voyage of the paper canoe-第43章
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e world a…coming to？ Now； yous ere folks； did ye's eber hear de likes o' dis a paper boat？〃 To which the crones replied； clapping their hands； 〃Bless de Lord！ bless de Lord！ Only the Yankee…mens up norf can make de paper boats。 Bless de Lord！〃
〃And what；〃 continued the orator； 〃and what will the Yankee…mens do next？ Dey duz ebery ting。 Can dey bring a man back agen？ Can dey bring a man back to bref？〃 〃No！ no！〃 howled the women； 〃only de Lord can bring a man back agen no Yankee…mens can do dat。 Bless de Lord！ bless de Lord！〃 〃And what sent dis Yankee…man one tousand four hundred miles in his paper boat？〃 〃De Lord！ de Lord！ bless de Lord！〃 shouted the now highly excited women； violently striking the palms of their hands together。
〃And why；〃 went on this categorical negro； 〃did de Lord send him down souf in de paper boat？〃 〃Kase he couldn't hab cum in de paper boat ef de Lord hadn't a…sent him。 O； bless de Lord！ bless de Lord！〃 〃And what duz he call his paper boat？〃 〃Maria Theresa；〃 I replied。 〃Maria Truss Her；〃 cried the orator。 〃He calls her Maria Truss Her。 Berry good； berry good name； kase he truss his life in her ebry day； and dat's why he calls his little boat Truss Her。 Yes； de Yankee…mans makes de gunboats and de paper boats。 Has de gemmin from de norf any bacca for dis yere chile？〃
As the women had become very piously inclined； and were in just the state of nervous excitement to commence 〃de shoutings；〃 old Uncle Seba rudely informed them that 〃de Yankee…mans wants sleep；〃 and cleared the room of the crowd； to my great relief； for the state of the atmosphere was beyond description。 Seba had a closet where he kept onions； muskrat skins； and other pieces of personal property。 He now set his wife to sweeping it out； and I spread my clean blankets with a sigh upon the black floor； knowing I should carry away in the morning more than I had brought into Seba's dwelling。
I will not now expatiate upon the small annoyances of travel； but to the canoeist who may follow the southern watercourses traversed by the paper canoe； I would quietly say； 〃Keep away from cabins of all kinds； and you will by so doing travel with a light heart and even temper。〃
When I cast up my account with old Seba the next morning； he said that by trading the rice he raised he could obtain 〃bout ebbry ting he wanted； 'cept rum。〃 Rum was his medicine。 So long as he kept a little stowed away； he admitted he was often sick。 Having been destitute of cash； and consequently of rum for some time； he acknowledged his state of health remarkable； and he was a model of strength and manly development。 All the other negroes were dwarfish…looking specimens； while their hair was so very short that it gave them the appearance of being bald。
When the canoe was taken out of the storehouse to be put into the canal； these half…naked； ebony…skinned creatures swarmed about it like bees。 Not a trace of white blood could be detected in them。 Each tried to put a finger upon the boat。 They seemed to regard it as a Fetich； and； I believe； had it been placed upon an end they would have bowed down and paid their African devotions to it。 Only the oldest ones could speak English well enough to be understood。 The youths chattered in African tongue； and wore talismans about their necks。 They were； to say the least； verging on barbarism。 The experience gathered among the blacks of other lands impressed me with the well…founded belief； that in more than one place in the south would the African Fetich be set up and worshipped before long； unless the church bestirs herself to look well to her home missions。
In all my travels； outside of the cities； in the south it has not been my good fortune to find an educated white man preaching to negroes； yet everywhere the poor blacks gather in the log…cabin； or rudely constructed church； to listen to ignorant preachers of their own color。 The blind leading the blind。
A few men of negro extraction； with white blood in their veins； not any more negro than white man； consequently not negroes in the true sense of the word； are sent from the negro colleges of the south to lecture northern congregations upon the needs of their race； and these one…quarter； or perhaps three…quarters； white men are； with their intelligence； and sometimes brilliant oratory； held up as true types of the negro race by northerners； while there is； in fact； as much difference between the pureblooded negro of the rice…field and this false representative of 〃his needs；〃 as can well be imagined。
An Irishman； just from the old country； listened one evening to the fascinating eloquence of a mulatto freedman。 The good Irishman had never seen a pure…blooded black man。 The orator said； 〃I am only half a black man。 My mother was a slave； my father a white planter。〃 〃Be jabbers；〃 shouted the excited Irishman； who was charmed with the lecturer； 〃if you are only half a nigger； what must a whole one be like！〃
The blacks were kind and civil； as they usually are when fairly treated。 They stood upon the dike and shouted unintelligible farewells as I descended the canal to Alligator Creek。 This thoroughfare soon carried me on its salt…water current to the sea； for I missed a narrow entrance to the marshes； called the Eye of the Needle （a steamboat thoroughfare）； and found myself upon the calm sea； which pulsated in long swells。 To the south was the low island of Cape Roman； which； like a protecting arm； guarded the quiet bay behind it。 The marshes extended from the main almost to the cape； while upon the edge of the rushy meadows； upon an island just inside of the cape； rose the tower of Roman Light。
This was the first time my tiny shell had floated upon the ocean。 I coasted the sandy beach of the muddy lowlands； towards the lighthouse； until I found a creek debouching from the marsh； which I entered； and from one watercourse to another； without a chart； found my way at dusk into Bull's Bay。 The see was rolling in and breaking upon the ashore； which I was forced to hug closely； as the old disturbers of my peace； the porpoises were visible； fishing in numbers。 To escape the dangerous raccoon oyster reefs of the shoal water the canoe was forced into a deeper channel； when the lively porpoises chased the boat and drove me back again on to the sharp…lipped shells。 It was fast growing dark； and no place of refuge nearer than the upland； a long distance across the soft marsh； which was even now wet with them。
The rough water of the sound； the oyster reefs which threatened to pierce my boat； and a coast which would be submerged by the next floodtide； all seemed to conspire against me。 Suddenly my anxiety was relieved； and gratitude filled my heart； as the tall masts of a schooner rose out of the marshes not far from the upland； telling me that a friendly creek was near at hand。 Its wide mouth soon opened invitingly before me； and I rowed towards the beautiful craft anchored in its current； the trim rig of which plainly said the property of the United States。 An officer stood on the quarterdeck watching my approach through his glass； and； as I was passing the vessel； a sailor remarked to his mates； 〃That is the paper canoe。 I was in Norfolk； last December； when it reached the Elizabeth River。〃
The officer kindly hailed me； and offered me the hospitality of the Coast…Survey schooner 〃Caswell。〃 In the cosiest of cabins； Mr。 W。 H。 Dennis； with his co…laborers Messrs。 Ogden and Bond； with their interesting conversation soon made me forget the discomforts of the last three days spent in the muddy flats among the lowland negroes。 From poor； kind Seba Gillings' black cabin…floor； to the neat state…room； with its snowy sheets and clean towels； where fresh； pure water could be used without stint； was indeed a transition。 The party expected to complete their work as far as Charleston harbor before the season closed。
The Sunday spent on the 〃Caswell〃 greatly refreshed me。 On Saturday evening Mr。 Dennis traced upon a sheet of paper my route through the interior coast watercourses to Charleston harbor； and I left the pretty schooner on Monday； fully posted for my voyage。 The tide commenced flooding at eleven A。 M。； and the
