Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1911-12-06

Jn0 WOn0erIul pea OF TneSe IOr-
ests. The many c,...-us forms and
beautiful trees and Towering shrubs,
tree ferns and giant palms, all mat
ted together so closely with vines
and linias that one cannot see q
hundred feet through the mass OF
vegetation.
The people here are nearly all
black or half breeds, and more
childish, easy going lot cannot be
found anywhere. They greet you on
every corner with master, and one
thinks of the days when they were in
bondage. There are very few beg
gars here. Still one cannot ask q
question. such as to inquire your way
anywhere before there are two or
three who come up. very eager to
show you the way. They seldom tell
you where to go, the answer Is al
ways, Yes, master. will show you
and then lead the way to the desired
goal and OF course expect their tips.
All the carrying is done by balancing
whatever has to be carried on the
head. / have seen women balancing
With Perfect ease such things as
large trays of fruits, pals Of water,
CHSb64I AhaoketGJs to1o ApAdles ct
l1e11o ~ II used e. nre wood. Also
No saw women coaling a large
steamer at the wharf. There were,
Judge, from two to three hundred
AL women-who marched In an
endless line up one side of the gang
plank with baskets of coal, weighing
each twenty pounds, balanced on
their heads, and after the baskets
were emptied on board. they march
ed down the other side of the gang
plank, each receiving check for
every basket carried. These checks,
when one hundred of them we're pre-
sented at the boats Office would en-
title the holder to IA of cent for
each basket One wonders why more
up-to-date methods are not used, but
II you stop to figure that for 25 cents
ton of coal is loaded, and that such
docks as are required to load coal
In these days, requires the outlay
of several thousands Of dollars, and
insurance. repairs, operating ex-
penses. besides every year. then 1t
will be seen that It is much cheaper
TO hire these poor blacks to toll their
lives away for q miserable existence.
As to scenery / tnink st. Kits
ourpasses any island l have yet seen.
The mountains are from two thou
sand to four thousand feet high and
some are covered nearly to their tops
with cultivated fields Of sea island
cotton and sugar cane. All fields on
these steep slopes are cultivated
along the side OF the mountain and
- >wn~ ~ ouH Anvyu - 0povouf wo oh.
ing. for when It rains here 1t simply
comes down in bucket fulls. To give
an illustration, will mention q
storm that passed over st. Kits while
Ms Ii the club of the town Of Bas-
oeterre It simply started without
any warning whatever. and In two
minutes Il was raining 80 hard that
one oouId not see over $50 feet. In
ten minutes II was all over and the
sun came out bright and hot. max
tnS everything steam. and one felt
Ae II he we're In q turkish bath room
These mountains when they are
not cultivated. are covered from the
oea shore to their very summlts With
3 tropical vegetation of trees. fe. Il
and cactus. SO thickly intermingled
with vines, linias and creepers, that
one cannot get into them at all with.
out cutting your way through. And
to harass ones progress still more
there are hundreds of vines and
bushes bearing thorns and spike.
that are continually reminding ont
OF their presence ina manner which
simply does not tolerate the use o.
the English language. without some
thing added to express ones feeling
now and then.
Our steamer. the Parma OF thu
Quebec Steamship Co., is q boat 34(
feet long and AZ foot beam. equip
ped with engines developing $500
horsepower. which carries US alon(
at about ~ knots per hour wher
loaded. The boat has quarters To-
$50 people besides crew Of Sc. ani
e Z good "sea-horse."
On our way down several things O
interest were noted In my diary
some OF which mention here. ON
afternoon sQuali was seen ap
pYoaching OF our port bow and I
rlant water spout formed. and sool
= second one Just BY it, side appear
n Watched them through n!
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