The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1902-07-25
ST. PIERRE HALF-BREEDS
THE FINEST MIXED RACE or THE
WEST INDIES.

In describing the people Of ST. Pierre
tho people who have been buried IN
one great black tomb OF lava and mud
no better authority may be had than
LafcJdio Healn. who for two years
lived among them, and who made
close study OF them. lie says
"a population fantastic, astonishing
IA population OF the Arabian Nights,
It is many-colored, but The general
dominant tint is yellow, Ike that Of
the town itself-yellow in the inter
blending Of all the hues choracterizing
mulatresse, capresse, griffe, quarter /
onne, metisse, chabine-a general effect I
Of rich brownlsh yellow You are
among a people of half-breeds the
finest mixed race Of the West Indies
straight as palms and supple and |
tall. these colored women and men Inn
press one powerfully by their digniGed
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
long, full stride, and the whole weight
Is springingly poised on the very tip Of
the bare foot All, or nearly ALL are
without shoes; the treadng of many
naked feet over the heated pavement
makes n continuous whispering sound.
Perhaps the most novel impression
of all is that produced by the singular
ity and brilliance of certain of the
wOmen's costumes These were devel-
Oped at least a hundred years ago by
some curious sumptuary law regulat-
ing the dress of slaves and colored peo-
pie of free condition-a law which al.
lowed considerable liberty as to mate
rial and tint prescribing chiefly form.
But some Of these fashions suggest the
Orient; they offer beautiful audacities
of color contrast, and the full dress
couture, above all, is so strikingly
Eastern that one might be tempted to
believe it was first introduced into the
colony by some Mahommedan slave. II
is merely an immense Madras hand
kerchief, which is folded about the
head with admirable art, like a turbau
-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 witt
golden brooches-one in front and on,
at either side.
AS for the remainder of the dress,
Is simple enough; an embroidered low
cut chemise with sleeves; a skirt o
u jupe, very long behind, but caught III
and fastened in front below the breas
so as to bring the hem everywhere to
level with the end OF the long chemisC
and finally a fOulard or silken kerchie
thrown over the shoulders These jupe
and foulards, however are exquisite i
pattern and color, bright crimson
bright yellow, bright blue, bright gree
lilac, violet, rose-sometimes mingle
in plaidings or chickering's or strlI
ings, black with orange, sky-blue wit
purple.
"TO this display add the effect c
costly and curious jewelry; immens
earrings, each pendant being forme
= Of five gold cylinders joined togeth6
! cylinders sometimes two inches Ion
and an inch at leastin circumference
a necklace of double, triple, quadrup
or quintuple rows of large hollow sol
beads. Now this growing jewelry is pC
a mere imitation of pure metal; Il
earrings are worth 175 francs a pal
the necklace of a Martinique quadroC
may cost 500 or even 1000 francs.
4 may be the gift of her sweetheart, bl
such articles are usually purchase
either on time by small payments
bead by bead singly until the requisi
number is made up.
But few are thus attired I'll
greater number Of the women carryiI
burdens on their heads-peddling veg
tables, cakes, fruit, ready-cooked foo
from door to door-are very simp
Rdressed in a single plain robe of yiy
Ncolors, reaching from neck to feet, al
made with a train, but generally grid
we'll up so as to sit close to the fgu
and leave the lower limbs perfect
free.
"These women can walk all day lol
up and down hill in the hot sun, wit
out shoes, carrying loads Of from
to $50 pounds on their heads, and
kher little stock sometimes fails
come up to the accustomed weig
stones are added to make it hea'
enough And the creole street crit
uttered in a sonorous, far-reachir
high key, interblend and produce "a
dom harmonies very pleasant to heal
"The quaint stores bordering on bo
sides Of the street bear no names a
no signs over their huge arched doc
you must look well inside to knC
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