Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1924-01-02

but it has been rebuilt and finds its
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 said to have land
ed at the spot on which Carbet stands
when he touched Martinique on his
fourth voyage in 1902; and there, too.
the first French settlers disembarked
| in 1885.
Industries and People.
Sailing alongside Martinique will
give 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 boat must keep
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 cot
! 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 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
| quians for the first time have assert
| ed that a cast made of most any
maiden or youth or young man or
woman would serve without retouch-
ing as a masterful representation Of
Hebe or Juno, Adonis or Apollo.
Martinique has few colonial limita-
tions. 1t possesses government hard
| ly distinguishable from that of an
| integral department of France. It
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 I'M
disputed metropolis of the island, has
population about that Of st. Pierre
at the time of it's destruction-clos
to 100000 1t makes a pretty picture
with its red-tiled roofs backed by
| green hills To one side stands the
ancient gray fort which has thun-
| dered many time in the long strug-
| giles between France and Great Brit
ain for control Of the West Indies.
The great bay has been the rendezvous
| for huge fleets more than once, and Is
still the chief French naval station
in the Antilles.
| Quaint houses and streets, and q
| colorful market-a veritable micro
cosm of Martinique-will interest
the visitor. But to all who have a
| shred of the romantic In their make
| up, Fort de Frances interest lies not
| in Fort de France itself but In its
nearness to the little village of Trois
Islets and the plantation of La
Pagerie a few miles across the bay.
These are the spots most closely ASSOC
ciated with that beautiful and lovable
and pathetic figure that Martinique
gave to the world, Empress jose
| phine. An exquisite marble statute
of Josephine stands In a park in Fort
de France, the face turned toward
Trois Islets.
| Little boats take the visitor across
the bay to the village which boasts
the church In which Josephine was
baptized and a memorial tablet to her
mother.
A few miles away is the plantation,
La Pagerie. where she was bern.