St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1911-08-02
LETTER FROM JAMAICA.
III. j. Farman Tells of Its Physical
Features.
To the Editor of me Caledonian:-

To the Editor of The Caledoniaa:-
To one who has never visited the
tropics their idea of scenery is some
what vague. At least it was so in my
case. | had read of the Blue Noun
tains which run nearly the whole
length of the island and tower up
over 1000 feet above sea level with
many a sharp peak and deep cavern
Their general appearance to me as I
viewed them from the sea and then
travelled over them was a most beau
tiful green like our mountains only
covered every inch with tropical
fruits and vines. There is hardly
foot of waste land even to the very
the cocoanut palm growing many feet
high without a limb, and looks as if
it had been turned cut of a lathe till
you get nearly to the top, where the
large palm leaves branch out all
around like an enlarged crows nest
in which are as many as three or
more bushels, gathered by the ma
tives, who shin up the tree. The ba-
mana tree next attracts ones atten-
tibn. It's stump is quite large from
which grow large cone-shaped leaves
from eight to twelve feet long, bend
ing over like an arch, underneath
and banana plantations, interspersed
with a great variety of other fruit
trees, extend out both sides of the
railroad as far as the eye can see,
like a great western corn or wheat
field, for distance of some seventy
five r,il"s between Port Antonio on
the north to Kingston on the south.
The climate here is very warm al
this season, about Sc or 88 degrees
above in the day time, but quite cool
at night. The sea breezes are con-
stantly blowing in off the ocean,
which makes it very comfortable. We
have had IN occasional shower on
the hills which has been greatly ap-
preciS ted. The droutE here reminds
one Of conditions at home when l
left, July 5.
One very amusing thing meets the
eye OF an American as he looks about
to spy out his brother and finds none
unless he happens to go into some of
flee or bank in which American CAPT.
tai is invested; yearly all others are
colored except very few English or
provincial officials. If any one
thinks they are dull of understanding
let them engage their services with
out stipulated price, and yet they
are by no means dishonest in the
sight of the law. It is only another
way of being sharp, in American
phraseology. 1t is surprising to note
what lot Of servants one has to have
in order to get anything done. Most
OF the work is to be done tomorrow,
and one wonders when tomorrow
will come, although there are some
grand exceptions. To observe the va
rious ways in which burdens are car
ried is almost beyond description
Women carrying all kinds of loads on
their heads and camels with large
baskets tied on either side of their
backs filled with all kinds of fruits.
Then come the draymen with all
kinds of carts and some fcur-wneeled
wagons resem bling those of fifty
years ago. Mules and donkeys are
the prevailing beasts Of burden, al
though they have many fine English
horses of small type like the French
ponies. They have also rice carriag-
es and you can be conveyed in as nice
a way as you please for a much more
reasonable price than at home As
far as faithful service is concerned it
will be hard to find better The
streets are literally filled with pedes-
trians going in all directions clad in
all manner of clothes, and some of
them quite ragged, with their heads
loaded and their hands full, crying
off their goods. And not only so, but
calling out to every new conner for
tip. The English custom of tipping