The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-11-27

ing Of the eyebrows, holding up Of my
open palms, and radiant smiles-my in
terest, curiosity and surprise, might
say puzzled amazenent. Then I
handed back the two necklaces, re-
spectfully, to Redgown. Then the
ceremony continued. More mats were
Withdrawn from the basket. Another
parcel was reached, larger than the
first. This was carefully opened, with
sundry prostrations, and knock or two
Of the forehead upon it. When all was
opened it proved to be bound book,
which was handed to me reverently. I
opened 1t at the title page, to find per.
feet English Bible, For an instant 1
thought it nas a waif from Mungo
Parks equipment. No, it was of q
date much earlier than he. Cum
Privilegio, London, 1912. Published by
the Kings Printer
How, when or why, by what agency
o. church, state or trade, had these
things found their way here?
CHATTER IL.
I did not choose to abate the rever-
ence with which saw this book was re-
parded. I am as little given to bibli-
olatry as any man. But in this case I
made no scruple. I bowed as low as
Redgown had bowed, and touched my
forehead to the volume. Then COM
manded silence. I opened at the Ser
mon on the Mount. I read the first
three beatitudes and the Lords prayer
aloud, as solemnly and with such dignity
as could express. BY signal made
them all bow their heads. And, with
all my heart, I am sure, on my knees, I
said, Father in heaven, tell me what to
do, what to say, and how to lead these
people" I am sure they understood
that offered prayer.
I gave back the book to the; curious
and dignifed old chief, who was, I
think, priest Of some kind. ! care
fully watched the folding Of it in mats,
and the business of taking it away with
the necklace. Then I began series Of
signs, and such interrogatories as can
be expressed by them, wishing at the
time that I had the skill Of Harlequin
or of Columbine, in translating into
visible speech" the language of the ear.
They led me out into the open air.
They showed me the sun, which was by
this time half an hour high. I was made
to understand that he rose at one spot
In one part Of the year and at another
at another season. Then I felt that we
were advancing. I had the night be-
fore been made to understand that two
doubled fists made ten. Now by re-
peated pilings together Of the fists OF
one and another chief and priest, I was
taught that. it was twenty-four tens Of
possession. The son of Red Gown was
brought forward, vigorous man OF so,
and his. son, q small lad OF 10.
/ was made to understand that Red
Gowns fathers fathers father, sever
generations back, brought the sacred
things from country beyond the sun
set. he had preserved them, and, as
found afterwards, by osths the most
sacred in formulas more binding than
anything which is known to book-ruled
lands, he had bound his children and
his children's children to preserve them.
I say Il was made to understand
this" How much I really gained from
that long and trying conversation in
pantomime I do not precisely know,
but when my interpreters appeared, my
guesses were confirmed or corrected, 80
that find it, now hard to say at what
moment gained the correct ideas.
By this time they had missed me
from the ship. My black fellows had
gone home at ten o'clock at night and
reported that I was lost At sunrise
they sent these two out again and some
volunteer skirmishers. By nine o'clock
some Of the Blue Gowns people met
some of these scouts, and by ten had
Phil and John to talk for me. Red
Gown produced man who had taken q
Mendi wife, and so, with four languages
and interpreters, we understood each
other ir way.
The first time I was at home in Con-
necticut, some five years after this hap
pened, made q run down to Boston,
and there, IN their archives, got their
part OF the story. Strange enough 1t ts,
and you shall hear 1t now.
1t was in the year 1645 that, In this
same village Of Lower. Mandara, look
ing much then as 1t looks now, there
~as to be f1rst-class wedding. This
young fellow, as he was then. who is the
hero Of this story henceforth-his name
was Telega-was to be married. And
he was to be married to his sweetheart,
as it happened. I am afraid 1t did not
always happen SO. But all the accounts
agree that it was match of his making
nay, believe they think, as do, that
this Is the reason why we ever heard OF
him again.
Well, the forms Of marriage were not
ours. But in all countries fingers the
tradition that the groom seizes the
bride as, with her maidens, she goes
unescorted by him. So Pluto seized
Proserpine IL Emma. And go, to this
day, in high wedding at church the
bride and her maidens walk up the aisle,
with the flowers they have gathered in
their walk, and the groom, rightly
dressed, with his men perhaps, steps
out and takes her for his own. So the
bride walked with her maidens that day;
30 at an ambush prepared and known Of
all, Telega and his men seized her, and
then the procession passed on, he lead
ing her to the great central house OF the
village, where the rite would come to an
end.
Well, Just as the tom-toms,and ban
jos we're doing their best that day, and
the dancing girls dancing their best,
down came q dozen Portuguese slave
drivers, with quilted cotton jackets on,
such as turned arrows, and with guns
loaded and matches burning. The
dancing-girls shrieked and ran. The
tom-tom men and boys ran. And Telega
and his father and his friends fought
like wildcats. But what had they to
fight with? They were not even armed.
1t ended in the Portuguese rascals clap
ping handcuffs on seventeen of them
and marching them off to dhow which