The Holt County sentinel. (Oregon, Mo.) 1883-1980, 1902-06-13

mats. The bamboo makes very neat
little houses, but they are never fur.
nished with glass windows and are even
very scarce of the window places OF
opening, go with the low projecting roofs
mentioned below they seem quite dark
and the houses are always small. But
the people stay mostly outdoors under
the projecting roof. All the mat roofs
are allowed to project quite a ways
enough to shade a good porch though
the porch" consists only of earth, but
around this earth porch is usually rim
Of few poles which holds the dirt and
makes it level and also makes a good
place for sitting in the evening. The
dirt used for floors though, is kind
that gets very hard and il protected
from rain does almost as we'll AZ cement.
That is what our kitchen floor is, also
our covered walk at the back Of our
house. suppose the rain could come
in and would through these bamboo
walls il it we're not for the widely pro-
jecting roofs. The cook fire is always
made right on the ground floor, but
fortunately the kitchen is separated
from the houses, 90 We are relieved of
the smoke. when calling or visiting. All
ironing here is done with charcoal irons,
the charcoal being put inside the iron
and started to burn. found several
women ironing today. The native food
here consists mainly Of fish, plantains
and iguma. The last is prepared from
certain roots which are boiled and
mashed. then wrapped in leaves and
tied in a long finger shaped bundle.
Many are prepared at one time as they
keep for a week or more. They are just
ready for eating then at any time.
Iguma sometimes called mavonda or
kenk is very gummy and I'm sure very
hard to digest. A little of this is usual.
ly eaten in the morning, just taken in
the hand, so there is no breakfast to
prepare. Then about one o'clock they
have their cooked meal of boiled plan.
tains and fish. This is repeated again
in the evening, usually quite late at
seven or eight o'clock. The people
prepare salt fish in some way
and they are much preferred to
fresh fish. The fish is always
boiled and the soup is used along with
native peppers and lime juice. like lemon
juice, as q relish or seasoning for the
plantain and iguma The food men.
toned is what we furnish to our school
children and workmen. cook, etc. The
people are very fond Of meat, but the
poor things cannot get any nearer it
than their much liked fish. Unless per.
chance they can kill game of some kind,
but we seldom hear of that There is
no game near here.
Berta asked about parrots. Yes We
have them here in abundance. Flocks
fly over Us nearly every day. This is
great parrot season. Nearly everyone
has some ready to sell to the steamer
people. Wish it were possible to send
you some, that is, if you want them. l
shall try to bring you some when the
time comes for me to 60 home. We
gotten any yet, but perhaps We
We will and try our luck with teaching
it to talk. As We get them here. they
are young and unframed. My how they
scream! Mr.. Seaholm bought 20 to
take away with him and when they were
here, if any disturbance happened
around them, there would be the awful
lest noise. They bite very fiercely too.
Of course l would not handle one. II
We get one it will belong to James. at
least until it is tanned. BY the way We
had the prettiest fl ok of II little ducks
from Ii eggs. The flock was
soon reduced to eight, however, and now
there are only seven. but they seem to
be very healthy and nice. We also have
a flock" of two little chickens, and our
three young ducks, which We told you
about before are fine young ducks now.
Ready for the pot, James adds. For
some time we've been getting only one
or two eggs day, but DOW they are do
ing fine again and We are getting seven
or eight. The egg are nice in the ab
sence of fresh meat. Timed meats and
are not very good. l think
was too much elated when wrote about
our fine native vegetables. For nothing
seems to be in season now. We've had
no fresh yexetablesnow for a good while
except plantains. was very glad We
were able to get acase of Irish potatoes
from the factory about two weess ago.
They came from France. Are very
nice, and hardly one has spoiled,
but they will soon be gone now. They've
been such a treat!
We've been having lots of rain lately.
My how it does pour! But it usually
doesn't continue Very long and with our
sandy soil here at the beach it is never
muddy. The dry season begins about