The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-05-22

The Residents of Aspinwall and Their Method
of Living.

LETTER FROM PANAMA
The Residents Of Aspinwall and Their Method
Of Living.
AsPINwALr May 9, 1875.
Thus far my soiourn in this place has
been much more agreeable to me than |
supposed it would be, from the reports that
many of my wise friends at home were
pleased to favor me with before / left. |
would not he understood by this. however,
that ! find it as pleasant % il Is in Yer.
mont, or that there is anything 10 tempt
one to take up residence here unless for
business purposes, and rs came here fer
that purpose with determination 10 BE- as
comfortable as circumstances wntid allow,
| have done 80 and nru T., ddfns my
residence here, be II long or short. To a
person who was never been in the trnpcs
or seen the manner in which the residents
live, day or two spent at this place would
give one ample opportunity to make OBJ
servations enough of that kind 10 last
life time. In my last | spoke quite fully
of the residents as they appear ON the Sab
allow me TO speak more fully OF the in
habitants Of this place and their manner of
living. The majority of the residents are
what are termed here Jamaica Myers"
They originally came from The island of
Jamaica, but how or when they came
nobody knows. AS a general thing they
are blacker than ''the ace of spades, to
Use common expression, and are, without
exception, the blacklist and flthiest set of
people that ! ever saw. How they live,
has been a question that have asked many
times since | came here, only to be an
swered each time about as folows "Givc
them pound of rice and couple
of bananas Il day and they will
live aud grow fat" But in addi-
ton to these articles of food
they must have something greasy as they
cook their rice in grease, and with them it
is a necessary article. They are even moro
economical in their dress than with their
food, and first class dry goods store
would soon close for want of patronage.
The women appear ON the streets during
the week clad in costumes that to new
resident are suggestive of corner in the
dry goods market. As it may be of inter-
est to some of your lady readers to know
how they dress perhaps you will allow:.me
to describe the street dress of female who
is now passing my window. Her head is
surmounted by mans hat without any
brim, and above all is large Tin pail filled
with water, which she carries without using
her hands IN the least. Her outside gar
ment (and in fact the only garment that
she has on) was originally white, but being
exposed TO the suns of many summers has
become rather black. When made this
dress or whatever it may be called was
probably stylish, for it is cut with very
low neck and short sleeves, both of which
are profusely trimmed with Gringed) en-
broidery. fh.re must have been a scarcity
of cloth however when it was made for it
extends only TO the knees, thereby reveal
ing the limbs to the gaze of all. The feet
are as economically clothed as the rest of
the person she has on no stockings and
the shoes are some old things, with all that
part back of the instep cut off above the
sole, leaving ii in the shape of Chinese
slipper. This suppose they are obliged
to do m account of the heel
being ia the middle of the
foot. With only this protection
for the foot they travel oil as well as
though they were encased in shoes made
of the finest kid, but as yet have not been
able TO make up my mind how they man
age to keep it on. This is very good de-
scrption OF the way in which most of the
women appear GU the street, week days
some there are, however, who do not have
on even as much as that, while there are
few who appear quite respectfully dressed.
| They have however a unique and novel
way of dressing the children, and il is
nothing unusual to see them on the street,
clad only in The garments that nature has
given them. To a new resident this ap-
pears rather queer costume, but, as with
everything else, one soon becomes accus-
toned to it. The men are generally
dressed CHE laboring class | mean), with u
shirt, pair of pants and a hat on, but when
working, the second named generally
comes off, and when well warmed up to
their work, the skin gistens almost like o
glass. They wear nothing on their feet,
and will tread over broken glass; stones and
through woods as though there was nothing
but roses under their feet. If there is any
one falling that these men have it is their
great love of sleep. Give them a shady
place, and at any time during the day they
will stretch themselves out on the ground
on board or on stone wall and In less
time than II has taken me to write this
they will he sound asleep. Not only will
they do II during the day but at night and
several times in the evening" l have seen
them in the portco of the church, on the
door steps Of the freight house and on
piazzas, safely slowed away for nights
rest. Between our office and the WASH
ington house is a large pile of lumber, on
which in chalk are following words in large
letters:
"GRANDE HOTEL COLON,
rooms TO rent here" do not wish to be
understood that all the inhabitants (colored)
are to be included in the above class, as
there are some who are quite genteel in
their dress and appearance, but they are
largely In the minority. There are some
noted characters among this class, among
them Is the Commodore. He fills the
important office of "IIarbor master
man. his business being to keep