Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-06-02
BEAUTIES OF MARTINIQUE.
Largest and Most Picturesque Tropi-
cal Possession of France.

| Recently American eyes have been
focused upon the French West Indian
island of Martinique, in the Caribbean
sea. 1t was the coaling place and
rendezvous of the Spanish armada.
The island is situated some 100
miles from New York, being fifty
miles in length and fifteen to twenty
III width, having an area c. $50
square miles. One-third of the island
is under cultivation. It's population
is $4,000, and consists mostly of half
breeds, born Of whites, blacks and
mulattos, with a touch of Carib blood
IN their veins. There are only 5000
pure whites on the island
Martinique was discovered by Co
lumbus June Is, 1902, and was inhab-
tied at that time by CARDS, who have
been gradually exterminated. The
| island has been taken by the English
on three different occasions, 1862,
1894 and 1909, and was finally ceded
to France in 1915. Slavery formerly
existed on the island, but has long
since been abolished. Slaves were
brought by the first colonists, when
they landed in 1885.
The shape and surface of the island
is irregular and the coast is rocky
and indented with numerous bays and
inlets. The interior is diversified
with fertile valleys, flooded by small
rivers, one the Roxelane. flows down
through the city of st. Pierre, empty
ing into the sea. The higher parts Of
the hills and mountains are thickly
timbered with primitive growths, the
plains and valleys are covered with
sugar cane, lime and cocoa planta-
TONS
The density of the vegetation is as
tonishing to the eye. Every square
inch of ground is teeming, while the
trees are heavily laden with light
tropical fruits, such as cocoanut, tam
arinds, lines and other fruits
st. Pierre is the commercial capital
of the island, and one of the largest
and best built of all the West Indian
cities. Fort de France is the politi-
cal capital and naval station and is
thirty miles distant from st. Pierre.
st. Pierre has a population of about
$4,000, and in architecture it resem-
bles the old French quarter of New
Orleans. The houses are of yellow
stuccO, two stories in height with lat
ticed windows and green tiled roof.
The city extends back toward the
mountain, climbing up toward the
same by a series of streets, forming
the appearance of an amphitheater.
The Rue Victor Hugo is the main
thOroughfare, and traverses the whole
length of the town parallel with the
shore. 1t is very narrow, though well
paved. ST. Pierre is furnished with an
inexhaustible supply of cold, fresh
mountain water, which besides fur
nishing a supply for drinking and for
number of public fountains, flows
down and purifes the streets and
cutters. This is the only system of
drainage in st. Pierre, and is an in
estimable boon in furnishing cold
water in abundance to the inhabi-
tants.
One of the chief charms to the
visitor in Martinique is the gay col
ors worn by the native women. The
| many colored Madras handkerchiefs
are universally worn, twisted into
| fantastic turbans and ingeniously ar
ranged on the heads. The oddly
and brilliancy of the dresses Of the
Martinique creoles are artistically
pleasing and refreshing to the eyes
used to the somber monotony of
modern attire. It is long trailing
robe or gown Of variegated colors,
gathered up at the front, leaving the
limbs free and unfettered and clearly
outlining the bronzed and finely de-
veloped figures.
The women are the great burden
Of the island. They coa1 the mer-
chant steamers and men-of-war, car
rying the coal upon their heads in
| large baskets, weighing fifty pounds
or more, stepping on a scale which
registers the number of baskets de-
livered. These bare-footed women
] can work for five or six hours inces-