Evening star., 1932-12-25

Bermuda has thrived so we'll since
her dark ages that these coral islands
support permanent population Of moro
| than 10000, nearly evenly divided be-
tween the white and Negro races. Tf1e
| Negroes are largely descended from
slaves brought to Bermuda in days long
before the American Revolution.
One OF Bermuda'S strongest appeals
to the traffic haunted American is its
absence of motor vehicles. Save for q
couple Of official cars owned by the
J government, there Is no such thing as
motor car on the islands. Horse
tons of an elder day-furnish tire trans
portation for those who do not walk
or ride bicycles.
| Another touch of the a .ali,y
which seems always to {! --..l-uoa
! Hght-operatic, ctage-c-- g., Is fur
| nished in the absence c. Waue., save
lor the surrounding seas, Lacking a
great depth Of natural soil, there is no
fresh water accumulation in the
ground. But rains are dependable and
Tor the supply OF the people, cisterns,
great and small. have been built all
over the Islands. In these the rain
water is impounded and kept swee..
and fresh, for the tanks are built u:
clean limestone manufactured by the
coral builders.
Commercial Activity Subordinated.
Another charm of the land is the
! almost complete absence of insect life
! ireland is not more free of snakes.
A tiny, darting lizard and the green
turtle are the representatives Of rep
! lillian life.
| Although the entire archipelago has
| nf HIT % miles ha
largest island is but IA miles long and
l mile wide, and although the entire
land surface shows but 20 square miles,
| there are 104 miles of roads The
! limestone base binds into a hard,
smooth surface for the light vehicles
! that traverse it.
| With life flowing at leisurely pace
and with SO many people avowedly
in pursuit OF enjoyment, the islands
are notable for an absence Of the
greater hysteria OF commercial centers.
Hamilton Is the capital and ST.
| George the only other town Of any size.
! White houses which gleam brilliantly
( IN the sunshine are pleasantly placed
along the lanes lined with palmettos
/ and the Bermuda cedar, the latter an
! indigenous tree which has furnished
the builcing material for the older
/ HoustS, some Dul!t generations ago. Be-
/ cause OF the establishment of a naval
! depot and coaling station years ago by
the British government, there is a
Sprlnkling Of uniforms and lust enough
OF feeling OF officialdom about Gov
eminent House TO reflect the security
/ of the British Empire.
one railway, a half-apologetic cleo
! trlc tram line and handful of motor
trucks for necessary heavy hauling are
the only signs Of modern locomotion.
Even these move at a slow pace and
their sounds are heard seldom in com.
parison to the clop Of horses hoofs.
/ Conn ercial activity Of any kind
seems subordinated to the entertain-
n:ent Of the thousands of visitors who
always are present. Polo. riding, fish,
/ ing 1or the strange denizens OF these
troplc seas, sailing, bathing, golf, ten
MS and, at night. dancing and drink
! ing on the wide hotel verandas seem
10 be the chief occupations OF a people
whose bitter days are far behind them.
thanks to the adoption of these en-,
chanteo isles by the American people.