Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-08-17
ST. THOMAS AND ST. JOHN
Two Smaller and Less Important Is
lands of Danish West indies Have
Had Varied History Since Their
Discovery.

Had Varied History Since Their
Discoycry
concerning the early history 81 Nmerl-
cas- about-to-be possessions. the Danish
West Indies. the National Ccootanhic
society issucs tho ro,lowinr bullotin from
washington.
cor the tbroc islands on tho north
eastern odpo of the Corriboon So, fn,.
which tbc I'nitod states exuccts TO nav
Denmark so5oaogO 81 Thomas and St
John. 10th smoller and less deueclv popu-
lated than 81 Croix have hoon tho
scenes of many. thrilling onisodcs Here
white colonists of four nations followed
ench other with hovildcrinr pernlcxity
during the seventeenth and eighteenth
centuries.
more than hundred years after the
discovery Of st Thomas by Columbus
in li93 the island WAS wholly uninha bit
cd. although it's excellent harbor had
been port Of refuge for Dutch navign-
tors during many decades. When a hand
full of French colonists survivors Of
massacre on Crab Island perpetuated by
a band OF Spaniards from Porto Rico
reached its shores in a dugout in 1911
they found evidences Of earlier settle
ment, but no clues as to the nationality
| of their predecessors or Of their fate.
These French wanderers were not dis
posed to brave similar mysterious end,
so they sailed on.
FIRST sE,-r1,r .rrN1r>--r
| e,...-
~
- ~ 49,. 49,. ,...' 49,
.N,,,.,.,. 49,, e.. - ',,'....
-, ~ ri. ,,a.I,.. .,,..'t,,.
~" ~, ,,e ea.o .,.t,at, r..a..,,,,, .hai,
brother Hollanders of New Amsterdam.
for three years after the town on the
Hudson became New York the St Thorn
as pioneers were forced to surrender u
the English also. The latter soon De
serted the island and turned to the more
fertile lands of st. Martins and - hus
tatias, so that in 1911 when the Danes
wishing to share in the colonial prosper
itv of other European nations charter
ed the West India and Guinea company
st. Thomas, uninhabltei aEaln Na'
awaiting the advent ol settlers VINO were
to establish Denmarks rights in the Is
land. With two hrlef Interruptions Nll'
sovereignty has been maintained IRON
that day up TO the present time.
1.-THE legend that st Thomas was
one time the headquarters of the ruthless
buccaneers who terroriZed the Spamsl
Main for so many years is perpetuated II
the names given to two towers stil stand
ing on the heights back Of the seaport %
Charlotte Amalie. ON tne nil Is hlu'
boards castle Will" ON an adlacen
height rises blackboard. castle hIst"r'
does not suhstantiate tn" romantic tran
ton, and II Is exactly d"NhtfH II IN
buccaneers were ever IN possession here
DANISH LAWS.
..r,.,. 49, Dos arri,.od thai. uer
: ,,,dor var, s,-,ct orders os to religion
ohsorvorces and with resnect To pre-
naredness. program against colonists
: Tho fire. order issued hv the Coverro
v,s. EVERY nersor who speaks Danis
Is bound to attend service every Sunda
IN CHRISTIANS fort when the drum beats
and on failure Of doing So is to pay
fine Of q hounds Of tobacco Person
Of all other nations are hound to atten
service every sunday afternoon AZ tn
same place. under the same penalty
CAS- 10 armament the order was: 'Fo
tho defense and good Of the country ev
erv householder shall keen in his hous
/ FOR himself and every man I'm his sery
Z ice q sword with belt, and a gun wit
/ sufficient powder and bail: and also eac
householder shall have two pounds e
nowder or more if he pleases Ever
nerso,, nerlecting his duty shall pay Il
,e,,,d- 80 ,,hocco,