The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1870-12-10
WITH CHINESE In CUBA.
From the Hearth and Home.

So much is being said nowadays
about Chinese labor that we propose
to "say our say" and we have the
advantage of most takers on the
subiect-that of experience. AS
planting was our business years ago
in Louisiana, planting became our
business also in Cuba. Half of our
working force is negroes, the other
half Chinese-Chinese under con-
tract to serve for eight years. They
make good farm-la Aorers even in this
hot climate. AftSyr the first year,
they bear as mucn fatigue and ex-
posure as native. They are indus
trious and frugal; their monthly Wa
ges of four dollars in gold supplies
them with tobacco, of which they |
are very fond. Soap-for they are
cleanly also-an occasional handker
chief, or an extra shirt, all their ne
cessary supplies, food, clothing, bed
ding, medical attendance, ETC., are
furnished them by contract, besides
four dollars month in gold, paya-
BILE monthly. Almost all of them
save a portion of their wages; all of
them Keep few reals to gamble
with, for they are inveterate gam
blers. We employ them in every
department where more skill is re-
quired than an African possesses.
In the carpenter-shop, they are ex-
pert, seeming to understand intui-
lively the use of tools. In the sugar
factory, they occupy all the respon-
sible posts; in a short time, they
master the mysteries OF sugar-mak-
ing, and can tell ITO a turn" when
the boiling syrup has reached TIC
granulating point, and is ready to
be thrown into the coolers. Long
before Chinese understands enough
of foreign tongue to make his SIM
plest wants known, he understands
and fulfils the duties faithfully that
a negro grows gray trying to per-
form. ~
In the dwelling-house, they are
valuable also. We selected one who
had good face-being ignorant of
his tastes or acquirements-we could
not communicate with him, he had
been in the country few days; but
we wanted a cook, and concluded to
"go it blind' with a new Chinese
who did not know crude olive-oil
and garlic. It was astonishing the
rapidity with which he learned.
| At first, by dint of soap and ashes
and rags and signs, he was given to
understand that ''cleanliness was
next to godliness." So he rapidly
cot sorder out of chaos" in our Gu
ban kitchen, over which a Creole
darkey had ruled supreme. He was
then taught to make soup by measu-
ring every ingredient. Then the
anysteries of baked meats, bread,
ETC.. were made manifest to him,
and in week Q was going to say
in less time than it takes me to wgite
this) we had frst-rate cookV as
methodical and regular as an auto
nation. His bread never fails, his
meat is never overdone, his rice il
cooked to turn. We have had hin
cooking three years-he is content
ed and faithful, and "sober as {
: judge"
i Our next trial was q washer-mar
/ I wonder why they never bring wo
g men over here too9 Our cook wa!
!. such an Improvement on Rita tha
we concluded to lay aside our preju
: dices to washer men, and try a sue
:. cessor to the late Micaella, who nev
r er was an artist with the fat-iron
, though she had many pretensions
t We selected one very effeminate
q looking fellow (none of them ar
/ very ly-looking, being shor
e of stature, with long hair, and beard
t less), and went through the pante
e mime of pointing to the cistern, t
5 the tubs, and to basket of sole
g clothes, with signs initiating wast
It ing. Quick as thought, he caugh
q the idea and fell to work. with a
|. old woman to assist him. The frs
q week the clothes were a marvel {
> whiteness; the second week the tov
els were done up Like handkerchief
# with their fleecy fringes combed OF
| the third week he ventured on shirt
m and skirts, and really must have a
le tonished himself, as, he certainly di
y us-though, like an Indian, a Oh
Y nese never evinces surprise or asto
IL ishment ut any thing.
t. The regularity OF their habi
in makes them valuable servants.
se is important to show them right
" the beginning, for it is harder +
a. them to unleafn than to learn. "
it. read of their sprinkling towels al
10 napkins by filing the mouth wi
a. water, and squirting it over the Ii
h. ems; but our Washer-man don't
th that way, maybe because he did n
ch learn the business in China.
ed When we remember that only t
ne lowest and most degraded OF
rs, overaowing population are broug
,ig to Cuba in Coolie- ie-ships-and
|ly doubt not many of them are felol
Id fer numbers of them come with
ad ly one ear, and some with none
w. and when we consider that of ev
ed that low class, it is rare to meet Q
es- who cannot read his own languaI
in it is safe to conclude that the vol,
ms tary emigrants from China to I
tod United States would be people
nd more than ordinary intelligence a
rn- enterprise. -
les The Chinese are not disposed
ks. mingle with another race. Th
CHI are thousands of loW-class Cuba
full lettering and idling at every strt
ON, corner and every crossroads gre