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Updated: June 6, 2025
The lubras' methods of washing had proved most disastrous to my meagre wardrobe; and the resources of the homestead were taxed to the utmost to provide sufficient patching material to keep the missus even decently clothed. Cheon openly disapproved of this state of affairs, and was inclined to blame the Maluka.
The men, of course, carried nothing but a few spears and sticks; they would generally stay behind to hunt or dig out game, and when obtained, leave it for the lubras or women to bring on, some of the women following their footsteps for that purpose. The prettiest of these girls, or at least the one I thought the prettiest, was named Laura; she was a married young lady with one child.
Only a couple of changes of everything, in a tropical climate, meant an unbroken cycle of washing-days, while, apart from that, Sam Lee was full of surprises, and the lubras' methods of house-cleaning were novel in the extreme. Sam was bland, amiable, and inscrutable, and obedient to irritation; and the lubras were apt, and merry, and open-hearted, and wayward beyond comprehension.
The soup finished with, Cheon disappeared into the kitchen regions, to reappear almost immediately at the head of a procession of lubras, each of whom carried a piece de resistance to the feast: Jimmy's Nellie leading with the six pullets on one great dish, while Bett-Bett brought up the rear with the bread sauce.
She undoubtedly did her best, and, showing signs of friendship, was invaluable in "rounding up" the other lubras when they showed signs of "knocking up." On the morning of the sixth day Sam surpassed himself in obedience.
Jimmy, the water-carrier and general director of the woodheap gossip, explained that they had gone off with the camp lubras for a day's recreation; "Him knock up longa all about work," he said, with an apologetic smile. Jimmy was either apologetic or condescending.
The Maluka offered assistance; but I thought I ought to manage them myself, and set the lubras to clean and strip some feathers for a pillow the Maluka had been busy with a shot-gun and suggested to Sam that he might spend some of his spare time shooting birds. Mac had been right when he said the place was stiff with birds.
There was a roly-poly pudding to make for Dan, baked custard for the Dandy, jam-tarts for Happy Dick, cake and biscuits for all comers, in addition to a dinner and supper waiting to be cooked for fifteen black boys, several lubras, and half-a-dozen hungry white folk.
Then the staff and the shadows settled down on the verandah beside me to watch while I evolved dresses for two lubras out of next to nothing in the way of material, and as I sewed, the Maluka, with some travellers who were "in" to help him, set to work to evolve a garden also out of next to nothing in the way of material.
Sam said, with his unfathomable smile, when Mac flared out at him, and again the missus appeared the culprit. The Maluka advised making the orders a little clearer, and Sam was told to use more discretion in his obedience, and, smiling and apologetic, promised to obey. The lubras also promised to be more painstaking, reserving only the right to rest if they should "knock up longa work."
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