The Daily Missoulian., 1912-05-05

If you can picture in your nnd's
eye q coral-eapped mountain rising
nearly II 600 feet from the bottom df
the sea, but prntrudne less than 300
feet above the surface at il. ana reach
Ing out for nearly 20 miles like the
half-closed claw Of some monster bird
YOU can form a rough idea of that
ocean oasis. Bermuda While disrov-
cred IN lhla W. Juan Hermudc2. u Pur-
tugneS" In command uf Il Spanish c%-
pediiion, il was coloni4rd ANA settled
by the British In 1Gi2 The cunsrnsus
of opinion of early chrnniclers appears
To br that the SpIniards entertained Il
superstiious belief that the spot was
the abode ri devils, and abandoned IL
In fear ana dread. This conclusion,
however. Is not compatible with the
character of the early Spanish cNplor-
ers, Who. fired by the wonderful tales
of coriez and PiZarro's discoveries of
new Eldoradas. made god the prize
sought in all their adventures To- the
strange lands
Ear'y records relate that BcrmudeZ.
after the custom OF explorers of the
period. To provide for possible ship
wrecked connirymen. landed u herd of
hogs which so multiplied that the
half-siarved. disaster stricken cNpcdi-
,ion landed by Sir George Sommcrs In
1909, they found sustenance not only
sufficient for themselves. bat for the
members of their party who had be-
come detached from their fleet Of ships
and landed starving on the mainland,
over COO miles away, IN The spot that
Is now Virginia 81. George. which
was the original capital of the island.
Is named after Sir George, and tho
beautiful little park in It's center was
created around the spot where tn,
heart of this gallant ana intrepid adj
miral lies buried. The early colunigts
who existed as component parts of the
bermuda company, operating under
charter from the king. passed through
the usual vloissindes nf the pioneer.
iiiling the soil ana finding In the moro
serviCcablr forms nf agriculture thr
wealth that the Spaniards IN their greed
missed Frequent changes of govern
ors. many Of iiem dcspots. followed
until the colonists petition.d to the
crown for reef from lilo ospiuuW"o
Of the company that controlled thrnl.
and were finally created M mdop"udz
cnt colony During the revolutionary
war the coianisis proved valuable al
lies To the cause of Independence, fur
nishine General Washington with pow >
der at a most Opportuue time In the
ciyl war. hsWeycr, the Union was
hampcrcd 10 considerable degree hy
the practice of blockade running on
gagged In hy the Bermndians. who
..l, a.. f..
the southern forces, taking in exchange
cotton, which vas shipped 10 England.
A gradual metamorphnsis appears II
have followed the footsteps of the or
dcrly and industrious early settlers.
and the dense groves Of eedars. TIA.
most conspicuous Indigenous growth
began gradually 10 give way tn fields
planted with tobacco potatoes, corn
etc. So important n product did the
tobacco become that for years 1, was
staple article OF product to England.
and for a period was the only coin"
of the colony. To-day. while II may lie
found in places growing wild, almost
non" Is cultivated, owing Il is claimed,
10 the difficulty encountered In "Uur-
ing" The "Bormuda cigar is made
from leaf brought from Jamaica The
famous onion, associated for years
with Bermuda. was introduced from
seed brought from the Canary islands
ana Is today on" of tile most staple
and valuable articles Of export The
Easter lily. the blooms and bulbs at
which are shipped tn New York has
of recent years, added another indus
try to the islands. and the Garnet
po,ato brings fancy price. Pre-cmi
ncnt, however, among all the products
the Bermudian arrowrOot still holds its
own, and admits no equal The cul-
iivation of fancy fruits FOR export is
all but abandoned, because of the ray
ages of parasites but wild lemons ara
still to be plnckcd, and diminutiyc ba
mana groves dot the landscape. Ever
coffee In its savage state may b,
found. OF all introduced Growths
however, none excel the oleander
brought from the Mediterranean I'm.
mense rows of these are planted nloni
the roadside, and bounding the tin,
farms, TO serve ms wind brakes" pro
tecting the tender shoots of CROWNS
crops from destructive gales. when i,
bloom these South Sea Roses pro
sent spectacle Of ravishing Ioprli
NESS, tHelF perfume ihh'hhiS Wv ~
like incense
Among all the glorious flora of III
island--and there are over 200 specie
none presents q greater erect OF 81
egant cffplgence Than the boneanvilla!
trailing lis graceful vine far M int
The cedar tree trops, and bursting viii
u copions cascade Of purple bloom lilI'
. floral Niagara against background
of green. The royal poneiana, flam
boyant pOjnsetta. mangroye, fiS tree
the clean cut paWpaW, great variety
of palms ard hyhsciis hedges. AL com.
bins n present d striking variety al
GroWths,
When II ls considered that the soil
of the island varies from only q few
inches Ia about u foot in depth, the
profusion OF vegetable life Is Amazing.
Often m or.lIa a GARDEN the native