Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1899-03-08
THE ISLAND HOME OF CAPTAIN
DREYFUS.


THE ISLAND HOME OF CAPTAIN
DREYFUS.
The island on which Dreyfus is I'M
prisoned, withia sight of the South
American coast and twenty.
miles from Cayenne, French Guiana, is
known as Devils Island Ole du Dia.
blt), while the three islands in the lit
tie group are known together as Sal.
vation Islands Giles dc SaluO. The
contrast between these names is Ger.
tainly striking, and the way in which
hey became applied TO these little
rocks is interesting. and calls TO mind
one Of the GREATEST tragedies to colo
n,ZaEiCn that ever occurred.
TheislaDds have considerable verduc,
bat in the early days of French Guiana
they had 8 reputation for sterility
which they did not deserve, and on this
account no use was made OF them.
They were named lies du Disble, and
were thought to be OF no value until
thousands of wretched immigrants
from France who were peTsning
among sho pestileutial sRamp5 of the
Kourou river He'd to them IN the hope
that they might escape death.
Il was il 1868 that about $4,000 per
sous from Alsece, Lorraine and Sain-
longe were landed OH the banks OF the
Xourou. France YVES smarting under
the humiliation Of having been compel
led to cede Cerada 10 EoGland, aad
the bright idea occurred to some OF her
puhlic men to replace the lost territory
by dubbing GUAM" Equatorial France"
ard sending thither fleet after fleet Of
coonists. A more cruelty managed
enterprise was never known. The men
who aroused il France enthusiasm for
emigration knew nothing whatever OF
tbs country to which they invited the
poor victims. They recalled that in
Canada the French hsd greatly enjoy
ed the sport of skating. and accordingly
a large supply Of skates were seut with
the coloulsts to tropical America. 1t
was thought elso that in their leisure
hours they would require amusement,
and so a company Of actors was sent on
one of the ships to build q theatre in
Equatorial France Those who pro.
yided these means of diversion, how
ever. forget 10 send sufficient supplies,
and no arrangements were made for
landing and housing settlers. The
Cheviher dc Turgot, who was appoint
ed leader OF the expedition, took care
20 remain in France.
The unhappy victims OF this blunder
began to perish by thousand, and they
thought that if they could only get
away from tho plague spot where they
had landed they might have chance
to live. They were told that the
three Islands which they saw oil shore
were the lies du Diable, and that they
were worth nothing Tor human use.
"A5 least" cried the Door unfortunstrs,
they are swept by ocean breezes.
There is on poison ia ne air among
those islands. Ws Will call them the
lies du Salut, Ior we must hope that
they will save Us from utter eztlnc
ton
This is how it happened thet the
three islands happened 10 be known as
the salvation Islands. And the name
has clung to them ever since. AS a
group. they &re known by 10 other
name. The immigrants gathered up
what was left of their supply Of pro
visions and $500 men, women and
children. all that were left Of the Is 600
who had landed on the neighborlng
coast crowded upon the narrow, rocky
srea which could comfortably hold
only about 400 persons. They landed
nm The island without shelter or cloth
ing, and, being exposed TO the bad
weather and having only the sc&niiest
supply of food, their suffering IVES
great, and most Of them died on the
rocks which they had hoped would
helm to save their lives. a few hun
lred of them az last succeeded III get
f;co back to the French port from
which the had sailed.
The SaIvatlUc Islands were not oc'
cunied again until So, when the trans
nortation o. conyicts TO Guiana began
Saint Joseph and lie Royal now torn
the convict .tstion proper. On Eng,
Iish maps the three islands are calico
saint Islands, and the name lie group
now spplies 10 the island on whicn
Dreyfus is prisoner, aud which is oo'
cupied only by bin and bis guards.
The islands are of about the same
area. They form the apexes Of 8 tri-
angle, anc between them are deep ?
channels where large vessels may ride
81 tonchor or lie moored to the shore
Thev have little wood or water, but
rain is stored in ciaterns. The shores
ore RI rocky and here and there jut out
into promontories and cliffs. From
Devils Island Dreyfus may plainly see
the other two islands and the main
land. only seven miles away n. Y
Sun.
A wORD TO THE WISE Is SUFFICIENT
F1y's CREAM BALM has completely cured
40 ,f cetarrh when everything else failed
1ifrod " stevens, Caldwell, Ohio.