominica, in a surf or a stony shore.
Here the mountains are sleeper and the
precipiees more abrupt thar on any other
island. The roads are good and the
carriages few, 80 a great many of us took
rides on very poor horses.
The scenery was grand with large
mountain streams, where the women
stand in the middle of these streams,
wash their clothes and then dry them
on the large rocks. On this island are
also many sugar plantations. The small
huts of the natives excited our curiosity.
There is a large botanical garden, with
its tropical beauty, not very far from the
town. There was also a large market,
but the chatter among the women was not
as great as in Guadeloupe. Only a little
over a half day was spent here. We
started off and reached Martinique island,
in front of the town La Pierre. at A p. M,
a distance of 36 miles only. AS we could
not land we enjoyed ourselves with the
pickaninnies, or native divers. These
boys would dive from 80 to 40 feet and
and catch a penny thrown overheard.
We landed next morning, February. Dist,
at 8 O'Clock, temperature 76 degrees. All
of the party took a carriage ride over the
distant mountains to enjoy the beautiful
scenery, which was made a little unpleas.
ant only by a light fall of rain.
The city has many large stores, good
buildings and large churches, with fine
~frescoes as l nave seen in st. Peters. in
Rome.
Next morning, Westinghouse birthday,
our steamer was gaily decorated with
many flags. We left again for St. Lucia,
at 11.30 a. m. A niles distant, and an
chored in front of the town Castries.
On February Gid the Thermometer
registered 10 degrees on the steamer. We
arrived at 3 p. M, in the beautiful harbor
of Castries, the capital of st. Lucia, which
is the largest coaling station for the
English in the West Indies. But we
were not permitted to land because the
ten days quarantine had not elapsed
since we left Puerto Rico. We could
only view the grand scenery, and then
left for the island of Barbados, lis miles
distant, passing On the trip very high
mountains and enjoying the delightful
moonlight. Washington's birthday was
not forgotten. We celebrated the day by
making many speeches and with songs.
Next morning at 9 80 we anchored In
front of Bridgetown. The uproar of the
boatmen vas so great that it required the
harbor police to quiet them. A great
""hy chAPo "OA0 ou nAouOk, duuOu& UU6m
was the U. s. school ship Saratoga on
board of which was Master John KerHer
from our town. Owing to the existence
of scarlet fever among the boys we were
not permitted to board the ship. A quiet
Sunday prevailed, rather surprising us,
owing to the sights at other places.
In the afternoon WI enjoyed a twenty
four-mile ride down to Batheba, pass.
ing many large sugar plantations, some
of which use wind mills for grinding the
sugar cane We were also surprised
when the superintendent of the railroad
stopped the train and showed us q mine
of clay which was saturated with coal oil. |
1t burns freely and makes a good fire.
He informed us that there was much coal
oil on the island. Owing to the lack of
money this railroad was not extended apy
further. The beautiful scenery along the
railroad is very picturesque with the
tropical vegetation. Sometimes we ran
along the sea shore passing large coral
rocks, but we could find no sea shells ON
the shore.
On February 26sh at 6. a. M, the Their.
mometer registered 72 degrees on the
steamer in the harbor. After breakfast
we went in the town, which presented
great activity; markets very large, big
barracks with many colored soldiers, fine
churches, large colleges and splendid res.
licences. The natives have no love for
England, and money is very scarce.
A sugar plantation, with all the machin.
cry and 200 acres of land, formerly worth
$18. 900, was valued now at So, 600. The
newspapers are very poor, no enterprise
being shown whatever, as could be seen
by the copy sent you. The island has
large fat stretches, differing from others.
The Orinoco, a passenger stea mship. |
with a pleasure party from New York.
left III harbor a half hour sooner than
we did. The race was kept up all night.
by moonlight, and we passed them the
next morning, giving them a hearty
''send off," We passed through Dragons
mouth, a narrow strait separating the
Island OF Trinidad from the main land.
At 8 a. M, we were at anchor in the har-
Dor in front of the town of Port au Spain i
This town is very attractive. The thor.
oughfare to Green's park is lined with
handsome residences, surrounded by trop.
ical gardens, which are as beautiful as
the park itself. A railroad ride of "a
miles was taken on the same day. We
passed tropical forests with large plants
and beautiful flowers; also, plenty of
%cocoanut, palm, banana and orange
trees. There were many sugar planta-
tious and many negro huts. We finally
arrived at the town of San Fernando. It
is not very attractive, being mostly in
n nhftod hu Hindnoc @ nnll1l ssn1zIe-. ~ 1