It didn’t take the Caribs very long to figure out that they were swindled by the French. As the story goes the French gave the Caribs a few bottles of Brandy, and some beads in exchange for the right to settle in Grenada.
Eventually the Brandy finished, and the Caribs grew bored with the shiny trinkets, so they attacked and killed several Frenchmen.
Of course the the French did not take this lying down and decided to wipe out the Caribs. The Caribs last stand was at what’s now the town of Sauteurs in St. Patricks. As the European historians tell it, the few Caribs that were not killed refused to surrender to the French, and instead leaped over the precipice.
Hmmm… I wonder if the French didn’t just force the Caribs to jump… guess we will never find out.
The French called the precipice Le Morne De Sauteurs, which translated means Leapers Hill. Hence the reason the town that developed there is called Sauteurs. The hill is also referred to as Caribs Leap.
Okay enough with the history lesson for today. What you should know is that if you are in Sauteurs St. Patricks, then you should visit Leapers Hill.
There is a very nice museum of sorts at Leapers Hill that has a collection of Carib artifacts. I have pictures but you will have to go visit the museum yourself.
It will cost you about US$2.00 to get in, a small price to see and learn more about Grenada’s history. The museum is also an excellent vantage point from which to see the islands north of Grenada including Carriacou.
Leapers Hill
(Written on a visit to Leapers Hill Sautuers where the Carib leapt into the Atlantic in fleeing from French invaders)
Trees framed themselves like borders
In-between the churchyard grave-stones jerk
Memories of life
Like paintings their silent language echoes –
The Caribs’ leap into the Atlantic deep
A face, a trace of ancestral line tweaks the veins
The lens flash like a knife
A tourist behind a mask framing a caption
Caribs’ leapt and die than lie in wait of French dye
Dyeing him a slave for life
If the foam that swells, that hissed against the rocks
Where to cry
Their hallow could not drown the howling as faces
Vanished, love lost; bodies diced into the rhythm of the sea
See, here from wood carved bench to precipices
Tear-stained eyes strained to see
La Qua’s cenotaph stands stately like Caribs’ leaping to be free
(c)Louise Nyack Francois
Leapers Hill
(Written on a visit to Leapers Hill Sauteurss -where the Carib leapt into the Atlantic in fleeing from French invaders)
Trees framed themselves like borders
In-between the churchyard grave-stones jerk
Memories of life
Like paintings their silent language echoes –
The Caribs’ leap into the Atlantic deep
A face, a trace of ancestral line tweaks the veins
The lens flash like a knife
A tourist behind a mask framing a caption
Caribs’ leapt and die than lie in wait of French dye
Dyeing him a slave for life
If the foam that swells, that hissed against the rocks
Where to cry
Their hallow could not drown the howling as faces
Vanished, love lost; bodies diced into the rhythm of the sea
See, here from wood carved bench to precipices
Tear-stained eyes strained to see
La Qua’s cenotaph stands stately like Caribs’ leaping to be free
Author
(c)Louise Nyack Francois 2011
This was realy a treaty.
Very interesting history lesson about the Caribs. I am interested in contacting any body who lives in Sauteurs and knows my grandfather Sammy Hosten or my grandmother Matilda Cross. I would like to know my family history.
Thank you
Jillian Costa
YOU ARE RIGHT THAT NOT ALL THE CARIB WERE KILLED BECAUSE MY GRANDMOTHER ANCESTORS WERE CARIBS AND I AM PART OF THAT.
The legend I heard was – The Carib chief, DuQuesne, a name he adopted from a French General, wouldnt allow a warrior to marry his daughter.
The warrior told the French the Caribs had a festival coming up when they would be intoxicated on homemade beer, when they could overcome them. Previously they couldnt defeat the Caribs. Then the French attacked and cornered the Caribs at “Leapers Hill”, but all were not killed.
Many escaped into the hills and were later assimilated into the population.
The same legend claims that a group of war canoes came near to capturing a becalmed French warship, by staying away from the guns , and picking off anyone who showed himself out of cover. Unfortunately the wind came up!