New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-07-15
THE FRENCH PENAL COLONIES IN
CAYENNE.

brethren Of the Order in Csyen to then European
friends containing interesting information respect
ing the condition Of the penal colonies in that country
We have been hitherto too much Inclined 10 regard
the horrible stores which from time to time have been
related in Europe concerning this place as hateful
e1sggsIstions OF persons unfrendly to the present
Frerch Government. 10 the letters in question, how
sver Of tie pious brethren who have voluntarily ac-
oepted the srduous service in that killing climate and
VITO now labor there in the employ Of the Government
We fId no hostile partially. l. appears very sad
to merton Cd with painful resignation, 10 The intro
dpcton to the letters referred to- that the service OF the
missionaries in Cay is confined exclusively to the
work Of Christian ard apostolic love, in standing By
"the side Ct the dying with consolation and spiritual
advice in taking of the sick, and ID dying nth
"thcm and fer them = but, alas we are soon con-
viz ced that this is not merely pathetic figure but
bitter ard literal truth. Even the reports Of the mis-
sionaries from the murderous Kharsoom can scarcely
leave such p,nful impression upon the reader az
these letters from Cayenne.
1t appears in the first place that the Government,
in tie selection Of pace of transportation paid a.
tenon merely to its safety as prison. go as to make
escape from thence absolutely impossible and for this
purpose all consideration for the lives and health Of
the prisoners was dsrega,dei in truly nexpl'csb
reighborbood of the unhealthy coast such points
the main land surrounded by pestientia or
impossible marshes. Since nearly all OF these places
totally uDproductve, il was necessary to convey
thther all provisions from the capital A stssmer snd
galley ply semi monthly between Cayenne and the
different places of imprisonment. Among the latter
there are Islands whose fever.carrying winds are,
from time to tine, purified by the ses-breezss-nak-
ing their condition envAble, when compared With the
colonies on the main land. Still here also is the stu
ton of the imprisoned truly helpless one.
Near the capital only six leagues eastward from it,
lies the island of Ii Mere named to distinguish 1t
from the negbborpg and now entirely uninhsbitei
leland La PEREZ The island is about half league in
length and rises from the bosom Of the 80. like green
thckly wooded ampbitbester. Fro it's apriugy hills
may be seen Cayenne the coast Of the main land aud
the i.land Ia Pere. Toe heat would be unbeHab!e
were it lot moderated by fresh s@ breeze Toe
isard is accor 1ingy regarded as the heshest pacs
on the Cayenne coast and is eagerly sought by those
inysids whose obstinate fevers Withstand all remedies
on the mainland. Nevertheless the climate here also
demsnds large number Of vicims. Father Rlogot
,Spnd on the ISLAND four hur dred socaled g voun-
,sries!bat is liberated offenders who had ezpisted
tb. ir crimes In the bsgnos and prisons Of Franc, and
being lured by prornes had permitted themselves 10
be Transported to Cayenne TO aid in the desired cooni
zaton Of the country. As early as May, 1884, troop
of tbese people came to Cayenne. 10 1894, FAther
dAbbade found them on this island of Ls Mere still
waitirg for the promised alotmen. Of lsnds. 10 the
mean while they had constructed n road through tae
forest across the highest point of the Island but were
very much diminished in numbers professeily on ac-
count Of their dejectedness WEAKNESS and state OF
doubt Father Hersisrt died in Cayenne, after resi-
dence of sx months on this island June IL, 1893 at
the age Of 40 years. OF his successors, Father Bou
ougne WAS destroye by the fever on the island sef
September pc, 1885, This is that healthiest island,
which Father d'Abbadie calls "un vfai psradis
terestre."
Twelve leagues to the north west Of the capitsl
about half way from Cayenne to the mouth OF the
Sinnsmaii, lie the Ises Of Silutthree little slefs
which formerly bore the name of "Devils Isles, and
were rechrisened in 1863 In this year the project OF
Choiseuto coOI ze Cayenne had carried 900 settlers
TO the coast lying opposite to the Devils lses near
the mouth Of the River Kuru After the lapse Of few
months these thousands had perished and only 500
fed from the muraerous coast to the Devils Isles,
which in their thank ulness at escaping from horrd
death they have ever eince called the " .es OF
Health" The largest Of these islands is called Ise
Ro,se, and the next I-e do st. Joseph; the smallest
has retained the lame Isle du Diable On the first arc
found the convicts from the prisons Of Brest Toulon
and Rochefort on the second persons transported on
account of polite Al offsnses mostly heads of families
from Southern Frarce; to the Devils leland are only
exled occasion ally the refractory Inhabitants OF the
other settlements On st. Josephs Island there was,
in 1854 no hospital yet erected that the political
oerders as coon as they fell SICK had to be taken to
Isle Roysle, among the prison cenvicts. The temper
allure of mid Winter the latter Vi and is estimated at
| eos degrees Reaumur. Its clmst. is considered
healthy on the main land, but it is inevitable that new
corners must frs. pay the tribute of violent fever
| OF the penal colonies on the main land, Silver HUI
MontogNe Argent, at the mouth Of the Oyapok, is
fret to he not ced. The Oyspok emptiss into the sea
abou. % Leagues southeast fro Cayenne and at I:
mouth broadens TO bsy. As soon as person comir0
| from Cayenne has doubled the western hills and
turned into tie bsy, he sees the colory before him.
lies on peninsula connected With the N sn land only
| by vast and impossible swamp. The nsighboring
marshes the deposits Of the river its low banks aud
islsrds and rainy season Of eight Or nine months &C.
led with tfe intense tropical heat produces here
the deathly masmas which make Montague d'Argen'
in every respect horrd residences. Since the es,ab
h.lneDt of the colony the mortality has areraged ~
yer cent annually. When Father Alst vsited the col
opy in March 1855, out of population Of 800 Is died
| that month.
The penal colony of 81. George is reached by .
veysge up the Oyapok. The stream is three qurter'
# lesgue in width at its mouth, IN lie deposits have
formed humber of Islands which are speedily covered
with luxur:snt vegets.ion. Between tie mou,h O.
the river and st. George there less than forty
such islsrts, beside those still forming. Il thee q!
luvisl formations were drained they would bs extreme