The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-06-20


called by a European Gira-wealtV
of Fruit and vegetables-wome,
Fine Embr0iderers.
The eyes Of a pretty Martinique cir
were heavy with tears while she talked
with q New York Tribune reporter tn,
other day Of her former home In st
Pierre and Of her many friends WHIT
were there at the time of the disaster
The young woman and her sisters
like most white girls at Martinique, re
ceived their education in Europe. The
convent school, the girl explained, ad.
United all applicants, negro as well az
white children, and as the social lines
are rigidly drawn in Martinique white
people in rare instances patronized the
school. The speaker recalled many in.
teresting habits and incidents Of Mar
Unique home life.
I'VE were never apprehensive of dan
ger from the mountain" she said. I'm
deed, we new even thought Of it as a
volcano. TO us it was always the
mountain OH the side of which grew
such luXuriant verdure as no one can
realize until he has seen it. The lake
in the crater was the favorite resort
for the young men who bathed in 1t
and camped around it. Women and
girls seldom visited the crater because
Of the steep and difficult climb as one
neared the summit.
""The drive from ST.. Pierre to our
summer home at Morne Rouge was a
delightful one. Along parts Of the way
big sugar cane plantations waved their
silky arms in the breeze. At Trois
Points, a village on the way, barefooted
women wearing big hats, which they
wove from palm leaves, were always
to be seen washing their clothes in the
river. The river bed was covered with
huge powders, which the washers use
in place of washboards, standing in the
river and slapping the garments on the
with a vigor that would have in,
sured destruction to the fabric had the
process been applied by uninitiated
hands. Out of the palm leaves the wo-
also made kitchen fans, which
served them in place of bellows to en-
courage their fires.
"The Jardin DIES Plantes was q beau
tiful place, but it was infested with
snakts, us are the forests of the island.
Visitors had to look out for them.
There We're beautiful ferns in Marti-
but l always noticed that where
they were most luxuriant snakes were
most numerous. No one thinks of
exploring the woods for flowers, as
do here, because of the serpents.
orchids and o,her lovely wild
grow in the forests. The or.
.hids are usually found in inaccessible
difficult even for the natives to
reach. The country surrounding Trois
Points is especially wild and pictur.
esque.
among the attractive sights of st.
Pierre was the early morning market,
% which country women brought their
in big wooden trays on their
heads and from which IN buyers
.ook home their purchases in the same
fashion. The wooden head tray was,
90, the laundress' only vehicle when
the called for and delivered her GUS
:omers' wash. The women dressed in
he most brilliant hues obtainable.
"At Ponds Core, outside of the city,
t was a picturesque sight to see the
bringing in their big nets in
he early morning. A great variety of
excellent fish vas plentiful in Marti-
lique, and it was sure to be fresh, for
t could not be kept from one day to
mother on account of the climate. Ice
vas expensive, but was used by the
White people. An icemaking plant was
me of the enterprises of st. Pierre.
people of Martinique are early ris-
The colored population starts for
market by 4 o'clock, and the white
are awake and ready for their
irst coffee by 6 o'clock. Many people
rink %cocoanut water, which is said
0 have the virtues of vichy, the first
hing iii the morning. The cocoanuts
procured by the little negroes, who
limb the trees for the fruit and de.
Lyer it fresh to their patrons when the
water is cool and sparkling. The jelly !
Ike pulp of the young cocoanut is a
reat delicacy. The dry nut, in the
OnditiOn it ia received here. is grated |