The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1883-02-25

uprearlous for even negro TASTE and that by orders o
tho church O1lcots all real shouting has been sup
pressed, though tho old tito Is retained to describe
the strange cOnvulslOn 10 this Is so, u argues that
tho condition Is one OF fictitious hysora nut Tor
show, But some cases that have soon elsewhere 20
far to Indicate that sometimes the hystera Is genuine.
In one instance, when protractcd ''watch meet
Ing ~ OH the last night OF the year In progress,
saw negroes lean forward upon rail Of scat hold
rg Il fast with both hands. Then she began series
ofconvusivo leaps, rising high upward and pulling
herself down again with amovement SO swift that she
actually seemed mere shadow In the air, This aw-
fu energy, which do not believe tho strongest man
In his natural condition could have Initiated for more
than two or three minutes, this ncgress kept up
for at least twenty minutes failing back nj last with
adu ''thud ~ on her head. IL seems hard to recon
ellie this and many like with anything but real
morbid ecstasy generated by nervous emotion. II Is
fact also OF Interest that the term shouting In
some parts OF the South Is used only for peculiar
dance In which tho males and females, standing back
TO back In two separate lines, sing, dance, scream,
aud 80 through some original negro calisthenics
peculiar set NJ negroes hcrc, who rely partly on
their songs Of Incarnation for merccuary trickery are
the ''lizzard ~ doctors, Almost evory negro commu-
nifty has one or more Of these quacks. A negro rs
seized with some acute disease aud, particularly u
he Is bilious is very apt to Imagine that lizard is
making havoc with his vltals So the lizard doctor Is
summoned. He makes an examination, sings one or
two " charm ~ songs addressed to the lizard then
gives the patient some simple ometlc. Aftcr the
medicine has operated the fellow uggles n live lizard
out OF his sleeve and shows 1t triumpanty to the SUI
ferer, whose natural recovery Is often surprisingly
hastencd by the effect on his Imagination. A higher
grade OF doctors are class OF old black women called
practice OF the songs and rites NJ the Noudoos
Louisiana, further down tho Mississippi. But these
grannies really know some secret dccoctons OF herbs
very eillcacous In certain class OF diseases, aud
which the white doctors have tried hard, but yet IN
valn TO detect. Those medical secrets are trans
mltted carefully from generation TO generation Of
grannies who are much respected as well as feared
by the superstltlOus blacks,
Even the roustabouts or deck hands, on the Missls-
sppi boats who handle the freight ut the landugsand
are the most degraded types Of the negro
continent, are also fond OF religious melody. II Is
Of the queeres anomalies OF the negro life In the
Bends TO see ON river boat during cold night
group OF these reprobates gathered around tho red
hot stove singing religious songs with apparently real
fervor and sincerity. outside Of his singing, not
spark OF religion or morals Eliminates the roust-
about's dark fc lie carries habltually revolver,
razor and keen knife, the latter " which he uses
skfuy 10 cut tho pockets OF sleeping deck passen-
gers, In ''raZOr fight ~ the rOustabout-and,
believe most OF his race-use the weapon In original
fashion, They double back the handle on the thick
part OF the blade, then, graspng the whole tightly,
close the fingers and ball OF tho hand half way down
the blade, as to leave Its whole length exposed to
depth OF, say, half an Inch. With the weapon thus
disposed they do not slash, but chop, nnctng dozens
OF very CHASTITY but superficial wounds. comhatant
after a fight looks, clothes aud all, as " he
had been through cutting machine. But In week
his wounds are healed, and he Is ready for another
fray. During the busy season tho roustabout the
river steamers gets from 500 10 500 month, and
four meals day; hut his work In handling the heavy
freight and carrying It up the slippery river banks is
terrible strain, made doubly by the fact that
his only rest night or day comes IN maps between the
landings. The roustabout wears his clothes from the
ont removing thcm once. lie Is an lnyeterate gam
bier, with two dice playing an original game called
"craps ~ the main feature of which Is throwing the
number seven, possible to 1t, though the
gamehas other reinements. The spectacle OF group
OF roustabouts around the 'crap'' board, betting
large sums, yelling, gesticulatlng, and Invoking aid
OF all the supernal and Internal powers, they whlrl
the diceboN high In the air. Is described to as
OF the most amazing of human sights. Often one
or two skiful gamblers will win three quarters OF
tho gwages OF newly-pald hand before
the final trip ends, and what little remains,
as well as the winnings, are finally spent amid the
vllest orgies In the purlleus of Nlcksburg New
Orleans. But physically the roustabout is wonder,
His lilo OF heavy lifting develops his upper body
until his form actually trlauguar-pOinted at
the feet Back of his shoulders rise two vast mus
cles which give him semhlance OF a hunchback
and his knOtted rm-muscles, thick neck, and pro.
truding chest complete n nlatchless physique. The
brutal mates OF the river boats, armed with club
canes, pound these fellows mercessy without the
slightest effect, and they are quite as stody in
different to the rain OF oaths which the mate pours
forth with the fuency and vgor bred by e-long
familiarity with the profane tongue. In Justice to
the plantation negro along the Mississippi, IL must
be said that many OF his fangs TO be charged to
the reflected Vices of these rousabouta, with whom
his hard lines OF life necessarily Caste d. in
EUening Post.