The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1909-04-29
Home from Bermuda.

Home from Bermuda.
Rough Weather at Sea, but Delightful Time
Ashore. $.
The Bermuda excursionists, Charles F. Swift
and l. w. Parker, arrived home by last Satur.
day nights train. They had rough passage
both ways, and as one of them said: "When the
steamer was not standing on one end or the
other she was rolling" They left Portland
with head wind blowing gale and it con.
tinued to blow until they reached Bermuda
When something was said about its being
rough in crossing the Gulf Stream Parker re.
marked that he knew now just where the Gull
Stream was. 1t began at Portland and ended
at Bermuda. The passage home was not SC
rough and the Prince Arthur arrived at Port
land Saturday morning giving the tourists a
few hours there before taking the l D. m. train
for home. Those able to report at meal time
say that the table was good, and the accommo-
dations, while not equal of course to those on
the larger steamships, were quite satisfactory.
The stay at Bermuda, where the climate was
like summer at home, was thoroughly enjoyed.
The party lived on board the steamer, which
laid at St. Georges during their stay. Here
Thomas Moore, the Irish poet arrived in 1903
and.i in his melodious verse he thus described
the place:
bright rose the morning, every wave was still,
When the first perfume of a cedar hill
Sweetly awaked US, and, with smiling charms,
The fairy harbor wood US to it's arms.
Gently we stole, before the whispering wind
Through plantain shades, that round, like
awnings, twined,
And kiss'd on either side the wanton sails,
Breathing our welcome to these vernal wales;
While far reflected Ger the wave serene,
Each wooded island shed so soft green
That the enamor'd keel, with whispering play,
Through liquid herbage seem'd to steal its
way"
Several of Moore's poems were inspired by
his sojourn in Bermuda; but today the Bermuda
onion is better known than the poems.
Bermuda is group of islands belonging to
Great Britain about 624 miles E. S. S. of Cape
Hatteras, which is the nearest land The ex-
tent of the group is only 10 miles by 6 miles,
although the number of slets is nearly 400;
area, Al square miles. They are enclosed on
several sides by formidable coral-reefs, which
are said to be the only coral-reefs occurring in
the central expanse of the Atlantic. The
long; St. Georges 81 miles; Somerset, miles;
and Ireland, 3 miles. Hamilton, the capital, is
on Bermuda island. St. Georges Isle has a
good landlocked harbor, which is defended by
strong batteries These isles are separated by
narrow and intricate channels and have no
streams and but few pools of fresh water The
principal water supply is from rain water
caught in cisterns. The main islands are con-
nected by bridges. The climate is so mild that
vegetation is green the year around. The
only trees are cedar and fir, and the former
wood is used in building boats, which in rig
and model are of purely local type. 1t hard
ly need be said that the Bermudans are ex-
siderable size, or at least have been in the
past, for Thomas Moore says of his voyage
from Norfolk to Bermuda in 1904: 1.-The Diver
sloop of war, in which l went, was built at
Bermuda of cedar and is accounted an excel
lent sea- boat
The exports are potatoes, onions, arrowroot
and Easter lily bulbs. The advent of the Tex
onion trade, and onions grown in other South
ern States are sold in our markets for Bermuda
onions. We shall have the real thing in Bel
fast however, Portland man bought 1,5OO
boxes to bring home and Mr.. Swift engaged
few boxes. At one time Bermuda made large
shipments Of Easter bulbs to New York but
they now ship the bulbs only and the excur-
sionists saw acres of the lilies in bloom and
other acres in onions and potatoes
TT i i
ly spent. There were drives over roads as
smooth and hard as marble, and one day trip
was made to Hamilton in a big tug boat The
dock yard and the Aquarium were visited and
the party had dinner at the American, one of
Hamilton's numerous hotels. The people were
found very courteous, and that they are law
abiding was indicated by the fact that only
three arrests had been made for any cause
since the first of the year. Following is the
official program for the entertainment of the
tourists, and which was carried out to the
letter:
Thursday, Reception His Worship the
Mayor of st. Georges, at the hotel ST. George
Welcome to Bermuda. Invitation Tea by Mrs
W. E. Meyer at The St. George Tennis at The
ton. p M, dancing.
Friday 1910 a. m.-Carriages to Caves,
fuckers Town, Natural Arch, Beach, South
Shore, Driving Round Harrington Sound and
back to st. Georges Lunch at Beach. 8 p. M
dancing.
saturday17-s. S. Prince George arrives
from New York. Seeing the Old Town. Band
concert at the St. George. p M, dancing.
Sunday 1S-To Sea Gardens dockyard, Som
erset, Bermuda Aquarium, Hamilton and re-
turn to ST. Georges.
Church II a. m. and 7.30 p. m.
Monday 19-At the rife range, St. Georges
prize and competition shooting arranged by
Company, Bermuda Volunteers Rifle Corps and
ladies'. Afternoon tea at rifle range. .. M
dancing.
Tuesday 20-By water to Hamilton for the
day, proposed exhibition drill between a Com
pany of the D. c. L. l. and the Naval Reserve
of Portland, Me-, U. S. A.
Tuesday 20-At St. Georges at p. M grand
campfire entertainment, with assistance kind
ly volunteered) and concert at the tennis lawn
Of the St. Georges Hotel. Admission to en-
closure Is.
Wednesday 22-Home, sweet home.
Bermuda, as everybody knows, is not only a
great place for wrecks, but is a port of call for
vessels in distress. Many of our coastwise
vessels, bound north or south, when blown off
bring up at Bermuda, and if repairs are needed
they are costly. While the excursionists were
there one of the Pendleton Brothers fleet,
schooner Mary L. Crosby was towed in as re-