New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1917-06-06


to recognize, many familiar constella-
lions they never seem the same. They
are like glowing sisters of their paler
brothers up north. Off to the south
the southern cross marked the begin
ming of new and unexplored ATTITUDES.
The purple and blue shore line of the
little cove marked the rise of land from
the unruf1ed surface of the water with a
sharp contrast and led the eye away
to the entrance where a headland
stood out against the moonlight ocean
like a cameo in blues and puppies.
The whole scene seemed so unreal and
mystic that we sat for some time en-
joying the novelty of our surroundings
while the captain and crew calmly
folded themselves in slack of the
canvas sail and went to sleep.
| The Lure of the Tropics
| Time seems of little account on
occasions like this. Was it any Won
der that Columbus was drawn back
time after time to these mysterious
islands? Some four hundred and four
teen years ago Columbus discovered
this island. Possibly he, too, dropped
anchor in this harbor. Then, as now,
the same troplc moon might have
silvered the waters, the same broodlng
mystery lowered over the silent harbor,
that same fitting shadows cast Their
mantle over the distant lands. What
is the fascination? Why did Columbus
fight disease, and mutiny and unklnd
men to make voyage after voyage to this
land, which finally received his bones'
only to give them up again, to be later late
juggled about until now there are three
authentic resting places for the great
restless admiral? Why do men return
again and again to the tropics when
they know that danger lies in wait? Why
did Jack London 60 back again, and
again, when in his heart he knew that
the tropics were not for him? What
| is the charm, the almost irresistible
fascination? It is little question to
ask, but big one to answer. Too big
for little correspondent, so we rolled
Add s'First Glimpse if our new pos etc
IN another corner of the captains sail
cloth and exchanged "a hard problem for
la hard deck. -.s .~.~..
| Early Morning Arrival.
! Early morning found us sailing into
our twenty-five million dollar harbor,
under the guns of an American transport.
We were greeted by many small boats
manned by colored St. Thomains who
addressed us in very British English and
solicited our transport.
One of them had ingeniously named
his boat the Liberty eve are free
men now, sir! We have gained our free
don.'',, They evidently have faith in
our country. May they never have
reason to doubt it. They came under
the flag practically at the same time we
declared war. Not an suspicious be-
ginning. May they live to see better
world, purged in part of selfshness by
the blood of those who will have to die
for the cause of liberty. -
No one can doubt the value of the
harbor at St. Thomas. 1t is really three
harbors in one separated by necks OF
land. 1t is admirably protected by
natural promotories and lies almost
landlocked. ..s... a .srr.; +. :
This harbor was early appreciated by
navigators and reached the height OF lte
commercial supremacy in the days OF the
sailing vessel. Here all ships bound fol
the West Indies made harbor. 1t was
the first port of call in the new world
and the last port OF departure for the old
Flags of All Nations.
| Many ships discharged cargo here and
the immense stores of the city still have
their back doors on the docks and the
front doors on the main street, a good
long block away. You 60 right through
from street to dock in, one long avenue OF
merchandise. Here came the traders
from all the islands and the continent of
South America. Here goods were bar
tered and exhanged, the commodities of
the old world absorbed by the new and
the ships bound for Europe loaded with
the goods from the new. But they are
gone now. With the advent of steam
navigation the port of St. Thomas lost
is supremacy. The big steam vessels
put in but they did not unload as Of yore.
battling head winds and still more dis
tressing clans had no terrors for the
steamer and they went on their way.
1t was new era in navigation and St..
Thomas suffered. Then she stood STILL
Next week we will look into the
history of our new possessions and see
something of the people.
LOU D. MACWETHY.