voyage of the paper canoe-第56章
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k him up。 Golly！ I tort he wud hab busted hissef！〃
〃So he wud！ so he wud！〃 roared the orator； 〃but ye see 'twas all de Lord de Lord's a…doing it。〃
While in Florida I paid some attention to the negro method of conducting praise meetings； which they very appropriately call 〃de shoutings。〃 If I give some verbatim reports of the negro's curious and undignified clerical efforts； it is not done for the purpose of caricaturing him； nor with a desire to make him appear destitute of mental calibre； but rather with the hope that the picture given may draw some sympathy from the liberal churches of the north； which do not forget the African in his native jungle； nor the barbarous islanders of the South Seas。 A well…informed Roman Catholic priest told me that he had been disappointed with the progress his powerfully organized church had made in converting the freedmen。 Before going among them I had supposed that the simple…minded black； now no longer a slave； would be easily attracted to the impressive ceremonies of the Church of Rome； but after witnessing the activity of their devotions； and observing how anxious they are to take a conspicuous and a leading part in all religious services； it seemed to me that the free black of the south would take more naturally to Methodism than to any other form of Christianity。
The appointment of local preachers would be especially acceptable to the negro； as he would then be permitted to have ministers of his own color； and of his own neighborhood； to lead the meetings； while the Roman Catholic priest would probably treat him more like a child； and would therefore exercise a strong discipline over him。
In one of their places of worship； at my request； a New York lady； well skilled in rapid writing and familiar with the negro vernacular； reported verbatim the negro preacher's sermon。 The text was the parable of the ten virgins； and as the preacher went on； he said： 〃Five ob dem war wise an' five of dem war foolish。 De wise jes gone an' dun git dar lamps full up ob oil and git rite in and see de bridegoom； an' de foolish dey sot dem rite down on de stool ob do…noting； an' dar dey sot till de call cum； den dey run； pick up der ole lamps and try to push door in； but de Lord say to dem； Git out dar！ you jes git out dar！' an' shut door rite in dar face。
〃My brudders and my sisters； yer must fill de lamps wid de gospel an' de edication ob Moses； fur Moses war a larned man； an' edication is de mos estaminable blessin' a pusson kin hab in dis world。
〃Hole…on to de gospel！ Ef you see dat de flag am tore； get hole somewhar； keep a grabblin until ye git hole ob de stick； an' nebah gib up de stick； but grabble； grabble till ye die； for dough yer sins be as black as scarlet； dey shall be whit as snow。〃
The sermon over； the assembled negroes then sung in slow measure：
〃Lit…tell chil…ern； you'd bet…tar be…a…lieve … Lit…tell chil…ern； you'd bet…tar be…a…lieve … Lit…tell chil…ern； you'd bet…tar be…a…lieve … I'll git home to heav…en when I die。
Sweet heav…en am…a…my…am； Sweet heav…en am…a…my…am； Sweet heav…en am…a…my…am； I'll git home to heav…en when I die。
Lord wish…ed I was in heav…en； Fur to see my mudder when she enter； Fur to see her tri…als an' long white robes： She'll shine like cristul in de sun。
Sweet heav…en am…a…my…am； Sweet heav…en am…a…my…am； Sweet heav…en am…a…my…am； I'll git home to heav…en when I die；〃
While visiting a town in Georgia； where the negroes had made some effort to improve their condition； I made a few notes relating to the freedman's debating society of the place。 Affecting high…sounding words； they called their organization； 〃De Lycenum；〃 and its doings were directed by a committee of two persons； called respectively； 〃de disputaceous visitor；〃 and 〃de lachrymal visitor。〃 What particular duties devolved upon the 〃lachrymal visitor；〃 I could never clearly ascertain。 One evening these negroes debated upon the following theme； 〃Which is de best when ye are out ob a ting； or when ye hab got it？〃 which was another form of expressing the old question； 〃Is there more pleasure in possession than in anticipation？〃 Another night the colored orators became intensely excited over the query； 〃Which is de best； Spring Water or Matches？〃
The freedmen； for so unfortunate a class； seem to be remarkably well behaved。 During several journeys through the southern states I found them usually temperate； and very civil in their intercourse with the whites； though it must be confessed that but few of them can apply themselves steadily and persistently to manual labor； either for themselves or their employers。
CHAPTER XV。 DOWN UPON THE SUWANEE RIVER。
THE RICH FOLIAGE OF THE RIVER。 COLUMBUS。 ROLINS' BLUFF。 OLD TOWN HAMMOCK。 A HUNTER KILLED BY A PANTHER； DANGEROUS SERPENTS。 CLAY LANDING。 THE MARSHES OP THE COAST； BRADFORD'S ISLAND。 MY LAST CAMP。 THE VOYAGE ENDED。
Some friends； among whom were Colonel George W。 Nason； Jr。； of Massachusetts； and Major John Purviance； Commissioner of Suwanee County； offered to escort the paper canoe down 〃the river of song〃 to the Gulf of Mexico； a distance； according to local authority； of two hundred and thirty…five miles。 While the members of the party were preparing for the journey； Colonel Nason accompanied me to the river； which was less than three miles from Rixford； the proprietors of which sent the canoe after us on a wagon drawn by mules。 The point of embarkation was the Lower Mineral Springs； the property of Judge Bryson。
The Suwanee； which was swollen by some recent rains in Okefenokee Swamp； was a wild； dark； turbulent current； which went coursing through the woods on its tortuous route with great rapidity。 The luxurious foliage of the river…banks was remarkable。 Maples were in blossom； beech…trees in bloom； while the buckeye was covered with its heavy festoons of red flowers。 Pines； willows； cotton…wood； two kinds of hickory； water…oak； live…oak； sweet…gum； magnolia； the red and white bay…tree； a few red cedars； and haw…bushes； with many species not known to me； made up a rich wall of verdure on either side； as I sped along with a light heart to Columbus； where my compagnons de voyage were to meet me。 Wood…ducks and egrets； in small flocks； inhabited the forest。 The limestone banks of the river were not visible； as the water was eighteen feet above its low summer level。
I now passed under the railroad bridge which connects Live Oak with Savannah。 After a steady row of some hours； my progress was checked by a great boom； stretched across the river to catch the logs which floated down from the upper country。 I was obliged to disembark and haul the canoe around this obstacle； when； after passing a few clearings； the long bridge of the J。 P。 & M。 Railroad came into view； stretching across the now wide river from one wilderness to the other。 On the left bank was all that remained of the once flourishing town of Columbus； consisting now of a store； kept by Mr。 Allen； and a few buildings。 Before the railroad was built； Columbus possessed a population of five hundred souls； and it was reached； during favorable stages of water； by light…draught steamboats from Cedar Keys； on the Gulf of Mexico。 The building of railroads in the south has diverted trade from one locality to another； and many towns； once prosperous； have gone to decay。
The steam saw…mills and village of Ellaville were located on the river…bank opposite Columbus； and this lumber establishment is the only place of importance between it and Cedar Keys。 This far…famed river； to which the heart of the minstrel's darky 〃is turning eber；〃 is； in fact； almost without the 〃one little hut among de bushes；〃 for it is a wild and lonely stream。 Even in the most prosperous times there were but few plantations upon its shores。 Wild animals roam its great forests； and vile reptiles infest the dense swamps。 It is a country well fitted for the hunter and lumberman；
