The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-04-08


A great bat possibly OF the family OF IN,
vampire. circles overhead. In the dens.
shrubbery all around the cricksts are vhir.
ring as II TO assure the world OF insects that II
IL really spring that returns at last and that
the nights OF courtshIp and Of love have once
more begun. In distant yard a mournfuI dos
complains 20 the indifferent moon He Il
chained and unable to go abroad this RIori-
Gus night. Once in while. too hear voices
that seem to be far. far away.
Over the toprof the high wall comes floating
= strange. indistinct murmur such as one
might hear II gigantic bees we're swsrmIng.
1t 10 like the insrticulste speech heard by one
In fever spoken mezza voice. There 10 also
vague rumble OF drums rolling in q cavern
so 1t seems II 10 dull. uncsaslng monotone
sounded without percussion. A mysterious
palpitstion seems to be everywhere. Wal
purgis night apparently. Is about to occur
again. and its monstrous apparitions are In
rehearsal. Was that only gust Of wind from
the river. or was It the arrival Of fresh com
pany OF lost souls. another troop OF dem ons
hidden to the Congo dsnces2
Ny guide has knocked several times with
great caution. and according to some code Of
signals. on the green door. At last with equal
caution. it Is opened very softly. A large. VERY
black aud very glossy negress ahs is who
III.
most entirely red. Is wound about her head
Great hoops OF gold are in her ears. As II at
the bidding Of some monstrous Incarnation,
the face Of the moon Is INN ediately hidden by
veil OF cloud. A deep depressing shadow
drops from the darkened sky and broods
like an eclipse. The shining face OF
the neEress becomes at once indistin-
guishAble. One sees nothing but her
white eyeballs and her cleaning teeth. Nv
guide m utters some password. neither French
nor English. but gibberish that cannot un-
derstand. and we enter. As the gate closes
behind us the moon drops her veil. and the
scene is once more suffused with splendor.
1 find myself in what was once upon 4 time
the grounds or garden Of large. wandering,
decrepit house ofthe period Of French coloni-
cation Banana trees Of great size. self planted
apparently. wave their huge fronds mystical
~ and austerely as II reckoning for attention
and silence. Fan palms rustic and crackle
and shake their long green fingers. Scented
myrtles. camelliss In flower. bushes OF
lockwood that smell OF the damp cemetery
and death. azslsas csaselessly shivering,
dense umbrags Of sweet olive and rhododen-
drons abound on all sides. Everything has
run wild. Patient nature has awaited this
hour and. last. reoonqured her own By sheer
asslduity. Within the boundaries OF this
apehuohou psfsusso - - ciustor oi negro nuts,
huts but little different from the SQUAT cab
ins OF the tribes Of the African wilderness. In
two or three CLEAN diney lanterns. In the low
doorwsys Of all crouch vague figures. the IN
recognizable phantoms OF . nightmare. They
are baskinR In the moonlight as lizards bask
In thesun
AL the black faces are stepped In monstrous
solem nitythe solemnity which. at times N akes
the negro supernatural and which he puts OF
In an instant. Ike mask. to put on the ludi-
erous grimaces OF a clown. They are all lost.
these negroes. In infathomabls introspection;
they have the look OF aconRreRation OF my sites
awaiting . spiritual oreasm. Not Q word 10
spoken as we pass b. but their eyes are up
rolled In terrifying manner and their breasts
undulate as II with q synchronous rhythm.
One may see reptiles gathered around any
dark moonlit pool In Surinam who. In like
manner. SQUAT for hours. rapt, silent. and mo-
toness. with eyes that glitter. but never
blink. with throats that bulge and contract,
but emit no sound. and with an air OF hideous.
bu' We nave arrived AZ the door OF the old
No, . .ino,. nv ., ,Ieht strao.I.. ,h.seh
c,.vIca 7, 4. a.. .oi.m nj, "a - s,.s
$500 =. an, =, N. oh. 49, s.,o...,s n
In the C.m.tsrv a, q, Iou,. In.,Ss 40 ,s
can ma tbroh. . .....,..s rnnsS.
rolling NJ tvmn.n. III. tha A., hr..,h,,.
. monstrou. animal Now .nd ,h.n 49,
drawn b.rrowino moan. .hri, ,rIa. =, -
leptio se.t,.v yo,cas 81 trIumnh nur., ~,
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m. anci.nt hutIa,,x tr.mh,a ~, 49,
der ,oms ..I.mic na,sjon ,h., So.
10 t.ke hold of u .udd.nix .nd $500.
INV. All AT onc. tho d.moni.a ravsI
,tta,n, IN . cri.,. and .Iim.1 I.i. ali 80
On. vast d.en .igh 4. ,Il that 4. .nS,,Ja
Tbsn . buzz then n hum q, n.aro &c.,
Than thu door on.ns r.r, sud5.nI. "a -
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n.nds fall mon us and wa ar. dr..y.d intn
,u,, c.vsrnou. hall crovdsd wIth .ws.tT,a
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bI,za of l.mn Iigh,
ThI, than 4. vhsr. ,h.x a.,.. ,h. c.
lance. Tbi. than IA Oh. ,nho,- rI..
nIs.ion N which 4. n.id TO- n. .,.t,,a h-I.
lie a for,.it insIor.bIv aY.,t.d q, h,m r.
$3.50 Wv