The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-05-08
THE WEST INDIAN
PIONEER.
A ROMANCE BY AT. DUNLOP.


for the advance OF civilization. Heroes they were,
although rough both in manner and speech,
and their fame VIII undoubtedly last as long as
American civilization. About the men who with
the same spirit and bravery sought homes In tie
West Indies as soon almost AS 1t had been dis
covered nothing has ever been Written ana the
great work they performed In opening up and
cultvatng helds whose produce gave 10 the world
almost new trade has been lost, partly because
their Work was done on small Islands Isolated
from the rest OF the world, and partly because
they lived IN time when newspapers were
scarce. Yet every one OF The beautiful and fer
Tile ISLANDS that dot The Caribbean Sea like
necklace of emeTalds from Antigua 10 mdgnn-
cent San Domingo could furnish good speei-
mems OF pioneers VINO at first fought the Caribs-
as blOOOthirsty savages as any OF our Indians
and then cultivated their fields IN climate Tor
which they were entirely uDprepared, and VIII ich
as rule has paralyzed the ambition ana The Ell
forts OF tile White men.
The environs OF these West Indian pioneers
were OF course entirely different from their ilk Of
North America; they came also from all entirely
different race, aud had been fighting their way
into the dense hardwood forests before the Mis-
sissipli had been reached and crossed by adyen-
did not belong 10 what IN Europe Is called the
common OIL middle class, but were members OF
the best families OF France and Srain II was
only after these cavaliers had made the way that
immigration by the work. ngman began.
Many OF the smaller Islands are yet unin-
la bted, or furnish transient homes for yagrant
negroes who do not cultivate the SOIL but make
a living by cutting wood to sell TO the people OF
the larger neighbOring Islands, where the forests
have long since made room for sugar, cotton,
tobacco aud coffee fields.
The last OF the islands in The West Iudes 10 be
redeemed by the efforts OF single resoiute and
brave man was Nieques, colony OF the Spanish
Crown at present, but not many years since
known as Crab Island, and. with 81. Thomas ST.
Croix and ST. John, tile only possession of lie
Danes III America. II is but a small, rock-b bound
plat, not over fifteen miles square, and divided
from the west side OF Porto Rico by a sound al
no point more than ten miles wide. Unlike the
rest of the West Indies ii has no high hills, and
the approaching mariner often mistakes lie
mountains OF Porto Rico on tile other side OF the
sound Tor tie fertile glebeand OF lie little island.
In 1920 four officers sat at a cosy dinner In
Iiols FreTes ProYencauX IN the Rue des Petits
EniauIs In Paris. All had been graduated from
tile military academy at 81. Cyr. They had b, EN-
gdZetted and had mel for the last lime before
Joining their regiments During the dinner TWO
oil Inc party began 10 quarrel over lady loved
by DOLE, and before The next GAVIN measured IA
piers. lie weaker swOrdsman FELL The rest
were soon bending, rale aud trembling over the
PROSTATE form OF their comrade, aud a hoarse
whisper broke from the los of the one who was
feeling the fallen mans heart;
Make Tor seaport, Marquis You have
killed The Duke"
Three years later a sailor called on the Gov
ernOr of The French island OF Martinique with
strange request lie had Carefully compiled
list OF tbe names OF the negro muTderers and
other criminals on The Island, and the cost Of
their maintenance TO the crown. He also showed
that tie prisons were Overcrowded, and re-
quested that lie Government would give him
permission TO provide and care for all these
prisoners during their term OF incarceration. He
also stated that lie puTpOsed uSurling cOutfol OF
an unnhabiJed island, at that time claimed both
by Spanlards and by Danes. but which could be
brought under the French flag If occupied by
Frenchman. His request was granted without
much trouble, and Captain Cberot sUon sailed
from the beautiful bay at Martinique with sixty
two desperate black convicts, the majority SEN
fenced for life. lie was the only white man on
board the schooner La Fontalne, and alone man
aged the vessel as 1t Glided out of the harbor aud
sailed before the trade winds toward Vieques
During The DAYS and nights Of The LIE
stood constantly at the wheel. never permitting
any OF the shackled blacks TO get near him. Not
a norsel OF food was taken by any one during
the voyage, and when the schooner put INFO tie
roadstcad OF Porto Mulas ten desperate negroes
made dash at him with their handouts. Three
Of them were killed.
When the vessel was rounded Into the wind
and The sails Tapped on the mast CherOts only
servant boarded the schooner In small canoe
and at once went forward and dropped the
anchor. He then lowered the sails, The convcts
looking al him, but none attempting 10 hurt him,
as he was quite as black as any OF them. When
everything was made shipshape Captain Cherot
addressed the crew as follows:
We are in shallow water. You can all wade
ashore. Your feet are free. You are all hungry.
Well, in yonder hut on the hillside / have food
for you 10 plenty. l shall not lberale your
hands When you get ashore come to tho hut
trust you you shall all be as free as air. At The
slightest attempt at revolt VIII shoot you down
as would dogs; Now take your choice, but
mark well what l say: He that does not sleep
under my rOoi-Iree tonight him / shall hunt for
in the morning and Kill as sure as the sun rlsesl
That is ALL"
want, climbed down the wooden side of the vessel
and jumped overheard. The water there reached
only TO his shoulders, aud he waded ashore.
CheIot, pistol IN hand, stood quietly by as each
of the blacks followed his ssssant Not one
WORD did lie utter, nor did lie make any threats.
After tn y had all landed he went ashore in The
canoe. COwed and hungry the blacks followed
the. footsteps OF Jean Baptiste, Cherot bringing
up the rear. Not one OF The blacks made for the
Iloff aifrlFf
hut, and Cherot slumbered as peacefully
child guarded by The faithful Jean Baptste. at
daybreak Cherot again addressed them.
(Which one of you is willing TO Work and be
obeGent?" lie asked.
One man stepped forward. He was at once
libel ated and led by Jean Baptste to the wash
house, where lie was given new white blue
checked shirt and trousers and then set at his
days task.
When man bad been once given his liberty,
he found Cherot kind master, but he was never
Permitted 10 20 back to the pen with The rest.
Every day one convict was set free, unless some
Of them made trouble; for CheTot had carefully
explained that at the slightest sign of difficulty
among lie free negroes three days would pass
before any more would be unshackled, and linus
their share OF work.
In less than three mouths all were free and
busy cutting into the dense trOpical forest clear
Ing the land or building houses. Before six
months enough OF them had proven trustworthy
10 permit OF Cherors sailing from the island for
a.
to the Island OF St. Thomas, where lie bought
provisions: All later voyages were made by
Jean Bapilste as captain, and so IL came that
CDerot never saw Il white face again or received
letter until 1855. by that time his sugar and
cotton fields yielded largo a crop that Jean
Bapt ste and The La Fontaine could NOT market
II. More than 1000 acres of land had been cult
waited, and 800 hogsneads OF sugar were nearly
manufactured each weighing as much as 1900
pounds, The receipts OF his sugar crop alone
sometimes reaching $4,000. The blacks had
lncreased meanwhile to 23O IN number.
In 1855 Cherot had built village which lie
had called Porto Mulas. He was AN old man
then, clean shaver and straight as an arrow. Z
For some reason his face and hands-the latter
always covered with thick gioves-had not be-
come as red from exposure TO The sun as those
OF Europeans generally get, but his complex ion
was clear, and at times lie blusbeu like girl
His hair was like silver In color, and hung In
curls over his shoulders and down over wide
rolling collar. made OF tie toughest OF white
linen, but scrupuously clean. His eyes were
shaded by long, silky eyebrows, and a thick
growth OF hair covered his chest, which was al
ways exposed. 1n dress lie looked like a cava-
lief cut out Of an old French picture, and al
OF the best material. In manner he was courty
as a grandee, lifting his sombrer0 whenever lie
rode into The sugar field and passed by gang OF
negroes at their toll. He knew scarcely anything
Oh the progress the world had made siuce he left
u, and only lamented The fact that meu did not
wear knee-breecles, as every gentleman should.
Ills nome was conm0diOus, with large yerandas
surrounding II, and Oh these he remained all day
listening 10 the trade winds signing through
pam topss anu Watching the Working gangs. HIS
furniture was all antique and OF French manu-
lactnre, white enameled, with tiny golden
streaks. The whole establishment bore marks
Oh the rennements OF generations past.
During the last twenty years tile land on the
Island has been taken up by wealthy sugar.
growers OF the neghboring colonies and acre
for acre, the little spot of ground produces as
much sugar as any IN the West iudIes Old
Cherot died lew years ago. seated as was his
oally wont, IN his comfortable arm chan. over
looking the island which lie had made prosner.
GUS aud the busy mass OF humanity around him.
for whom he had created home aud a living.
But the last pioneer OF the West Indies never
opened 10 the world the sealed book OF his earIy
career. And no line from his pen remains be.
hind 10 throw strong light upon an experience
which must have rivaed, In real lIie the most
thrilling effects OF drama or romance-From
Kate Fields Washington.