Two Years in the French West Indies

Two Years in the French West
Indies

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by Lafcadio Hearn (#4 in our series by Lafcadio Hearn)
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Title: Two Years in the French West Indies
Author: Lafcadio Hearn
Release Date: August, 2004 [EBook #6381] [Yes, we are more than
one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on December 3,

2002]
Edition: 10
Language: English
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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, TWO
YEARS IN THE FRENCH WEST INDIES ***

Transcribed by: Richard Farris [[email protected]]

TWO YEARS
IN THE
FRENCH WEST INDIES
By LAFCADIO HEARN
AUTHOR OF "CHITA" ETC.
ILLUSTRATED

"_La façon d'être du pays est si agréable, la température si bonne, et
l'on y vit dans une liberté si honnête, que je n'aye pas vu un seul
homme, ny une seule femme, qui en soient revenues, en qui je n'aye
remarqué une grande passion d'y retourner._"-LE PÈRE DUTERTRE
(1667)

À MON CHER AMI LEOPOLD ARNOUX NOTAIRE À SAINT
PIERRE, MARTINIQUE _Souvenir de nos promenades,--de nos

voyages,--de nos causeries,- des sympathies échangées,--de tout le
charme d'une amitié inaltérable et inoubliable,--de tout ce qui parle à
l'âme au doux Pay des Revenants._

PREFACE
During a trip to the Lesser Antilles in the summer of 1887, the writer of
the following pages, landing at Martinique, fell under the influence of
that singular spell which the island has always exercised upon strangers,
and by which it has earned its poetic name,--Le Pays des Revenants.
Even as many another before him, he left its charmed shores only to
know himself haunted by that irresistible regret,--unlike any
other,--which is the enchantment of the land upon all who wander away
from it. So he returned, intending to remain some months; but the
bewitchment prevailed, and he remained two years.
Some of the literary results of that sojourn form the bulk of the present
volume. Several, or portions of several, papers have been published in
HARPER'S MAGAZINE; but the majority of the sketches now appear
in print for the first time.
The introductory paper, entitled "A Midsummer Trip to the Tropics,"
consists for the most part of notes taken upon a voyage of nearly three
thousand miles, accomplished in less than two months. During such
hasty journeying it is scarcely possible for a writer to attempt anything
more serious than a mere reflection of the personal experiences
undergone; and, in spite of sundry justifiable departures from simple
note-making, this paper is offered only as an effort to record the visual
and emotional impressions of the moment.
My thanks are due to Mr. William Lawless, British Consul at St. Pierre,
for several beautiful photographs, taken by himself, which have been
used in the preparation of the illustrations.
L. H. _Philadelphia, 1889._

CONTENTS
PART ONE--A MIDSUMMER TRIP TO THE TROPICS
PART TWO--MARTINIQUE SKETCHES:--
I. LES PORTEUSES II. LA GRANDE ANSE III. UN REVENANT IV.
LA GUIABLESSE V. LA VÉRETTE VI. LES BLANCHISSEUSES
VII. LA PELÉE VIII. 'TI CANOTIÉ IX. LA FILLE DE COULEUR X.
BÊTE-NI-PIÉ XI. MA BONNE XII. "PA COMBINÉ, CHÈ" XIII. YÉ
XIV. LYS
XV. APPENDIX:--SOME CREOLE MELODIES (not included in this
transcription)

ILLUSTRATIONS.
A Martinique Métisse (Frontispiece) La Place Bertin, St. Pierre,
Martinique Itinerant Pastry-seller In the Cimetière du Mouillage, St.
Pierre In the Jardin des Plantes, St. Pierre Cascade in the Jardin des
Plantes Departure of Steamer for Fort-de-France Statue of Josephine
Inner Basin, Bridgetown, Barbadoes Trafalgar Square, Bridgetown,
Barbadoes Street in Georgetown, Demerara Avenue in Georgetown,
Demerara Victoria Regia in the Canal at Georgetown Demerara Coolie
Girl St. James Avenue, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad Coolies of Trinidad
Coolie Servant Coolie Merchant Church Street, St. George, Grenada
Castries, St. Lucia 'Ti Marie Fort-de-France, Martinique Capre in
Working Garb A Confirmation Procession Manner of Playing the Ka A
Wayside Shrine, or Chapelle Rue Victor Hugo, St. Pierre Quarter of the
Fort, St. Pierre Rivière des Blanchisseuses Foot of La Pellé, behind the