Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-03-06
Deplorable State of the Jehossa
Islanders.
WHERE ONCE WERE FINE MANSIONS
Devastation and Barbarism Fol-
lowed the War.
A VISIT TO KING KAMO

SOutH SdToiIld coast the DlackS are lapSlnS
into their primeval state of savagery and
superstition. On the Island of Jehossa in
particular the colored inhabitants have be-
come since the war little better than their
naked sires in Africa. The barbaric mys-
ticisms Of voudou or hoodoo are rife among
them, and civilization comes not near.
Jehossa Island lies just off the South
Carolina coast-one of the chain of islands,
great and small. which grid the state from
Cape Roman to Tybee Roads.
Before the war it was the home Of many
opeulent cotton planters, who lived lux
uriously and dispensed an elegant and
bountiful hospitality. One Of these south
ern barons whose manor was surrounded
by illimitable fields of long staple cotton,
was Gov. Aiken. He owned more than
him. few of whom and hundreds of
whose children and grandchildren still re-
main on the island.
During the war between the states the
settlements JehosSa Island were de-
vastated. The many handsome dwellings
were burned. and now only piles of debris,
crumbling columns, fragments of stone and
stucco work, mark where these mansions
stood, and are grim reminders Of former
wealth and grandeur.
Visiting Jehossa Island.
Not long since 1 visited Jehossa Island
for the purpose of ascertaining the truth
of certain wild stories that / heard of the
native Jessohites. l was directed to visit
the most important parsonage of the is
land who was known "Old King Kamo.
the voudou chief or doctor. who was said to
exercise the most powerful influence ON the
negroes.
Passing the cabin of a woman. who WIS
engaged in spreading sprawling bush
some liEen she had washed. l inquired the
way to his abode.
II kin tell you, sar, she said, wiping her
brown hands on her apron. but, massa,
he mos likely be out at dis hour OBJ de day
to hunt up de charm, dey be sarpent skins
de rabbit gall an de frog eye. an If yod Will
lissen to dis ole granny, who amt gwine
lie, when you git to de cross road whar
he home be- cross you fuS finger on de big
toe eff you lef foot an spit on de groun
for sure he gwine CONCUR you eff you don't
Massa, l know you is a stranger, dat is
why l glib you dis revise.
1 thanked the ancient crone, which thanks
I emphasized by tossing her some loose
change. that caused her to courtesy and
rnutter blessings on me so long as l could
hear her.
After riding some distance my horse sud
denly halted before the door of the hut,
one-room cabin of logs, filled in with mud
and CLAW 1t looked more like the ha"ut of
an animal than the home OF a man. lhere
was not a living object visible save a lean
looking, halfstarved cat That sat dozlng
in the sun. and an attenuated yellow dog
that wagged gOod-naturedly the fragment
of his abbreviated tail.
called out, Hello, there"' Instantly
King Kamo tottered to the door, leaning
heavily on a stick. No wonder thought l,
that he is the terror of his neighbors, FOR
a chilly sensation seized me as l saw the
strange object approach The man must
have been near 100 years old. His face was
large and scanned with dark folds. more
like the hide of the rhinoceros than human
skin. A patch of snow-white wool covered
his otherwise bare skull. Eyes leerlng anu
thick eyebrows, and as he silently gazed
at me felt that my call had surely aroused
the evil worker n
NAV come in and see your? said. dis
mounting from my horse, at the same time
iingiing some loose silver in my pocket, the
sound of which caused a smile to play
on the rough visage of the aged negro
Wretched Den.
ITO be sure We kin come in. Come In,
sar" and I entered.
Truly it was an abode more wizardly
than the witches of Macbeth ever dream
ed Of A slow fire was burning beneath n
huge vessel that emitted strange, noxlous
fumes. Around the place there were SKINS
nailed to the logs, punches OF rabbit S leet
claws Of birds and punches of dry weers.
The old man turned TO the boiling caldron
seeming unconscious of my presence, ana
began stirring it vigorously, as ne tore
| apart what looked to be dried frog, and
Bile. frog bile: de stranger in de doe,
Bile snake, bile, wild de sarpent an de crow.
After this poeticaI incarnation he turned
| TO me and said: Now, sar. no ebii spell
ewine hurt We, Set down, MASTER. and ne
! pulled the old straw-bottomed chair toward
me Al the same time 1 handed him a
| piece of tobacco, by way OF gaining MS
| good will.
"Well. old man." said I. they tell ne
| that you perform wonderful cures, anu
doctor Are HOu!
/ by de power oh de Lord, is dat, boss.
| One man he come here. He call heself
| preacher OBJ de Lord. He say, see mere,
| Kamo you better stop dis conguring. IL Is
| the debils work, and say l be kin to Satin.
| Dat same man he go away, and put my
| spell on him, an from dat day he call me
| chile OBJ sin he nebber walk again cast
| my spell on his legs. Dey call 1t rheuma-
| tism, but 1 call it de spell OF kamo. But
| when gintleman come an treat me as you
| do boss. / stir my pot for de luck 10 1oi-
| low ye."
| Tell me, Kamo," said I, what is now
| steamirg away there; potato and postum?
| No, sir" and smile MADE the oio
| horny face beam. "Possum am good, and
| latter, too, but 1t got no charm. l git up
fore de sun he up l go en- git me YARDS. !
| ketch de rabbit in de full oh de moon.
| kill de sarpent whenebber kin. hab owl
an crow, an jay bird. De all hep me to
| make de pills an my charms; but boss
| / am gWine to tell you secret. If you
cher tell it. look out for old Kamo's cuss
| Here Is de charm. No man had seen II In
| many long years. When 1 die II gwine be
! buried wild me. He put his hand in his
| bosom and drew from it smooth, jet
| black stone, about two inches long and
| one and a half thick. l went to take II
| from his hand. when an awful Shrek, like
that of wounded animal, echoed through
| the howell. At the same time he graspe(
il tightly. Don't touch dat mister, 1t Kill
you like de pisen OBJ de rattlesnake. NJ
man touch that but he lay dead man."
| History of stone.
| l apologized humbly to the excited OLD
man, and when he gained composure h
| went on to relate the history of the stone
The date "1739. Rismas." is engraved OIL
one side of II, with several hieroglyphs
The old man informed me that in 1879 al
African king gave his daughter in mar
riage to prince of neighboring tribe an,
bestowed upon the couple this stone. l
was considered the most precious wedding
gift that could be given them. as it wa
supposed TO possess wonderful curativ
powers. Not only could II cure physica
maladies, but also exercise evil spirits OIL
Kamo. who was a native of Africa, cam
into possession of 1t at the death of hi
father. who had in some way, he knew nc
hnu nbt all he 1avS n