The Republican journal., 1896-04-09

.lAN' ASHORE AL CHARLOTTE
-. rrespondence Of The journal.
rTE AMAIIE, st. Thomas Is
6ish West Indies, Feb "A, 1896.
westward across the Atlantic
.ilHn to stop at st. Thomas was
to be resisted, although we
island not many months ago.
t West Indies-St. Thomas.
nd saint Croix-have acquil-
Hterest in American eyes since
ect has frightened of their be-
e 4Sth in our sisterhood of
rather OF adding infant triplets
~amuel already numerous fam
we've is no need of pilot to guide
,,. nn the harbor Of Charlotte ANA
4 at wen of daylight to get through
!. -nt md narrow strait that leads to
3 rcked inner waters. We steamed
Ealing wharf opposite the town
ua"e Turing the ''silent watches. -
ID ou- before the guns on the old red
r- -t inc the strait had doomed forth
9N .~loil Tor the sun to rise the usual
4AHA announced that ''toting coal" had
e-.B The black diamonds are brought
5ar4 pn the heads of women of the
in hue hundreds of negresses in line,
with basket skillfully poised on
IL wool, singing or swearing, ac-
4e- ro her mood at the moment. For
uaH perhaps for ''ears polite we
N >tinguish few words in their I'M
.-C un'ed chatter, though among the
>A ditterent languages spoken by
4glot community that which
a> English predominates. Among
l-t India negroes there is still
us t that strange dialect which the
Missionaries set down into a
"o literature nearly 200 years
mple Of Dutch, French, English
7.' words with unknown tongues
l lstsr africa. These female steve
.r-. ud. will coal steamer quick
.. ess dust and confusion, thar
by steam hoists and shovels
when filled weigh from 50
ach; yet they swing them
heir heads and march off
ues to and fro over the gang
. ny long in the blazing sun, or
- need be. for the piJifal hire of
hour. The leSsees of the st.
arves keep a vast supply of
"n hand, aud or naval YES
us those OF other nations in
make this an important
in their itinerary. The ia
4leh lies ON the south side of
"lt midway in the coast line,
The path of all the vessels
Ween Europe and South
nope and Mexico, Europe
ater Antilles, besides over
N rack of those bound to and
'. IrIs OF the United States.
steamship lines touch here in
st, and many other vessels put
hi~ OF for shelter in bad wealth
/ ,"- l.endid harbor, almost circular
Is SO well protected that ships
>@ 80 it from whatever storms may
''-.-- outside. 1t has a floating dock,
h i~e onJ and a steam slip capable of
F. ne largest vessels. Now-a- DAYS
h ait lts not amount to much: but if
's> ti' '1te good deal of smuggling
/ ai-1ei ou OF rum, tobacco and cigars.
''> '-rN tree port for more than a
49, aad there is not a customs officer
N' Fl'td Therefore, articles of for
T. ''4fr. for use or wear, may be OBJ
'9' 'g.y cheaply in Charlotte Amalie,
"N.h, and it is more than surmised
''hslierable quantities of them are
D''l hefe on purpose to be smuggled
a " itr Home of the Brave be-
vessels coming to our ports from
N'"H island are not so closely watch
4 Us those from Europe. To tobacco
VS. especially, the temptation to de-
'' government of few of it's
4 - hIS' be great indeed. The finest
!, ''"1 'Sars, which sell in New York for
I'll to $50 the hundred, can be
q H'lt Tor eight and ten dollars, and
]. ' without duty. Bay rum, too,
q 'a'' ever was made, sells in st.
d i't 2o cents the bottle; while at
I, t same, after being bountifully
"a costs about five times as
n 'I''f has played no small part in
OF the world maritime enter
4 'A4 ulne was when more shipping
Ia guy VI IT tlian Ine great mar
a Nr% York could boast. The mer-
q. l NAaflotte Amalie were the rich
west indies, having transactions
very part of the world, and it was q
9lsht to see barrows of doubloons
pesos being wheeled through the
10 Ihelr warehouses. Like all the
islands between the Mexican Gull
'qe Caribbean Sea, St. Thomas has
hi theatre OF great events since Co.
, Jay. English, Dutch and Span.
crowded the vessels that sail.
'"eSe seas for conquest and adventure
'o hundred years buccaneers from
g',me infested the Spanish MAR