With conversations such as these they endeavour to lighten their labours; and during the time the clothes are drying, some form themselves into parties, and dance on the greensward to the music of their own voices; others nurse their little children, or boil their lunch (gipsy fashion;) while the more idle ones stretch themselves upon the grass, and sleep away the hours until the cleansed garments are perfectly dry, when they collect their different articles, and march off to their respective dwellings in the same manner as they came.[35]
As remarked at the commencement of this chapter, among those black women resident in the capital, are to be found an immense number of hucksters; indeed, in every street, at every corner, they are to be met with. These persons deal in different articles; some in cloth of various fabrics, threads, tapes, laces, &c.; some in salt-fish, corn-meal, (the flour from the Indian corn,) rice, &c.; and others in fruits, vegetables, soap and candles. Some of these hucksters occupy small shops of about fourteen feet square, (which, by the bye, in most cases they are obliged to use as their sleeping, dining, and dressing room as well,) where they vend their different wares; while others frequent the markets, or walk about the town or country with their goods. These people purchase their goods from the retailers upon a larger scale, or else buy them at an auction sale, of which there are sometimes three or four in a day, at the different merchant’s stores.
There is one peculiarity attending these small dealers, which is worthy of note—this is, the great love they have for buying “damaged flour,” supposing they will be sure to get a bargain. Upon this account, it is common among some merchants, when they are about to dispose of this commodity by public auction, to term it “damaged,” when perhaps the only appearance of such mischance is, that the barrel is a little dirty. It has been often known for one of these sullied barrels to bring a larger amount than a better article, simply because it was put up as damaged.
Many of these women do nothing else but walk about to the different sales all day, in hopes of meeting with bargains, leaving the management of their shop (if they have one) to their children. When an article is put up, they bid in pounds and shillings, of which they have no conception; the consequence of which is, that when they retire from the sale, and get some friend to add it up in _dollars_ and _bitts_, (current coins,—the _dollar_ 4s. sterling, the _bitt_ 4½d.,) they become alarmed at the amount of their purchases; and as there is no auction duty to be paid by them, they will not return for the articles, and consequently the merchant is obliged to bear the loss.