Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-08-07
THE BOGY NAN.

IN IT'S a snail slave Schooner from
The coast Ct Africa. bound for Virginia,
wa4 blo~n far oasof her course. toward
the north. and pug IA az the port CT Bos-
ton
The cargo eonsisted II little else than
3 few families O. Congo segroes destiasd
Cor the new plantations II Virginia
Ne~ Engianl.ers sii not then feel any
special abn0Freaee slavery. 1f not
Eegarsied vita pos favor Il WIS not
yegar.lei with b yer. and the slave
fonnd little dlfilsaisy ia lisposinz of his
cargo os men. women and children 10
the good citizens OF Massachusetts, bay.
Among the purchasers was Mr.. Lem
mel CLARK owner Of . Large tract OF land
on the Nerrimee river, IA New camp
shire. Three families " negroes were
tntzht by him and taken 70 his estate
Ia the wilderness.
Once the tenant Of an English baron
ial estate himself. he inclined 10 play
the baron ON his New Hampshire do
main. A great stoekade was built upon
ths eminence overlooking the Nefrisnae.
and within the stockasie, upon tine crown
Of the Mill. stood his large log house
Lower down. bat within the stookade,
were three cabins Of the slave families
and the more pretenti0us houses OF the
families IF English laborers who accom-
panied Mr.. Clark "a the New World.
Eask from the stockads md stretching
% the foot OF some cliffs that formed the
sbutment OF a range of low hls was a
wide expanse OF level cleared land, on
which the estate raised its corn and po-
tstocs.
Beyond the few charred stunips tina.
marked The edge OF the clearing was ths
forest stretching away as far AS the eye
could reach.
A the MerriInac was one OF the high
waysof marauaing French and Indians.
the stockade was very strongly built,
and from embrasupes III Its walls pro-
jecfed three small brass cannon COM
pi.nding the sweep az the river IN every
direction. No feet Of canoes could
safely pass the stoclade by day. The
importance Of the pls;e was so well rec
egnized that Mr.. Cla-k held colonial
commission ~ major and the stockade
was officially styled Fort Clark.
The children OF the 3rt made no dis
tinction between white Ind black. The
little Clsrks. Sanborns, Tennys and
Marsdens played with the little Qua
shoes. Cushees and Cam sAs upon terms
Of perfect equality.
The children Of both races whisked
from houSe % house. AbcsIt the hearths
of the negroes the little Englishmen
listened with fascinated Horror To wild
tales Of devils and evil spirits, great
serpents. huge river mons ters and the
gigantic manlike apes OF n q mysterious
continent Of Africa; Of bloody tribal
wars and human sacrifices a the heather
gods The little black boys learned Of
the gay elves and gnomes, Of dainty
sprites and tays Of merry England, OF
the good cheer OF Christmas and the
sports Of May Day. The rival story tell
ers stroye 20 Guido each other in the
marvellous tales; bur nothing SO pleased
the children II both races as Sam Qua
shee's stories of the Mumho Jumbo, for
IN bis native village Sam himself had
been Mainbo Jumbo.
The big Congo negro enjoyed telling
how when crime had beeii committed
by some person unknown, Mn mDo Jumbo
was called upon 70 detect tina guilty one.
and how, mounted upon stilts. with a
long grass cloak completely enshroud-
ing him. a great false head fastened
above his own head and a pair Of
wooden arms sticking out below il, he
stalksd about the village like a giant.
terrifying tho guilty one until he con
fessed his crime.
The children delighted to hear of the
Mumbo Jumbo marching mp and down
the paths Of the African village, crowds
of people dancing about him. beating on
tolatons aud singing wild chants And
when Cushee ara GAMBIA gave the bat
tie yell Of the caunibal tribe~-for those
were eannibal famihes-the satisfaction
wss complete.
OF the tales Of the English merry
MAXIM. none pleased she little Africans
o. much az Philip Sanborn's descrip-
tons IL the May Day sports The jollity
OF Christmas they knew. for Lemuel
CLARK WAS not a Puritan and kept the
Christmas holidays. bat they wished tc
dance about May pole crowned with
flowers. One Christmas night. as al
the people Of the fort were gathered in
the big common room Of the ''greai
house. Mr.. Clark promised that the aP
preaching May Day should be celebrated
in English style. Philip Sanborn was
told - take the matter in hand and
mako any preparations he wished
Philip Sanborn was pleased. bt,t seeing
n cloud upon tive face If his rival story
teller. sam Quashee. he asked IL thg
negro families might not have the after
neon Of Nay Day for showing their ma
tive games and sports.
The request was readily granted. and
on the next day sam Qusshee dragged
u his cabin two wen seasoned pine log
that bad been left after building the
steekasle. snl for weeks thereafter EN-
ploye,I every evening in carving from
The logs mysterious objects which ever
his own children were not allowed ..
90.
The winter Of i722 melted into ~
easiv spring in New Hampshire. TIL
rivers were free from ice in April. are
ths first canoes that came mp the Merri
ma brought the news that war was &c
elared with France. The weapons ans
sefenses were duly hooked 20. bat NJ
erecauli,ris were taken. for il was \ lonl
months Journey through the wilderness
- -