The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-05-13
RivaIed Gay Paris.


est. Pierre, the iH-fated city, rivaIed
Paris itself in gayety. The dancing halls
open pavilions-were the scenes of night
" festivities. Wine was used more free
" than IN any other city in the West In
dies, where usually rum is the chief bey-
erage- The guest at the one hotel who
could not drink quart bottle OF claret
at meal was looked upon as wonder.
The meals are OF the same variety as
usually is found in the, Lesser Antilles.
There is breakfast about 10 o'clock, and
dinner from to 9 o'clock
Zone of the most interesting objects to
catch the eye of the visitor to St. Pierre
was the tramway. This conveyance was
usually about eight feet long and had four
seats. Drawn by mules imported from
America OF Canada, driven by a negro
man and presided over usually by negro
or creole woman, who collected the fare
the stranger could not but be amused.
The inhabitants carried everything on
their heads. A sort Of turban was wound
first around the forehead. to keep the tray
from coming in contact with the head. It
was no unusual sight TO see q woman with
a bucket Of water, from which never a
drop would be spilled: a tray OF live
chickens, the rooster Growing. and large
quantities Of earthenzare made into
drinking cups called monkeys, the weight
of which must approach geo pounds, going
along the streets with the load.
Like Oriental Garb.
These were the tradespeople of the
city. They were always barefooted, as
may be expected, and wore a dress of
muslin or calico of bright colors, which
would reach the ground, but which was
tied up by a string passing around the
body below the waist. This formed
picturesque dress, comparable to an ORR
entail garb-
'The- houses were of one story and the
furnishings meager- In the best, even.
no comforts such as rocking chairs and
upholstered furniture we're used. Life was
enjoyable, though, chiefly because of its
freedom The retail establishments
opened for business about $50 O'Clock and
closed at / All employees enjoyed an
hour about 10 o'clock for breakfast
Law and order were we'll preserved,
yet the morale of the people was at a low
ebb. Ninety or . per cent Of the inhab-
itants were negroes, yet Of this class
many were Of mixed blood
Small Eoys Who Owed
at. Pierre established a reputation for
itself in one respect and was the subject
of comment by all writer's upon the West
Indies. 1 refer to the diving Of small
boys. No vessel put in to port there that
was not met by ffotilla OF canoes bear
ing youths twelve TO fifteen years old.
Dressed as meagerly as decency would
tolerate, these individuals jabbered away
at the passengers in their unintelligible
pastois, the speech Of the islanders. 1t
was not long before the stranger was in
| formed that they wanted him to throw a
coin into the sea, so that they might dive
| for it. simultaneously with the coin leay-
| ing your hand fifteen to twenty pairs Of
| heels appeared and a grand struggle took
place il the water for the possession of
/ the coin. As these waters are usually
| clear, the view was anobstructed- l have
seen a boy under twelve years Of age
swim under the steamer amidships for a
| sixpence.
| The custom Of diving for coins is often
| commented on by travellers to Algiers and
other Mediterranean places
/ LAS the Island of Nevis is memorable
| for being the birthplace of Alexander
| Hamilton, SO Martinique is distinguished
| for being the birthplace of the Empress
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