Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1884-05-02
A WEST INDIAN SCENE.
A Fire In n Cane ExpIO
sion OF the Burning sugar Cane.


West Indies Letter
1t was a beautiful moonlight night.
and We were standing outside admiring
the scene. when a gentleman, at the
north end of the veranda. suddenly ex-
claimed: Look here, quickly. We
hurried forward and turned our cres
toward the place to which he pointed.
There. in the edge of Il caneiield,
where the cane leaves were as dry as
finder, for the summer had been very
hot, we saw a light Pickering and
wavering in such a manner as to Danish
all hope that it might be the light of
lantern. Ere we could speak or move
it seemed to dart along the grounl
while a faint cracking reached our
ears. Then, with roar as of a giant
awakened from slumber, the destruc.
tive element sprang up in all its fury,
throwing a strong, red glare over the
landscape, on which, a short time
before, the peaceful beams of the
moon had SO gently rested. The
sugar-cane when burning explodes
with report like that of small pistol
Imagine, then, the noise made by hun
dreds of canes exploding smultane-
ously. But what is that dull, droning
sound which can be heard even above
the din caused by the fire? That is
the fire alarm, and an ingenious one it
is. In every estate" yard are two or
three huge, empty basins, called by the
natives "coppcrs.' What they are there
for is mystery which cannot he solved
When struck by any hard substance
they will give forth the sound already
described, and can be heard for miles.
See! the summons is being answered.
The roads leading from town, and those
connecting the various estates are
thronged with people, fastening to the
scene of devastation. The police and
the militia have been called out. Fire
engines are of little or no use in case
like this. The devouring element
spreads too rapidly to he checked by a
single jet of water. Already the field
in which the fire started is ablaZe from
end to end, and those sparks which are
thrown far and wide show too plainly
what will be the result if the fire is not at
once checked. The negroes, provided
with cane-knives and scythes, are sent to
cut down and remove the cane from the
fields adjoining the burning ones. This
is the only way of checking the fire,
but it seems as if their labors are in
vain. Before they can remove the
canes they have cut down the flames
leap across the narrow boundary be-
tween the fields, set the cane leaves
alight, and q second field is given up to
destruction. The rel glare of the
fiarles is almost binding, and the heat
is intense
The scene is like battlefield. The
popping of the canes sounds Ike dis
charges of musketry, while the gangs
of eager workers, cutting and hack
ing as if for dear life, closely resemble
conflicting armies. While we stood
gazing. fascinated by the grandeur of
the scene, loud peal Of thunder star
ties us, and looking mp we see the
sky overcast and cloudy Soon the
drops begin TO fall, then the rain
comes down with rush, and all
work ceases on the part of those trying
to subdue the fire. Now for the contest
between fire and water, between the
roaring, scorching flames and the soak
ing, drowning rain. The flames, sub
dued for an instant, spring up again
with greater fury. as if oil aid not
water had been poured upon them
But it is al unequal contest. The
flames have no firm hold on anything,
Those leaves and canes form no solid
blazing mass which might defy the
rain. Slowly, but surely, the tire is
mastered, and when, an hour later,
the clouds drifted away and the moon
comes out in all her glory. her beams
rest upon black and desolate spot.