Evening star., 1902-03-22

ing, or the Sultan of Turkey take in wash
ing. Willingly would his people follow the
old custom, and bring him fish or manioc
flour. but Auguste-well. there is delightful
stuff that comes in bottles from the white
mans country, only to be procured by gold
or silver. and gold or silver must be worked
for. They are very good baskets Auguste
makes, to be sure; in fact. the finest in
the world First his lean, cunning fingers
will weave the dried grass into basket of
the ordinary kind, and then, with brown
and black dyed strands, in curious pat
terms; around 1t he will weave another bas-
ket. putting plantain leaves between the
two. 1mpervious to tropic showers, water
itself may, indeed. be carried In them.
Back of Auguste's hut, under rough,
palm -thatched shed, Augustes wife is max
ing cassava flour. Her unmistakable negro
features explain why Auguste Is the last
of the Carib chiefs. BY and by. when he
dies, the people will elect another head man
to represent their side in any dispute with
the government, but the old royal line dies
win this dull-featured weaver of baskets.
Wanted Charm.
While we are watching his flying fingers
French gentleman from the nearby Island
of Martinique rides up, clad in immaculate
white. He is not pleased to see us, and, in
deed. starts to retreat, but finally dis
mounts and begs word in private with
the chief. The CLEAN of gold is in his hand
as he talks, and when Auguste returns and
begs to be excused he is clutching some
thing very tightly. The two enter the house
together. The French gentleman is about
to fight duel and has come for the famous
Carib charm. Auguste Will undress MN
and with much ceremony bathe him IN
mysterious decoction, muttering strange
words. Then the duelist will be bullet
proof. In the corner of Auguste's hut
hangs a fine ham. 1t is a present from the
Frenchmans adversary. whom Auguste
treated yesterday 1t should be bloodless
duel.
On our way back to Roseau a messenger
to town from Auguste Francais passes us
in great hurry. You do not see the CLEAN
of gold in his hand, because he is carrying
it in his mouth for safety. He will shortly
return bearing heavy burden that clanks
at every step. and Auguste Francois will
give a new imitation of being drunk as a
king"
We also pass the four posts that mark
the former dwelling of Popott. Before Po-
pott taken sick it was like all the
food each day. One morning they found
Popott had turned his face to the wall and
left the food untasted. They brought no
more, but instead each time they called
they took away a door, or shutter or bit
of side thatch. Popott was a long time
dying for a Carib, who generally goes
quickly once he has made up his mind. and
before it was over there was only bit of
the roof left: 1t is one Of the few old Gus
toms remaining. They say it is to give the
spirit free egress. AS no Carib will live
where any one has died, and the pieces car
ried away can be used for new house.
this custom has practical side to 1t as
we'll
Can Weld the AK.
From the high woods the soft thud, thud
of an ak comes floating down the trail. 1t
Is Talaate and Curtin cutting timber for a
boat; clever aXmen, as all these Caribs are.
Presently, with long sigh, you hear the
tree fall, tearing the countless long lianas
that hang like serpents from every limb.
Fine specimens of men are Talaate and
Curtin.
From the fallen trunk they will hollow
out boat some twenty feet in length and
eight inches wide. This they will soften
with fire and spread with wedges, or per-
hapS paddle it as it Is, over thirty miles of
open sea. to Martinique, where those who
buy it Will spread 1t to suit their tastes.
Last week they were swept far out to sea,
and picked up by a choOner. The captain,
not wishing to be hindered by tow, slyly
cut their boat adrift. 1t two miles
away before they found it out, but with
out waiting to complain they both plunged
overheard. Reaching their precious canoe,
they clambered in and padded safely home.
This is a true tale, and was not told me as
anything extra ordinary, but a joke
Talaate and Curln. They are very glad to
see us when we approach, but smle-a
Carib never laughs-at the idea of their be-
ing any the worse for their experience.
They Were Not Hungry.
There were visitors from town at the tiny
police station last night who brought with
them strange and delicious things to eat
all packed in little cans with gaudy labels.
In the morning two boards were missing
from the station floor The gaudy-labeled
timed things were missing also. When you
tell this bit OF gossip to Talaate he finds 1t
strangely funny. 1t Is past eating time but
they profess hunger. After a while you
leave them; 1T occurs to you that perhaps
they have no focd ought you to return
and offer some? No, you would better not.
If you could creep back so softly that they
could not hear you. which you cannot you
would see Talaate and Curtin seated on the
log enjoying hugely strange delcacies out
Of tins bearing gaudy bells.
On the journey home are accompanied
by little Duphine, bearing baskets into
town to SELL Straight as her own black
hair. she strides before the horses her
huge burden on her head. Duphine is a
half-breed, and represents in more than
one way the link between the Carib and civ
ilization. This fatal admixture Of negro
blood has sounded the death knell of the
Carib race. The negro wife is more and
more in evidence. AS yet the negro hus-
band may not, with comfort, dwell among
them.
But slowly, one by one, that strange race
who flattened their skulls to odd shapes
and bound cloths around their arms to
make the muscles swell, who painted their
faces red and ate their enemies Is diving
off, and in the near future the Carib will
be but name.