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Show FROM THE BLEAK NORTH INTO THE BALMY SOUTH Dtligtats of a Trip to the Island of Jamaica, with Its Many Charms, to the Tourist Seeking Rest - Point of Interest in the Republic of Colombia, (Special Correspondence.) The pleasure, of going from the North to the tropics In midwinter la always much enhanced by a particularly particu-larly cold and bleak day for tho departure. de-parture. This was denied thoso of'us who sailed, for New York wore an air of nlmost Bummer mildness, and only the lightest of overcoats were needed eg wo steann-d out Into the bay. On the sixth day the waving palms of Jamaica gladdened the eye, and two days were nllowed the South American Ameri-can passcngcis to make what excursions excur-sions they could Inland. Tourists sailing from IJoston land at Port Antonio, which Is on tho opposite side of tho Island from Kingston, and one of the most charming spots in Native Houses. (Jamaica.) Jamaica. 1 selected the other routo for the very good reason that all places on the Iioston boats were taken far in advance when I was ready to engage my passage. But, as an English Eng-lish friend expressed it, that lino "did for us very well," and wo had no fault to And. As Jamaica Is becoming yearly more and more the Mecca for tourists, It Is ns well to state the plain facts, which really need no coloring. There is more to bo seen and en-Joyed en-Joyed for a month or more In Jamaica, It seems to me, than at any other place so conveniently reached from our part of the world during the objectionable ob-jectionable months that precede spring. Tho thinnest summer clothing Is required, and no one Is more uncomfortable un-comfortable than the Northern tourist who tries, to get about In a black derby, dark clothes and black shoes. The best way Is to wear as much white as possible, from the canvas covering for the feet to the India-pith helmet, do little walking in the sun In the middle of the day and preserve an ovca disposition. Those of us who were bound to South. America, or, as some were, on the entire round trip from New York to New York, arranged to take the prettiest long drive on the island that can be done In one day that to the famous Castle Gardens, the government govern-ment reservation, whero nearly every tree, shrub and plant that can be found In tho tropics has been gathered. gath-ered. It was a day that everybody en-Joyed en-Joyed hugely, Including' forty miles of drive over hill and dale, by the side of purling streams, past plantations of sugar cane, coroanuts, bananas and coffee, through negro villages and groves of gigantic cotton frees, As it was on a Friday, country peoplo were constantly being met in little parties. KVJHHBtK De Leiip' Residence. (Colon, Colombia.) on their way U tho Saturday market at Kingston, carrying; either on donkeys don-keys or more often on their heads, quantities of vegetables and fruits to bo disposed of there. Tho womon seemed oven more In ovldenco than tho men, and their erect forms and nquaro shoulders showed tho beneficial effect of tho llfolnng habit of carrying burdens upon the head. Thoy wore always ready to respond to pleasantries, and sometimes their repartee was rich with unctuous humor. At one stop ping plate a native woman asked ono of the excursionists how ho liked the country, and he said it was too warm. "We'll try to have It cooler the next time you come, master," she answered. Every man had cither "master," "captain" "cap-tain" or "doctor" given him by each native who spoke, the latter appellation appella-tion seeming u favorite one. Starting out of Kingston harbor again, those of us who were bound farther south had a breezy trip across tho waters that lntcrveno between that point nnd the first Important port of South Amerlcn, nt which our steamer steam-er called that of Savanllla, In tha,To-public tha,To-public of Colombia, which we reached In about forty hours. Savanllla may have been of some Importance at one time, but now it is merely a small collection of huts, In none of which a self-respecting white person would care to spend a night or eat a meal, I should guess that the Inhabitants might bo 500, and that must also represent about tho number num-ber of individuals who had drunk themselves Into a state of Inebriety in order to usher In tho Lenten season in a becoming manner. They had one day left to get drunker In, If that were possible, for tho carnival would end on the morrow, which was Tuesday. One of the native customs Is to paint the cheeks with daubs of red or blue, and tho most fantastic costumes conceivable conceiv-able are worn. All work Is suspended. The train which should have taken us to Barranqullla, twenty-seven roller away whero the custom house and real business of the port Is transacted transact-ed had gone Just before our arrival, and we were told that tho usual afternoon after-noon train would not run on account of the festa. A special government train happened, fortunately, to show up about dark, and we got to Barranqullla, Barran-qullla, after all, that night. Now, why should anyone come to Barranqullla, unless on commerce bent, or gold mining, or after a government gov-ernment concession of some kind, or afflicted with sudden Insanity? Simply because Barranqullla Is on the way to Bogota, the capital of Colombia, tho country that professes to own tho Isthmus of Panama, and with which tho United States Is bound to havo more or less intimate relations during the next twenty years. The Magdalena river pretends to run from somewhere above a villago called Honda to this town; and at some times of year, after sufficient rain has fallen, It Is said to do so. Just now the condition of tho river bed Is admitted on all hands to be dlscour- aging, and growing worse. The 600 miles that can sometimes be mado In seven days by steamers that draw three feet of water may now take half as many weeks, or oven more From Honda to Bogota it is somo days on muleback over a mountain trail. |
