Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-06-29
A voUDoU DANCE.
Revival on the Lake Shore OF the You
dou Mysteries.
" OrIeans - Demoerat.

-fcW DTtcQhs ll4ls8- DeH0crdf.
Passing around a little willow eopse
that grew almost in the lake there opened
to the view a scene DOre would have de-
lighted to paint. The belt Of land here
was about 100 feet in width, and in the
middle OF this little plat was burning a
huge fire. Grouped around il were some
thirty or forty negroes, the rising and
falling Of the freight giving grOtesque-
ness to their figures that was as curious
as il was entertaining. Their shadows
stretched out over the rushes and reeds of
the swamp, and their faces brought out
in effect looked wild enough to satisfy any
lover Of the wild and mysterious.
Built half over the swamps and half on
the land stood small hut or, TO give il all
It's pretensiOns, house of two rooms. IL
was Ike most Of the 1ishermen's cabins
seen along the lake, but rather more roomy
than most Of them.
Through the open window there came
quite flood of light, and as the party APP
preached a song was heard. chanted. il
seemed, by some eight or ten voices.
1t was about three-quarters of a mile
below Milnebul g, and the place was APP
propriately selected, for certainly no more
dismal and dreary spot could have been
found. Citywards the swamp, with its
iunereal cypress, stretched in gloomy per-
spectiye, while in front, tapping the
PUSHES and stumps, the ripples in the lake
came IN, the water appearing almost black
from the vegetable matter it held in sus-
pension.
Near the fire were two or three tables
laden with gumhO and dishes Of rice,
while on the embers Kissed pots of cof-
fee.
When the group near them was ap-
preached they gave evidence of uneasi-
ness at the appearance of the party, there
being no other white persons save the
three seekers after novelty.
A rev WuTus IN Creole Patois made the
negroes feel more at ease, and when a
cup OF coffee was purchased they ceased
to look suspiciously on the new arrivals.
The music in the house began with re-
newed vigor at this time, and there was
by general consent movement thither. 1t
was nearly midnight.
The wide gallery on the front Of the
house was soon thronged, and il was no
ticed but few were allowed to enter the
large ROOM which formed the eastern side
Of the building. The door was closed,
and stout young negress guarded it on
the inside.
4 few words from Chief Bachemin in
Creole proved an open sesame, and the
door was opened just wide enough to per-
NIT the party to enter one at a time.
With their entrance the music ceased
and all eyes were turned upon the new
corners.
A bright mulatto man came forward
and, in good English, SAID that if the gem
tlemen desired to remain they would have
to obey the orders that had been given. 1t
would spoil the charm if they did not take
of their coats. Accordingly the coats
were removed.
The picture inside the room was not
particularly novel to any of the party, as
all had been present on such occasions be-
fore, but to stranger it would have been
novelty to say the least.
Seated on the floor with their legs
crossed beneath them We're about twenty
i've negro men and women, the men in
their shirt sleeves and the women with
their heads adorned with the traditional
head handkerchief or tfgnOR.
In the centre of the floor there was
spread small tablecloth, at the corners
Of which two tallOw candles burned, be-
ing held in place by bed of their own
grease.
AS a centre-niece, on the cloth, there
was shallow Indian basket filled with
weeds, or, as they call them, her6es
Around the basket were diminutiVe piles
of white beans and corn, and just outside
Of these a number of small bones,
whether human or not could not be told.
Some curi0usly wrought punches of
feathers were the next concentrations
all several saucers with small cakes in
them.
The only person enjoying the artistic
cratic privilege Of a chair was a bright
cafe az Ldit woman of about fOrty-eight.
who sat in one corner of the room looking
on the scene before her with an air Of
dignity. She said but little, but beside
her two old and wTinkled negresses whis-
pered to her continually. She was of ex-
tremely handsome figure, and her fea-
lures showed that she was not of the class
known IN old times as field hands. She
was evidently reared about the plantation
house. She was neatly attired in a blue
calico, with white dots sprinkled over it,
and on her head q brilliant tignon was
gracefully tied.
On inquiry it was learned that her name
was Malyina Latour, and that she was the
Queen.
AS soon as the visitors had squatted
down in their places against the wall an
old negro man, whose wool
was white with years, began
scraping on two-stringed sort of
a fiddle. The instrument had long neck
and its body was not more than three
inches in diameter, being covered with
brightly notified snake skin. This was
the signal to two young mulattoes beside
him, who commenced to beat with their
thumbs on little drums made of gourds and
covered with sheepskin.
These tam-tams gave forth a short, hol-
low note of peculiar sound, and We're fit
accompaniment of the primitive fiddle. AS
if to inspire those present with the earn
estness of the occasion, the old darky
rolled his eyes around the room and then,
stamping his foot three times, exclaimed:
"a present commemorate
Rising and stepping out toward the
middle of the floor tall and sinewy negro
called the attention of all to him. He
looked Hercules, and his face was any
thing but attractive.
Nervous with restrained emotion, he
commenced at first in low voice, which
gradually became louder and louder,
song, one stanZa of which ran as follows:
THE SONG