The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-03-01
THH ISLAND HOMH
OF CAPT. DREYFUS
From tho New York Sun.

From the New York Sun.
The island on which Dreyfus is impris-
oned, within sight of the South American
coast and twenty-seven miles from Cay
enne, French Guiana. is known as Devils
Island Qle du Diable) while the three
islands In the little group are known to-
gether Salvation Islands Giles du Salut),
The contrast between these names Is GER
tainly striking. and the way in which they
became applied to these little rocks Is In
teresting, and calls to mind one of the
greatest tragedies to colonization that ever
occurred.
The islands have considerable verdure,
but in the early days of French Guiana
they had a reputation for sterility which
they did not deserve, and ON this account
no use was made of them. They were
named Hes du Diable, and were thought to
be of no value until thousands of wretched
immigrants from France who were PERISH
ing among the pestilential swamps of the
Kourou river fled to them in the hope that
they might escape death.
1t was in 1863 that about 1900 persons
from Alsace, Lorraine and saintonge were
landed on the banks of the kouron. France
ing been compelled to oede Canada to Eng
land, and the bright idea occurred to some
of her public men to replace the lost terri
tory by clubbing Guiana Equatorial
France and sending thther feet after fleet
of colonists. more cruelty managed en-
terprise was never known. The men who
aroused in France enthusiasm for emigra-
ton knew nothing whatever of of the coun-
inv xxrhf oh s~1.yt he
They recalled that in Canada the French
had greatly enjoyed the sport of skating.
and accordingly a large supply of skates
was sent with the colonists to tropical
America. 1t was thought also that in their
leisure hours they would require amuse-
ment, and SO company of actors was sent
on one of the ships to build a theater in
Equatorial France. Those who provided
these means of diversion, however, forgot
to send sufficient food supplies, and no ar
rangements were made for landing and
housing the settlers. The Chevalier de
Turgot, who was appointed leader of the
expedition, took care to remain in France.
The unhappy victims of this blunder be-
gan to perish by thousands, and they
thought that if they could only get away
from the plague spot where they had land
ed they might have a chance to live. They
We're told that in the three islands which
they saw off shore were the Hes du Diable,
and that they were worth nothing for hui
man uses. "At least" cried the poor UNI
fortunates, they are swept by ocean
breezes. There is no poison in the air
among those islands. We will call them
the Isle du Salut, for we must hope that
they will save us from utter extinction"
This is how it happened that the three
Islands happened to be known the Saliva
ton Islands, And the name has chung to
them ever since. AS group, they are
known by no other name. The immigrants
gathered up what was left of their supply
of provisions and 1900 men, women and
children, all that were left of the $1,000
who had landed the neighboring 6oast,
crowded upon the narrow, rocky area
which could comfortably hold only about
400 persons. They landed on the island
without shelter or clothing, and being ex-
posed to the bad weather and having only
the scantiest supply of food, their suffer-
ing was great, and most of them died on
the rocks which they had hoped would help
to save their lives. A few hundred of them
at last succeeded in getting back to tho
French port from which they had sailed
The Salvation Islands were not occupied
again until 1852. when the transport of con-
Victs to Guiana began. Saint Joseph and
lie Royal now form the convict station
proper. On English maps the three Islands
are called Salut 1SlandS, anu the name llS
group, now applies only to the island on
which Dreyfus is a prisoner and which
is occupied only by him and his guards
The islands are of about the same area.
They form the apexes of a triangle. and
between them are deep channels where
large vessels may ride at anchor or lie
moored to the shore They have little wood
or water but rain is stored in csterns. The
shores are rocky, and here and there jut
out into promontories and cliffs. From
Devils Island Dreyfus may plainly see the
other two islands and the mainland, only
seven miles away.