Omaha daily bee., 1902-03-23

fear, and in the present terror all past
memories are blotted out.
At the Cnrib VilInaRe.
Though it is but twenty miles from the
English town of Roseau to the Carib village
of Salibia, yet so rough and wild Is the
trail that 1t is a good two days journey,
we'll worth the trouble however, so wonder
full is the wild riot of emerald vegetation
Tree ferns, those last survivals of the old
carboniferous period, forty feet in height;
begonias growing like weeds, hundreds OF
unknown brilliant flowers, with here and
there an orchid, scenting the air with
strange perfume; soft clouds, rolling down
from the mountains, covering everything
with a warm mist; gorgeous rainbows arch
ing the green valleys, seemingly close
enough to touch cool streams gurgllng un-
seen amid the foliage, 300 feet below the
Carib town itself has but collection Of
a few grass huts and queer little shanty
whose cross at the apex of its roof pro-
claims It to be the Catholic mission. They
are all good Catholics, these Caribs, so the
priests say, but it is to be feared that is
so mainly because It is easier to be con-
verted than not. What the real religion
Of this strange people was no one really
devil, Mabanya, requiring human offerings
for his appeasement ghosts of dead ances-
tors all these were part, 1t is guessed OF
their belief. However deep their present
faith may be- 1t does not sink deep enough
to dull the dogged persistence with which
they hold every inch OF the little land now
left them. lourishing settlement was
started called La Bote, but one day the
news came that the land where the chapel
stood had been presented to the priests.
That night all save five deserted their huts
forever as a silent protest against the
granting Of their territory. There Is some
thing indescribably pathetic in this frag-
ment OF a nation clinging to the fragment
of its country. When the reservation was
surveyed last year a little farm they
claimed as theirs was found to belong to
neighboring estate. Word was sent to the
surveyor that II he returned he would be
killed, II they were all hanged for 1t.
Chief in Name Only.
II you are lucky you will find the chief
Auguste Francais, chief by descent and In
name only, for he has little authority over
his people. The last real chief was old
Joseph Francais dead then thirty years
ignorant let us trust, OF the downfall OF hiF
people. There must have been a good deal
Of the old lion look about Joseph, for those
who remember him agree with one accord
that they were always afraid to meet him
In proper state he stalked through the for
est. his three wives always trotting obedi-
emily behind him in single file. These
wives were a constant source OF grief tc
the parish priest being rather uncanonical
but Joseph cunningly kept out of the rev.
erend fathers way until, one day, they un-
expectedly met face to face.
Good morning, Joseph" said the priest
Good morning." replied the chief
Joseph" said the good man, plunging
into the heart Of the matter without delay
"who are those women back OF you?"
"Them my wives" replied Joseph, briefly
"But, Joseph, don't you know that is
wrong? You must pick out one Of them
and I will marry you and the others you
must give up"
There was a moments awkward silence
Then the chief beckoning his retinue
alongside, lined them up.
me chief" he explained; "chief cannot
work; chief cannot staTve. This one, y
pointing a lean finger at the head OF the
stold line, "she fish for me. This one, she
tend my garden, grow my cassava, my plan
tans my yams. This one, she tend my
house, she cook for me, she make my