The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-11-19
| DISTRESSING CONDITION
OF ST. VINCENT ISLAND AND ITS POPU,
lATION.
The Recent Hurricane Swept All verdure
From the Island-.An Appeal From the
Governor of Neighboring Island--The
Suffering of the islanders Indescribable.

Suffering of the Islanders Indescribable.
KINGSTON, AIcA.-The results of
calm investigation have proved con-
clusively that, so far from being exag-
gerated, the first reports of the de-
struction wrought by the cyclone at
St. Vincent were rather short OF the
actual facts.
The island was literally swept abso-
lutely bare of vegetation, the expert
ence of 1850 being repeated; but the
full extent of the devastation was not
at first realized owing to the difficulty
of communication through the de-
struction of the roads and the coastal
shipping.
The governor of the Windward
Islands has now sent out an appeal to
the neighboring islands stating the
facts and asking that roots, slips and
seeds of potatoes, cassava, vans, peas
and other economic plants be forward
ed as soon as possible, to enable cul-
tivation to be restored.
His Excellency decl1res in brief
but significant descriptive paragraph
that the whole aspect of the landscape
has been changed. Instead of the
pervading green common to all trop-
ical prospects, it is now uniform
dirty brown color, only relieved by
long white poles-the decapitated COL
aims of palm and cocoanut trees.
Nothing in the way of vegetation es-
capped the sweep of the wind and the
subsequent securing out by the deluge
of water, and the island is practically
a desert Perhaps the most impressive
feature, he adds, is the absolute still
ness that prevails, not only through
the absence of the familiar rustic OF
vegetation as the trade wind sweeps
over it, but also because of the alb
sence of animal and even insect life.
Birds, lizards, beetles, snakes and, in
fact, every form of animal life seems
to have been blown away or drowned
out.
The Immediate result of this on the
population is most disastrous. Already
several hundred deaths have occurred
from exposure and priyation, and dis
eases common to low vitality are rap,
idly developing among the people,
principally in the form of ulcers. Al
present about 5000 men are employed
on the reconstruction of roads and
other public works, but these repre-,
sent only one-eighth of tho popula,
ton, and the others have to be pro
vided for by the distribution of daily
doles of food as this comes in. But
the quantity is barely sufficient tc
keep them alive, consisting Of few
biscuits, a handful of rice and small
piece of salt meat or fish. Owing to
the complete destruction of vegetation
there is not even any fuel to be found,
and many have to eat their allowance
raw. which tends to augment the sick
ness.
A tourist, who visited the island,
writes to say that amid this fearful
state of affairs, one feature particular
ly struck him. That was the devotion
Of the distressed people to their fam
lilies and relations. AS an illustration
he cites the case of an old man whom
he met Iimping along with bandaged
feet. He was taking two biscuits and
little -four and rice to his sisters
sick children in the mountains. This
had been all the allowance his appeal
had elected, except two other biscuits
which he had eaten. On the way he
stopped occasionally to gather small
chips of wood and dry grass with
which to cook the flour and rice, for
which he was very thankful, but ex-
pressed much anxiety as to whether
he would procure any matches where
with to make fire. On the correspond
ent handing him box of matches his
gratitude was unbounded.
The correspondent adds that he was
through the recent Indian famine and
spent a year in connection with the re-
lief work, and had seen heartrending
scenes there, but nothing to approach
the distress wrought by the hurricane
in st. Vincent.
The conditions prove how great is
the capacity for endurance of the
human frame, for unless he had wit
messed it he could not have believed
that a population could suffer so much
and yet live. He feels convinced that
the British public does not realize the
magnitude of the disaster, otherwise
their contributions to the relief fund
would not have been so mad aquate.
Fifty thousand pounds would not &C
far in relieving st. Vincent alone.