Papillon.docx

Devil’s Island is off the coast of French Guyana, notorious because of its use as a French penal colony. Prisoners were shipped to the island and left there for years; they were chained up in dormitories to sleep. There are two other islands nearby. St. Laurent de Maroni, on the mainland, was once a leper colony. A French prisoner, Henri Charrière, known as “Papillon” (butterfly) made several attempts at escape. The only way off the island was through shark infested sea. The sharks knew there was a good food supply from the island, because prisoners who had died were thrown into the sea. The sharks learned to associate the tolling of the funeral bell with food. Charrière’s final attempt was successful, but he was punished for the failed efforts and underwent severe hardship. Charrière always claimed he was set up by the French police and made it his mission to clear his name.