Roanoke Rapids herald., 1924-01-18

st. Pierre.
| but 1t has been rebuilt and finds its
position near the old city 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,
in 1885, Id
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 boat must keep
a respectful distance. To appreciate
the full charm of the island one must
travel the superb roads in the con-
structlon 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
she slopes of mountains, through the
deep tropical forests where they are
almost tunnels, threading valleys or
running between great fields of sugar
Une.
Cane growing is the greatest agri-
I cultural industry, though the govern
ment subsidies the planting of cot
! fee and cocoa trees to obtain a better
balance of activities. Most of the
great cane plantations are on the east
I'm 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
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 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 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 10 Pretty.
Fort de France, the capital and I'M
ulSPulCu IICtlOpoiIS VI Tic lSldHu, ud1
a population about that of ST. Pierre
at the time of Its Observation-Disclosures
to 10000. 1t makes 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 a
! colorful markets yeritable 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 asso-
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 park In Fort
de France, the face turned toward
Tros 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 born.