The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-10-24
A Glimpse of the Festivities as They
Took Place on That Little UnfOr-
tunate West Indian Island.
Written for The News by George Lockhart Darte
Ex-United States Consul at Martinique. w l.

II may be considered rare good fortune
TO have been. on the little sun
kissed creole island OF Martinique.
nesting away In the blue waters
OF the Caribbean sea, during Car
nival season, the three weeks preceding
Lent. II Is then things were seen and
heard never TO be forgotten. Those who
attended the Worlds Fair at Chicago IN
1893 or the Paris Exposition OF late and
saw the dance of the Nautch girls, the
whtrling Dervishes or the wild scenes OF
the Dahomcy village; doubtless were sur
prtsed. yet during the carnival season on
this little island one saw n combination or
all these which constitutes a revelry diff
hcult TO describe.
The ever-happy native, OF the lower
class especially, looked forward 10 this
season just as the small child in our own
land does to the Christmas holidays and
the joys surrounding them. All through
the toiing days OF the week their
thoughts were centred upon the coming
fun OF the Saturdays and Sundays when
the dances and parades are In fun swing.
Certainly. advantage was taken OF IL and
the spectator often wonders where such
q variety of colors, masks and costumes
originated
The principal street OF the quaint little
town of Saint Pierre. which was before
its terrible destruction, the largest city
of Martinique was called the Rue Victor
Hugo and IL was along this thorough
fare that the greater portion OF the mar
ry-making took place. About o'clock In
the afternoon the fun commenced and the
maskers began TO assemble at the various
corners OF the main street. arrayed In all
sorts and conditions of costumes masks,
both pretty and hideous. in fact anything
that will cover up their normal self. A
band 90 consisting OF a drum, generally
the worse for wear and age, tuneless
trombone, a nat cornet and cymbals,
composed the musical portion OF the party
and they brought forth sounds, ~AIle not
by any means tuneful had yet fascina-
tion and the stranger often afterwards
found himself or herself trying TO hum
the wierd airs they had heard. The
throng gradually Increased, small groups
coming from the gloomier side streets 10
1oin the ever-increasing crowd In the
main thoroughfare.
THE hand by this time was in full blast.
each one OF the musicians seemingly bent
In out-doing the other I'm noise making.
At last some one of the leaders gave a
signal for the start and the great party
surged forward to the time or the wierd
music, singing. laughing. dancing. the
women causing their 1.-THE, flexible bodies
10 twist and turn. 10 and fro. backwards
and forwards. The whole picture-the
masks, costumes OF gay colors. the
ouiok movements OF the dancers brought
forcIbly 10 ones mind the scene I'm
large kaleidoscope--so varied were the
hues-alI the colors OF the rainbow IL
seemed Perhaps the most central figure
of Ali was the representation OF the devil.
He had a most hideous makeup OF
greusome blood red mask with looking
glasses on the sides. representing eyes,
while his body was covered with the skin
Of a cow or something similar.
large crowd OF children followed him
everywherc. clapping their hands ana
repeating in sing-song voices what he
said or chanted. Sometimes he stopped
in the street and the children formed
about him in n circle dancing and yelling
nendi.hly. The feared him, too. yet
there seemed TO be something which
compelled them 20 follow. on the pro-
cession went-up the street. each par
ticipsnt making the greatest noise possi-
ble. soon they were lost TO view. the
iast cry, snatch Of song. peal of laugh
ter and tum-tum Of the drums hoated
back upon the air
The Sunday just preceding Shrove
Tuesday and Ash Wednesday was quite
the "Banner Day." so TO speak. and
when tire Cavalcade took place. All the
horses burros and mules OF the city
were put into use and this days attrac-
tions brought the more reserved portion
Of the populace out TO witness Some
Of the costumes were gorgeous, repre-
sentins historic and mythical figures.
Many carriages were filed with maskcrs
some having long po:es with n recep-
tacie at the top. and as they passed
along thrust them at the spectators In
the windows who dropped coins into