The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1899-02-03
LETTER Fsom j. K. vARpAman.
Nassau Harbor, Jan. 80, 1898.

NdSSnu IlnADOA, O0As ~, Aovo'
My Dear Old Commonwealth:
left Washington, D. c., lastWednes-
day evening for New York, with the
intention OF sailing for Santiago the
following day on the government trans
port Mississippi. but on arriving at New
York and looking v e tho situation I
found that the Mississippi had sleeping
rooms for only twenty-four persons
and they were already fifty OF more On
board. While the captain generously
assured me that ia state room had been
reserved for me by order Of Colonel
Kimble, the assistant general quarter
master, | told him that there were
more on board than he
had berths, and that | would
not think of occupying a COM
Portable berth while some poor female
nurse was compelled 10 sleep on q cot
in the cold. 50 Captain Y. FL. Sharp
and myself babe him goodby and went
back TO the Continental Hotel, spent
the night. and Thursday at $3.50 O'Clock,
p. m, left New York on the steamer
Santiago, n Ward liner. The Santiago
ia an old ship, with not very luxurious
accommodations, but it does fairly
well, and up to this good day we have
gotten along very well without any Sc
nous damage to our health, but some
of the passengers have been quite sick.
The women, God bless them, seem to
get the worst of it; many of them have
not eaten a meal since they came
on board, but sit on deck and look as
though they had lost every friend on
earth. There is no doubt about their
having lost everything else. And that
reminds me-did you ever get seasick2
1t il the most horrible sensation that
ever retched or rung a disorded
stomach. When first taken you are
afraid that you will die, but after
being sick awhile You are equally as
much afarid that you will not die. I
saw a poor fellow this morning leaning
the railing on the hurricane deck
vomiting like as if he was trying to
produce his last winter socks, and when
l asked him if he was really SICK" he
turned to Inc with red eyes and soiled
mouth and said: Good God, captain,
do you think that | am damned fool
enough to do this for fun" | did not
see any fun in it, hence, / was at once
driven to the conclusion that he was
really sick.
This morning, at s o'clock, we reach
Nassau a most picturesque little
city, the capital of New Providence
Island. one of the Bahama group. We
ashore on arriving and took in
town. Az stated above it is a most
picturesque place, There is some yery
pretty houses there; n hotel. with all
improve ments. Indeed, it is a
popular resort for New York people,
suffering with consumption and cold
Quite a number ,of them came
with us for the balance of the
winter. One of the most amusing and
Unique parts of Nassau is that portion
Which our cab driver ~denominated
Grant Town" 1t is inhabited alto
'ether by negroes who live in little
surrounded by orange, .cocoanut.
and grape fruit trees. The
ards are enclosed by rock fences and
he shade which these trees make is 40
that the sun scarcely ever touches
ground. At this season of the wear
he trees are loaded withyfruit and the
hundreds of half naked little niggers
eem to have a bushel Of fun eating
natives on this island certainly
ave an easy time. The climate in do.
They need but few clothes.
nd nature feeds them without. Or
any, work IN their pirt. I
aid, as looked upon them. This IL
urely q niger paradise" And thew
Gem to appreciate it too. OF the
4 900 people who live on the island
:, ooO are niggers. The policeman are
IL niggers, and they are all dressed in
ne uniforms worn by her Maje,tv,s
oldiers. They are well kept, stalwart.
'ell behaved fellows, who seem to un-
erstand and stay in their proper places.
truth about the matter is the Mas.
~ niger is, with the exception Of
"h'English' pronunciation, more
ke the good old Mississippi niger
any l have seen since I left home.
real genuine Niger, like they were
days gone BY. The best servant On
~-A1- 49, EL ALH Ht - tfI