The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-01-31
OLD.TIME NEGRO DANCE
I'm Congo Square, New Orleans, ~
Described by George W. Gable.

From George w. Cables illustra-
ted paper in the February Century,
accompanied by the music of the
Creole dances, we quote the follow
Ing: 1T was a weird one. The
negro of colonial Louisiana was q
most grOtesque figure. He was
nearly naked. Often his neck and
arms, thighs, shanks and splsy feet
were shruuken, tough, sinewy like
monkeys. Sometimes it was scant
diet and cruel labor that had made
them so. Even the requirement of
law was only that he should have
not less than barrel of corn-noth-
ing else-a month, nor get more than
thirty lashes to the twenty::four
hours. The whole world was crueler
those times than now; we must not
judge them by our own.
Often the slaves attire was only
cotton shirt, or pair of pantsloons
hanging in indecent tatters to his
naked waist. The bond-woman was
we'll clad who had on as much as a
coarse chemise and petticoat. To
add tignon-a Madras handker-
chief twisted into a turban-was
high gentility, and the number of
kerchieis beyond that one was the
measure of absolute wealth. Some
were rich in tignons, especially those
who served within the house, and
pleased the mistress, or even the
master-there were Hagars in those
days. However, Congo Plains did
not gather the house servants 20
much as the field hands.
THESE came in troops. See them;
wilder than gypsies; wilder than the
Moors and Arabs, whose strong
blood and features one sees at a
glance 10 so many of them; gangs
as they were called-gangs and gangs
of them, from this and that and
yonder direction; tall, well-knit
Senegales, from CapeV Verde, black as
ebony, with intelligent, lordly eyes
and long, straight, shapely noses;
Mandingoes, from the Gambia river,
lighter of color, of cruder form, and
a cunning that shows in the counte-
nance; whose euslavement seems
specially shame, their nation the
merchants of Africa, dwelling
in towns, industrious, thrifty,
skilled in commerce and husbandry,
and expert In the working OF
metals, even to silver and gold; and
Foulahs, playfully miscalled 'Pou-
idrds'-fat chickens-of goodly stat
ure, and with a perceptible rose tint
in the cheeks; and Sosos, famous
warriors, dextelous with the African
large; and in contrast to these, with
small ears, thick eyebrows, bright
eyes, fat, upturned noses, shining
skin, wide mouths and white teeth,
the negroes Of Guinea, true aud I'M
mixed, from the Gold Coast, the
Slave Coast and the Cape of Palms
not from the Grain Coast; the En-
glish had that trade. See them comel
Popoes, Cotocolies, Fidas, Socoes,
Agwas, short, per-colored Mines
what havoc the slavers did make
and from interior Africa others
proud and warlike: fierce
Nagoes and Fonds; tawny Awas-
sas; Iboes, SO light-colored that
one could not tell them from mulat
toes but for their national tattooing;
and the half-civilized and quick wit
ted but ferocious Arada, the original
Voudou worshiperS And how many
more! For here come, also, men and
women from all that Congo coast
Angola, Malimbe, Ambrice, ETC.
small, good natured, sprightly boys,
and gay garrulous gals ick.lippcd
but not tattoed; chattering, chatter
ing, singing, and guffawing as they
come; these are they for whom the
dancer and the place are named, the
most numerous sort of negro in
the colonies, the Congoes and Franc
Congoes, and though serpent wor-
slippers, yet the gentlest and kindli-
est natures that came from Africa.
Such was the company. Among these
boSSals-that is, native Africans
there was, of course, an ever growing
number OF negroes who proudly
called themselves Creole negroes,
that is, born in America; and at the
present time there is only here and
there an old native African to be
met with, vain Of his singularity and
trembling on his staff"