The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1925-01-07

own square IN
| prepared by the National Geographic Sc
clety. Washington. d. CO.
Americas Riviera" the old SPANS
main, including the shores of the Is
lands and mainland of the Caribbean
Is peaceful land now, but only fey
centuries ago 1t was the paradise o
pirates. The Sixteenth century pr
vateers and pirates-fearless, erratiC
adventurous spirits though the,
turned the Caribbean waters into ,
veritable Spanish cockpit, at the sam,
time discovered lands developed thu
art of seamanship. and added greatly
to the worlds knowledge of natura
history and geography.
Shortly after the discovery Of Amer
lea, Spain, at the height Of her power
claimed all of this domain as her
own, and trespasserS were regarded
as pirates. Though the richest halt
Of Europe was then emptying gold into
the Golfers of Aragon and CASTLE, 1t is
estimated that one-third of the impe-
rial revenue came from Spanish colo
MES in the New world.
But Spain was not permitted to es-
tablish her sway in the Western hemi-
sphere unchallenged. Both England
and France were puissant rivals.
With the English seamen of the
Sixteenth century, who were gentle
men Adventures swearing allegiance
to Elizabeth, came French corsairs,
Dutch zeerovers, and nondescript
bands of smugglers, slavers, traders
and privateers to infest the West In
dies.
This motley crew was followed by
buccaneers in the Seventeenth cen
tury. and by ordinary pirates in the
AS a consequence, there Is scarcely
an island among the hundreds in the
Caribbean that has not Its story of
.hese early Adventures, and many bits
If land reveal today definite marks
# their handiwork. There Is not a
stretch of coast 20 miles in length
which does not have Its story of
,uried treasure.
Buccaneers Were Tolerated.
There was practically no colony in
he island-dotted Caribbean which had
ny scruples against allowing buc
aneers to build, fit out, or repair their
essels In its harbors. Tortuga, off the
orthern coast of Haiti, and Jamaica
toh nj, CTR 10
,hile Martinique, Curacao, st. Kits,
nd Barbados befriended them and en-
outraged their trade.
The home governments of France,
,ngland and the Netherlands found
good policy to countenance the buc-
aneers and to wink at some of their
ctivities. The council Of Jamaica
ven went so far in 1866 as to emu
lerate in Its minutes IL good reasons
,r granting commissions to pri-
ateers; for, this august body said,
ley furnished the island with neces-
Try commodities at easy rates, bring
* them coin, bullion, cocoa, log
God, indigo and cochineal; helped
,or planters by buying the provisions
icy had for sale; furnished work for
lrIous kinds Of artisans; brought !
ayes to cultivate the plantations
Finished navy for the island; and
ten. in intercepting Spanish mes
ges, furnished the governor of the
lony with valuable information.
The nursery of all the English and I
-ench colonies in the West Indies
IS st. Christopher, or st. kits. as +,
Is now often called, one Of the
,eward Islands, half way between
'rto Rico and Dominica. 1t was dis
vered by Columbus on his second I
yage to America and called by him ,
ter the saint whose name the great '
himself bore. q
Though today almost every avail t
lie inch of Its deep and fertile soil {
cultivated, st. Kits Is poverty
icken. owing to overpopulation. Its a
square miles are encircled by 8
I'd road. and the heart Of the T
and Is made up or a series of peaks 4
,ken by Wild ridges and ravines,
ich .culminate In great qulescent II
cano towering more than 1000 feet a
)ve the sea. in whose crater there O
, a peaceful lake. II
70 place can claim a fuller measure p
pirate lore than Tortugn, small CT
mi located opposite Port de Palx. k
the northern coast Of Haiti. II Il
wooded. rugged. and sparse OF
inhabited, and for those who are II
GRANT Of It's past there is nothing II
,ut II to arouse curiosity; but to Vi
Sc who know It's history 1t Is an m
hnnted Isle. for II is alleged to IN
tain more buried treasure than any re