The Diaries
 
October 31st 2008
:: 2008 :: 10/27 - 10/28 - 10/29 - 10/30 - 10/31
11/01 - 11/02 & 11/03 - 11/04 - 11/05- 11/06 - 11/07 - 11/08 & 11/09 - 11/10 - 11/11 - 11/12 - 11/13 - 11/14 - 11/15 - 11/16 - 11/17 - 11/18 - 11/19 - 11/20 - 11/21 - 11/22 - 11/23 - 11/25 - 11/26 - 11/27 - 11/28
11/29 - 11/30
12/01 - 12/02
- Discovery after discovery -  

Nick seen by Sylvain
Photo : Max GUEROUT

Since yesterday Nick Marriner goes around the island, a receiver GPS in his hand. He got down to definitive drawings of the outline of the island. After the shore today he locates the top of the beach, an excursion much less easy to be accomplished. His research did not escape the mocker eye of Sylvain.

Sylvain found a quiet place, to finish the drawing of an album. He is so concentrated, that we can photograph him in full action without him realizing it…

Sylvain in full action
Photo : Max GUEROUT

On the site, scouring resumed, layer by layer. The number of small bird bones is impressive; we definite realize that these birds had to constitute the major part of the food of the survivors.  The first analyses, carried out by Veronique Laroulandie (CNRS/Université de Bordeaux) on our samples of 2006, show not only the consumed parts, but also the way in which they were consumed: roasted, and for the fleshiest parts, cut out or scraped using a knife.

90 percent of the identified species are fuliginous terns that the Creoles called, and still call, black schooners. But the terns, if they come from time to other on the island, do not nest there anymore. Our work overflows therefore of the strict framework of archaeology to give to the ornithologists information on the abundance of the terns during the stay of the survivors on the island. Patiently, the diggers filter sand and extract the remains from birds, and other consumed animals.

Iron tripod found inside the coral
Photo : Jean-François REBEYROTTE

The ground contains the usual nails of frameworks, small copper fragments, bullets. At the end of the morning, in the South-western corner of the survey, we have a good surprise: what we thought of being two or three nails reveals to be an iron tripod surrounded by blocks of coral. We are therefore most probably in the presence of a home.

Did we arrive at the centre of the daily life of the slaves?

Undoubtedly it will be necessary it to wait next week to know more about it, because we will tackle the contiguous square and we will be able to have a broader vision of space.

The daily life of our survivors becomes every day more and more verifiable.