Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-11-21
AN AsIATIc CREW.
Curious HabIiiments. Manners and Gus
toms Of an East Indian Ships Crew.


The British steamship Astor Hall,
which arrived here few days ago from
Liverpool with a cargo of salt and phos-
phate, now being unloaded at the Queen
and Crescent wharf, is the object of much
interest in the Third district at present.
The cause of attraction is the crew of the
vessel, one of the most unique seen here
for some time, cosmopolitan as New Or
leans rightfully claims to be. The sail
ors in question comprise forty-six Mo-
hammedans, whose garments of white
cotton with red turbans for headgear
contrast strongly with the copper col
ored visages of the wearers. The wealth
er yesterday was not particularly warm.
and the sight of the crew as they were
at work discharging the cargo in sum-
mer attire was calculated to send chill
down the back of the most Indifferent
observer. The peculiarities of the peo-
pie, however, are not confined exclusive
ly to their dress, but also apply to their
habits and customs, which are even more
markedly singular. They eat no beef
nor pork, and all food consumed by them
must be prepared, cooked and served
by people of their own race.
Two casks are employed by the ship
for this purpose. They fare principally
upon rice and curry, huge pots of which
are cooked daily for their use, and served
with unvarying monotony for breakfast,
dinner and supper. The rice is boiled
after their own methods, and the curry
pounded in the primitive style which
prevailed among them thousand years
ago. A queer idea with them is that the
hand of the stranger is sacrilegious and
contaminates their food, which would
be Immediately disdained if ever sub
jected to the simple touch of any other
race. This also applies to their cooking
utensils and all cooking implements en-
ployed by them. Sometimes for change
they eat mutton, but the sheep must be
killed by their butcher secretly, SO that
even the eye of the Christian may not
gaze upon the slaughter.
With some tribes of the race the idea
is even carried still further, the shadow
of Christian falling upon their food
uniting it for use. A visit to their
quarters in the forward end of the ship
revealed the fact that, though cleanli-
ness is one of the injunctions of the Mo-
hammedan faith, they were palpably ig-
norant of its desirability for its own
sake. The room in which they were
gathered at the evening meal was their
sleeping quarters, and also served as a
smoking room and pantry, as revealed
by portions of quartered sheep, which
was suspended from the ceiling.
The air was heavy with the fumes of
tobacco smoke of peculiar flavor, pro-
dued from cheroots, which such of the
sailors who had finished their evening
meal were putting vigorously. Perhaps
one of the most curious features of the
reporters visit was the sight of these
people at supper. Eight or ten men
were seated tailor fashion around large
basin of rice, in the center of which
was curry sauce of about the consist
ency of honey.
The Hindoostanese would dip his right
hand into the dish, unmindful of table
etiquette, and, rolling up into a wad
about handful of the rice, would flavor
it with little curry and then transfer
the morsel to his mouth. His neighboT
would then proceed to do likewise, until
the whole circuit was completed. The
interpreter, who accompanied the re-
| porter, stated that the men never used
the left hand in eating, and that before
and after each meal they cleaned their
mouths thoroughly.
They possess fine teeth, distinguish
ing feature which is found even among
the aged. While the Mohammedan creed
enjoins that they shall offer prayer to
Allah four or five times day, they have,
sailorlike, grown Indifferent to the strict
DEGREES of their religion. They are very
cleanly, however, and bathe every day,
no matter how cold the weather may be.
They are, of course, teetotalists, it being
breach of their religious faith to touch
the tempting arrac.
AS sailors, they were said to compare
unfavorably with the English in proper
tions of four to one, and in cases of
emergency two English sailors were
worth boatload of them. This was
due to the fact that they were fatalists
pure and simple, and that nothing could
alter the mysterious workings of Allah.
The Mohammedans speak only Hindoo-
stance, and were engaged at Bombay
about three months ago, the agreement
in shipping articles being that they
should be returned to that port at the
expiration of twelve months.
AT every new moon the Asiatics dance
and sing, their peculiar exercises being
held at sunrise and sunset.
This is the first trip of the steamship
Astor Hall to this port, having previ-
ously been engaged in the Bombay trade
from Liverpool. ol.-New Orleans Times.
| An Editor Loose.