Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1888-02-08
CHAPTER XIII.
THE FIsHERMAN's HUT.

Andrea Ferrato was a COrsican, a
native of Santa Mama, little port in
the reimbursement of Sartene, situated
at the back of the southern point of the
island. This port and Bastia and Porto
Vecchio are the only ones that open ON
to that monotonous eastern coast of
which the sea has gradually destroyed
the capes, filled up the CULTS. effaced the
bays and destroyed the creeks.
1t was at Santa Mama ON that narrow
portion of the sea between Corsica and
the italian mainland. and often among
the rocks of the straits of Bonifacio that
Andrea Ferrato followed his trade as a
fisherman. Twenty years before he had
married young girl of Sartene. Two
years afterwards they had had daugh-
ter who was christened Maria. The
fisherman's calling is q rough one, par
ticularly when to the fishing for fish
there is added the fishing for coral,
which was to be sought for at the bottom
of the most dangerous channels in the
strait. But Andrea Ferrato was bold,
robust indefatigable. as clever with the
net as with the trawl His business
prospered. His wife, active and intel
ligent, ruled the little house at Santa
Mama to perfection. Both of them
knew how to read, write and calculate,
and were fairly educated, if we compare
them with the $50, 900 who cannot write
their names which statistics. now reveal
to exist out of 260, 600 inhabitants of the
island.
Besides-perhaps on account of this
education - Andrea Ferrato was very
French in hisideas and feelings, although
he was of Italian origin, like the majority
of the COrsicans And at that time this
had occasioned some animosity against
him.
The canton in fact, situated at the
southern extremity of the island, far
from Bastia, far from Ajaccio, far from
the chief centres of administration, is at
heart very much opposed to everything
that is not Italian or Sardinian-a regret
able state of things that we hope to see
the end of as the rising generation
becomes better educated
Hence, as we have said, there was
more or less latent luminosity against the
Ferratos. In Corsica luminosity and
hatred are not very far apart Certain
things occurred which embittered this
animOsity. One day Andrea, driven out
of patience. in moment of anger, killed
a well-known vagabond who was threat
ening him, and he had to seek safety in
flight
But Andrea Ferrato was not at all the
man to take refuge in the md9uis to live
life of daily strife as mnch against the
police rs against the companions and
friends of the deceased. to penetrate a
series of revenges which would end by
reaching his own people. Resolving to
expatriAte himself. he managed to leave
Corsica secretly, and reached the Sar-
dinian coast. When his wife had real
lied their property, given up the house
at Santa Mama, sold the furniture. the
boat and the nets. she crossed over and
joined him They had given up their
native land forever.
But the murder, although 1t wns iusti-
hably committed in self-defence, weighed
on Andrea's conscience. With the some.
what superstitous ideas due to his origin
be greatly desired to ransom il. He had
heard that q mans death is never mar
doned till the day when the murderer
saves another life at the risk of his own.
He made up his mind to save life as
soon as an occasion presented itself.
Andrea did not remain long in Sar-
DINA, where he would easily have been
recognized and discovered. Energetic
and brave, although he did not fear for
himselfhe feared for those who beIonoad
to him, he feared that the reprisals Of
family on family might reach them. He
merely waited till he could go without
exciting suspicion. and then sailed for
Italy, where at Ancona an opportunity
offered him to cross the Adriatic 10 the
Istrian coast Of which he ayailed
himself
And that is the story of why the Cor
sican had settled at Rovigno. For severn
teen years he had followed his trade as a
fisherman-and had become as well off
- he had been. Nine years afterwards
. son was born TO him, who bad been