The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-03-06
4 Trip 70 the Tropics.

10 the Editor Can you make
vour arrangements to sail for
the Isthmus of Panama day after
tomorrow" asked my chief, abruptly
Although | felt dazed, managed to in
quire how long my trip was expected
to last. 'Not more than three or four
months. was the answer
So it was arranged, after considerable
bustling, and forty-eight hours later l
found myself pacing the deck of the
steamship advance" as it moved slowly
and cautiously through dense fog in
New York harbor-fog horns and whis-
ties uniting in II dOleful chorus which
made the beginning of our journey by
no means cheerful.
The next morning we were well out
on the, ocean under bright skies-but let
us not speak of that day and it's miser-
les. of the palid faces of most of us, and
Of our craving for StatcroOm solitude.
Twenty four hours later we were again
on our lcgs-Our sea legs-and had once
more become prompt in our response to
the dinner gong. The captain told MS
that away off to the west, beneath the
horizon, lay the sand hills of Mays
Head, and in fancy promptly leaped the
short distance of forty or fifty milcs-a
very creditabe feat for one of my avOir-
dupois-and revealed in pleasant recOlec-
tons. Two more days dragged 10y and,
like Columbus. we began anxiOrsly to
look for land-the same land which the
great discOverer himself first found in our
hemisphere. the island of San Salvador.
But luck was against us as we passed
little too far to the east and did not
see it as advertised, for which cause we
felt suitably indignant and so informed
the captain. The same afternoon we
passed so near Bird Rock Island. one of
the Bahama group, that we could with
the aid of glasses clearly distinguish II
number Of cocOanut palms near the light
house. This speedily restored our good
humOr as it wls, to most of us, a first
glimpse at tropical scenery. Early the
following morning we passed the eastern
end of Cuba, seemingly half unreal in
its cloak of thin fog suggestive of the
mystery and romance which now veil
the unhappy island. But, as we looked,
the sun chased the clouds from noun
tain peak to mountain peak and gradu-
ally the sky became blue and clear
Perhaps this was but "A bright prophecy
of naturc-anay God grant.
Turning, we next saw the mountains of
Haiti hanging like a black cloud upon
the eastern horizon, half hidden by the
dazzling sunlight. I'm the afternoon we
passed near it's southern promOntOrieS,
our minds filled with tic stories we have
heard of the present condition of this
beautiful land where it is said that
barbarism has put out the lights of civil
cation in this nineteenth century. Here
Columbus reigned and fell. Here the
Spaniards tortured the gentle Indian ma
tiyes And here, in turn, the cOurtly
French were oycFthrown by their Afri-
can slaves.
More land to the Observation-Disclosures
And here again we hear of oppression.
This time it is the negroes who are said
to have suffered. Strange. is it not?
Where nature is so beautiful and layish,
man seems to crave blood. The history
Of each of these islands is no more than
tale of injustice and tyranny on one
side and of patient suffering on the
other.
Again we are Mt sea with no land in
sight. the chUppy Caribbean before us.
We have left behind us the deep blue
Atlantic with its bright islets of red
sca-weed. The flying fish are, however,
still with us. giving us frequent surprise )
by their brilliancy and agility. One lln-
fortunate little fellow has just ended
his life-jOurney ON our deck.
But l have said nothing of my fellow
passengers-a pleasant and varied COM
pany. We are divided into three sets,
the exclusive Germans. the equally ex-
elusive French, and the good natured
and more liberal Yankee. for here the
term covers all Americans. SOutherneg's
as well as our New England and Wes-
tern competitors. One family 1 find it
difficult to classify. The father is the
most cheerful man ON bOard-a blind
Bnglishman The mother is !; full
blooded Japanese. The children, with
their strange eyes. black hair, and fair
skin-what are they? The family is
nevertheless a happy one, and it's MEM
bers settle all doubts by calling them
selves Americans.
Our journey, which has lasted eight
days. is now rapidly nearing its end,
and from the deck we watch with pleas
ure and curiosity the palm trees and
frame houses Of friends on the pier. and
they hold out their hands to us in well
come. as the heart of our monster of the
deep stops beating
GEORGE II. MURPHY.