The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-07-02

oon." has purple flower yard long.
The mosquitoes are terrible pests.
Feyers and dysentery kill off the
foreigners.
The hurricanes off the north cuast
arc the terror of sailors.
San Juan, the capital, is towu of
$4,000.
Education is matter of littl, con-
Germ.
The "giboros" are the small land
holders Of mixed Spanish and Indian
stock.
For three centuries the island vas o
penal colony.
Not until 1856 was any trace of
sborigines found by archaologists.
Queer prehistoric monuments on
The Rio Grande River have attracted
attention.
San Juan harbor is one of the best
in the West Indies.
San Juan was sacked by Drake in
1896 and by the Duke of Cumberland
three years later.
Baldwin Heinrich lost his life in an
unsuccessful attempt to take San Juan
inl615.
In 1878 the English failed in an at
tack on the forts, and again in 1897
they had to retire after three days
siege.
De Icons palace, built in 1911,
is one of the curiosities of the town.
Some of the islands near by send to
Porto P,F'> 'or water.
Visitors are ready to affirm that e' cry
man on the island CANDLES.
Hospitality greets the traveller on
every hand, and a tender of money
gieyes the peasant.
Every man, no matter how pCor,
owns horse and three or four game
cocks.
Warm clothing is found comfortable
at night.
The surf that breaks on the n3rth
coast is one,of the strongest known. .
Houses in the towns have fiat roofs
to catch water and for recreative pur-
poses.
In the country the houses are built
ten feet from the ground on piles.
This is to avoid the dampness.
The siesta is q universal favorite;
shopping and visiting being done only
OF night.
Strange as it may seem, there are no
Stenches noticeable in the towns, as in
other tropical climes.
The planter of any means will have
town house, and there brings the
family at carnival time.
The trees are always green in Porto
Rico.
There are no snakes, no beasts of
prey, no noxious birds nor insects to
terrorize the field laborer.
There is strange scarcity of birds
there; few parrots and water fowls
seeming to cover the list.
Monkeys and rabbits are unknown
On the island. Enormous rats, how
ever, abound and devastate the crops.
Longevity among the natives is of
common occurrence, death at 100 years
Of age not being rare.
San Juan seems to be the "Mecca"
ice
10 be white man in the islands is
% have @ certain stamp of nobility.
"Mvaro" is how the small planter
nEnown. He loves his sweetheart,
ialSgame cock, his cigar, his guitar,
hls hammock and his horse. He is
quick to anger and quick to forgive.
nels not fond of work.
Men and women ride horseback
alEe' Wicker baskets with handles
Ge hung on either side Of the horses
shoulders. This carries provisions.
back Of the baskets, but in front Of
ne shoulders, the rider sits and swings
bis feet.
The traveller on horseback never
,ees dressed up unless he carries a
@ket-handled sword yard and q
quarssr long.
:. ~ Johns Day is annually the &C.
~aon OF horse racing.
man s attire is generally a broad
!. Stif,p ed straw hat, a clean shirt and
cheek pantaloons.
a.. 40 move, the housewife packs up g
,oN caiabash shells, some earthen pots.
S Su Or two hammocks, two or three
game q cocks and the machete. Then
some of the houses of the wealthy
'T NJ grace any of our suburbs.
Al, Tue women are of middle size and
o auasCately formed. They are born CO
~Ao observance of hirt h dove 10 ri0id