The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1867-07-25
Fra the Houma (La.) Civic Guards.
CHINEsE LABoRERs.

benefit of what he saw in his usual
clear and simple style. We copy his
observations on the Chinese laborers
he saw on DR.. Kittridge's plantation :
.Therearenow twelve Chinese labor
crs at work for DR.. Kittridge on his
plantation, and Lieut.. Kelley is daily
expecting thirty-cight more. These
laborers have served out their time as
coolies Oh the Island of Cuba, and
now at liberty to go where they please,
and hire with whom they please
They receive on this plantation four
teen dollars per month the year round.
They don't mind the sun while at
work, but when walking out on Sun
days each has red umbrella and a
fan. I happened to see them in their
Sunday gear. They are neat in their
persons. food, bedding and everything
else. They bathe often, and take
good care of clothes and bedding
They are of a light copper color, have
black straight hair, and look more
like Indians than any other people.
| noticed one with his head shaved on
the sides and top, and queue behind.
They wear white blouse reaching
to their hips, pair of breeches and
hat, shoes in dry weather, and in wet
weather they go barefoot and roll
their brecchcs above their knees, when
working in bitches or mud. Their
beds are of mating, and their pillows
blocks of wood about as large as a
mans hand and three times as thick,
with blouzc folded and laid on each.
They have mosquito bars, and fix
them and their bedding up neatly,
and keep them in good order.
The rations of these Cuba China
men arc simply half q pound of pork
and pound Of rice daily. They alb
hor corn bread, and will nearly starve
before they will touch it. They cook
careless weed, and other weeds for
sssss.s svsables. 4ES Tbey hang up an
opossRm till it is JUICY and mellow.
and then cook it and stuff it with
raisins.
They arc neat cooks, neat gardi-
ners, and ingenious. Whatever they
do is not rapidly, but we'll. They
speak the Spanish language, and q
creole of the Lafourche, who speaks
Spanish, manages them and acts as
interpreter. They appear to be
pcaceablc and satisfied, do anything
they are required to do without a
murmcr, and as freely to work in a
ditch knee deep in mud as in the field.
They arc always quiet, and work
steadily all day long, but not rapid
ly.
On Monday morning, the 1st int,
Lieut.. Kelly had couple Of horses
saddlcd by about S o'clock, and we
rode over the fields together. We
circlcd round to where the Chinese
laborcrs were working on bitches, cut
ting weeds from the banks, sides and
bottoms. They cut every weed with
great care, not allowing one to escape,
but thoy do not cut quite as fast as
the negroes who were more careless
in their work. We rode on to part
of the field where they had worked
on cane o few days before. Though
it was necessary to work rapidly on
account of the crop being much in
the grass, the Chinese, could not be
induced to slight their work. They
would work among the. cane with
their fingers, and pull all of the grass
out, and round the ridge up with
their hoes.
From what I saw am favorably
with Chinese laborers, but
| would sooner have these direct from
China than those from Cuba, who
have passed through the hands Of la
Dor agents. Labor agents arc usually
sharp andunscrupulous, and would be
likely to pick up the most worthless
coolies on the Island, loafers, idlers,
and those unskilled in agriculture
The agent, who furnished DR.. Kit
tredge's laborers, stated that the
planters will not let the best of the
coolies leave the Island of Cuba
They will pay them fifteen to twenty.
five dollars in gold per month rather
than let them go.
As to the stealing propensities of
these laborers, or their malice, Idon't
think these will give their employers
any more trouble than they would
find in white or black laborers. They
appear to be social, and much more
passionless than either whites or blacks.
I think they are the lahorers for Louis
isiana. The negroes are entirely all
raising their children in perfect idle