Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-06-23

sOAkTHING ABOUT THE WEST INDIAN ROCK ovEk
WHICH TIE STARS AND STRIPES FLOAT.
William Drysdale in New York Times
Chance threw me in the way OF an American
VINO came from very curious little dot OF an
island This is the island OF Navassa, lying on
the east coast Of Hayti, and 1t enjoys the dstinc
ton OF being the only island In the West Indies
over which nc, the Stars and Stripes noat II is
nection with that island 1t is great rock rising
out o. the sea- and would be OF no account
| IN the world except for an extensive
bought from somebody or other by an American
company, and bark makes occasional trips be-
tween the island and Baltimore. bringing up the
phosphate and carrying dow n supplies Tor the men
on the island. The man refer TO was one or the
three white "bosses" on the island; and from what
rather than LETT IL, though he did not say so. He
gave me, at any rate, an interesting account OF
lie on that barren island and the way things are
done there.
You could not go there to see for yourself"
san ne, Tor they would not let you land. No one
is allowed TO land but employees OF the company.
The bark makes eight or ten trips year, and that
Is the only communication there Is with the world,
| except that occasionally an Atlas Line steamer
SLOWS up In passing and leaves us a mall bag md
taxes one away. There are about sixty men on
the island, all American negroes but thr e white
posses, ana all In the employ OF the company.
Each man Is under contract to work for one
year from the date OF his engagement-and he Is
pretty sure TO carry out his contract for there is
no means OF getting away, except I'm the compa-
nyS vessel. The bosses, have a little house, and
the men live in barracks, and tell you IL Is a
pretty lonesome place. No stranger, as
said Is allowed to land, though there is not
mucn need for such regulation, for there is no
way ior stranger to get there. But there are
other rules that The men don't Ike. NOBODY is
allowed TO take any whisky there, and no woman
Is allowed on the island. Now, what Is life on
desert Island without an occasional drop to drink
ana Without any female society? Reason for 1t?
Yes, there is some reason for IL, There Is law
there except the comp.ny's rules, ana they have
10 90 all they can TO Keep thiLgs quiet and peace
able. II any whisky were allowed on the island
the men would quarrel and fight. And as to the
women, OF course there could NOT be as many
women Us men, and the men would night for them.
suppose the rules are necessary, but they make
things uncomfortable.
"lnere Is always plenty to eat" my informant
continued "such as II IS; but II salt salt, salt,
from the beginning OF the year to the end, except
what fresh fSh the men can catch Sometimes
they catch birds, TOO, for they up to all
| OF trlckS. Only the bosses are allowed TO have
firearms. Tue men get a sticky gum out OF some
OF the trees, and plaster II over board, and scat
| ter some corn around. When the bird comes along
TO get the cCrn, he gets his feet stuck In the gum
and can't get away, and the next thing he knows he
| Is cooked and eaten. They had a fellow there
year or two ago who was too smart for all
| their rules. He was an American, but he had
lived In the West Indies and was up to all the
darky caperS He mace big ten gallon jar out OF
clay and baked ii, and got hold or some corn and
| stuff as strong as whisky, and before the bosses
found him out he had gathered in pretty much all
| the money the men had. He escaped afterward to
Hayt1, and they were glad enough to let hun CO.
Another fellow had some process Tor fermenting
the juice out OF the cocoanut trees and made a
! pretty strong liquor OF 1t. No, am not going
back-not II am as well acquainted with myself