The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-01

the greatest excitement during the day or
two while the vessel is taking on its cargo
Carts of the most wonderful construction
high with the green fruit, fresh cut. These
carts are hauled by bony cattle or sulen
mules, and are driven by lazy blacks who
loll upon their loads and swear Justify at
their teams and at each other in the mu-
steal tones of these southern islands. The
ar IS full of the cracking of whips, rich
Spanish oaths and an occasional invigor-
lively there"
AS the heavy punches of fruit go over
the ships side they are counted and packed
away in the hold in lots of seVens Fights,
or mines, according. to the number OF
hangs, that is, the number of rows of
fruit on each stalk. When the season is at
its height as it is just now, there is
grand rush to get the fruit on board, and
the work never subsidies until the vessel is
filled to the matches. Sometimes, however.
the boats have to coast along the shallow
shores to make up their loads. and then
lots on log RATS bound together with vines
and poled by strappnig blacks, whose ideas
in regard to clothing are about as primitive
as those of the natives of Central Africa.
When the hold is filled the banana boat
wastes not moment in getting away with
her cargo and makes the best time she is
capable of to her port of destination. Most
of these boats are very fair travellers. and
can unload the fruit in New York within
six days of its cutting, making the trip
from Jamaica or Porto Rico to New York
in three or four days.
When the boat arrives in port gangs Of
workmen are awaiting to unload her. AS
soon as she has tied up to her dock she
is surrounded by trucks and lighters. the
matches are thrown open, and the men fair
ly swarm over the ships sides and into
her hold If the boat is a large one, four
of five gangs, from 100 to 125 men, Work
on her at once. There is sometimes con-
siderable rivalry between these gangs, ana
they often make the bananas fairly fly out
of the ships hold in the effort to handle
more punches within a certain length of
IL
is done by hand. A double line of men ex-
tends from the hold up through each hatch
way and out to the side of the boat, where
the big, cool-looking green punches are
passed into trucks or lighters or cars.
AS each string of fruit comes on deck,
swung by the ends of the stock between
the double line of handlers it is classed.
counted and diverted to the particular lot
to which it belongs. all while 1t is in mo-
ton. Beside the rail sit the counters, VINO
operate little automatic machines register
ing the number of punches put into each
load. In each gang there is crier VINO
shouts the number of each lot as II goes
over the side, and a boss" whose principal
duty seems 10 be to keep things moving.
A member of the firm sits on the slippery
deck and superintends the general work,
while the different buyers stand BESIDE hlml
watching the fruit it comes up, ana
the particular kind they want. About them
is a perfect babal of noise, the constant
ting-ling of the registering machines. the
monotonous "one two, three, Tour, OF
the counters the sharp-spoken directions
of the superintendent. as he says 100 green,
sevens, out" the encouraging shouts or
the bosses as their urge their men TO let
them come; send them up lively, now,
the cries of the truckmen, quarreling for
places. is all merged in sort of composite
clamor from which the Dystander can
make out nothing at all.
The great bulk of bananas brought into
this country are the yellow kind. but a
good many of the red variety from lower
California and Central America are also
used. There is no other kind of fruit that
can be served in so many different ways or
on so many occasions as the banana. and
this in great measure accounts for it's
growth in popularity and the great in
crease in its use.