St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1896-09-26
~TnE ISLE or TERROR.

sTHE ISLE or TERROR
D0szipsasa % usAaas. Whao ~ DEene
neeA Cnssas West now2
Ushan., the island upon whose OUT
laying reefs. the steamer Drummond
Castle ran ON June IL. sinking three
minutes afterward and carrying down
every soul except three. lies on the
northwest coast Of France and forms the
corner around which vessels from the
south turn into the English channel
after crossing the Bay Of Biscay.
"Ushan," il the Anglicized form OF
''Ouessant," the French name. Pliny
calls the island "Uxantis." and the
Bretons knew it as "Enez Heussa,
which means ''the Isle Of Terror" II
well deserves the Celtic name.
The inhabitants Of Ushant are . hardy
the women all tillers Of the rocky soil.
The latter ON high days and holidays
still often display their ancient costume.
with its nat colt, which strikingly re-
calls the feminine headgear Of southern
Italy, and whence their dark hair
streams in freedom below their waists.
Within the last quarter Of . century .
breed Of ponies still roamed In semi
wildness over large portion of the
island, and for centuries the inhabitants
themselves were looked upon ~ savagcs.
Debarresl often for long weeks at time.
from any intercourse with the mainland.
they certainly led very primitive lives.
But at the same time they preserved tho
primitive virtues, and honesty and hos
pitality have ever been articles Of faith
among them. =
Losing year by year. with unfailing
regularity, . score nr two Of their own
kin and kindred In the treacherous
waters around their isle. their sym
pathies have always been with those
whom shipwreck has imperiled. Sew
era] Of the Breton ialands have notori-
ously harbored communities Of wreck
ers," but the people Of Ushant have
again and again distinguished them
selves by their efforts to save distressed
vessels and their crews.
Whenever one of the islanders il lost
at sea. touching ceremony. called 1.-The
Proella," il performed. the relstives
and friends Of the deceased carry TO his
house . small wooden cross, over which
the clergy repeat the prayers for the
dead. as il this symbol were the corpse
itself. Then the crossbearer. who,
whenevar practicable, il the godfather
of the defunct (this again touching in
stonce cf symbolism). incloses II In
Golfer, and. followed by all the mourn
ers, deposits II at the foot Of statue
Of st. Pol Aurelien. the patron Of the
isle. A few years ago hundred Of these
Golfers could be seen assembled around
the statue.
Ushant is known to history. As early
as 1858 an English expedition landed on
the island. and ravaged IL with IRE and
sword. Then, in IT'S. its waters Wit
messed the much-criticised naval Gu
gagement between Keppel and dor
villiers, which English histories usually
describe as drawn battle, whereas
the French claim it as decisive victory.
Finally, 16 years later. Ushant saw the
glorious 1st Of June, when Lord Howe
certainly shattered the French ships
Of war. commanded by villaret-Joy-
euse, but at the same time signally
failed TO prevent the large fleet Of
French merchantmen, on whose arrival
France depended for means to prose-
cute the war. from getting safely into
the port Of Brest.
That Ushant il In Breton estimation
predestined to deeds of blood and death
is shown by a strange rhymed proverb.
which Chateaubriand quotes in his
memoirs fuDm Beyond the Grave" and
which may be Englished thus: HE
who sees Belle Isle doth see his isle; he
who seeth Grol doth see his Joy; but
gaze on Ushant's food. you zee your
blood"
OF the wild scenery around Ushant
there has probably never been any bet
ter description than that given by
Chateaubriand. The island il the larg-
est, and. from the mainland, the most
distant, Of those forming the archi-
pelago tn which it gives its name. Mo-
lene. tho next in size, trades largely In
its own soil, which on account Of certsin
chemical proprieties. il sought after by
Breton agriculturists. Then, in atldi-
ton to scores Of little islets, some Of
them mere ats and rocks. there h
Qucmenez, which n about . quarter Of
tho sizc of Ushant, while near to the
mainland is 1npiquet. or the Blessed
isle. 50 called on account Of its proximity
to the Breton shore. and the rcfug. Il
offers amid the most dangerous Of oil
the adjacent reefs, that Of Les Piegres
NOires.
Many . stout ship and many . ftail
fishing boat have been shattered amopg
these reefs, where the waters ever
seeth anu roer. even on calm summer
days. But winter In the time to see
Ushant and its neighboring isles all
bare and rugged, rising from amid the
gale-laahed waves. No rockbound coast
can offer . more impressive spectacle
than that which the ocean than pre-
sents ~ il leaps in its dread. blind might
around tb6f!sle Of Terror.-Westmin-<
steP Gazette.
$780,