Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1881-07-20
Life In the Tropics.

What first strikes the stranger in the
state of Colombia, South America, as In any
tropical country, is the utter want OF thrift
that pervades every occupation. The
ground is untitled, the fruit is almost wild,
the great cities are without reservoirs, and
in short nothing.is done which can be left In
undone. A huge array of help is required
Housekeeping to do the work Of two or
three servants, and these establishments
drift along with little system or manage
ment. Mistress and II aid lounge in dreamy,
indoleut ease The meza who waits upon
YOU is a beautiful Indian girl. She gems
the braIds Of her long jetty hair with star
iessamiLe flowers, but her cleanliness and
honesty are questions OF grave doubt. She
is picture for a painter, hopeless proo-
lem for a house-keeper, as untractable and
unteachable as s wild deer. Like most of
the lower classes in South America, the In
dians are natural thieves and too indolent
10 work for anything they can get in an
easier way.
The poisonous cassava or yuca furnishes
the bread of the country. Life and death
are contained in the root. Thirty-sIx drops
of the juice are enough in SIX minutes TO
kill q condemned prisoner, yet the mealy
substance supplies the only -four of the
country, the wcll-known tapioca and tapi-
oca farIns of commerce. Cassiva bread is
prepared by the Indians directly from the
yuca root, which is grated, the poisonous
juice being squeezed out by the hand. The
substance remaining is then washed with
cold water, spread on fiat stones an eighth
of an inch thick and baked before the fire.
Thus any remaining poison Is expelled, as
the poisonous element of the plant is prus-
SIC acid, and easily dIssipaied by heat. The
Indians bring this bread, which Is snow
white and resembles somewhat the Pas
sion bread of the Jews, in guambas or net
ted bags, which are thrown over the
backs of donkeys. Delicious little break
last pulls which are baked in the oven, are
made OF yuca soarch mixed with cheese
The ypca plant is well named by the bot
anist tstiiissinld. 1t not only contains
the poison with which the Indians kill
their prisoners, the bread and the articles OF
commerce spoken of, but the laun Try starch,
the vege able which takes the place of our
potatoes, and fodder for the cattle. The
deadly Juice OF the root when boiled and
fermented Is clucha, the fayoriIe beer of
the country. Huge dishes of fruit are
placed on the breakfast table, including
oranges, bananas, guavas, mangoes, and
usually caruba, the much talked of passion
flower fruit OF South America. The latter
is about n finger and half in diameter.
1t is similar to the maypops OF the south
in flavor. The slightly acid wlney juice is
sometimes pressed ont and beaten up with
cream and sugar for dessert. Dulces are
handed around with breakfast, as they are
on every occasion when .hey possibly can
be. There are many kinds of these deli
cious sweetmeats that are never known to
our markets or housekeepers. They are the
pride of the South American ladies, who
certainly excel in their preparation. AT
the terminal on of breakfast coffee or
chocolate is passed around with fragrant
cigars, and ladies and gentlemen smoke to-
gether.
The dinner which occurs at 8 p. M, is
meal exactly similar to breakfast There
are few desserts made, dulces taxing their
place. Custards are used for parties, the
price Of ice being so high that ice cream is
not seen except after hail STERN, when the
ice is collected, and for a while ice cream
IL vended extensively. Cook stoves are
rareties. They can be purchased, but the |
ordinary cooking is done in huge frepiaces
In the primitive way. The water that Is
used in the cities is taken from the river, |
where tho natives bathe, and donkeys drink |
and the refuse OF the city is thrown. 1t is |
brought around by boys and sold at fifteen |
cents barrel 1t is filtered, and is the |
only water for cooking or drinking. The !
cooking utensils are usually earthen pots;
iron kettles are rarely seen. Most of the |
floors in the best houses are tessaleted OF
marble. Carpets are rarely used. An OBJ
long rug of mating is usually placed IN the |
centre Of the parlor, and the chairs are ar |
ranged stffiy on either side of it. Most of |
the houses are without glass windows, be- /
ing simply barred. The dry dust OF the |
street pOurs into them and fills every nook
and Granny. The Indian servants invari-
ably wear long trains TO their dresses,
which brush the dust on them and you.
Whatever reformation you may effect, you
can never teach these servants to wear
short dresses. Their arms and shoulders
are bare, but they object 10 showing their
feet. The last meal of the day is served
in the perlcr or sala. Tea is passed around
by the moza, with dulces. fancy biscuit and
cheese. This usually appears at about
or o'clock, the hour at which most of the
visiting Is done. The hostess always
lounges IN a chair, her nalr carefully
dressed, however neglected the rest of her
toilet may be, and visitors come to talk
over the latest gossip of the town, q recipe
for new dulce, or the plot of the last
French novel. The reading of Colombian
ladies Is limited to Eugene Sue and Dumas
Such IS life in Colombia. A glamour OF
beauty is thrown over everything. A gol-
den mist rests over the miasma haunted
swamps- One gradually becomes accus-
toned 10 the slovenly, flower garlanded
servant girls and unswept floors-to the
sentiment and sothfulness everywhere
prevalent. The climate is so enervating
that one can hardly resist taking ones ease
continually IN rocking chair, with pal
metto fan and delicate dish of dulce.