IP o s te Is t a 



bunches in their hands and the women 

 invariably carrying them on their heads. 

 The women carried all their burdens 

 on their heads, from a spool of thread, 

 or vial of medicine, to a full calabash 

 of water, or heavily loaded basket. 

 Row after row of these grotesquely 

 garbed negro men, women and chil- 

 dren, all chattering, laughing or scold- 

 ing, making a perfect babel, marched 

 down into the water, often waist deep, 

 to deposit their bunches of bananas in 

 the waiting boats, which, as soon as 

 filled, were rowed off to the steamer, 

 where the fruit was passed up to other 

 colored men standing at openings in 

 the hold of the vessel. Every bunch 

 as it was handed up was counted by 

 a man whose especial duty it was to 

 keep the tally, and his 



