Evening star., 1939-10-15
Grand Isle Draws
Travellers Seekinq
Quaint America
Picturesque Natives
Thrive in Sunny Land
Near New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS, Oct. 14.-Ihree
hours drive south from New Or
leans is a bridge over which one
may cross into a land Of the past
Grand Isle.
A sandy island, I miles long and
IL miles wide, with the quiet waters
Of Rigaud Bay on one side and the
gently rolling surf of the Gulf of
Mexico on the other, an island over
spread by tropical vegetation and
fringed with smooth beaches, Grand
Isle might well become a gulf re-
sort to equal the almost legendary
Isle Derniere, American Riviera Of
the last century whose storm torn
and desolate landmarks lie about 80
miles westward along the coast.
The stronghold of Henry Morgan
IN his buccaneering expeditions on
the Spanish Main, Grand Isle be-
came famous in Louisiana history
as the lair of Jean Laf1tte and his
prlvateers, who more than 100 years
after Morgan used the island as
headquarters from which to raid
ships in the Gulf and the Caribbean,
and to market their stolen cargoes
OF slaves and merchandise in New
Orleans.
Followers Remained.
When Lafltte, because of his hero
ism in the battle of New Orleans re-
celved a pardon for his piracy he
left forever Louisiana shores, but
many of his followers remained on
Grand Isle, where they made a new
life around the more legitimate
trades offered them by the island s
location-1shing and farming.
Natives of Grand Isle today, de-
ecendants of the swashbuckling
Baratarians, have become a pas
toral people-self-s sufficient, self
sustaining, with little desire for
modern ways of life. Whatever
their ancestry - French, italian,
German or English-they have all
been absorbed by the Acadians and
speak in a gentle patois, a pidgin
French, of their own.
Their homes are little cottages of
two or three rooms, hidden away at
the end of picturesque tree -bordered
lanes, or in small gardens of palms,
yucca and wild ferns. They find
both their work and play on the is
land, and some of them have never
set foot on the mainland. Until a
rev years ago the only contact they
mad with the outside world was a
twice-weekly mail boat. Since the
completion of the bridge and the
replacement of the tumbril by the
automobile, however, innumerable
visitors vacation at Grand Isle for
week end or longer, and while
they might at first find the natives
tenacity to old customs a great in
convenience, they soon become
charmed with this sunshiny land
whose people are so exotic in ap-
pearance, speech and customs.
A Son of Toll.
The week brings hard work te
the Grand Islander. At dawn sia
days a week he goes out with the
Meet OF luggers and trawlers It
search the Gulf, the bays and tn,
bayous until sunset for shrimp
oysters and fish A good day'.
catch for the feet will bring 1900
pounds Of fish and IS, 900 pounds OF
more Of shrimp. After a days work
of hauling in seines and nets by
hand the fisherman goes early tt
bed
The islanders take their fun ovel
week ends in a gay dance mara.
thon lasting from Saturday nigh,
till Monday dawn, when the flee,
must again sail at sunrise. 1t i.
this weekend spree of the natives
that most impresses the visitor.
Just after dark on Saturday night
al islanders swarm to the pavilion
on the beach for a dance. Whole
families go; no one is too young OF
too old. Those too old to dance si
In a large circle around the fool
to look on and to gossip. Babies
are put to sleep on benches anc
older persons nod as the night goe.
on-but everybody stays. Islane
children learn to dance as soon a.
they learn to walk and little boy.
and girls Of 6 sway, swing, dip anc
twirl with all the grace and aban.
don Of their older brothers ane
sisters. The dance OF the Crane
Islander is one of many improvisec
steps, which are combined in {
graceful but strenuous routine.
Perpetual Notion"
The pace is swift and continue.
hour after hour with no letup. Tn,
Negro orchestra from the mainland
stops after a number only lon1
enough for the floor to clear, ther
swings out again for another happy
perspiring crowd that fills the dane.
hoor. The men are in shirt sleeves
the girls, olives skinned and dark,
eyed, with oleanders in their hair
usually wear light dresses.
The dancers seem never to tire
but continue the night through witf
amazing energy until the men
clothes are drenched, the women
oleanders wilted. The orchestr,
plays a variety of numbers-som'
old and some new, but all of then
In fast tempo.
At one side of the pavilion is th'
bar, which does thriving busines
through the night dispensing sof
drinks and beer.
Dawn brings an intermission
The orchestra goes of to get q fev
hours sleep, as do most Of tn,
dancers, after attending early mass
But by o'clock Sunday Afternoon
the dance is again in full swing, t,
continue until far past midnight.
Grand Isle is very beautiful afte
dark. To the north on a clear nigh
the glow Of New Orleans can be seer