Arizona state miner., 1923-12-29
Ruins of St. Pierre.


was considered practicable, and the
ruins, stirring the emotions of all who
behold them, have remained much as
the great catastrophe left them save
that nature has covered them with her
inexorable tropic growths. Cane plan
tations and villages have edged in to-
ward the old city, though rather char
lily; and there is still much of the re-
gion in the vicinity of the dreaded
Pelee that is abandoned.
A little over two miles south of the
old city site, along the coast, is the
nearest village, Carbet. 1t was part
ly destroyed by the singeing heat Of
the blast that devastated st. Pierre,
but it has been rebuilt and finds it's
position near the old city a valuable
one because of the many visitors who
come there to find transportation on
the last leg of the journey to the
ruins. Columbus is sale to have land
ed at the spot on which Carbet stands
when he touched Martinique on his
fourth voyage in 1902.
Industries and People.
Sailing alongside Martinique will
give a most inadequate impression Of
the island, for much to be seen along
the west coast, especially in the north,
is jungle; and the surf is so angry
on the east side that a boat must keep
a respectful distance. To appreciate
the full charm of the island one must
travel the superb roads in the con-
struction Of which in their colonies
the French seem to be the true heirs
Of ancient Rome. These excellent
highways traverse all parts of the is
land except in the immediate vicinity
Of Pelee. They are equally good up
the slopes of mountains, through the
deep tropical forests where they are
almost tunnels, threading valleys or
running between great fields of sugar
cane.
Cane growing is the greatest agri-
cultural industry, though the govern
ment subsidies the planting Of cOf-
fee and cocoa trees to obtain better
balance of activities. Most of the
great cane plantations are on the east
ern side of the island and among
them are huge sugar factories. But
sugar is not the only product of the
cane fields There are many rum dis
tilleries, and in late years the value
of the rum output has exceeded that
Of sugar.
The people Of Martinique are large
ly of a mixture of races, though there
are some thousands Of residents OF
pure French stock. When the first
French settlers arrived they found
Carib Indians on the island. 'As time
passed many of these were deported
or exterminated. Then negro slaves
were brought in. The negro and Carib
strains united and to this mixture
French blood was added. In some
parts of the island Asiatic blood has
entered this mixture. The racial med
ley seems to have produced people
noted for physical beauty; and en-
thusiastic artists seeing the Martini
uuians for the first time have assert
ed that q cast made Of most any
maiden or youth or young man or
woman would serve without retOuch-
ing as masterful representation of
Hebe or Juno, Adonis or Apollo.
Martinique has few colonial limita-
tions 1t possesses a government hard
ly distinguishable from that of an
integral department of France. 1t
sends a senator to the French senate
and two deputies to the chamber of
deputies. In local affairs the resi-
dent voters rule, and their freedom
has at times led to radicalism.
Fort de France Is Pretty.
Fort de France, the capital and un-
disputed metropolis of the island, has
p population about that of st. Pierre
at the time of it's destruction-close
to 3O,OOO 1t makes a pretty picture
with its red-tiled roofs backed by
green Ihills. To one side stands the
ancient gray fort which has thun-
dered many a time in the long strug-
: giles between France and Great Brit
ain for control o. the West Indies.