Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1916-02-02

! that some Of the many readers Of
your paper might enjoy a letter from
Culebra, West indies. | have been
| reading The Courier for a number OF
years. but never did enjoy it as
| much as now, when it comes to me as
4 real message from friends. | think
perhaps that we fail to fully apprc-
ciate our paper until we are away
from home. am quite sure that |
never read a copy SO thoroughly as
the one to-day.
We sailed from Boston, Mass, on
Iana"ry 9Th. leaving the city covered
in snow and ice. After eleven full
days at sea, covering about 1900
miles. we cast our anchor on the
shore of this little island in the land
Of nrver-ending summer.
Culcbra is a small island about ten
miles wide by fifteen long, mass Of
rugged mountains from the waters
edge, and therefore very beautiful
as you people who live in Oconee and
sec the Blue Ridge Range know the
mountains are always beautiful-but
the mountains Of Culebra are unu-
sually pretty because OF the cocoanut
palms, banana plants and other trop-
ical plants that decorate it's rugged
sleeps. The population was in 1905
about 80 people, but now that the
government has put fresh water on
the island the population has i'll
creased to 7O9 TO be exact. 1t will
not be very hard for you to imagine
the excitement Of the natives of so
small an island. with so few people,
to have a great fleet Of AZ vessels.
with 10000 men, drop down upon
its 81 ore within an afternoon. The
word that we were to come had pre-
ccded us, so all the natives were on.
to see what was to them most won
derful sight. Indeed, the Atlantic
Fleet in a body is no small thine.
even to the most highly civilized Of
our own States, solwe were not l.
prised at this poor little people, in
their ignorance and very limited ter
ritory, when they showed great Won
der and much interest upon our ar
rival.
The inhabitants Of Culebra aro
Spanish-speaking people, and in ap-
pearance they are much like our
southern negro. Their homes ar
small huts, worse than you can we'll
imagine unless at some time you
have visited the Virgin Islands. The
average hut consists OF one room for
the entire family-.,lsually four or
five children---alSo chickens, pigs,
goats and dogs, for they all live un-
der the same roof. The cooking is
done in the yard on All open fire.
much like the mountain camp fire.
except the native builds a stand so
he won't have to stOop to do his
cooking There is. however, little
cooking done. since the native lives
principally on fruit. which is found
in abundance on all parts OF the is
land.
Oranges and bananas can be bought
are also plentiful and cheap. Stock
raising 81 ems to be the chief occupa-
ton OF the islanders. One can see
large herds Of small cattle on almost
every farm. or ranch, as they like to
call them: also ponies are seen in
large numbers, bu, they are too
small to be OF much service, except
for saddle use. The island is covered
with variety OF grasses, VIII. h make
it splendid for pasturage. which is. IF
course, green all the year. | walked
about six miles yesterday to investi-
gate the island for my own satisfac-
ton, and | soon satisfied myself that
| had rather be on our own dear %e-
braSka, for the ground was covered
Cor to say the least it seemed SO to
mc) with large lizards about 10 to
| , inches long, and for good measure
a snake bobbcd up now and then to
look us over. | appreciate more than
ever my home on the grand old man
of-war. the l.. S. S. Nebraska
Our life aboardship is the same
here as it is in the States, except, Of
course, the heat is a little uncomfort-
able; but on the average | would
call the climate delightful and balmy.
Just at this moment. however. have
my port open and the electric far
going at full speed. Life aboard a