The Redwood gazette., 1902-06-04
arectly opposite where the ships lay IN
the roadstead and was the most promi-s

the fOadsteaQ ana was Ine most prOml.il
nent architectural feature Of the town.
1t was built Of a whitish stone and,
with its two towers, in which bells
were hung, was sharply accentuated
against the green background Of the
mountains.
The water front of the town extend
ed for nearly two miles along the gen
tly curving coast All the space back
to the hills that shut in the town was
filed with the low white houses of
the people. Some twenty or twenty
five streets ran down from the hills
to the water front. These were cut by
irregular cross streets.
The Rue de Victor Hugo was the
principal thoroughfafe. All of the
best shops were located on it. and it
served as a parade for the fashiona-
bles when they made their appearance
in the cool Of the evening arrayed in
the white ducks, panama hats and low
cut patent leather shoes and the wom-
en- either in the year old fashions Of
Paris or in the striking gayly colored
native garb.
French was the common language
spoken, and nearly all Of the white
people were of French extraction. 1t
was lively little place, and its people
had some Of the light spirit and gay
ETY. of their Gallo kinsmen. Always
on coming into the harbor passengers
noted the apparent freshness and
cleanliness, of the place. The white
houses with their green blinds and til
ed or thatched roofs, the gay striped
awnings and vivid green of the back
ground, made cool, pleasant picture.
Ashore the bright costumes of the ma
tive girls. the movement of the street
life and the strangeness Of the new
scenes were a source Of constant in
terest to tourists.
Through every street ran an open
gutter OF water from the hills, and
early in the morning, just when the
cool dawn wind was coming down from
the mountains, these cutters would be
alive with people. The native women
would bring out their tall earthen jars,
called Welsh hats" by the resident
Englishmen, to be filed with the cool
flowing water. Babies were brought
out and allowed to disport themselves.
while. their mothers cleaned the house
hold utensils. The streams being fed
from mountain lakes, cleanliness in
dress and habitation was common, even
among the lowest classes.
Back from st. Pierre about eight
miles, on a winding mountain road.
was the fashionable native resort,
T Morne Rouge. Here the rich residents
had their country homes, and it is prob
able that when the food Of fire, lava
and ashes came down from Mont Pelee
these were among the first houses de-
stroyed. In the season which began
about June 1, there were usually 1900
or 5000 persons at Morne Rouge.
When the head Of Mont Pelee blew
off, the inhabitants in the town below
had no chance of escape. The burning
lava, the ashes and mud and the fire
came down the hills as the water had
been coming for hundreds of years,
and the people below were caught as
fish in a net The only open way was
| the sea, and that offered nothing but
death by drowning. On the side Of the
| town away from the volcano the trop-
ical underground came to within few
:. yards Of the houses. and the beach
ended at the city limits.
Lafcadio Hearn in his sketch "a Mid
summer Trip to the Tropics" Copy
right. Harper Bros, 1900), describes
the people of st. Pierre, who are a
race Of half breeds, the finest mixed
race in the West Indies, as follows:
Straight as palms and supple and
tall. these colored women and men inn
press one powerfully by their dignified
carriage and easy elegance Of move
ment. They walk without swinging of
the shoulders; the perfectly set torso
seems to remain rigid, yet the step is
a long. full stride, and the whole
weight is sprtngingly poised on the
very tip of the bare foot. All or nearly
all are without shoes, the treading of
many naked feet over the heated pave
ment making continuous. whispering
sound.
Perhaps the most novel impression
of all is that produced by the singu-
larity and brilliancy Of the womens
costumes. especially their headdresss
It is merely an immense madras hand
kerchief. which is folded about the
head with admirable art, like turban,
one bright end, pushed through at the
top in front. being left sticking up like
a plume. Then this turban, always
full of bright canary color. is fastened
with golden brooches, one in front and
one at either side.
"As for the remainder Of the dress,
1t is simple enough-an embroidered,
low cut chemise with sleeves, a skirt
or Jupe very long behind. but caught
up and fastened in front below the
breast so as to bring the hem every
where to level with the end of the
long chemise. and finally fouiard or