Press enter after choosing selection

The Bermuda Islands

The Bermuda Islands image
Parent Issue
Day
17
Month
July
Year
1874
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Within three days' travel from New York it is hardly possible to find so complete a change in government, climate, scenery, and1 vegetation as Bermuda offers. The voyage may or may not be jleasant, but is sure to be short. The ;ulf stream, which one is obliged to cross, ïas on many natures a subduing effect, and the sight of land is not generally unwelcome. The delight is intensified by ;he beauties which are spread out on every hand. The wonderful transparency of the water, the numerous islands, making new pictures at every turn, the shifting lights on the hills, the flowers which almost hide the housen that peep out ïere and there from their bowers, make up a scène as rare as it is beautiful. The general direction of the islands is 'rom northeast to southwest. They are in the latitude of Charleston, South Carolina, and the nearest point on the con;inent is Cape Hatteras, five hundred and eighty miles distant. They are of calcareous formation, " duo entirely," says Colonel Nelson, " to the actioa of the wind in blowing up sand made by the disintegration of coral reefs. They present but one mass of animal remains in various stages of comminution and disinegration. The varieties of rock are irregularly associated, and without auy order of superposition. Nearly every shell now known in the surrounding sea may be fouud in the rock, quite perfect, exccpt with regard to color. Along the south shore are Band hills which illus;rate the formation of Bermuda. In one nstance a cottage has been submerged, trees to the height of several feet, and ;he sand has even traveled up a hill one lundred and eighty feet high. Nine miles north of the islands are four needie rocks, apparently the remains of former slands. They are of limestone, and are stratified like the main land." There are in all about one hundred isands, .though it is usually stated that ;here are three times as many. Not more ;han sixteen or twenty are inhabited, and of these the five largest ai e 8t. David's, 5t. George's, Burmuda proper, sometimes styled the Continent, Somerset, and Ireand. They are about fifteeu miles in ength, and the greatest breadth is about 3ve miles. Tbere are no mountains, no rivers, and so, while they are without magnificence in scenery, in a quiet sort of beauty they are unique. There are about one hundred and fifty miles of good, hard roads, which are generally free from dust. In many places deep cuttings have been made, and the rocks tower above the carriage even. The scenery is exceedingly picturesque, and changes continually. Now you drive through wido stretches of country, and the landscape bears striking resernblanco t.o that of New England ; then through a narrow road with bigh walls of rock on either hand, on the sides of which the maiden-hair fern grows in profusión, and the road is so winding that everv new view which bursts suddenly upoñ you is a surprise ; and theu there are delightful glimpses of the sea, with its many islands. Walls of stone extend along the roadside, and over them clamber the morning glory, the prickly pear, and the night-bloomiug cereus. Great beds of geraniums, which mock our hothouses in their profusión, grow wild. Hedges of oleander line the roads or bor1 der cultivated patches of land, protecting I thetn from the high winda which at times sweep over the islands. Thirteen varieties are found here, and wherever you go it is one mass of pink and white blossoms. The lantana also grows wild all along tho hedges. The passion flower peeps out from its covert of green leaves, creeping up the branches of tall trees. The profusión of flowers is .wonderful, and one can always have a bouquet for the gathering. The winter is tho regal time for ,them. About Christmas the roses, magnificent in size, and of groat variety, are in all their glory. One gentlemau assured me that he had upwardof onehundred and fifty varieties. No great care seems to be taken to cultívate thera. Here and there one sees a fine garden, but nothing that even approaches what might be accomplished with such a soil and climato. The beauty and variety of flowers are fully equalled by the excellence and diversity of fruits. Oranges of a superior quality are raised, though their culture is not general. The lenion grows wild. The mango, guava, papaw, pomegranate, fig, arooada paar - whose lovers (for they can be called nothing else,) become eloquent in its praise - the custard apple, the banana - the lazy man's delight, bearing its weulth of fruit, and dying as it yields its single bunch, while the now plants springing up about its dead stalk maintaiu the supply the year round - all these fruits grow readily, and with due effort would grow abundantly. Apples and poars are raised, but lack the flavor they po8sess with ns. Peaches, heretofore excellent, have been destroyed for two years past by an insect. Strawberries ripen from November till July. (irapes grow luxuriantly. The most common tree is the Bertnudian cedar, with which nearly all the hillsides are wooded. Occasionally one sees the mountain palm, whilo tamarind, tamarisk, palmetto, cocoannt, India rubber, mahogany and calabash trees are quite common. Ia gardens many West

Article

Subjects
Old News
Michigan Argus