The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-05-15
Life in Nassau. New Providence.

kDduotuaSD Is the COiOIOu pcOpIC. IL
is fortunate that they are interesting,
because there are so many of them. II
ones interest in them should ever pail.
life in Nassau might even become OPP
pressive on account of the swarms oil
negroes which till the houses and the
streets. They ill the mid lie of the street
as often aS the sidewalks, lettering
along, chattering and laughing and
calling to each other. Their voices are
soft and rich. the modulations very
sweet, but they all speak broken En-
glish. Often it is hard to make out
what they mean to SAY. In the market,
where they are AL gathered together,
or among little bands of them walk
ing along the country roads you will
often hear African spol Ken.
In town the young women are often
decked in white muslins, With fine hats.
but the accepted fashion for the settled
matrons is an untidy medley of old
clothes and bandana handkerchief
with floating ends tied round the head.
On top of this is worn a mans hat,
jammed down hard. Except when they
shuttle around with a pair of old slip
pers hung on their toes. young and old
90 barefoot. Our waitress. in muddy
weather, always stops to wipe her bare
feet on the doorsill as she brings in the
dinner from the outside kitchen.
There are few mulattoes here COM
pared to those in the United States, and
a large proportion of the colOred peo-
pie are intensely black. Many are At
ricans and many more the children or
grandchildren of pure African parent
age. They make quiet and inoffehsive
populations; crime is rare among them.
But. on the whole, they are certainly
not an intelligent race. The servants
are much slower, duller and more care
less than white servants. They seem
unable to keep many ideas in their
heads ut once, and are eapriciouS and
unreasoning. as well az forgetful. tits
almost impossible in the street to get q
colored person to give you clear di-
rection. They are very superstltious
and carry on many Oftheir African prac-
tees. In case of sickness, if they en-
ploy q white physician, and the patient
does not get we'll in two or three days,
they send him of and go to ''bush
doctor" This, one of them said to me,
was really the most sensible thing to
do, because white doctor charges a
dollar every time you go to see him,
and YOU have to pay for the medicines
besides; but bush doctor will give you
advice and boil you up a big bottle of
medicine all for twenty five cents. The
bush doctors prepare their medicines
themselves from herbs and shrubs,
whence they get their title. Perhaps
the most logical of all their remedies is
that for an elongated palate. They
wind the topmost lock OF hair on the
patients head around stick, twist it as
close to the head as possible, and fasten
it in that position. 1t is evident that
this must pull the palate up into its
proper place.
Tiney otter prescribe the application
of different leaves to different parts of
the body, according to the ailment
The chambermaid came into the room
one morning with shiny green leaf
laid close behind each ear. 'They's
lime leaves Cor a sick stomach" she
said.
The same girl, though involved in
the meshes of error medically, was re-
ligiously enlightened. She warmly dis
claimed any belief in magic; but she
assured the German maid who was with
us that she would certainly go to hell
if she did not say her prayers morning
and night on her knees. No other at
titude would do to save the soul; and
the girl was so earnest in her teaching
that she suddenly flung herself down
on the floor to show exactly how it
should be done. Also she besOught the
German girl to get married, because no
old maid is ever admitted to Heaven;
but when a woman marrieS she is safe,
rs all her sins fall on the soul of her
husband.
| heard there was a native African
bush doctor and professor of witchcraft
here, and went to see him. He had
spent three years of his youth, they
said, in school for such things in At
RIGA. He was extremely black, and a
perfect savage in appearance, though
dressed like his fellows. He spoke lit
tie English, and that very broken. He
told me my fortune. with the help of
three candles, small looking glass and
8 glass of water with 4 leaf and some
black pins in it. The fortune was ordi-
nary, but at the end asked him what
had better do about the pretended
friend who, according to his account,
was secretly ''witching'' me in the most
manner.
s'If YOU want" he said, 81 fix you
up something so If you lay little stick
on your doorway and she step on it she
90 crazy, or 60 to stealin' and be sent
to Jail, or anything you like me to fix
it. And fix err stick so if you step on
it, by de blessin' of Almighty God, you
won't get no harm at allr'
l asked if he knew anything about
voo-doo.
20. yes." he said; ''but voo-doo bad,
very bad" He said he didn't dare to
use voo-doo here, because he would be
caught and punished. If he was only at
nome in Africa. then he would use it.
with VOC doo," he said in a whisper,
II set right here and make a mans
house catch fire anywhere | want. 1
make a man fall right down dead and
lie dere seven day. till de maggots all
crawl roun', and den make him get
Up and dancer'
/ asked him if he could tell others how
% make the spells.
IF I tell. / be dead termorrer. i
"Will other voo-doo men kill yOu?"
mo, de voo-doo kill me-"
He was like child frightened by its
,wn imaginations. He seemed really to
believe in his own magic and be afraid
# it. 1t. was curious to watch the
Eject of his words on the big. hand
iome, highly respectable colored woman
had taken with me- She belonged to
he Church of England, had lived for
Tears in the Bishops family, and be-
ore we started ridiculed all belief in