Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-10-25
Life of the French Communists i'm
Exile.

"The convictS inhabited central plateau OF
the island. the soil of which is merely Superficial
and ferruginous. When they arrived they were
each given knife and Ratchet and told to con-
StTuct hutS for themselves. This they did by
going into the primeval woods and cutting down
saplings with which they made the framework
or their cabins. BOughS were twisted in between
and covered with plaster of mud and chopped
couch-grass. A hut SO built was assigned to two
men. In the lies de Pins there were upward OF
1000 men confined In an area of league in Cir
conference, and the only women in the island
were married to officers and functionarieS. Those
proscripts whose families were authorized to join
Tree Islander, having for his chum packer (em-
balleurl very decent, good fellow, but of unre-
fined habits and by no means artistic in his in,
from all feminine influence, become snarling mis-
anthropes. They do not go to the trouble to hide
their native ToughneSS, and become objects OF
ages naval officers OF gentlemanly breeding fall
out and snap at one another. At Pine Tree island
the male convict's greatest happiness was to be
remain under the insufficient shelter of their
huts. they sat with their arms folded and their
heads on their chests, trying to evoke images o,
might next happen. The man who broke the
silence brought upon himself a stream of abuse.
His interruption produced the effect which Is eX-
perienced when one is awakened out Of a pleas
ant dream to an unpleasant reality. Not every
one who wished was able to command happy
remembrances OF the past. Memory had become
operate. When it was stimulated into working
ORDER it was pickering and uncertain. One fine
season the proscr1pts attempted to form cercles,
where they were to meet and recount episodes
of interest in their lives and amusing
anecdotes But this was soon given up
When the story-teller did not break down for
want Of memory. he was discouraged by the in
attention OF his brother exileS, who were brood
ing over their own unfortunate adventures. l
asked was there no attempt made to find a
solace In gardening There were numerous at
tempts. But Ceres, Flora and Pomona loved
not the island. The vegetation of the banyan
was glorious. Maize grew well one year. The
next year the thin stratum of soil, which was
spread over the iron ore and plutOntc and coral
formations, was too much exhausted to bear
anything but blades. Vans were about the only
garden products that could be relied upon. A
V1ne-cutting arrived at maturity in IS months
but as 1t was never suffered by the stimulating
soil and atmosphere to leave off bearing it was
used up in few years. Water springs were
scarce, and, without an exception, strongly fer
ruginous. To drink Of them induced headache
and gastric irritation. The fish was poisonous.
Ii eaten, it gave st. Vitus dance, and there were
periods when it brought on mortal illness 1t
was also dangerous to battle along the coast at
the spring or vernal equinox. The bodies of
those who plunged in the sea-water swelled out,
tingled all over, and these symptoms were ac-
companied by voElitfngS. "-[Frona an IsterUie,c
tcith q Returned Communist,