Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1899-02-09

"a thO hNROh obGhN - u WhA hAhB Nhae
the train will start in five minutes, and
he rings 1t the second time just be-
fore the train pulls out.
The population of the island Is but
little less than 100000, of which num-
ber about one half are whites or ma
tive Porto Ricans, one-third negroes,
and the remainder half-breeds or Gre
oles. The people are small of stature
and rather handsome, with creamy
complexion, black eyes and straight
black hair They are naturally indol-
ent, and will not do today what can
possibly be put off until tomorrow.
This bad trait is probably due more to
climatic conditions than to anything
else, and any American who tarries
long in that climate need not be sur
prised II he is similarly affected. They
profess to have great love for their
American brothers, as they call them,
and are not backward about proclaim
ing it. That love will probably con-
tinue without in the least growing cold
so long as the American has money
and is willing to spend 1t, but when his
money is gone the Porto Rican's love
for him will like wise have disappear
ed.
shall never forget my first view of
Spanish town. On the night of Sep
tember 5th last, about 8 O'Clock, after
being out of sight of land for five days,
we first sighted the lights of San Juan
About two hours later we arrived op-
posfte the town, and as the old Span
ish law which prohibited the entry of
any vessel into the harbor between
sunset and sunrise was still in effect,
we had to cruise around the outside all
night. The next morning all on board
were up before sunrise, eager to get
our first glimpse OF the capital city of
our new possession. We did not have
long to wait, for there is but little
twilight in that latitude at that season
of the year, and soon San Juan in all
her beauty lay before us. 1t was un-
like anything had ever seen. A city
in which the houses, with but few ex-
ceptions, are only one story high, with
peaked roofs of tile and no chimneys
all rising in terraces one above the
other until the center of the narrow
island is reached, when they slope off
! in nthar diractionc Tho boucaO ono
painted in all colors imaginable,
scarcely two of them alike, and the
whole thing looking more like a gil
gantic crazy quilt than anything else
that can recall The whole town Is
surrounded by massive, moss-cover-
ed stone wall over three centuries old,
the monotony of which is relieved by
small watch towers placed at intervals
along its outer edge. To our right was
Moro castle, while directly in front of
us was the city cemetery, with its long
rows of vaults built in the walls which
enclosed 1t and in one corner a pile of
human bones which had been removed
from the graves or vaults after the
tenants lease had expired.
On the 18th day of last September,
seven days after landing ut San Juan,
| stood on the spot where Columbus
once stood The only spot within the
limits of the United States where the
Great Navigator ever trod. Near
Aquadilla, in the North Western cor
ner of the island, in 1893, one year af-
ter he discovered the western ccnti-
nent, he landed to procure water for
his vessels. In 1893, four hundred
years later, the Spanish government
commemorated the event by erecting a
handsome monument there.
Porto Rico is the most thickly pop
ulated island of its size on the face of
the globe. AS has been already stated,
the population is but little less than
1,OOO,O00 or 270 to the square mile. If
the entire territory of the United
States not including Alaska, was as
thickly populated, We would have
within our borders nearly one thous-
and millions, or one billion human be-
lngs, nearly IA times our present pop
ulation. How do So many people man.
age to exist on so small territoIy?
is question that has been asked me a
Bundred ines. it vuld not be suck
cause for wonder, however, il it was
generally anu iess5DJd how few tic
wants If thost people really are. il
very great portion of the people aye
very, very poor. Fortunately for them
their wants are very few and simple.
If they get hungry, which / presume
they do occasionally, all that Is neces-
sary for them to do is to pull few ba-
nanas and eat them; or, If they don't
mind the exertion, which the most of
them do, they climb a cOcoanut tree,
where they can secure food that will at
least keep life in their bodies. Fortu-
nately for them, both bananas and CO.
coanuts grow in great abundance, and
are to be had for the asking. | am
satisfied, however, that fully one-four..
OF the people on the island never taste
meat from one years end to another,
and the only bread they have is that
made from corn ground between two
fiat stones turned by hand and mixed
with water and salt and baked into
small nat cakes in the ashes.