New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-12
LIFE IN THE WEST INDIES.
MISS HArI. TELLS ABOUT SOME QUEER
BELIEFS
HOW SPANISH CRUELTY LEFT IT'S AWFUL STAMP
IN THIS LAND OF PIRATES AND
GHos7T.Y SUPERSTITION.

IN THIS LAND OF PIRATES AND
GHos1rY SUPERSTITION.
The Brooklyn Womars Club held rs regular
meeting yesterday afternoon. and tho programme
vas in charge OF the Science Committee-Mrs
Andrew Jacobs chairman. Mrs. Truman !. Bsckus
presided. and spoke upon the biennial or the Cen
eral Federation OF Women's Clubs. short NIL
seal programmes was rendered follows Piano
eoios by Miss Annie c. Fooie. NacDOwelrs
"Nooashine" and The Brook" and Petite Valse
by Ka-sanor: three songs by Arthur Foote. AN
Irish FoHsong" Love Me II Live" and I'm
Uearin Ava Jean" sung by Miss Grace WOOD.
The principal speaker OF the afternoon was Miss
Ms-eare. Seymour Hall who read paper The
Folklore OF tho West Indies" Miss Hal has
travelled extensively the Islands. and after tell
ing a number Of the prevalent stories In the native
dialect she interested her hearers with state
ment OF past and present conditions IN the Ihoies.
She spoke IN part follows:
The islands Of the West Indies were discovered
nv Columbus in May 1892. We ourselves dscov-
cred them on 4 beautiful morning in November
when thoy from the blue Caribbean Sea green
and lovely and looking IKE fairy Islands AFTER the
fog and cold which had LEFT behind. On our
right rose the mountains Of Cuba. and further on
law Jamaica where a line OF cocoanut palms
marked The edge of Morant Bay. the scene OF the
hanging OF the rebels after the fierce servile insur-
rec,!on under Governor Eyre. The history OF the
tslnnds IS punctua;ed by horrors 81 every sort.
murders rebellion buccaneers. pirates and pesti-
lsnce Like Elijah II has had the earthquake. the
fire and the wind. but. alas the inhabitants seemed
70 hear no still small voice from heaven The
land was almost entirely given up 20 in!quity.
Even as approach w sail above the runs OF
Port Royal almost wholly submerged in 1882 Like
the fab,ed Il in Brittany. its towers stu he
seen on g calm da- and divers visit its lonely
streets from time 20 time II the tales be true. i
will take al! the waves Of the Atlantic 10 WASH
clean the vanished town. for there the buccaneers
had their headquarters and came after their ralds
20 mold their revels. and there they wrought such
deeds Of violence never were and cannot De
told.
Henry Morgan. who was elected Governor again
and again and finally kniehted. was The most
famous and popular. He presented the Island
with church. for with their rascality these gentry
combined an extreme piety. Daily prayers were
he'd AT sea and Il IS recorded Of one commander
that he sho; 4 sailor IN church for irrevent be-
fav:or during mass Muscular Christianity has
not NC VIII trus. often FOUND 80 jealous az
exponent.
..T5o erst TOM Sev..a Neuva. Or Sev.na dOr)'
Is T. was called afterward. was buff in l5>F ty
l,.n Juan dEsquirei. the first Spanish Governor
,.r, over by Diego Columbus. II boasted a
monastery and catnedra.. with pavement Two
miles lory likewise theatre and many palaces
re oil SPANISH chroniclers certainly lacked not
.r,ae,ra,Ion ,r their fe-vid descriptions One
would IKE 10 have seen the palaces win 'her
roofs OF matched lain However. In spite OF a.!
this spendor. sevina d'Oro was soon aean1oned
fo- San Isgo de la vega
THE history OF The Sparierds Ia the wet Ihdies
reads Nike the record OF angels and demons. On
Tho one hand We have lives beyond praise III thet
sels-ahneeation and heavenly DEVOTION on the o'hef
hand cr.e,ies that the ootromiess pit alone seems
deep enough TO hide When the 99anlaros MIST
landed II these islands. says Los Casas IN SPEAK
ins 0, the Bahamas. there we're about "N''"
souls They cut the throats CT large part Oh THESE
ne
work In the mines Of Hspaniols When some pioh'
yessons Embarked TO visit these is.e' sil@F w
fsyages the Spaniards had MADE IN tnen. 'n,S JUN
bot cie pec5ie e!t there ADout '.Iits ~ ~
tina; OF 81 johns were entirely depopHaied
o., AnG' En-, NM Wst oc Xicia Of the order OF 81.
Francs general OF all the monks of N, said ofnef
In PERU Who came 10 t.s coGnir! with tie span
!ards ina, arst invaded IT, q tcStmy "nHi ha nj
wlin my own Eyes OF ne mdt,He' .. ''l.n
with taste for grewsome sadins w!H mo IL
fully grained by peTusal OF Lag 1850 re re
west Indies" II will probably lie enough FOR nc
d 10 know that taey %e IF 6
When the poor creatures occasionally attempted
t s5s.d ,i te f 9Go eve gy sanlsrd
Turning 20 speak on prese;t-day conditions, Miss
Men = suiior purposes to WOO his lass a strict
etiquette has be observed The irst step IS eps-
srdof OF his soul until he has written and craved
permission. Il this IS aecotTSU me & oT en-
position but | have never been abe 10 secure an
|
il was brought 10 me the motel ana contained
two rhree-cornered notes stuck tnroush ann
through win MOVERS Ike Poonius's winding sheet
! read The first line. and shall always regard II az
o triumph Of honor that ! tneIenPon returned II
70 ite envelope and went IN search OF my name.
nke in the laundry The natives have curious
way OF measuring their affection by distance They
say I love you from Kingston 20 spanish Iown
or from ocho Rios 10 s.. AIMS, wedding cake axe
10 truly splendid creation. IL IS i3os;sa ana
sprinkied with pink sugar then da, siim e hs,i,
ton OF -four and water like tail feathers rs buiit
upon IT, and the whole is stuck over with gili
paper and round pink and white CANDY waters with
detrimental sentences. such As i owe tnce rue.
4 small separate cake is baked foT the parsoh
NO description Of the West lnoes Eouc DC
complete without some account OF the ooean or
witch work Obeah IA undoubtedly ioIn oI m
old African snake worship; the same NM ,, MC ~
existed In Europe. thorough Understanding Vi
tho matter would carry back 10 the Ee;x haen.
tree and the berth Of the human RAG w. Nv! nv
traces Of IL IN the yoodoo charms ana s III
OF our own Southern States What MAKE J.. Can
geros In tho West Indies is the fact that pViso"ins
forms an element There seems no aount IT, a.
awful taking OF life by this means 80 ID
cases that are never heard OF In tne pa9 been
record only % per cent Of the ouriaIs nv CO..
furnished with medical certificate OF any sy
but strong efforts made By INC ~, =. are
20 put down obeahisn and those enc II
subject not only TO DO imprisoned. Dut "hiSpsN "