, 1874-07-29

standing the unpoeticaI name. This avenue IS
about a gu arter of a mile in length. 1t is a IA
yorite promenade, and is also celebrated as the
dueling ground, where many Of the hot-blood-
ed and chivalrous youths of St. Pierre have
ended their rash ~quarrels and their days at
once. 1t is said that every foot of ground in
this beautiful avenue has tasted blood.
Before taking fnal leave of the garden, let us
taste the delicious fruit of the mango-tree,
which nowhere else in the West Indies at
tains such perfection as here. We must Sc
lect a seat where the wide and smooth gravel
walks on either side assure US against the in.
sidious approach of the deadly "iron lance"
There are several varieties of the mango, but
the most delicious is the 'mango DOR orr
gin ally imported into the island from Cayenne,
and greatly improved by generous cultivation.
The fruit weighs from twelve to sixteen
ounces; the seed is thin, small and cor
rugated, without the stringy threads which
mar the pleasure Of eating some yarieti,s
of the mango the pulp is deep yellow in color,
of the consistency of ice-cream, aud a delicious
aroma exhales from it. To partake of the
mango in full perfection is one of the indiscriba-
BILE Injuries of Tropical life. Look at the large
tree opposite, it's spreading branches bending
down under the weight of its delicious burden.
What a lovely contrast of the golden globes
with the dark green foliage! The gardener,
who comes to bring us some of the fruit, says
that q tree of this size bears from two thousand
to three thousand mangoes. All, here is the
fruit 1t you have never eaten a mango, you
must be instructed in the art. Roll up your
sleeves, pin a napkin under your chin, and
have a basin of water close at hand strip the
peel from the mango, revealing the delicious,
golden-hued, creamy pulp; seize the fruit by
the ends with both hands, and bite tenderly in
to it. Be as careful as you will, the abundant
juice will overflow from your lips and run over
your hands and wrists. But you rinse face and
hands in the water beside you, and repeat the
operation until the appetite is stated.
One of the most interesting and curious OBJ
jects in St. Pierre is the large and picturesque
edi6ce known as "The Old Jail" 1t has a
very singular history. 1t was built many years
ago by a free negro named C4mmie Mallie,
who had amassed wealth in the African slave
trade. He was at the same time avariciOus
and ostentatious and although he was never
known to do q generous act, he was fond Of
sitting out in the sun in front of his house
and counting his gold in the sight of the
passers-by, and it is supposed that large sums
of money are still secreted about the premises
the old miser never having trusted any of his
~ill-gotten gains to the care of d bank. At an
advanced age he was taken il, and from that
moment till after bis death friends aud relatives
were debarred from his presence. Many were
the surmises as to the probable disposition of
his property but the government took good
care of its own interests, and adopted the fol-
lowing strange device to give it the appearance
of a legal claim to the old slave traders pos
sessions
Soon after his death the body was decently
laid out and placed in a coffin heavily draped
with black The city authorities aud a notary
entered the chamber of death, and took their
seats near the cofin behind them stood an
eager and awestricken crowd of superstitious
whites and negroes. The room was darkened
to increase the ~solemnity and awe of the scene.
The notary then demanded Of the dead body
of Cammie Mallie whether it was his will that
the whole or any part of his property should 60
to bis relatives. To the horror and dismay of
the audience, the head of the dead man was
raised from the coffin and slowly gave a token
of dissent This was noted down, and the no.
tary propounded another question "Cam-
ME Mallie, is it your will and desire that tho
city of st. Pierre should be the legal heir to all
your property, personal and real The dead man
raised his right hand and nodded his head in
token Of assent. The notary made a record of
thil important testimony, signed and sealed the
do cument in the presence of the authorities and
many other witnesses. and the government i'm
modiatalU antorad unon No session Of the nroner-