Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1886-10-02
nigat, according to hsir voAtnS re-
bacoa, opium, and hashesah conruae al
their saergies and convert thm for the

1t is no uncommon sight to see at noon
It Cruz's hotel in Baxter street or Ouono
Fats in Park street as many as thirty
persons lying in dead stupor.
To the rear Of the living groom is the
kitchen and work k-room. The furniture
is painfully simple, and consists usually
Of range or cooking-stove, a charcoal
brazicr, cLopping- block, table, and a
few culinary utensils. Here the meals
are prepared and the crude opium of
commerce converted into smokers
paste. Here also in the early morning
each guest takes his tub bath and washes
his daily supply of linen and cotton.
Life begins in these strange caravan
series at 6, when the proprietor or clerk
opens the front door and sends out for
the breakfast material These comprise
rice, fish, pork, bread, and vegetables
The dodgers next put in an appearance,
crawling out of their hunks, still drowsy
with sleep or slecp-giving drugs. A pail
Of water and coarse rag in the kitchen
soon restore the circulation Of the body
and fit one and all for the morning
meal. This is made of the articles de-
scrbed, but cooked in ways very diffe"-
ent from those employed in civilized
circles. The rice is plain boiled, the fish
boiled or stcwcd and served with an ar
omatic sauce in which ginger, cloves
and red pepper are prominent factors;
! the pork and vegetables are chopped
into thin pieces and scwed together
The drinks employed are hot and cold
tea, and sometimes minute quantities of
strong arrack or rice brandy After
breakfast many Of the dodgers depart for
their daily work. Among these early
birds are cigar-makers, clerks, peddlcrs,
and shipping runners. Those who re-
main are usually scamen, merchants, gam
blers, and agents. These after their re-
past light cigar or cigarette, opium or
hashcesh, and take ''solid comfort" for
an hour or more. Those who have liter
ary tastes lie down in their hunks and
read, for, strange to say, most orientals
assume a rccumbcnt atti ude when read
ing or studying; those who desire cx-
| citcment resort to dominoes and other
games Of chance, while the majority
| simply smoke and 'swap Stories" At
noon a second meal is served similar to
! breakfast, but including besides soups
and 5tews, in which macaroni and YER
micelli are chief features, At ) o'clock
dinner is given. It is like its predeces-
sors in the articles served, on y there is
more Of them and all are more highly
| spiced and seasoned. House cleaning
and bed making occur usually between
| breakfast and lunch, and are very prim-
/ tive in character The beds as described
are hunks or shelves covered with
white Canton mating and the pillows
wooden footrcsts. The man of all work
simply sponges off bed and pillow alike
with a sponge dipped in water contain
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making p@uS mas one advantage. III
d'aihl"ctS room ana inmate ana destroys
Whatever Ver'hln 'here may DE ABOUT.
IN the evening the guests resort, one
alter one, to narcotics, ana at midnight
nearly all are SOUND asleep
No SlSht Is more impressive or 1earful
than one OF these hynS- rooms at 10 or
l. p H. Inc dark moor and ceilings,
Inc gloomy -aho grimy lufnlture, the
Single lamp h'cNerih9 ana smoking on
the table, the silence, and everywhere
the hunks, each containing man court
ing slAmo2r through some narcotic drug
make up a strange picture. You enter
the apartment and each inmate turns
towards you-the. JavAnese herceiy and
swiftly, the hindu curlously and