A WEST INDIAN PICTURE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 3106, 11 June 1892, Page 2 (Supplement)

A WEST INDIAN PICTURE.

(Lady Blaki>, in the Nutiounl Uevi.jw). " i iriicildi'-t c.ildii}- (as the people of the \Y, st liiJi.m Islands proudly say) is u ._"«. d fli-itl di-trrs-ed and iH.ilic.-irieiit-rl nt ihe outlook, and i-yi:-; arcl mirinirly liinic-1 toward-Hi'> MnOiiT Country in 'tli«- Imp.. ..f .-: .in" :i-i-i-t.iir... : fur t.!i.'.|v >.■.•::!- 11-.tii-ill ■■ l.i i.lkf ilii.- i,;.:i'i. ..f Ml:: 11. ~lld II — (:ii Iv !■ i :pii ■! ......nr!i r.i . iMI.-ri; in :;r. ~|.:ii. !v !!,■«- ..Tidri-jn-is... [i, .)nnr,uri . wood <l(..:ii is dun., in I In; war <il' tin:! 1.mid liorso tin-t.-diiicr. bill l" ini)«t i)f I hi' i-iI i:i■ i< • 11..; want, nt ].:i-hi'v nvikcs i.lii-ia'po-sibK T"a nil i <%.!!;..> -row w, I', hut (! yl.i'i is iir-f in tin. ti.'M. f J.ii-h-- !.- 11l t!li- M.'Ullt; i:il'(.', Spiw.'S ll;IV! III. , !. , !! 511..--i-f.-l, lint 111" iniirkct woiiid soon !.■ nV-r.-!i)':l;.'.l if ill.' whnl-> colnlly tunir-l iI riiti.'irioii t.i tln-ill. Inslinrl.ii. ...vm- ;,s to hold illlllMi-.l tlvi wll.iL- -.t Wc-i. lii-uii'i !.oh-'-...-;>i!'.ns must i:V...n'. inlly p.-iss out of on!■ iv.-itinii. In many of ihe ishncls tins wa.nt of roiid-i i.- :i vi-ry -fii-iou-. drawback. Iu Duiuiiiica, for oxmnplr, cultiviltion is cut short not very tar inland by this dillictilMes of yett.iiifr the sugar, when made, down to tho liar'.iour, St. Luoia suffered in the sumo way, bu', now that troops are stationed there, this, no doubt, will be remedied to some extent. The expenses of farming a sugar estate are considerable. Tho cost of producing each hogshead is about £S. and then there is the freight to England. In many cases money to work the farm is advanced by London firms on the security of the crop, and is paid off, with interest, when the sugar is sold. Many mules and other cattle are maintained on each estate; but, as they live on the tops of the caue, chopped and mixed with maize, the cost of their keep is not great. The ever useful cane, after it has been crushed and the juice extracted, is used for the engine f'urnacp, and also ploughed in as manure, for which purpose, too, a good many pigeon pe:is are grown. In Barbadoes, literally every spare inch of ground is cultivated. Wheresoever a few scanty blades of grass appear, a wretched sheep or goat is tethered. The sheep and the goats, by the way, resemble each other curiously. Both are thin, leggy creatures, covered with scanty reddish hair ; and the sheep are destitute of wool. My first West Indian dinner, which I ate at the Ice House iu Barbadoes, was a memorable experience. It comprised, among other strange delicacies, flying fish, which are excellent, and vegetables and fruit which were not. Afterwards, sitting out in the balcony, and watching the ever-shifting scene below, we seemed transported to some gi'eat playhouse, 115 the lights from shops and windows glanced over the dusky crowd, gleaming on their white garments, on the bright handkerchiefs twisted round the women's heads, and flashing back from brilliant teeth and rolling eyes, while the singing, whistling, laughing, dancing, and chattering made an unfamiliar uproar of merriment. Presently a black man, clothed in spotless whito, approached our balcony, and began to whistle marvellously. Air after air, hymns, songs from operas, many of them full of intricate shakes and runs, were faultlessly rendered ; and now and again a bystander would join in with a second, or some of the audience take part in a chorus. The women stood around, listening, their baskets of green or golden oranges on their heads, their white skirts throwing back the lamplight which shone from the lower windows of our hotel, while farther off in the dusk the busy crowd hurried to and fro, and now and then from the harbour came the measured chant of sailors weighing anchor, or the monotonous splash of oars.

The blacks are not a prepossessing people. Their great merit appears to bo their cheerful good-tempered disposilions. Life to them seems made up of dance and song and 'msking in the sun, tempered by much ruin. There is something rather attractive about them just at first. Tho black round . shining face gazes at you solemnly, until snd-'only, without warning, thb grave expression broaKS into such a broad grin, such a display of dazzling teetli, such a roll of tho round ayes, that you must needs also liuig-b and join in the merriment like a child, not knowing , why. As a race, the blacks do not improve upon acquaintance. Some of the servants have a dojj-lilso fidelity to their masters; but, as in Kuglund, the days of attached retainers are dying out, and the new generation is in noway equal to the oIJ. They are lazy, groedy, dishonest, fond of rum, aud lack all reasoning , power. They dislike regular work, and, having- earned a dollar or two, live in the lap of luxury, until it becomes neoessary to go to work again. A pennyworth of salt fish and a penny "bread" (loaf) last tho family for a day. Tho hut, which is about tho size of a large rabbit hutch, and, like it, stands on four short legs, is generally placed near a bread-fruit tree ; there is a tiny patch of garden in which sweet potatoes grow. Clothing costs little ; a lady in one of the islands clothes four families for 10s a year. Thua life is ea«y, and the whole family squat round the hut under the trees in great comfort; the cooking, eating, and even the mysteries of the toilet, being genorally performed in public.

Tin's clii!<l-like and irresponsible race has been found quite unequal to the necessary regular work, and has been to a great extent replaced by coolies, who are steady and sober workmen. With their straight features, stately walk, and grave manners, coolies preseut a remarkable contrast to the blacks, and seem to have a great contempt for them. I have seen a coolie watching a company of dancing and gibbering niggerj with the deepest scorn. The two races never amalgamate. The differences, moral and physical, are too great. There is always a subdued ill-feeling between them ; for on the one hand we have a race of extragavant, drunken, pleasureloving and superstitious men, and on the other a thritty, sober, serious and religious people.