in a gay saloon where fancy neckties and bon bons were for sale. It was the hardest task either of us ever undertook, I am sure, to understand each other, and one so laughable we were in excellent humor. He had one disagreeable habit of disappearing when most wanted, and he resembled so many boys of his size I was never quite sure of him. I thought surely we had lost him for good as we wended our way through the crazy market-place. We stopped only to take in the scene. The chattering, wrangling and hideous noises of fowls and dogs proved too much for our nerves, and we gladly escaped. Finding ourselves near a massive-looking building, our guide informed us it was the Cathedral. The wide door stood open invitingly, and we entered, passing throngh dimly-lighted arches and corridors to one of the richly gilded altars in an alcove. A few candles burned in one of the silver candelebras,casting a wierd light around the whole scene; bowed figures clothed in sombre colors, were scattered through the vast church, counting their beads and appearing unaware of the intrusion of strangers. The large and heavily-framed paintings that adorned the walls attracted me. The Crucifixion" and "Mary and the infant Jesus," seemed both fine works of art, although the light was too imperfect to admit of critical examination. A female head doubtless of some saint-pleased my eye, but the other paintings were too confused to make out. The sacred place enchained me, and I reluctantly followed my companion "out of the shade into the sun." We vis ment in our wanderings, we were reminded of a commission intrusted us by Mrs. D. to look for " chapeaux." We were politely waited upon by the loveliest-looking lady my eyes had ever rested upon; her face was a fit model for Saint Cecilia, so exquisitely beautiful and perfect in coloring and feature. I thought she must have stepped out of some gilded picture-frame to do the honors of this little shop. She proved, however, to be a veritable woman, obliging, and zealous in striking a bargain, and showing herself before we left, notwithstanding her saintly face, to be possessed of as much vanity and curiosity as is ascribed to her sex. The estimation in which she held Americans was very flattering, and her curiosity would get the better of her politeness as she inspected our novel costume and unpretending chignon, and finally wound up her exclamations by going into transports over a fanciful brooch of carved ivory. Had her beautiful face not looked so deeply interested, I am sure we should have deemed the whole performance a farce, and laughed outright. Fashion makes but slow strides on this island, even though it belongs to France, that realm of fashion; and strangers are unfrequent, so the sweet lady was excusable for allowing her curiosity to get the better of her manners. Returning to lunch with our friends, we passed women at a small brook washing clothes. They stood, their dresses tucked up in the stream, rubbing the different articles between two stones, and looked as happy and good-natured as though the employment was a source of great enjoyment. We expressed some astonishment at this very novel method of doing the family washing, and suggested that the process must be a pretty severe one on old linen and buttons. All the washings, we were told, are performed beside some of these little babbling brooks or down by the sea shore where they spread out the linen on the sand, pouring sea water over them as they dry; and this process of bleaching them, where pains are taken to remove dirt or stains, gives to the clothes a pure, new look. The task is a hard one, the pay paltry. I told a dusky creole who came to the ship for washing that we used hot water and boiled our white clothes, and the Passing a modest little millinery establish look of astonishment and commiseration on ited another church subsequently, and found but little difference between them save in age, one having been built but recently, and the other considered a very old church. The stained glass was fresher in design, the paintings fewer, the chandeliers more massive and gilded, and the altars richer but less tasteful, in that erected recently. Both were gloomy, and would be oppressive to remain in long. I thanked God, as I passed out, for our dear, enlightened, happy faith, and never appreciated its worth and beauty, as while surrounded by the bigotry and superstition that I found in my sojourn in these sea-girt islands. doubtless thought us a very unenlightened race, as warm or hot water is their aversion. We found our friends living in a delightful abode; ascending many steps cut into a solid rock we found ourselves in a large, airy room overlooking the sea, and following our hostess to her room above to refresh ourselves, we had a wide and magnificent view of the surrounding country, city and beautiful blue sea, dotted by many white sails. the woman's face was decidedly funny. Shedens are in the city suburbs, and accessible to the public, although a permit from a person in authority is necessary to visit the extensive flower gardens, whose gates are kept under lock and key. They are supported by government, and are two of the finest gardens I ever saw. On our way thither, we passed the fine parade grounds and barracks where soldiers were stalking idly about, in their handsome, showy uniforms. Further on, cut in a massive rock, we beheld one of these wayside shrines where good catholics stop to cross themselves, or offer a prayer for their sins. It was a perfect little grotto, and the image of the virgin Mary and infant Jesus, before whom they kneel, looked purely white and beautiful; around and above the rock crept pretty vines blossoming in beauty, a pretty picture and a relief to the dusty highway. We found Madam A--, our hostess, a charming gentlewoman, and she greeted us with such affable sweetness we wanted to kiss her pleasant but faded cheek. She was quite motherly in her care for us and regard for our comfort. Her native place was Holland, but she spoke English as well as French fluently. Leaving us to our toilet and the lovely prospect before us, we could but mark the ancient style of living that surrounded us; here was an antique dresser of some costly wood highly polished an 1 carved, and there an immense and stately bedstead, so tall that a flight of carpeted steps stood near to ascend by. The ancient bed-curtains, looped back, revealed five sets of pillows, one above another, and graduating in size until the last was so small as to give a comical effect to the stateliness of the whole. No carpets cove. the highly polished floors, but a few bright velvet rugs give it a cheerful look, and a showy tablespread covers an antique table. The drawing-rooms were of the same style, everything nice but venerable with age. No "new-fangled notions" creept out, bat everything was in keeping, even to the heavy plate and cut glass. What a blessing it is, this never vexing one's head about the fashion of this thing or that, and what enviable people we Americans would be if we could take life as easily as the people of this charming island! The second day of our sojourn was devoted to more extensive sight-seeing, and accompanied by our American Consul, Henry David, Esq.,- to whom we had been presented the day previous, and from whose hand we received the finest sweet orange it was our fortune to have ever tasted-we visited the justly celebrated botanical and flower gardens of Martinique. These gar Nearing the open entrance to the botanical garden we paused, the air full of spicy breaths and scents of foreign trees, and the broad avenue through which we passed lined on either side by gigantic trees which looked as though they might have lived centuries. Every tree and shrub of the tropics flourishes here. I was shown various trees brought originally from the East Indies and South America. Among them was the india rubber tree, a monstrous tree with widespread ng branches that take root and grow like the banyan; the leaves are smooth and look polished, so bright a green are they, and their odor is unmistakably india-rubbery. Many spice trees were in bloom, some bearing, like the cloves, which are of a bright red on the tree, contrasting beautifully with the foliage. In gathering the cloves they spread sheets under the tree, give it a shake and down come the red and aromatic spice; they lose their color as they dry, I am told. The nutmeg is a smaller tree, the mace around the nut protected by a shaggy bark. This botanical garden is nature itself left as nearly unmolested as possible, with such necessary improvements as fine walks, grottos, pavilions, and arbors erected for the accommodations of visitors; rustic bridges cross meandering rivulets. Near the centre of the garden is a miniature pond in whose calm depths repose three tiny islands, about a dozen yards apart, and looking so over Passing along to the extremity of the garden, through a bordered path of cottonwood and cabbage trees and the various palms towering with feathered heads far above the others, we heard the rush of waters, and directly before us a tiny cataract leaped down perpendicular rocks over one hundred feet in height, falling into a huge iron caldron beneath; a piece of art not particularly attractive, but very important, and sugges. tive of the "witches' boiling cauldron" in Macbeth, only the spray that enveloped us was an improvement to the steam. Through some opening at the side of the cauldron, the overflowing and dashing torrent goes leaping down a gorge, and gained by a stream from above, and "dashing and splashing, and roaring and foaming," like the waters that come down at Lodore, are lost to us forever more. Turning away from the cooling spray and picking up a peice of the thick, smooth bark of the cabbage tree, I remarked: This spot is too beautiful, too perfect to be hid away from the world, Mr. David. Why, it is worth coming a great distance to visit so fair an Elen. I feel repaid for any amount of storms and sea-sickness." "I agree with you, Madam, but assure you this spot has few visitors, nevertheless." We acknowledge giving a suspicious look around us, and thanked our good fortune we were retracing our steps as we peered into the surrounding thickets, and imagined an invisible foe ready to spring at us. "O dear," I laughingly replied, "every rose must have its thorns, and every Para lise its serpents. I have been wondering if this was not a veritable Eden and am sure of it now." We retraced our steps by another path, and passed before huge boulders of rocks clothed with beautiful creepers, the purple bells hanging in heavy clusters like parple grapes. High above these rocks and clearly defined against the blue sky rose a pure, white cross. The effect was indescribable, and I almost felt like dropping the knee before this beautiful emblem. The Consul explained to us the singular motive of placing this cross where we beheld it. It seems there is a long, 1ough, circuitous path that leads to this cross, and there ladies make their pilgrimage on foot to kneel and pray. They undertake this journey, I imagine, in much the same spirit as pilgrims to some holy place or shrine, surmount difliculties with their zeal, and believing themselves made better as they doubtless are in one sense, since they take little or no exercise. Fatigued with our long walk, we passed hastily around the fairy flower garden, too tired to do justice to the enchanted spot. Fountains and flowers, birds of every nue, with plumage of great beauty singing and chattering in a pavilion-like cage, adorned this spot. Many of the rarest, finest plants were in large vases, or urns, which were handsomely painted and gilded. Plants which we cherish, and are poor, diminutive things at best, grow in luxuriant beauty; the cactus, for instance, growing so easily as to be troubleso.ne; they cannot get rid of it, and they are towering trees filled with blessoms of brilliant hues. Our modest roses are bushes twenty and thirty feet in height, with their branches full of blossoms. Strange plants surrounded us; I saw very few I was familiar with. The stephanotis, the sweetest and purest, with its clusters of pure, waxen blossoms resembling tube roses but very much more beautiful, took my heart captive. Oh, how I wanted "slips" from them! And such strange, beautiful leaves! the justacia, the only one I remember, we carried back with us to press, hoping thereby to keep a dim outline of their beauty; but alas, they were not like our autumn leaves. Their beauty faded with the flight of time, and I might as well have pressed brown paper between the leaves of my scrap book for all the resemblance they had to their former beauty. There was a plentiful supply of fruit trees here, and the orange, lemon, banana and pawpaw were loaded with fruit. I saw a specimen of grape, but it would bear no resemblance to our luscious fruit of the same name, and I cannot think it even a distant kin. Returning to our friends, we found ourselves too fatigued to accept the invitation to the pleasant home of the affable Consul, whose charming daughters had called upon us in our absence the day before, and with whom we desired an acquaintance. It was our misfortune to never meet them; we learned the next day that the steamer was expected hourly, and as its stop was brief, only for changing mails and passengers, if we desired leaving in her for Barbados, as we intended, we must be "on board" as Yankees say; a delay of a few moments occasioning a delay for us of two weeks. It would be no hardship to remain a longer time even than two weeks, but our friends would leave, and we desired to accompany them. Thus the last day of our sojourn must be passed near the shore, and at the first report of a cannon, the signal of arrival, we should be obliged to take "French leave" literally. | friends Monsieur and Madam A——, meeting there a circle of their French friends, not one of whom could understand a word of English. We had a sorry time murdering their beloved language. If our conversation was not very intelligible or interesting, it was amusing, at least, and there is nothing like honest laughter to dissolve restraint, and "Laughter fluttered through our after talk, As darts a bright bird in and out the leaves." Music from the theatre near by drew us out on the verandah, where we listened to a very good orchestra, and regretted we had not stepped inside a short time, to know what a Martinique theatre was like. Our friends assured us the performance was too inferior to admit of a regret. Parting from them in the starlight that night, knowing that in all probability we should never meet again, and doubtful whether we should find another roof where hearts would beat so kindly toward us during our stay in these tropical isles, we could not help the dimming of the eye as we pressed their kindly hands. Back to the little boat on the shore, we find the mate patiently awaiting our coming; a shove from the sandy beach, a few strong, vigorous pulls at the oar, and we pull up to the dark hull which looks in the uncertain starlight like a grim phantom, and ascend for the last time the ladder steps; turning in without undressing for we expect every moment to "turn out," our mind too full of the cannon's roar to think of sleeping. We try to woo the drowsy god, but vainly, and thus night passes; the stars pale and grow dim and disappear, day breaks, and the "ravelled sleeve of care" was on the point of being We did not like our sphere of action to be "knit," when a tremendous report near, said so limited on this, our last day. We desired one word "come!" "There was a hurryto penetrate the country, and particularly to ing to and fro," at least by we passengers, visit Port au Prince, the capitol of the island but Captain D., who was to accompany us to and the residence of the Governor, but a the packet, took the situation philosophically place of less importance and beauty than St. and said "time enough." The hasty toilet Pierre. There is the birth-place of the was soon completed, the trunks in order, the unfortunate Empress Josephine, and there, big bag and little bag at hand, and we tried too, are other associations which would rento wait patiently for the "time enough der a visit desirable. We passed near it on Captain. Finally, all are ready, adieus exour way in the steamer, and from her deck changed, the blessed baby who has made beheld a common-place town, not as attrac- sunshine for us through many storms is tive certainly to me as a distant view of old- kissed and blessed for the last time, and we fashioned St. Pierre. are off, gliding rapidly through the dimWe passed our last evening with our good pling waters, but not fast enough to catch after One of the twain would laugh her childish laughter the magnificent English steam-packet well | We did not dream that thirty years thereout to sea. Half way to her we hear the parting gun and see the smoke wreathing from her tall chimneys, and feel we are not getting to her, for she is under headway and slowly putting from us; just at this moment | a swift craft, with sturdy stevedores at her At sight of the spring-flowerз we hunted after. sweet clover" Would run away seven hundred miles and oars shoots past us like an arrow, and they And that the vine which "smelled so like shout lustily, throwing out signals to the retreating packet. Thanks to their vigorous lungs and energetic roaring, they arrest the attention of those on board the stately ship, To seek 'mid city walls its early lover! and we are soon alongside. One hurried farewell, and ascending the stairs we station ourselves on deck to see the last that we shall ever see of dear, beautiful Martinique. Slowly the scene changes, slowly it fades from my view-still beautiful, but not the picture my eyes had fondly cherished, and casting one "long, lingering look behind," over, Ah! many things these thirty years have taught us, And many blessings they have kindly brought us, Some that we sought, and others that have sought us; we bid the charming spot and happy people As when in May the fragrant cleavers seek Our childish faith saw brighter days and in her homely week-day, work-day clothes. clearer, And flying school-hours brought them near It is a little striking that the word piety, which so often rings in the Christian Church, is mentioned only once in the English Bible, When woman's love should bring no task and then coupled with the admonition to and nearer, severer. show itself first at home.-Theodore Parker. |