Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1904-10-21

Life i'm Barbados 81
SUPERINTENDENT.

Especial Correspondence.)

ask If you have any washing you want
done; still another will volunteer to
let you take her photograph for shill
ing. The men will try to sell you
everything, from steamer chairs and
beads to fish and sweet potatoes.
The diving boys make more money
than any of the crowd that lies in wait
for the tourists. There are probably
no more skilful swimmers in the
world than these little negroes in the
West Indies. They seldom fail to re.
cover a coin that is tossed into the
sea, and they will dive beneath the
largest steamer without the slightest
inconvenience. Some of them will
stand in a boat with their backs
turned until a coin strikes the water.
then dive without any idea of the di.
rection in which it is sinking. AS soon
as they get under the surface they
open their eyes, locate it, and bring
it up. It takes much practice to get
sensation that comes from the salt
water.
The performance they give is very
amusing. When several of them start
at the same time for coin thrown
so as to give them all an equal chance
to recover it, there Is a great mix-up
of black legs and arms in the strug-
gle that takes place below the sur
4f lin
the water, or comes up under boat
Just to fool his companions, after one
of these scrimmages, he violates one
of the rules of his organization and
is likely to get thrashing.
The cleverness of the negroes in
manufacturing all kinds Of curious
trinkets and souvenirs brings them a
considerable revenue. Their beads,
made from berries and beans, are sold
all over the world. The recent bead
craze, which swept over this country,
almost rivaling the Panama hat fad in
it's general popularity, originated in
the West Indies. The American ma
chine.made beads, for which there was
such a demand, were limitations Of
those made by the children and wom-
en- of Barbados, Trinidad and ia
maica. They make shell hairpins
which are dainty and pretty, even If
they are not very serviceable. Good
luck hat pins made out of large nuts
are a novelty, and find ready sale
among the tourists. The delicate dol
lies worked from the bark of the lace
tree are rare and valued keepsakes,
and it is quite impossible to supply
the demand for these particular ar
ticles.
A highly perfumed native grass is
used to make fans, wall pockets and
handkerchief cases. These articles
are trimmed with ribbons, and are
much sought after by the ladies OF
the North. The many curious grasses,
leaves and barks in which the country
abounds are utilized in the creation Of
a thousand and one odd trinkets which
are sold by the hard-pressed natives.
When a tourist ship calls at Barba-
does it is bargain day for the whole
population, many of the poor people
earning enough in few hours to keep
them for months.
The narrow streets of Bridgetown
are always crowded with its black
population. Even If many OF those
you meet have no work and barely get
enough food to satisfy their hunger,
they nearly all wear clean clothes.
One would not know from the manner
in which they talk and laugh and sing
that they were nearly starving. Any
unusual occurrence in the street i'm.
mediately attracts crowd OF hun.
dreds who are curious and ready to
be entertained, even if meal time Is
approaching and they do not know
where they will get their food. The
colored race is certainly the most So
ciable and care-free Of all human
kind.