Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-05-29
THE TRINIDAD NEGRO.
His Religious Beliefs and EXtraor-
binary Superstitions.
FIRM FAITH In V0oDOO POWER
Found to be General Among the Inhabitants
Of the Island.
HORRIBLE TALES OF MAGICIANS' ACTS

PHILADELPHIA, May 2S.-The la,
meeting of the Philadelphia Chapter wa
especially devoted to negro folklore. Pro-
Benjamin Sharp, of the Academy Z
Natural Sciences, delivered the openin
address, entitled 'The Negro and Coolie a
We See Him in Trinidad"
After referring to the Caribs, a few o
whom survive in Trinidad, he said: Th
negro constitutes the vast majority of tn
population of the Lesser Antilles, and, OIL
the island of Trinidad, the East Indial
coolie is slowly rising to great Importance
The story of the latter's introduction int
the West Indies is one of no little interest
When the planters in this part of the worlt
found that the rapidly dying race Of Carib
ceased to supply them with labor for thei
extensive estates, they turned to Africa
from which continent slaves have been
obtained from time immemorial.
In 1907, England, although not emanci
pating the slaves in her own colonies, passed
law preventing their importation iron
Africa. In 1888, BY an act of Parliament
all slaves in the British colonies were de-
clared free, and sum of a20, 900, 900 was
voted to compensate the planters and Others
who possessed them. This freedom was moi
immediate. There was system of appren-
ticeship of seven years that they had to
serve before they were allowed perfect lib
erty. As was foreseen, as soon as full lib
erty was given and no laws existed COM
the plantations.
CELEBRATING THEIR FREEDOM.
The first of August was a great day to the
liberated people, and those who could, in
Trinidad, repaired to the capital, Port of
Spain, and, in order to appear as much like
their late masters as possible, they pur-
chased umbrellas and strutted about the
streets with them. To this day an umbrella
is known as the First of August" 1 have
frequently heard it asked:
"Bave you your first of Anguish" mean
ing have you your umhrella?"
The great question of labor again present.
ed itself to the now almost ruined planters;
the liberated negroes would not work or
demanded most exorbitant wages; they did
not starve, as food in the tropics is a minor
question; they required clothes, it is true,
but these were cheap and few days labor
put them in position to get what they
needed. The result, and the colonists plain
ly foresaw it, was a paralysis in the agricul-
tural parts OF the island.
1t was proposed and carefully considered
to send indirectly for emigration to the peo-
pie of the United States, but this scheme
was never adopted. In this extremity the
British Government turned to the vast
peninsula OF India, a country that for GEN.
turies mas been overstocked, and which.
perhaps, with the exception of China, is
the most thickly populated region of the
earth.
A satisfactory system was soon adopted.
The planters were supplied with satisfactory
labor, the immigrants were protected and
bettered, and the Government was put to no
great outlay of money, as the expense was
mostly betrayed by the islands. The Gov
ernment carried the East Indian, or coolie.
as he is more frequently called, free of
charge from India to the West Indies, and.
at the expiration of his term of indenture.
the coolie is given free passage home to
India or two acres of Crown land.
AS PLANTATION LABoRERs.
The planter who avails himself of cooIie
labor must pay certain tax to cover the
expenses of the Government; he must pro-
vide barracks with separate rooms of a GER
tain size, hospital that will hold one
tenth of the number he employs, and he
must pay each male coolie the ordinary
rate of wages, which in Trinidad is Is.
day. The coolle emigrates voluntarily and
may take his wife and children, and they
are not to be separated from him without his |
consent. He is apprenticed for five wears |
and is compelled to work $50 of nine hours |
in each year and to make up DAYS lost by |
accident or sickness, and to support himself. |
until 1867 he received his wages in money. |
but this was not found to be a wise plan. |
and now the coolies are paid partly in daily |
rations and partly in money. The adult |
coolle is given four ounces of dhall, a kind |
ol pea, one ounce of cocoanut oil or phee |
clarified butter), and two ounces of sugar.
HALF this amount is given to every child be-
,ween and 10 years.
There are now probably as many as sc. 900
coolies in Trinidad, forming one-third the
population Of the island. They may be
,lassed as Hiudus, Mohammedans and |
Christians, OF which the first embraces BY |
Tar the greatest number. Physically the
,oolie is well shaped, though delicately |
framed. with finely cut, regular features. |
His love for gold is his strongest passion,
md he will live on the scantiest food. in |
uring himself. and his family in order to
wealth. They amass, as a rule, |
! large quantity of money. One returned to
India during our stay in Trinidad with a
lraft Tor $50, 900 on the Colonial Bank. He
had landed in Trinidad ten years before.
THE TRINIDAD NATIVES.
The negro is an absolute contrast to the
,oolie in character. The negro is one who
las lived for an age in wild and savage
tate; the coolie has for ages been subjected
% high civilization. The negro (and 1
peak now of the laborer) is brutal, strongin
'ody and weak in mind; the coolie is mild,
lelicate in body and intelligent. The negro
S subject to great animal passions, loves his
fsprIRg, but in times of rage will treat it
With ferocity that can scarcely be imag-
ned; the coolie is subject to the passions of
utilization, but in his relations with his
hildren he is kind and affectionate. The
egro is sloyenly in the extreme-he will
ress in anything, especially gaudy colors,
he can get them, while the coolie, except
n rare cases, will retain the costumes of his
wn country, and dress with neatness and
race. Inc negro rarely saves money and is
lwavs poor, while the coolie is extremely
hrilty, and is often for his condition rich.
he negro avoids the law, as is the case ]
nth Ignorant and simple minds-the coolie
axes the greatest interest in litigation.
Ihe religion of the two races is also in
reat contrast. The negro takes up ap-
arently with any religion, provided it be
interesting in iorm or exciting in observance,
7hile the coolie, on the other hand, retains
teadfast the religion of his ancestors, but
ill adopt the form, though not the senti-
lent, of any form of theology that will
ring him patronage or serve his purpose.
n short, the negro is great child and SUBJ
;ct to the passions of childhood and early
outh, his inconsistencies artless and crude; :
ne coolie is an old man, devoid of the early
assions; he is subject to only those of old
ge, and servility, greediness, treachery,
nd when he deceives or lies, and that is
equent, he does it with such consummate
rt that it is almost admirable. have said