Laura is correct, but the crook itself is a sort of saw-horse placed on a cushion (grass stuffed in a jute bag) on the animal's back. The sambwa which i think is pannier in English are hung from the crook. In Trinidad you crook your cocoa to the cocoa house. And the noun became a verb meaning "to carry" I suspect that all these kids were doing is picking up the cane and loading it on the carts. This work was usually done by women, with the kids helping out sometimes. H On Apr 7, 10:18 am, LAlder...@nc.rr.com wrote: > Very interesting question, Dante. From a book online entitled   > Dictionary of Caribbean English Usage: crook n (StVn) Box-crook (Dmca)   > catacou 2. (Angu) crock (Dmca)( donkey-box (Antg) a double carrier   > consisting of two side-baskets, or made of light, curved, iron bars or   > wood (box-crook) slung across the back of a donkey, for transporting   > ground-provisions, etc. ) . . earliest cit 1657 f. Ligon Barbadoes. > > This reminds me of those bucolic etchings depicting a worker walking   > alongside a thus-loaded pack animal. > > Cheers, > Laura > > On Apr 7, 2010, at 3:00 AM, caribbean-requ...@rootsweb.com wrote: > > Message: 1 > Date: Tue, 6 Apr 2010 23:39:48 -0500 > From: Dante Beretta <dbere...@meltel.net> > Subject: [Carib] Slavery- Crook boys and girls > > I'm reviewing an 1837 inventory for a plantation on the island of St.   > Croix, Danish West Indies (now U.S. Virgin Islands).  The slaves are   > categorized as to their different jobs.  Most of the boys and girls   > between age 7 and 11 are on the 'Grass Gang' which I understand to be   > supplying grass/forage to the livestock.  Between age 12 and 17, most   > of the boys and girls are listed as 'Crook Boy' or 'Crook Girl'.  I   > can't find this term anywhere, but I assume it was outside work   > preparing one for field work which was the work of the majority of the   > adult slaves.  Does anyone have a clearer idea of what the term 'Crook   > Boy' entailed when it came to life on the estates? > > Dante > > End of CARIBBEAN Digest, Vol 5, Issue 37 > ****************************************

On Apr 8, 10:49 pm, jrbolibuss <lloydharra...@gmail.com> wrote: > Laura is correct, but the crook itself is a sort of saw-horse > placed on a cushion (grass stuffed in a jute bag) on the animal's > back. The sambwa which i think is pannier in English are hung from the > crook. > In Trinidad you crook your cocoa to the cocoa house. And the noun > became a verb meaning "to carry" > I suspect that all these kids were doing is picking up the cane and > loading it on the carts. This work was usually > done by women, with the kids helping out sometimes. > > H > On Apr 7, 10:18 am, LAlder...@nc.rr.com wrote: > > > Very interesting question, Dante. From a book online entitled   > > Dictionary of Caribbean English Usage: crook n (StVn) Box-crook (Dmca)   > > catacou 2. (Angu) crock (Dmca)( donkey-box (Antg) a double carrier   > > consisting of two side-baskets, or made of light, curved, iron bars or   > > wood (box-crook) slung across the back of a donkey, for transporting   > > ground-provisions, etc. ) . . earliest cit 1657 f. Ligon Barbadoes. > > > This reminds me of those bucolic etchings depicting a worker walking   > > alongside a thus-loaded pack animal. > > > Cheers, > > Laura > > > On Apr 7, 2010, at 3:00 AM, caribbean-requ...@rootsweb.com wrote: > > > Message: 1 > > Date: Tue, 6 Apr 2010 23:39:48 -0500 > > From: Dante Beretta <dbere...@meltel.net> > > Subject: [Carib] Slavery- Crook boys and girls > > > I'm reviewing an 1837 inventory for a plantation on the island of St.   > > Croix, Danish West Indies (now U.S. Virgin Islands).  The slaves are   > > categorized as to their different jobs.  Most of the boys and girls   > > between age 7 and 11 are on the 'Grass Gang' which I understand to be   > > supplying grass/forage to the livestock.  Between age 12 and 17, most   > > of the boys and girls are listed as 'Crook Boy' or 'Crook Girl'.  I   > > can't find this term anywhere, but I assume it was outside work   > > preparing one for field work which was the work of the majority of the   > > adult slaves.  Does anyone have a clearer idea of what the term 'Crook   > > Boy' entailed when it came to life on the estates? > > > Dante > > > End of CARIBBEAN Digest, Vol 5, Issue 37 > > **************************************** Drawings and explanations at http://www.legendarydartmoor.co.uk/crook_moor.htm 1841 St. Croix census at http://stx.visharoots.org/db.html (search occupation contains "crook") lists some young crook girls and older male "crook drivers".