The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-29

coming of the IN. 1t seemed to me as l
listened to this strange pounding that all
the babies of Venezuela had been brought
to the lake shore and we're being spanked,
spanked, spanked by muscular mothers,
though they uttered no sound IN remon-
STRANGE and took their punishment without
amurmur.
When I enquired as to the meaning of
those mysterious sounds l was told that the
nocturnal ~revelers were only the lavanderas,
who preferred the GOODNESS OF night to the
heat and glare of the day. But it is in
Curacao, a little Dutch island off the coast
of Venezuela, that the alleged cleanser of
clothing may best be studied. There she
disports herself, regardless of the social
proprieties and surroundings. Every morn
ing at daybreak you NAV see the washer
women vending their way to the sea shore.
each one with a tub of clothes on her head,
and in the hollow OF one arm IN immense
club.
Curacao is as picturesque an island as
one may see in a month of travel. even in
the Caribbean sea, where every isle is a
gem; an emerald in a sea of silver. 1t lacks
only water, fresh water, and running.
streams; else it would be an Eden. As
there is no water here save that caught and
stored in c%isterns, it is too precious, of
course, to be wasted in washing either
clothes or person. hence the females b
take the contract for the publication of
linen make the best of it and dispense with
fresh water entirely. Salt water IS good
enough for them, and there is penty of it.
So they go to the sea shore, Il gallant array,
every female with her dress girdled tight
around her hips, a kerchief on her head
and feet and bosom bare.
Arrived at the seaside you find several
pools formed inside the barrier reef of
coral, where the water is smooth and
CLASSY. and has a nice appearance, if it isn't
fresh. Outside the reefs the waves roll uD
thrpQtaninU1v and hrapk with. rrpnf fnppa
against it, but only to tumble harmlessly
into the quiet pool. in little ~rivulets and
foaming streams. Here the woman halts
and deposits her tub, or tray, of clothes on
the coral beach, and carefully lays the club
on top.
Then she gathers up her only skirt very
dextrously between her thighs, knots it in
front, seizes the club and an inoffensive
shirt. and proceeds to business. Another
woman soon arrives, another and another
until the pool IS as full as it can hold-tht
choicest collection of black-lees il
Curacs q.
Every woman has a rock in front of he
and upon this she lays the object of he
solicitude. She lifts her club, gazes a mo
ment with all the fond yearning of a par
ent about to punish an erring child, an
then brings it dow with a crash. The gar
ment willis at once; in two minutes it
completely knocked out, and in three is s
dilapidated its own mother wouldn't kno'
1T. After She has mauled IL awhile in on
position she lifts it tenderly into the waite
souses it thoroughly and then puts it bac
on the rock. She has caught her secon
wind by this time. and Yields the clu
with fresh vigor. If there are any blu
tons left, she goes for them scienti
ally. It is the proud boast of the mo
accomplished wash lady here that she CT
fetch a button at every clip. When II
buttons are gone she bestows particular a
tention upon the button-holes, punchi,
them out, and e%nlarging them to the Ct
pacity of watch-pockets. Then, with
critical poke of the club and a contemI
uous airt, tbs limp and lifeless shirt