Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-08-13
THE EVENING STAR SATURDAY AUGUST 1s 1861 PAGEs

the wesd was introduced il, Europe long be-
fore his time The plant is native in To-
Fbago and grows well there, as we'll as all
the products of the tropics The climate
OF the island is tropical, lying, as 1t does,
but eleven degrees north of the equator,
but not altogether healthy. The 'aTobago
fever" is mafady well known to planters
VINO have lived there only temporarily, and
to casual residents as well - Vi
A. mountainous and .forest-coyeres5 island.
Its fertile soil is but partially cultivated,
Though there are many valleys covered
with sugar cane which yield prolificaily.
TobagO is about ia square miles in area
With total population Of less than $4,000,
nest OF the Inhabitants being descendants
of the freed negro slaves, and very few
white people living here. There are but
TWO towns on the island, the larger of the
two, scarborough. the capital, situated on
large bay, having about a thousand in
habitants. There IS 70 hotel here and
Tut an indifferent boarding house. where
AL tho Injuries Of the season. are con-
spicuous by their absence.
A Page From q Journal,
Perhaps I cannot give an idea of the
scenery and island characteristics better
than by quoting page or two from my
journal, written years ago, when / was
camping there For, struck with the fact
that the island conceded with that where
Crusoe had his adventures ! went over
there to investigate and live Crusoe life.
It was whale I was making my prelimi-
nary recennoissances and getting things in
shape for a permanent camp that / was
taken In hand by the planters and nearly
incapacftated through their hospitality.
June 4, Is Leave town at 1890 on a
mule sent by Mr.. John Mccall bound for
the estate OF Betsey's Hope. Scenery for
the first five miles out OF Scarborough un-
interesting. cave for the magnificent sweep
the estate of Baecolet is reached, where,
from the shoulder of a HILL one looks down
upon little valley, with sloDfng sides.
green with grasses and sugar cane, with
a river flowing through Its center. reach
ing the sea beneath an arch of cocoa
palms. which trees line the beach far as
the eye can reach. The first estate at which
L halt is Goldsbero', belonging to Mr..
James Mccall, brother to John. where the
cocoa palms are still more abundant, in
long rows and clusters of dozens about the
negro huts. Riding up the hill, meet Mr.
Mccall, whom saw at the governors din
ner on the queens birthday. He warmly
welcomed ne, and turning my mule over
to his sable groom to be treated to 'bever-
age'-molasses and water-invited me to
enter the house. From the window facing
the sea I look directly down upon the
sugar works. from which smoke Is as
cending and the fragrant steam of cane
is waited by the sea breeze, and out over
thousands of palms, which make a beauu-
full picture, against the light green of the
canes, and the blue of the ocean. The
wind losses their leaves aloft, which glim-
mer a golden green under the blazing sun.
while rich clusters of nuts shine beneath
Genuine Hospitality.
After luncn and two sups of ale I go on,
accornpa MED by the district doctor. who
shows ne a short cut through the vast field
of sugar cane; and as the cut comes out
into the main road near the local 1nasis-
trate's, and as he invites us in to have
"sntfter," being lonesome and his wife
ht,S
doctor visits a sick colored man, who after
he has been trelted fnsists-as he is wealthy
and one of the "quality"-upon treating us,
and we cannot refuse. His name Is Brutus-
or was, for by this time he may have fol-
lowed Caesars chest, these halcyon days
being a long way in the rear. Then
ealloped on again, soon coming to another
estate whose msnager, Mr.. Patterson, de-
clares that since we will not stop over night
the least we can do is to alight and take a