New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-27
DREYFUS'S PRISON.
A VISIT TO THE lies DU sALUT AND
WHAT WAS SEEN


The trial Of NJ. Zola and the agitation on -
half of Captain Dreyfus have made the saiut
Islands, where the latter is confined hous>
hold word, and as / once had the rare p1vrep
OF visiting that notorious peniten,iary whoa
secret is so well guarded. ny experience mag
interest your readers writes John Munro b
The London Globe" | gather from French
sources that the establishment has 10, changed
much since saw it. The lies du Saiut are hres
small rocky islands. about ten miles from ths
mainland and thirty miles northwest u Cay
enne, the capital OF French Guiana They vsn
known as the lies du Dabe until the yeas
1853. when thousands OF French emgranu q.
ticed by fattering promises 70 the tropical
jungles of the neighboring coast Of horou. ven
dying of pestence and fever. and remnant
saved their lives by crossing 10 The slandA
Formerly overgrown 10 the water side they an
now bare volcanic rocks devoid - yegetaton
except few cocoanut palms. mang0es, weeds
and bushes. They form one Of the principal
convict stations Of the colony, and il would
be difficult to find a more secure place The
largest island, lie Royale. IS the chief settle
ment and on one II its twin hillocks are planted
the barracks OF the soldery the quarters of he
while the other is surmounted by the vaa
prisons OF the conyicts, the almost equay big
hospital for the sick. the Roman Catholic chapel
and the house Of the chaplain. H. the houov
between the hills an embatted wall defends
the sleeping soldiers from surprise. and indeed
the whole island il a fortress Ile Joseph, The
next in point Of size, has only few cabins On
the summit for maniacs and conyalescents and
the lie du Diable which preserves the original
name Of the group is q mere shoal II rock
sand and gravel nearly mile from The others
and swept by all the storms q the sea II s hers
that poor Captain Dreyfus is condemned to play
the part IF Cause.-The Crusoe u !nfamy
Soon after our ship had anchored III ne D
Royale some officers 0f the garrison and he
chief doctor Of the hospital came on; ~ q small
boat, manned by four conyicts. who we're sepS
rated from the officers by an erect iron srating.
and were guarded by soldier armed With
loaded rifle. The dress Of the conyicts "a.
flannel blouse, open a; the breast cotton pan.S
looms and a coarse palm hat with very gids
brm to keep of the sun
The islands are IN state Of perpetual siega
but our guests invited Us 10 pay them a yint
and the next day. being sunday W started
for the je,ty OF the lie Royae. /, was the rainy
season and the green foliage q the PAINS ghS
tered brightly in the watery sunshine as we ~
preached the island. The only inhao.tsnt W
could see was clayey-looking Arab conyid
squatted on a rock by the shore fishing; ou
when We landed few soldiers mace their A.
pearance They were mere youths. clad N blue
TUNES and white trousers. and Sc could n~
help remarking their listless forlOrn and eva
sckly air. The climate is fatal 10 them, ana
the longer they serve the greater is the NOR
tally among them
MEN TURNED TO MACHINES
Being Sunday the conyicts were nearly al h-
doors, but q party Of them mastering
to go 10 chapel. There are over a thousand
prisoners on these small islands. and they are
chiefly from the mother country Algeria, TunA
Saigon and Pondicherry. When he sets foot
Guiana the man becomes d machine. subject
a strict discipline and severe penalties II ne u
refractory he is chained like dog, II ne
violent he may be shot. He IS known by NJ
number, which is painted over his sleeping
hammock and stamped or his clothes \ coafs'
sack hung on nail over his bed contains All ni'
worldly goods. He rises at > a. m ana at'0
a morsel Of bread wiki soup. JOINS me muste'
in the prison yard From % 10 ~ ne ""'N'
making boots, clothes or furniture Il ne caA' "
navvying or loading ships WIKI tue4 " "A'e''
for the islands are depot 70 the othef pen'
tentiaries of the colony. Al lV.oo ne seS
dejeuner Of soup. bread, salt oeei' or Hesh oeN
all the way from Para in Brazil during u"
heat Of noon he is free 10 enjoy siesta lhioo'A
or make little pocket money 10 s~eeteh NE w
by carving cocornuts. threading seeds or snehs
in To hracelets and plaiting mats. From 70
p. m. ne resumes his work. ana then uhe7 VI