West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-08-23
Last of the Caribs.

bdSL VI II1G OdIlDS.
You have often told me that YOU know
the island of Martinique Then YOU have
heard them speak of the Caravelle II is a
wild isthmus. 80 called by the sailors from
a spanish wreck. The sea is always rag
ing wild enough there All, you should
see the waves as they leap madly on the
rocks Then they break into drizzlng
white foam-shects furlong broad-and
then fall back in vain. And IL is always
going on: ii never ceases There my
fathers house was situated
But farther down, the country changes
entirely, it becomes perfectly fascinating.
The two sides of the isthmus resemble two
fairy lakes II was for this reason that it's
proprietor the Count de Saint Croix, called
IL Beau SeiOur-the beautiful home
The Saint Croix family and ours formed,
so to speak, only one, we were so intimate
Francis, the Counts only son, was like "A
brother with my sister and me-
Any who had seen us, thrcc-in- hand,
running, like deer, over the sand, our hair
lifted by the breeze, mingling our merry
laughter with the murmur of the waves,
would have believed that there are some
happy beings here on earth
Our greatest pleasure was 10 run out on
the caves, or sand bars, and hunt of
shells We left at sunrise, little basket
on our arms. The songs of the negroes
fishing in their log canoes, came to us over
the water
One winter day we returned from run
ming on the sands 1t was an evening fore
holding storm. Distant lightnmgs dartcd
across the sky. Julia was delayed by en-
deavoring 20 tear up from seafan a shell
The tide rose until the sand bank on
which she stood became an island The
poor girl became alarmed, and lifting her
arms, cried aloud for assistance. Her long,
black braids tapped in the the storm wind,
and coiled, like serpents, around her neck
The negroes, hearing the cries, came IN
their canoes. Before they arrived, Francis
had swan across, and stood by his sister,
supporting her.
They carried her beneath the palm trees
which bordered the shore. With her arms
entwined around her brother, she cast on
him glances of love; but from time to time
looked regrctfully toward the island.
''Who will bring me my shells1n she
cried, at last
And, as if she had power to command the
elementary spirits, there suddenly arose a
deep, strange voice, which exclaimed H. "
A man of copper hue, grey eyes, bushy
browns, long hair, dripping with salt water,
came forth from the waves, bearing the
wished-for shells.
Father Sassaln cried all the negroes.
Father Sassa was neither white, mulatto,
nor black. He was of the indigenous Carib
race. His family, a last remnant Of the
original tribes found by the Spaniards, had
escaped the massacre Of civilization and
taken refuge among the rocks Of our wild
peninsula. But the family had been sadly
reduced under the English rule Of the is
land, and Sassa survived. He bore the title
Of cacique, though without subject 20 rule.
His name was Sassaggar, but the blacks,
following their custom Of giving diminu-
tives, always called him Father Sassa
He had brought the longed-for shells "a
Julia. When he first heard her cry, he had
plunged into the waves
''Ah what horrible she'll" ! cried,
percciving a dark mass in the hand Of the
Carib. "Why, 'tisn't worth the pain il hat
cost. Throw it back into the sea, Father
Sassa
"To the seal to the seaH' erred all the
negroes.
But the Carib deaf 10 these murmurs,
advanced with us under the shade Of tho
cocoa trees.
'Litue whites said he, "you love what
shines and for that reason do not throw
away this shell II is cOlorless on the sur
lace, but IL CLEANS within. The stars o
night have marked its heart
"What, Father Sassa, we cried, ed,
you mean TO say that you can see through
the shellT'
The cacique stretched out a hand toward
the last rock Of the Caravcilc, where hi
little hut cleaned out and vanished every
moment in the frequent lightning
Come there, said he, 'and you vii
learn more.
And entering his canoe he disappeared
The lightning grew more brilliant large
drops quickly falling announced a coming
tropical hurricane. We fastened home
ward, bearing the she'll
The next morning the banana trees beatci
down In the fields, the uprOotcd trees bornr
afar by torrents, were the only Indication
Of the storm Of the previous night Tbl
heaven and the sea rested, calm and beauti
ful, after their wild passions had beer
uatifed.
We started for the cabin of Father Sassa
We found the Carib seated on q laru
stone before his dwelling, preparing net
for fishing. Seeing us be raised his hcavl
eyebrows; his strange eyes cleaned, a
with gratifed feeling that wc bad rcmcn
bcred him and what Doe had told us the eve
ming before
'Who gave me This twine 90 mend my
nets with said he
'I, Father Sassa, replied Julia
"WhO gave me this good knife go cut th'
twino, make the wooden needles cover m,
cabin with reeds, curve my canoe t'
-, Father Sassa, replied Francis
''And for that, continued the caciWo
''Sassaggan follows you wherever you 90
eassoggan would let the sharks cat bin
before hair Of your head should be ln
lured. eaasaggan saw The little master snl