Leaves from a Bladeira Garden 



Europe, and it is visited by an ever-increasing 

 number of tourists, American, English, and 

 German. 



From the United States especially come 

 these invading hordes, conveyed in giant 

 steamers of the White Star, the Hamburg- 

 American and other lines. These vessels arrive 

 with bands playing and flags flying in their 

 temporary character of pleasure ships ; and if 

 ships have feelings, one may suppose them to 

 be a little ashamed of their job. Their passen- 

 gers, hundreds and hundreds at a time, descend 

 on the town, buy thousands of post-cards made 

 in Germany, chafi^er and haggle with the vendors 

 of embroidery and wicker-work, which are local 

 productions, and of various curiosities specially 

 imported for their benefit ; and lo ! to-morrow 

 they are gone — to invade Gibraltar and Naples, 

 Cairo and Jerusalem, in similar fashion ; and 

 peace will reign until the next swarm appears. 

 Of the real charm of the island these visitors 

 see and learn nothing ; of its flowery and scent- 

 laden gardens, the wild grandeur of its mountain 

 gorges, its hillsides aglow with broom and gorse, 

 few can carry away any impression whatever. 

 Perhaps the young lady who could only recall 



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