Show V WAD 4 A I 1 A T fr r I 1 aa A 74 IS I S g g i n X wom oly 5 4 V principal street of Will willemstad emstad LITT hit bit of holland trans A planted in the caribbean to la curacao Curn cao it dutch island that Is but 40 miles from tho the northern const of venezuela and only a little lit 10 lo more than miles from la port town for caracas capital of Tene venezuela zuela no other island of tho the west indies so nearly represents by its physical appearance and its peaple aile the country of tho the zuyder zoo as does docs this quaint pretty ond ami very hog pliable little island chief possession of the dutch tn in tile tho caribbean tito sea bea comes into port part city of curacao to form a landlocked harbor unlike any other in the west indies tills this harbor which ls bontly half a mile long very deep and large forms it 0 spacious port of call for many ships qt lit one time twp tap dutch forts which tire arc none too formidable in looks hut but which appeal to one because bo of their squatty somber dutchy appearance guard the lie on en trance to tho the harbor A bridge spans the narrow channel just above tho the for forts and iq swung for ships coming in n or going out to leave leava tile tho way clear about tho the town of Willem stal itself there Is it a charming influence which immediately wins the stronger stranger so much like tho the mother country la Is this little port tho the architecture Is dutch I 1 the buildings themselves might have been brought bodily train from amsterdam so BO enuch do they resemble rese nillo tho the physical features of that dutch city tito the town to ls built down to the water front on both sides of the main inlet ot of tile tho barbor barbar ns as well as along the lagoon just above the forts anti on tile right aldo p ia a ship enters stands the governors home anti and tile tho general government buildings n pleasing bight extending along tile same bamo aide und and ulso also running along tho the opposite shore ore into tile tho business houses which stand but it 11 fow few feet back from tho the water itself entering the harbor As aa tho the ship drits toward its lock dock n passenger may inay got get a good view of the town tho the architecture fascinates i ci tho busy chuay condition of tile the dock clock and adjoining streets where hundreds hundred ij of people seem tio ft swarm nt at their work gives tin nn impression of if hustling and much alive tropical town As AB the ship fillip goes on past a break in fit tho the line of buildings tile lagoon Is 13 observed to file ho right anti and down to its edge imn hun fr of homes whose tile roofs appear in varied contrast under the sun suit those these homes hoines the passenger will bearil t it ho he chooses to hire nix an automobile nu nt at 52 2 tin on hour to ride about the town are arc weal wea in cleanliness many ships oro are always to bo be found in tile the willemstad Will emstad harbor even dur ing the war there usually tire are three or four steamers tit nt dock in addition to ninny one ant two and binsted sailing palling schooners ners which noich ply between cui encao ant and ports of venezuela bc benusa of these ships chips and for tho the tenson reason leon that many business houses tire down own at it tile the edge of the water willem clad gives nn all immediate impression of oc I 1 huch u h hustle and activity the business places even absent would contribute lolinia toward milking making this same battle impression and and dua in to these mello been a tit at tile the flack during the hours of nt regular business tile passenger even though lie ha anever leav leaves esbig his ship always carries I 1 any a lire of ai this little town that eliat ie I 1 e never will forget lanck among tho holnes that border bonier upon the water of bf the lagoon Is to bo be found spotless towi towa it if in tile tho world outside of 11 IIo llund olland such guch a town own exists those diomes lio roos with dutch architecture are ara na as free froni from KJ dirt and itil things that detract alfrom from abod loolie looks nodi and comfort as aa tiny any 11 billes can te be stac lie kIt kitchene are and simar altu Ith floors st scrubbed rubbed white amily y free from dirt the living rooms rooi hii the bedrooms tie the dining rooms alf are arb ideal in 1 moat alost of the population colored curacao has a 0 population of nearly bof of this number nuni lei anre re whites lei the other inhabitants being v i black and n mixture of west indian negro and spanish blood in curacao there apparently Is more inore puro pure west indian and negro blood than in ronny many of the other of the west in ahin islands the negroes themselves tire n pleasant agreeable race in curacao Curnc no seeming to have felt the influence of the thrifty dutch for many years dutch la Is tile the official language of the island of course though english Is mostly spoken the natives speak dutch and english slightly and have a peculiar mixture of french Fren cli spanish dutch and indian ahn t Is 19 their chief tongue this language Is very crude tin and Is never learned simply absorbed ja scenes upon tipon of willem stud tire arc certain to entertain every one who ling come here tor for tho the first visit blany of the streets ire are very harrow hut but always clean and tile tho views along them form tin an interesting study in the hotels the though not always of tile the best beat quality Is cooked very well and Is served in tin an appetizing way considering tho the prices charged by tho the hotels and the prices which they are required to pay for the food tho the faro fare Is very good outside of Will willemstad emstad itself there ts Is little to interest anyone tho the island receives a small rainfall luckily for tho the inhabitants Will willemstad emstad to Is a free freeport port and they therefore are able to import anny foods abild goods without having to pay much more for them than cost tit nt their lipina of origination T tho lion dutch government maintains sold soldiers lera f from rom Il holland olland and tin nn equal number of native militia tit nt willem stad this force neth acts under jhc thc command of the governor and Is for ice in till nil pacts of the island tito the peaceful nature of the islanders however seems to make tile alio maintenance of this force a needless expense |