DEMERARA SUGAR AT HOME 31 



the knees, a gay bolero — which, by the way, is called 

 a "juila" — and between the body garments a couple 

 of inches of bare flesh, as natural waistband. 



Drilling, reading, and reciting tables all seem part of 

 the fun of the fair to you ; as a matter of fact, this 

 picturesque little crowd is doing its best, and quite a 

 good best too, to show what little East Indians can 

 learn, even in a foreign school; what they can be 

 taught, even in a foreign language. 



Singing is a great favourite among lessons, judged 

 by the enthusiastic and whole-hearted way in which 

 they give a sample performance, for your benefit, of 



" I have got a fiddle. 

 It is nice to see ; 

 Strings around the middle. 

 Father gave it me." 



The children only have to attend school in the 

 morning ; in the afternoon they go to work in the 

 cane- fields. 



CHAPTER VIII 



A TRIP ** aback" 



I AM going to take you *' aback." 



No, I am not indulging in the slang expression for a 

 surprise in store, although, as a matter of fact, you will 

 see much that will both amuse and astonish you. 

 " Aback " is plantation lingo for the cane-growing 

 lands which lie to the rear of the mill and ofl&cial 

 residential quarters. 



I am only going to give you a peep at a small estate, 

 covering about two thousand acres, and employing 



