Slave Interview ~ .
i~1fred Farxell ~	~	. ~
Monticello, RLa.		Page 2 • ~	48
	~	FEC


	Sincé there were no stovee during ~1avery, they cooked their ±ooda in large iron pot8 suspended from rack8 built into the firep1ace~. Fried food8 were prepared in iron 1~pj~Ø

	t, large frying pans wi th lege. The se p ans were p]. aced over hot ooa1~, and the season1n~ wae done with salt which they secured from evaporated aea.~water. After the food wa~ fried and~ while the coals were ßtill glowing the fat of oxen and sheep was melted to make candles. Any grea$e left over was put into a large box, to be u8ed later for eoap~making.

	Lye for the soap was obtained by putting oak ashea in a barrel and »ouring water over them. After standing for several day8 ~ until the ashes had decayed ~ 1~les were drilled into the bottom of the barrell and the liquid drained off, This liquid was the lye, and it was then trickled into the pot into which the fat had been placed. The two were then boiled, and after cooling cut into squares of soap.

	Water for cooking and other purposes was obtained from a well, which al 80 served as a refrigerator at times. M~.

tilda does not recall seeing ice untilmany years later.

	In the evenings Matil da ‚ a mo thor woul d weave c~o th on hei‘ ~ enny and an inprovi sed loom. This cloth was

SC;1etj~es dyed in YariaU8 colora blue from the indigo plant;

:~e11 ~ fror the cro cue and brown from the bark o f the . red oak. Cther colors were Obt9.lned from berries and other plant~.