The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-03-11
THE FRENCH WEST INDIES.
PICTURESQUE ISLANDS WHERE THE
WOuEN DO THE WORk
Curious Development Of the Negro In Mar
Unique ana northumberland OF the
Dominant Whites Mourning Customs
General Desire for More Education.
Copyright, 1900. bv Frdncis Drdk',

The sea nowhere surrounds more interesting
patches Of land than Martinique, the scene OF
tho recent, uprising against existing conditions,
and MS SISTER French Wes, Indian island, Guade
loupe These islands possess Understandable
scenic beauty, great natural advantages aud
unusual resources, but visitors To view Their pct
uresqu' scenes are comparatively few, their
advantages are not uth2cl and their resources
are undeveloped For Mdrtlniqu" and Guadr
lonpa have stool still for a century The domi
uNnt whites run he government IN an indolent
but ovcrh " ring fushion, and the common nep
pie submit with sullcnncsS. Possibly, though
not probably, the lat d. %turhenr" may be the
sign Of a g,nun" awakening Of the people from
their ptptra"tcd slImherS
The common people Of Martinique and Quad
eloupc mr. mos,ly negroes and par, breeds and a
Singular ra"' they are, - dIIrr"nt from the col
orrd elements IN the population Of cuba anI
Puerto lArp Ms they are different from tn negroes
4 the Tinted Stans. To any one Who hnuwS
tn, nogr1ss # The Statcs tho;'u u Spanish Amer
zen are a range aud interesting variation, hut
th,N ar, almost commonplace beside lheir near
nnlrhhorS n thu French West In les. Il = ems
incredible that two peoples, s., mach alike a ira
diiJn apd growing ont Of Ii" 'Hm" S'oc., should
hrya Grft,d - far n.er' From thnlr r|l',m
TO thor cooking, al Is mystery with II" people
Of GuslrloQpc and Nlr"uilH, Noninnll'
Cntb, h,s. thew ar, m r.,lity mvs,irs. G,la,crs
They hes, IN, domino, whit, race wilt IN
int,u,," n lno les pronounced because IT Is
n,r often ma"llcnt.
The French West Indian hasn't much mind
hut a great dead OF imG,Inuu,u whicllis stlmu-
lated by ialencss. snoLing aud rum, and
must b. ted lie demands a promise Of -puNtilng
for nothing: a r,lra5, from present
trlublp and protection a-ain,t Anticipated
ones. This II the wholN srhnn" Of hi religious
belief l. Is for this he offers sa foes, prac-
uses self dental or participates IN fantastic or yul
gar ceremony as cr,rl or cult demands During
amt pripr 10 the rainy season, h. engages the ser
vico u q rrice, to offer M prayers say mass and
! burn candies in or GER than the rain may moi create
! nopls. that the thunder may not bn loud. that
the lightning nnv be harmless. In difference
:, ~, .h,, ,,,t festivities mud l,nc,rC mr..
..,' w., ,,r,,. ~, r,.n, r,,n,n.
bu, tho qupriI'y " rum 60 n~unnl ia limited only
hr ,ho ,,,,,b,r q come oerb irIivilrol bnnnous
w WV ''', W. - -.
To rnS'nS' Nn'n' III 7''' "i tlu'Aihh "la''"Hs
ard masses. an oarth1uakr or u hurricane visits
,o ,.l,,l a., ro,,lo rsroo, their ceremonies
-" r. .I u., ,h,,. roro ~, ,Ms
ana than" 'h' good I'Id lhaN 'lieN were NOV ''o
| ital BY ho,n ,lnrl'e ne,l,ly If the boa's are
r-,.l,t 80, a., sb,-s o~ sprg corrl.,rly ONT of
,i.h. .,I ~, rot,.i,- - Ju lines ,re urr,ofa1
W. w '"''''' -,
tho people only pray ana say. IL was me F"od
LorI viii When a STUPID NEGRO breaks the
,, .r,1o,t., is A,ira
~ HI'' ''''' " " " ~ ''h l'l
q, thirst AMI q protest Is lodge, N" only res ponSe
ia "Tt's ,ho GOOD Lord who broke It."
"' w., ,nlia, .,n.r.,r,,. oro
Inc fr'hCh west i"''ah suI"'Hu"'nH "o
almost infinite in number Every animal, insect
~ hid j. of ,onI or eyil nurury. and every ne.
" u"
cMIIiIltV 81 'hdra'"T oi "'"'n' every Mum
Of individuality has Its mystical significance.
noo,b 10 ,erv serious thing snd fine candles
''i'
ana prayers Tor III" dend are as coSuN ana rs
numerous as purse can bear. \ funeral in church
a,tl .,,ur lierl,v ,fli,h,s 81, III, altar and
WV" "H''", "'r'' ' ~.
the hslnS 81 b'iH means o' francs "hth
the body and its followers are allowed simply
:, o,,or ,bs church and mass is soid uitbou,
" V""' III" Wv NV, -
candles, the cost II ABOUT ooo francs for a 1e"
,noy NOT 90 beyond the entrance.
Their mourning rlaS are as curious as their
cbIrrI rites Not only the relatives u the lead
I'm, All the friends 81 the family A. we'll. old women,
mi yolny children. don snrkCloth and s,rinklr
tbnir heads With ashes II Moaning WOilAn
nnssa...s - mir OF earrings as large rs ulums.
1 sha ,nyors ihnu over with a piece ~ Hack cloth
80 ,aIyat as M irJi.,nnu Of her rr7rf and the
.irbt ~ VA. Gran, llarh npreu6ages sluk.s the
.,ran,ar r,,st f,rrihlv
"'rhS r'iy tn,n,r ti9t remains normal about
"a, u,,,n,, in t.,juI. E.IioUinr hnra,T,r4nut H.
~. r,,I, "a ma, I,i, T., 10 rs. .L,of 10 III,