The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1868-11-14
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
For the Pacific Commercial Advertiser.
DEMERARA COOLIES.

Ma EprroR: The above IL the title OF nm ar
ticIe which was Published in the '' Christia,
Work" Protestant Evangelical monthly, print
ed IN London. II contains information ON tn.
subject Of Iaborcrs, which We think may be rcaS
with interest by the planters, and by all persons
at these islands who regard the Labor Question
as one or importance.
The writing il dated Georgetown, Demcrara
British Guiana, May 81, 1868; AMI is substan-
tally the following: Yours, PLANTER.
'sThe Hindu Coolies are a eInss OF people who
occupy the Western Gbauts, south OF the Bhills,
and az far ~ Bombay and even farther They "a
few only excepted) enjoy Independence in
their country, and are n robust, hardy race often
living by plumber the wild Arabs do, yet faith
fuI when hirei n guides or convoys- Hence
porters nsofei1On and other laborrrs in Hindus-
tan, are commonly called coolies by Europeans.
. They form the bulk Of the population along the
northwestern frontier, while the Ra0TtEsis,
another cl1ss OF laborers, are scattered over the
Western Ghaut-, south Of the coolies, and even
partly the table-land Of the Dcckhan a. far
as Bhejapoor; they more advanced IN ciyiliza-
ton, and are partly agrIculturIsts.
The word c0oiie, or kdh, il a term belonging to
the Tamil language only. IL means hire or
rra1es and the same wOtI is used In the Tamil
version Of the New Testament for :. the labOrer Is
worthy OF his hire Such coolies, Hindu
Iaborers, are always easily found among the Ia
miIians Of Madras and the Southern coast, far
"a Cape Comoriu, and they are fond Of wander
ing life, they readily leave their country to
trade or to labor for hire in distant lands. They
are as u missionary in the East observes, - GER
tainly the least ssrupulOu5 and superstitiOus and
the most cnterPrisins and perseyerinS Of the
Hiplus."
These coolies, or IabOrers as above observed,
readily consent to gD To- any distance country,
to work labor for hire. Thus, they go to Cey-
bu, to MluritIus, To the Cape, To Jamaica, and To
different other countries. These migratory coolies
are easily obtained. In the north Of the Madras
Presidency are che fine shipping ports of Cocona-
da, in NLIsuipatam or rather in Rajahmundry,
with the ports Of Vizagapatam, Bimlipatam, and
Calingapatam IN the district Of Vizgapatam
whilst Ganetm, adjacent, will afford, with little
arrangement, n large supply Of coolies or labor
ers, fine grown class Of men, who are being
sent away annually To the different shipping ports
of Ceyion, Afturitius, and other countries. The
agent rOr tlTesc migratory farm VoIies resides
Madras, and has his gooynastahs, or native
agents, ont recruiting, being intimately aequaint-
ed with the collectors OF the different districts IN
which be recruits; and thus these sub-agents go
about, and induce and collect as many n they
ean get, and ship them to the above ports.
The late drought, famine, in India was
alarming i'm its aspect More than thirteen mil
lions of people were affected by the famine. OF
these four and n half millions suffered cruelty,
and half million died. Four millions OF acres
we're thrown out of cultivation, and the peasantry
lost in cattle and produce, nearly iivc millions
sterling. Families fled from
their homes in search OF food, and villages and
districts were rapidly becoming depopulated.
Sad it il think that stern necessity rather than
choice and free will should cause many Of these
poor wretches to seek another country
The colony Of British Guiana, as we all know,
was mt first worked by African slaves. After n
while tho planters and prOprietors Of estates fore
with despondcuey that IL they had To depend
solely upon the irregular and uncertain labor Of
the emancipatcd Africans, their prospects would
be affected, and therefore they, in time, endeav-
orr,i TO check the advancing evil which threatened
10 overwhelm them by introducing laborers from
MaGeirs, India and China The Portuguese
we're the first immigrant labOrcTs, who arrived
here in the years lS43 anil 1874. They are n
hard working people, and by their hard labor,
industry and thriftness have raised themselves tO
aifluencc. Many of them have become, within
these few years, rich merchants. shop keepers,
prDprictOrs Of estates, &c; vet they are looked
upon enemies mOrc than rivals, despiscd and
tlunted with the appcllaton Of - Jriife Niger
by the African or their Descendant negro popula-
tIon Of this colony.
The coolies were the next immigrants who
were introduced into tins country. But we shall
leave the coolies for while, and consider the
Chinese immigrants. who were introduced into
this colony for the fret time IN the year 1853
Although they appear n sturdy, lively, merry
hearted race," vet they arc low in the scale Of
mOral advancement. They Ignorant, de
graded, and dirty people. hut may improve un-
der good example anil tuition. :. Their clarac-
tcrs reported to be fierce, cowardly, and vim
dietive by those who have brought them They
are noted thieves: barcaccd larcenes com
mitted by them. On the other hand, some OF
them who profess Christianity meet together
sanctuary. We have heard some very favorable
accounts OF these Christian Chinese from the min
ister (the Rev. j. Kelley Of the chapel in which
they meet together to worship. \ missionary Is
shortly expected in connection with the Episcopal
church, to labor among them.
We shall now turn our attention solely 10 the
Hindu aborers coolies who are introduced into
the colony and in the neighbOring islands of the
West Indies India, "a country where iarm Ia |
borers can be easily procured, was long known To
the planters and prOprietors of estates IN this col
Ony, and therefore the efforts To procure Hindu !
abcrers were directed towards the East. Amin !
migration agent was appointed To send out rs
many cDolies ~ he could get to- labor in the sugar
Plantations IN this country The whole of the |
mountains extending from the CirCars I'm the |
northwestern direction Of Calcutta and over the |
higher branches OF the NIahanuddy river To the /
table-land Of Omerkuntuc, and west of It To the i
sources Of the Tuptee and " urca, were known rs \
Places where the .. hill ltribes''-DhangOoris or 1
Bhooras--inhabited. The Puharrees, who inhab- /
it the hills Of RaJIhmahal. and the katti and
Coolies, who inhabit the Peninsula Of GuzerIt, 4
were, and are known n labOrIng class OF people
There wus also agency established in Madras \
Dor coolies But when the Hindu labOrers were Il
sent out 10 this country, after fair trial, the /
Planters and prOprietOrs OF estates dissatis-
het with the coolies. Many were not - hill COO
lies, or farm servants, "a they were represented i
20 be, but men and women the ofIscOurings Ofthe Il
streets Of Calcutta and Madras, the INDECENT, the
he IN fact. the very dreg- Of the community /
We're huddled together and forwarded To British /
tijuana "a hardy labOrers. Whole families of
l@gpers, siekly and emaeiated, were sent out as
uentnred farm servants. y maJDrity OF them Il
were never accustomed 10 field labor but hang
.as about the town, had eked out n miserable ex-
sOenee "a grass-eutters, cattle-minders, grooms
SS1nl1hs, pedlars, and petty artisans: many were
IfTare1itary Ifa beggnrs Tor mailer ra=atki, the Il
Alh'ius call thetnN and serernI ex-scpcvz What