The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1850-08-09

One OF their humber seemed 10 counsel and iii :.
rect The rest, and it was with feelings of new
horror, that our Maroon beheld in her grasp. as
! she led the way 10 the cavern, sharp broad
instrument of stone, that greatly resembled a
butchers cleaver. His apprehensions were not
now for himself For what was the unhappy
damsel destined? For the sacrifice For
what crime, what penance. what terrible super.
stition? To appease The malice oil what bloody
god. was this poor child, so young, so beautiful
so evidently innocent to be made the victim?
Her sad and fearful looks, The tears which now
gathered in her eyes, the wild chaunt Of the
women, and the stern grave aspects of The men
these all seemed 10 denote an occasion OF wo
and terror. The men did not leave the boat :;
ihey drew no nearer 10 the land. The shore.
seemed TO be consecraed one, which thu mas.
cuIine foolsIep was moi allowed to poIIu,e. The
girl, still borne upon The arms Of The women,
and following her who seemed 10 be The oficia.
ting priesess, was carried into The cavern
the wild chorus ofthe women being resumed as
they entered the gloomy portals, and reverber.
ating from the walls within, with a sound nj
once sweet, awful and inspiring.
XVI.
Our " Maroon" was already crouched, close,
in his place of hiding. Ae beheld in silence
and safety, but with an awful beating al the
heart, the whole of the strange procession. He
saw The women circling The altar stone with
wild contortions and a strange unearthly song.
fle saw them, from Several branches OF wood,
draw forth The blets, with which they kindIed
il 1aue upon the stone. The FIRE was drawn
from the vessel which had been supplied with
iuel on The voyage by the hand oil the young
damsel. She snt apart, on 4 low projection OF
the wall, TO which she had been conducted. and
but few PAGES from the cavity in which
Lopez found retreat. She took no part in The
ceremony, though she seemed deeply interested
in its progress. Al certain pauses in the wild
ircanlion' particularly when certain emphatic
sounds or words closed the chaunl. she cIasprd
her hands alof, and her groan was audible, rs
il in suPplication. The fire began to blaze
suddenly above the stone, and its strange gcau,s
p,ayed in lively tints upon the gloomy wall, Of
'he cavern. Then the circling dance and The
chorus were renewed. Then al certain sounds,
The women paused and n, such moments The
maiden rose, and, approaching The flame, threw
into ii fragments OF wood or gum with which
she had been supplied. At all such additions,
The flame bazed up more brightly, and the
chaunt WINS moro wild and Vigorous 'thdffSsVer.
At length II ceased; and, in All instant, every
woman crouched down around the stone where
she stood, excem the one who seemed 10 acl as
rrleslcstess. She did moi join in the chorus of
the others, but in low chaunl other own per.
formed some separate office. She now up.
preached the maiden, and conducted her toward
The altar. Al her words, The damsel bent over
the heads Of the kneeling women, separately
and her tears ej last as she nlurmured in their
several cars. She took from the necks OF each
her strands ofpear. They themselves unbound
hem from heir own tresses, which now hung
down mournlully. of great length, from every
>lInuldrr The pearls were collected by The
..rcstrss and laid apart. Our I'M ,roon," from
his place of wa'ch followed with keen eyes, and
saw where she laid them. The women now
ercedcd. Inc girl embraced them each, with
a deep sobbng, and they responded with ming.
,ins signs aud songs. while passing oul OF lbe
ctulnir, in which ,hey le her with The otficia
tia. woman. When heir voices were heard
onI, om lhe seashore, where 'iey had now us.
,c,,Lcd, The maiden was conducted 10 ihe al.
lar place by her matron. like companion. Her
,uournu ulterancc announced some sadllei
ceremonial. The girl answered her by a cry
and threw hersel'al her feet before the altar.
The woman knelt upon one hnee. The head
of The maiden was supported upon the olhef
from which til long black hair depended, hall
shrcu,lrJ the druprry Of the prirsiess. Very
lender were the iew words which then passed
between The Two. The girl clasped her bands
,oyrlhrr and her fearful eyes were tul ot,tc
sweetest bul saddcst resignation. The woma"
snoolhrd her tresses ouI with her fingers, sloop
cd ,,nd kissed atttcionacIy the lips Of the child,
and wllie everything betokeued nothing less
than the lrllrsl sympathy, and The most heart.
I;,l aud generous affection between them, what
was ,hr i,urr0r Ut our Maroon how deeply
interested in the event-to see the woman pos
sess herself of The broad knife oi Stone which
lay on he foot OF The altar. Iimid and feeble
as he was OF soul, his fingers clu'chrd his knife
with convulsve resolution, which, in the case
of IL ln;lyrr spirit, would have long before de.
cIarcd isciI in action
GREAT CAVES, "A summer tourist writing
rom Sa'ml Springs 20 Ine New YORK Journai
vf I "inllarcc, alve' description VI t"o caves
d; Y:,.a; .Iz,., ncar Sc.lvnlrle Cuuu House, New
YORK. Oneraii,:u Howe's, Cave situated about