San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1888-08-30
MORNING N MARTINIQUE.
Ths hoy Divers OF ST. Picrrc--A 6cranba'
Beneath eho WAvoa

Ths hoy Divcrs OF ST. Pierrc-A 6crembas
Beneath eho wsvoa
Morning. gold sunrise. Tho wind
bas fallen. II Is O great worm caress.
The SEQ is deep indigo, tho sky cloudless
and tender blue. Martinique looms before
us. At first 1t appears all gyay-a vapory
gray-then II becomes bluish grny. then
oil green. It Is another of the beautiful
volcanic family; Il owns tho same hill
shapes with which We have already bo-
como acquainted; It's uppermost height
Is hooded with the familiar cloudi We SEQ
the same gold yellow plains. the same
wonderful varieties Of veryiancy, the Same
long green spurs reaching out into the
sea,-doubtless formed by old lava tor
rents. But oil this Is now repeated for
us moro imposingly. moro grandioselyi It 10
wrought upon larger scale than any
thing We have yet soen. Tho semicircur
lar sweep Of tho harbor. dominated by tho
eternally veiled summit Of tho huge
Mount felee (misnamed. since II is green
to the very clouds), from which tho land
slopes down on either hand to the SEQ by
gigantic undulations. is one OF the fairest
sights that human eye can gaze upon.
Thus Viewed, the whole island shape is
moss Of blazing green. with streaks or
shadows Of darker green here and there
glooms of forest hollows oq hovcring
shadows Of cloud
The city Of St. Pierre. on theedge Of tho
land, looks as II It had slidod down tho
entiro height Of tho hill behind It, 80
strangely do the streets como tumbling
down the steep ip cascades Of masonry.
with red billowing Of tiled roofs over
all, and enormous palms poking up
through It. higher even than the creamy
white twin towers OF Its antiquated
cathedral
We anchor In nmpid bluo water, tho
cannon shot Is answered by prolonged
thunder clapping Of mountain echoes.
Then from the shore q strange hotilia
bears down upon us. There is ono boat.
two or three canoes: but the bulk OF tho
craft are simply white wooden frames
flat bottomed structures made from
shipping cases or lard boxes. with tri.
angular ends In oil Of these sit naked
boys-boys between 10 and IA years Of
age-varying In color from o fine clear
yellow TO deep reddish brown or choco
late tint. They row with two little
square fat pieces Of wood for paddles,
c1utched In each hand, and these lid shaped
things are dipped into tho water ON either
side with absolute precision. In perfect
timo, oil tho pairs Of littlo naked arms
seeming moved by 2 single impulse
There is much unconscious grace In this
paddling, as we'll ns consummato skill
Then all about the ship these ridiculous
little boats begin TO describe circles. cross
ing and intercrossing 30 closely as almost
TO bring them into collision. yet never
touching.
Tho boys havo simply come out 70 dive
| for coins thcy expect passengers TO ling
10 them. All arc chattering creole, laugh
ing, and screaming shrilly; every eye
quick and bright ns birds. watches the
| faces Of the passengers on deck. Ten
tton, lal" shrek o dozen soprani; somo
passengers hand hos descended into q
money pocket, and oil are on tho alert.
Through tho cir, twirling and glittering.
tumbles an English shilling. and drops
into tho deep water beyond the little feet
Instantly all tho lads leap, scramble, top
pie head foremost out Of their little tubs.
and dive In pursuit. In the bluo water
their lltho figures look perfcctly rcd. oil
but the soles of their upturned feet.
which show quito white Almost imme-
diately they al rise again; ono holds up
at arms length above the vnter tho 70
covered cotn. and then puts II into iit
mouth for safe keeping. Coin after coin
Is thrown In. and as speedily brought up
o shower Of small silver follows. and mot
a piece Is lost These lads move through
the water without apparent effort. with
the supplcness Of fishes Most arc dccid
edly hne looking boya. with admirably
rounded limbs, dclicately formed extremi
tics- The best diver and swiftest swira
ucr, however. Is q lemon colored lad; hk
face Is rnther commonplace. but his slim
fguro has tho fluent grace Of an antique
bronze e-Iafsadio Hearn in HArpept
| Ha1azinA