The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1891-06-27
COALING AT ST. THOMAS.
BRAWNY AMAzoNS WHO DO THE
WORK OF MEN.

Graphic description OF Pisnse OF West
India Life e-Old Eancy-Thc Master Of
Ceremonies - wild Congo Songs
Eager LnbOrers.
A correspondent who recently visited
the West Indies writes:
The scene was n strange one to un-
familiar eyes-this coaling of ship by
women. You will witness it at ST.
Thomas and Kingston, Jamaica, to tho
best advantage. Scarcely had the Al
liance's nose pointed around the fort at
the entrance when numerous boats con-
timing the "coal ladies" appeared ap-
preaching the coal station, located on an
island half a mile from the town. The
ship was quickly laid alongside the
wharf, and the taking in of fuel COM
menced. The coal is piled on the shore
q distance of 200 feet from the ship, and
150 strapping wenches bore it to the man.
holes of the bunkers on board Each of
the women carried on her head a coarse
splint basket containing 100 pounds of
coal. Their raiment was severely SIM
Plea cotton bodice and a scanty skirt
drawn up to the knees by cord around
The thighs. Very black were the brawny
| legs which appeared below the Eve-like
drapery, and large and naturally formed
were the bare feet with their hard, yell
| low soles.
Before the work commenced the dusky
Amazons stood in double row in front
Of the heaps of coal. They grinned like
] 80 ,,,,,,,- ,.,,,,1-,r-. or,I tf,,,.t. foroou-tnq
strange, mongrel English the Jamaica
and Barbados negroes utter-poured
| from their lips a babel cf nncouth sounds.
Startling were some Of the jokes they
threw at one another
DO you see that womau?" said tho
agent, as he pointed toward powerfully
built woman with hard, shining black
face and grizzled wool. THAT is old
Nancy She is 50 years old and is the
foulest mouthed wench in the West In
dies Every shipmaster who has sailed
in these waters knows her. She cspe-
cially interested Anthony Trollope when
he came to inspect the islands for the
British government. Froude, the his
torian, noticed her. She can carry 400
baskets of coal day.
A tall black man armed with heavy
stick was master of ceremonies. When
all was ready he called "Take your
baskets, ladies'" Each woman seized
her basket and turned toward the coal
pile Ready" was the verbal signal,
and quickly the baskets were filled with
large humps and the dust of coal. After
ward there was no cessation Of the toll.
The women would s"ring the heavy bas-
ket to the top of the head with single
and apparently easy motion, resting the
bottom on small mat of cloth which
lay on the wool. Down the wharf they
trOtted, some bearing the 100 pounds of
dead weight without supporting the bas-
ket by hand. The tough Old Nancy,
previously mentioned, drew her pipe
from the rags of her bodice, struck a
match, ignited it, and smoked after she
had swung the basket of coal on her
head, and was jogging to the ship. The
"ladies" hustled one another in anything
but ladylike manner. The more active
ones endeavored to get ahead Of Others
who were in their way as the living
stream of workers reached the gang
plank. The women are paid for each
basket of coal poured into the bunkers.
AS they pass a small building at the head
of the wharf with full baskets a cent is
handed to each of the carriers. There
are some women who can move 400 bas-
kets a day, or 20 tons of 1000 pounds.
| Others carry a less number Of baskets,
and as the gangplank admits only three
carriers abreast, the slow ones hamper
the fast workers. The latter endeavor to
get ahead. l saw a woman drop almost
to her knees on the plank and, with bas-
llet on head, seek to crawl under the up
lifted arm of tall wench in front.
The master of ceremonies stood at the
side Of the gangplank with uplifted stick.
When he detected any unfairness he ex-
claimed in warning tones, "Ladies!" The
oGenge repeated led TO deprecating 3" Oh,
doant do so, dears. Next came, "Oh,
Car'line, doant do dat. 4" By this time
patience was exhausted, and a sharp call
to Caroline, or to Miss Glenn, or to
"you dar, nigger, was followed by a
tremendous whack of the stick on the
back or legs of the offender. The sound
OF the blows would rise above the din of
The coaling The victim would grin and
the others would jeer at her, but no one
appeared to regard the punishment I'M
kindly, OF for that matter seriously.
I Now and then the women would break
down, no doubt, from their ancestors
who roamed in the Congo forests. Wild
and weird the strange song rose above
the hustle of the wharf. When the sun
set and the dark tropical night quickly
f"ll on ship and shore, fiambeaux-large
ron cages set ON poles and containing
dry wood-were ignited, and the flicker
ing flames cast their radiance over the
motley throng. The energy of the women
| Geemed to increase when the beacons
were ablaze, and they sang, shouted,
I swore, and laughed with greater zest
than before.
Three hundred and forty tons of coal
were placed in the ship between and 7
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