The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-19

or four adjoining plantation villages, for
being a leader" It was necessary that
he should have big send-off at his fu-
neral
Hardtmcs was a fisherman He died
as the evening tide went out. That night
his followers, to the number Of probably
forty, sat with the corpse and sang mourn-
full dirpos. The following day was passed
in the same manner. As evening ep-
preached the hosts began to gather. Ne
gro funerals on the neck are held after
nightfall. AS the sun was sinking behind
the tree-tops the procession to the grave
yard was formed. Daddy Hardtimes
body, in a pine box, was given the place
of honor, the hearse IAN ox-carO being
preceded only by two banner-bearers, one
of whom carried a banner of yellow and
the other a banner Of blue calico. Fol-
lowing the cart came another banner Of
red, ard at intervals along the line which
followed were banners of white; but there
was not one of black. The grave yard was
two miles away AS the sun sank the
procession moved to slow, monotonous
chant.
Sampit Goback was the master Of cere-
monies. He marched at the left of the
cart and the retinue of mourners kept
time with both his singing and his march
ing. He chose his songs to mark the
time of the march step. From the slow
monotone the song presently became more
animated and the mourners stepped live
lier. Then Sampit struck into a rather
brisk tune:
o do Massa Jesus, come dis away,
Swing low, chariot, swing lowD
Dom let Bro. Hardtmes soul go stray
Swing low, chariot, swing lowD
There were probably a dozen stanzas.
Sampit sang the verses solus and the
cortege took up the refrain, swaylng
their bodies and keeping step with the
time of the music. At each verse the
leader would make his time a little
faster and call upon the others to catch
up. "Fasterl faster!' he would shout.
Each succeeding song and verse was
more spirited than the one which pre-
ceded it, until when the burying ground
was reached the mourners were in a jog
trot, with perspration streaming down
their faces, their breath coming hard and
their eyes bright with excitement.
The blacks Of the Neck never put spade
into earth to dig a grave until the corpse
is literally on the ground. Arrived at
the graveyard a beautiful oak grove on
the sloping bank Of the river, Daddy Hard
times body, in Its pine casing, was de-
posted upon the ground and the mouners
struck big ring around IL with hands-all-
round, as children do when playing ring
around rosy" That was to keep out
"Platt-eye" and the devil. "Platt-eye" is
the particular imp and favorite of the
devil, and next to the devil himself the
most feared spirit in the demonology OF
the Waccamaw Neck blacks. 'Platt-eye'
is the scout and factotum of his satanic
master. He spies out opportunities to slip
into open graves and capture souls; for
be II known according TO the theology OF
the Neck, the soul of the departed does
not leave the presence of the body unit
the funeral has been completed, to the
| last shovel Of earth
However, neither "Platt-eye'' nor his
master can go through a ring made by
| the Joined hands Of devout believers, MOI
| can they tolerate the singing of religious
songs The postponement of the digging
| of the grave until the arrival of the body
therefore, Is precautionary measure, anC
| the striking of a ring around both corpse
and grave space isfor the purpose of max
| ing assurance double sure.
| Pine-knot torches had been called int
/ requisition by the time the cortege reach
| ed the burying ground, and the corpse wa
grounded" and the ring struck. Thes
! primitive flambeaux lit UP the grove witt
| a prevailing tone of red, and flung Git
| ting, ghostly shadows among the trees
The torch-bearers formed circle outsid
the circle Of holy dancers" with joine
hands surrounding the corpse and gray