Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1903-04-10

his color changes to blue, yellow or
green, according to the depth of water
through which be is seen. This phe-
nomenon puzzles every one nor was it
sat isfactorily explained to US, except
on the general theory of the sun S
prismatic effects in clear sulphurous
water of great depth and clearness
Precisely the same conditions obtain
with like effect at Silver Spring and
Green Cove Springs in Florida, where
much the same explanation is offered.
But to bid farewell to the wonders
of the Sea Gardens without some men.
tion OF the conditions that prevail in
| the harbOr of Nassau would be an in
Justice This body of water possess IS
about the same degree of clearness, out
is not so gaudy in color effects, or rich
in sea growth as the Gardens. 1t is
nevertheless remarkable sheet of
water and is viewed and admired by
every traveller that visits this port.
Perhaps there is nothing like it in this
hemisphere, being second in beauty
only to the harbor of Naples in Italy.
CONDITIONS ON THE ISLANDS
Geographically, commercially, phys
ically and morally the conditions that
obtain in the Bahamas is most inter.
estipg. Geographically and numerical
| ly the islands are multitude varying
widely in size, and located in a strag.
Cling line. some hundred miles to the
north of Cuba. However, but IA OF
these are inhabited, and of this num-
Der, some have no white settlers, while
on Others the only white men are the
justices of the peace and the priests.
New Providence Island is the most
important Of the group and is the seat
of Colonial Government-the capt.
tai City of Nassau. There is Gov
ernOr, an Executive Councll,a Legisla-
tive COuuci aud the House of Assent.
These offices as | have said before are
filled by white men, though five sixths
of the population OF the county
are negroes. However the National
Guard or army is entirely composed
of negroes and every gendarme OF
policeman is also a negro. Nassau
therefore has its color line for the ne
groes constitute the police force and
the army and no white man will accept
a position in either branch of this ser.
vice, neither may cOlOred citizen
| hold any office of authority over the
| whites. Socially the two races are
| distinctly separate, as much so as they
are in our own Southland, though I'm.
like US. there is no friction between
the races, for the negro does not seem
to desire and never tries to force equal.
ity on the whites.
But with all due respect to the
Bahamas and the cOlored voters there,
| must confess that the negroes of the
islands are good citizens, and taken
as a class are far superior to their
brethren of the race in our American
States. There the negro has been free
man longer than in the States and be
has raised himself mentally and moral.
ly to standard of citizenship far above
the American negro. There is among
them colored aristocracy-so to speak
for there are negroes in Nassau who
cannot visit or mingle socially with
others of their race, but who move In
different set. This upper class are
educated, and without petty vices,
they respect themselves and are respect.
ed by Others. They do not steal or lie
or fight, or blackguard on the streets,
and are not TO be found in the jails or
police courts, so with their good man.
ners and upright conduct they soon
make favora BILE impression on visitors
to the islands. There is too softness
in their southern accent or brogue. re
sembling more the Spanish or Cuban
than the African. AS far back as 1888
the negroes of the Bahamas have been
treemen. About that date England
established on the islands free colony,
and while she was at enmity with
Spain, seized all Spanish slave trading
vessels that she found on the high seas
bound for Cuba and the United States
and taking them to her colony on the
islands liberated them.
Commercially Nassau is not an i'm
portant port. There are no wholesale
houses or distributing agencies in the
city and on the streets there are no
heavy drays, or heavy loads or heavy
horses to pull them. When we realize
that the sponge industry is the leading
business of the city we see at once that
there can be no heavy traffice. Dwarf
ed donkeys and small mules or thin
Texan ponies do the loads of burden,
and it is amusing to see them attached
to full sized American built wagon or
carriage, where the shafts are so large
that the little things don't touch on
either side, but wabble about in them
like small boy wearing his fathers
P.r& I0