The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-10-08
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Il NNst1.Na
NrMrasep 2z-The regrettable occurrences
OF last month at Aigues- Mortes, in the south
OF France. the fatal dissensions between the
workmen OF different nationalties the Grimes
and murders and the heavy penalties inflicted
on the guilty. have been dealt with by the Local
press, and have had an echo In all countries
Curiosity has been naturally enough excited
to see the theatre OF these bloody scenes, and
to acquire some knowledge OF . site and peo-
pie OF which so little Is known. The life OF the
men who extract the salt from the marshes at
Peccais and In other localities offers many
features OF interest, and 10 not without mel
ancholy teaching when one realizes that 600
human beings are at work under q sky OF fire
and on soil shed to an intensity OF daz-
cling whiteness that burns itself into their
faces and their eyea
On all the salt marshes OF the Mediterranean
shores It 10 absolutely necessary to rapidly re-
| move the salt produced By the spontaneous
evaporation Of the sea water concentrated by
the sole action OF the sun and heat during the
| long summer days.
preliminary operation takes place In the
month Of March. which consists In allowing
the sea water to enter broad and deep trench
or basin, dug In the clay which underlies the
| sands OF the beach. In this huge reservoir all
| the foreign matter and impurity floating pre-
bottom on account Of the lesser buoyancy OF
the LIQUID. Ae soon as this is completed tho
water is made to pass through cays or small
locks tmd,teleresI into the shallower basins
lined with clay called at the works partene-
ments- As soon as the water has by evapora-
tion gained certain concentration In these
second reservoirs 1t is again strained into
succession OF lesser ones separated by small
banks OF clay and wooden piles.
The water Is thus carried from partenement
to partenement till 1t has reached an advanced
degree OF concentration. At this stage It de-
poslts an appreciable quantity OF sulphate OF
lime produced by the cslcareous salts con-
tanned in sea water. and It is only when
this dtsintegration ia completely accom-
plished that the salt is In a condition to
sink In it's turn. Then. with the help OF
well and q wheel worked by one OF the
native horses. the water already strongly con-
centrated is raised to the sailing tables"
placed q couple Of inches over the last reser-
voirs OF evaporation. AS this evaporation pro-
gresses the salt proper appears in the shape Of
cubic crystals adhering to the bottom and
sides Of the tables"
The gathering OF the salt is made at the be-
ginning Of August and i'm plies two important
operations. tho "javelage" and the "levage"
The former consists in heapirg the salt OBJ
tanned into certain number OF mounds called
javelles;' and in order to accomplish thist the
water covering the layers Of salt on the tables
must be carefully drawn of and the crystals
exposed to the direct rays OF the sun for two or
three days. after which they are lifted-hence
the name "levage"-from the ia bles with fiat
wooden spade terminating in sharp iron
spatula. which is inserted horizontally under
the layers OF salt. 1t Is those fakes of salt
that 20 to the forming OF tho "javelles"
Each mound cOntatns n on nifty NJ II liftod
on superficial area Of some 900 yards. and
amounts to an average OF six tons The
JdreIes are allowed to stand q couple OF days.
till all the remaining water has escaped or
dried of. when different set OF workmen re-
move them In rush baskets. which they carry
on their heads. and take them to broad walks
called "Graviers." erected for that purpose
around the salt works. whore they are piled up
In huge hillocks called "camelles"
While the lifting OF the salt requires great
care. SO as not to tnjure the tables 1t is not so
with the carrying It of. The former operation
10 intrusted only to skilled workmen and for
the other hundreds OF foreign hands are an
nually enlisted.
A good "Javsleur" can turn out ten or twelve
tons of salt day. The carriers. who work
according to their strength and ability and
according to the distance to which the baskets
must be conveyed. cannot be reckoned to
carry moro than sixty pounds In each load and
to dispose Of more than four or five tons day.
SO that the javeleur requires three men to
carry of his share Of the salt gathering.
All the huge "camelles" have the same
trains from Marseilles whom they reach tho
neighborhood Of the pond OF Berre. can see
ling. breaking the horizon line for many miles.
No need to say that ell the salt: extracting
Sperstl9Ps take e. place in tn. open az. Rain Is
the salt and DESTROYS their harvest: the small
est cloud in the deep blue sky Is watched with
might Srine to their tired i flames The Date Of
the beginning OF salt gathering and it's oontin-
marshes. and depend chiefly on the possibility |
Of obtaining tho requisite number Of additional
In The OF the Of the
ended TOWARD the 18th Of August. so as to
prevail in tho latter end Of that month. The |
removal OF the JareHes continues till the LIST OF
September. thus allowing full month for tho
In" In the "saines of minor Importance fort
10 80 difficult to enlist hands that tho opera
tS %n have y; been kno owl to last two months
tSsr time Without shelter in the sun and often
continue to work til it is dark. beginning at
Weeks they are thoroughly exhausted and IL,
cApADlo OF unuoTtdkluR OtnoC tabkb mo bulJ
workers camp out at night: coarse linen
sheets brought from their homes are stretched
on poles driven into the sand and Joined to-
gether at the top. Under this precarlous
shelter tho women sleep. They cook their
m calls on dull and evil smelling fires fed with
the dung Of horses and bullocks. and the iron
pots exhale powerful perfume OF garlic and
sea cabbage. The latter. which grows In the
locality. is much priced BY the natives, and is
The whole community pass their nights
more or less huddIed together. and when too
much CramDed for room in the meaUF6 tents |
hey sleep on blankets stretched on layer Of
rushes on the hot sand.
As the hands are paid for work done only,
and as they are lahorious and hardy race.
they avail themselves OF every hour Of the long
days and allow themselves no other rest than
that afforded by the short summer darkness.
They affirm that they will have plenty OF idle
time when they return home. and their chief
10 to earn enough to tide them
over the winter. They have worse enemies to
combat than fatigue; they are the pernicious
levers SO prevalent on those marshes the pri-
constant and consuming thirst, the mosani-
sss sun pouring It's rays on the "tabIes"