Frenchman's Pass
Encyclopedia
Frenchman Pass is a narrow passage on the island of Aruba
, between coral cliffs above the area known as Spanish Lagoon. From the pass one can see the remains of the Balashi Gold Mill.
Legend has it that French
pirates tried to invade Aruba in the early 17th century and were confronted by Indians in this narrow passage above Spanish Lagoon. After this encounter, the passage became known as “Franse Pas” or “Rooi Frances” in Papiamento
, which translates to “Frenchman Pass” in English. Many Indians were killed during the invasion, and today inhabitants near "Frenchman pass" claim they hear crying noises from the Indians during the evening. Some say the Indian ghosts are awake and haunting the area known as Spanish Lagoon.
This early period of Aruba’s history is not well documented, so history depends on legend
and stories that are passed down from generation to generation.
Aruba
Aruba is a 33 km-long island of the Lesser Antilles in the southern Caribbean Sea, located 27 km north of the coast of Venezuela and 130 km east of Guajira Peninsula...
, between coral cliffs above the area known as Spanish Lagoon. From the pass one can see the remains of the Balashi Gold Mill.
Legend has it that French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
pirates tried to invade Aruba in the early 17th century and were confronted by Indians in this narrow passage above Spanish Lagoon. After this encounter, the passage became known as “Franse Pas” or “Rooi Frances” in Papiamento
Papiamento
Papiamento is the most widely spoken language on the Caribbean ABC islands, having the official status on the islands of Aruba and Curaçao. The language is also recognized on Bonaire by the Dutch government....
, which translates to “Frenchman Pass” in English. Many Indians were killed during the invasion, and today inhabitants near "Frenchman pass" claim they hear crying noises from the Indians during the evening. Some say the Indian ghosts are awake and haunting the area known as Spanish Lagoon.
This early period of Aruba’s history is not well documented, so history depends on legend
Legend
A legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
and stories that are passed down from generation to generation.