_March 20th._
... The infinite goodness of this colored population to one another is
something which impresses with astonishment those accustomed to the
selfishness of the world's great cities. No one is suffered to go to the
pesthouse who has a bed to lie upon, and a single relative or tried
friend to administer remedies;--the multitude who pass through the
lazarettos are strangers,--persons from the country who have no home of
their own, or servants who are not permitted to remain sick in houses of
employers.... There are, however, many cases where a mistress will not
suffer her bonne to take the risks of the pest-house,--especially in
families where there are no children: the domestic is carefully nursed;
a physician hired for her, remedies purchased for her....
But among the colored people themselves the heroism displayed is
beautiful, is touching,--something which makes one doubt all accepted
theories about the natural egotism of mankind, and would compel the most
hardened pessimist to conceive a higher idea of humanity. There is never
a moment's hesitation in visiting a stricken individual: every relative,
and even the most intimate friends of every relative, may be seen
hurrying to the bedside. They take turns at nursing, sitting up all
night, securing medical attendance and medicines, without ever a thought
of the danger,--nay, of the almost absolute certainty of contagion. If
the patient have no means, all contribute: what the sister or brother
has not, the uncle or the aunt, the godfather or godmother, the cousin,
brother-in-law, or sister-in-law, may be able to give. No one dreams of
refusing money or linen or wine or anything possible to give, lend, or
procure on credit. Women seem to forget that they are beautiful, that
they are young, that they are loved,--to forget everything but the sense
of that which they hold to be duty. You see young girls of remarkably
elegant presence,--young colored girls well educated and
_élevées-en-chapeau_[24] (that is to say, brought up like white creole
girls, dressed and accomplished like them), voluntarily leave rich homes
to nurse some poor mulatress or capresse in the indigent quarters of the
town, because the sick one happens to be a distant relative. They will
not trust others to perform this for them;--they feel bound to do it in
person. I heard such a one say, in reply to some earnest protest about
thus exposing herself (she had never been vaccinated):--"_Ah! quand il
s'agit du devoir, la vie ou la mort c'est pour moi la même chose._"
... But without any sanitary law to check this self-immolation, and with
the conviction that in the presence of duty, or what is believed to be
duty, "life or death is the same thing," or ought to be so
considered,--you can readily imagine how soon the city must become one
vast hospital.
[Footnote 24: Lit.,--"brought-up-in-a-hat." To wear the madras is to
acknowledge oneself of color;--to follow the European style of dressing
the hair and adopt the costume of the white creoles indicate a desire to
affiliate with the white class.]