A NEW ZEALAND LADY IN COLOMBIA.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 604, 4 September 1909, Page 11

A NEW ZEALAND LADY IN COLOMBIA.

.GBAPHIC ACCOUNT OF-; A- WEIRD ■ .Crowds-'of:, very, attentive: and : persistent cockroaohesj'that; look' about three .inches' long and ;tKat; wa,je ihcli-long- antonhho over .tiho edge.of .the 'counterpane at you ; as 'you: lie-iin'.-bftl;'-alligators' '■ drifting : rivers .like- logs;, great fat. snakes -of' terriblo aspect/, and.; thp'' ; gentlest, kindest \hearts,' mthe.; world;.. pqisohbus;:'scarlet-tintcd'-snakes that,';hidb' ,r among-. 'scarlet' flowers';; gaily-paintedib'utterflies.--so'.big that':you can almb'st. see '.them iwink their,:pretty- eyea. at: yoii; industrious' ants, that" build; long tunnels.- from ceiling'>all over, the house; .mules , that,'makbv'a;.labour'of walking three''milesl an some " ; pf the living thing's :that'add''interest-td!lifo;in Colombia.;-, :'-.■ ■ <-Mrs. ; 'Gtife"'Adams;: who -returned' to-'Netf , Zealandby. , t-hbPaparoa,:;has'.- just spent nine; months in. .Colombia,-,with her husband,-who; was .stationed''.at', a niine high'- Up- in. , ' , -.this; mountains' .'where ■ Mrs'.'. Adams -was \tbo,only • -.English- wbniun.'. - It" cannot have- been .an. delightful:',exparience, though'; as. one 'listens',to her-account?of .it, .one.'feels; sure that she extracted.all the pleasure.and' Interest 'tliat was': to'bo found in. the'situs-. tion.-.;Tlio.,climate was'very, moist, so damp , ■'thatiblacklshoes'Tvould turn/green in:a?very few .days,.:.and; yet., it. was not altogetiier : unhealthy.. The mud-of- the. roads was. more' terribleithan-that ;of.tho Now- Zealand backblocks,- and Mrs. Adanis, , . who: always, had ponies to ride, 'was constantly advised : not to. attempt'.tp travel through :tho. mud.. "•'. ■; ":. ■; All: her -housework;''was done- by ; native boys,'whom she,found fairly satisfactory,'..but -housekeepijig 'was .a .fatherVcuriijus /experience./:'To begin with, they, lived in aa'adobe house—that: ;ia. to .say, -' a ■ Kouse '.'■ built; ,bl blocks ..of-dryvclay, -without windows, ('since there-ia hardly any glass .in./ the Vcountry, and the fthree-feet-deep.:embrasures; which serve ,for light: arid ventilation' bie- closed at night by shutters,-half of>hich : are,latticed. Very little.milk, is to be'obtained, and no fresh butter atall.; All'the-butter is brought in , tins. • Mutton isinbt obtainable, and all beef : is cut into long strips;,by the- butcher i.arid ;hurig 'across poles-ra , treatment-.: that naturally limits th'eXohoice, of; 'dishes to stews,-hashes; minces, and pies.'; The natives have a custom of slashing .the strips, across and sowing the meat with-a Ittle black seed, which they.,declare'will, make ;it tender. What ; the seed was ; Mrs.'Adamsocmld.never find out; for the natives do not appear to beoi an inquiring mind, and they never know tho names of _anything.', In travelling, il'-is' almost impossible, to obtain tea, and, if. you carry your bwntca with you, you should take: carp to make lit ..:yourself," \ts:' the. Colombians do not;.kriow : anything:about it They drink coffee, chocolate, and cold drinks, including , the kola , ,nut drink. -.There is.Sot: a ; great variety of. fruit,; only ibananas, vpui apples,: oranges, grenadillas, or.<passion' fruit, alligator pears, wbiclvtaste exactly .like.soap; but become fascinating' after-long acquaintanco, arid amelonJike- fruit! '...',. ■-.-.':..■■; : :' : -[\ ■ -lie children 'pf'-.the country' ■run': aboui ; half-naked, -and •',are '■ '.very ■ uuhealthylooking. , : , The wpmen./v.are ;.more "'''.'.or , less '■-■'. Spanish" ' in'; their - customs. .In the'city .of Medellin, -the mountains, whore' the jwjralaijion numbbrs" 60,009,' the. very latest Pans'iah ' fashions' are.-to bo seen. At a ball which-Mrs. Adams attended, and at a raco meeting follvwing, huge • hats and' .smart French : toilettes wero worn;, painted'chiffons and/beautiful' silks -of'the fa.test style gracing ;the;lawn. These costumes may' also be seen-in early morning,' for! the" ladies: do not quite understand the art of dressing according" to the. hour. ■ When the'women are pretty, the- amount of powder, they use helps to'disguiso the 1 fact: "Will you have "some; powder?"; is/the conventional question put to a lady when she enters any house/and much surprise is expreseod if the offer, ho declined.; Aiother'ratnor' emhairas-

sing custom is that of offering tho visitor everything. sho-liapp_ons-to , admire,-and some little skill is required in making the expected evasion. ■ ■■.-.■ V ' ..

The black mantilla is much in vogue, and Mrs. Adams.givcs a picturesque account of a scene, in -the streets -of Baranquilla at four o'clock • in ' the morning, when thero was hardly even twilight by which to watch hundreds 1 of black-robed figures making their way to early morning mass, returning later through-a still very (Tirh light. Following in imagination thoso figures to the dark cathedral, with> its. stamed-glass windows ..and glooiny' walls, one felt that, this was a scone', to' fit any : romance, but, alas for imagination, the cathedral , in Haranquilla is of : 'whito stono, white-washed-. inside, and lighted by windows of plain, glass, a glaring bare-looking place. • . - '• "' ■.. ■"-.•■

■ .There is'• one little town in .Colombia—; Remedios—which has for centuries been the' centre of: all' the- turmoil' in the country.■ •Battle after, battle has been fought there. says Mrs. Adams, practically,"because, there is a nice level piece of-ground outside:.'the-city." /■ ' -.■•■•• ■ '"•;■■.-"■ ■•■'.- •■■ It 'is , a picturesque little city,* and itwas ; 't'nero that -:on- Good Friday, Mr. ■ and' Mrs. Adams-watched a. religious procession, eliding with v/hiit.was' practically a miracle-play in the old- church..y-Tlib story of the Crucifixion was ./acted,, afigure.'oftbo Christ -.on-the" Cross, beiVig. placed .between -two -other-'crosses, against':which ladders, were-set--while- two young'boy-6 stood-at'the. , .topsof-tho ladders with:.'their - arms ■■■ extended, .representing tho malefactors.' -At might there was > a .second' procession, . ■'■ a-,.most picturesque*'ceremonial. All r-the; 'town;and;- coulvtryside. turned 1 ■ out, •untit-there-' was- a; crowd many thousands, each-person holding ,a lighted candle, which shoiie':': brilliantly in tho.darkness of .the night. .'Dowiy through : this' crowd'. passed a proce.ssipn/'a, canopied; dais on- wnich the Bishop sat; 'heading 'the ; longVline,' while:behind_ it were bornefigures'oftho Christ, the'Virgm, and beautifully modelled and coloured .figures of-Apostles' 'and Saints. It-was'• a'wonderful scene,-, and one never -to .boi forgotten. ■;,■■ Summing '• up' ■ her ■ iriiprcssioris ■ of the country—its/beauty' spots;' luxuriant gorgeous'.flowers,, brigrit-hncd birds, 'undesirable climate,- and hundred ■ inconveniences—Mrs. Adams-says' that it'is v deliph'tful" to''bo'.':back in New Zealand;- Right 'through her '.stay in''.Colombia,'.- she 'longed for, 'the beautiful country, .where there are. no worrying -little irisect--pesfcs',' no -cockroaches worth'' talking about," and where even tho rain is 'pleasant;