Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1900-04-06
THs RIvgR RousrAnour.
ne y SIN Doing Business at the Old
AtNNNA Stand wy N'N O.

e. stand.
Al One who makes. q trip up the river
ana watches the antics OF the negroea
and listens to their wlerd songs and
tales VIII mot agree with the iconoo.,
: lust who says that all the beauties and
the picturesque features have faded
out tpf the steamboat mans life. l,As
2 liue OF negroes goes up the hill un.
der fhe glare of the saarchliaht with
their peculiar swinging tread and sing
the music, which seems somehow Ia
besa essential part OF the action the
llGht y one which has strange wlld.e
nea9 about II and fascination, too
The negro 10 not the same az he was
beIQfo the war. Conditions have
changeN too much for that. But he haa
retained his love for the fantastic and
most oE5Neae barbaric customs which
plyiis{leflcn seems unable to eradicate
lFrons tbs african pliiid
The first mate has undergone
marked metamorphoris. aud to his
change Ia due some portion Of the new
features In the deckhand's character
Time was when the first mate had a
vocabulary which would make an OF
binary sailors parrot die for shame,
'He had THE vocabulary, and the ne.
biOVn hClu luO bHuId ODlulOU IN Inb
one who answered when asked II he
did not object to the mates ahuses
mo. boss. OATS whut he's paid for
He's got to make out he's dom some.
thin. an II don't do us no harm" Now
the deckhands actually ohject totba,
ing sworn at when the oaths become
too vigorous. The ,pay of the deck.
hand Ia usually $50 a month, even
ha., h.,a L., Il, d. 81.
heavy, and last winter, during the big
rush. a crew of negroes refused to ship
because Che wages did not BIit them
They we're offered 500 per month but
wanted 500 fon the trip. us,.a.,tY
The first peculiarly which strikes
the observer about the deckhand Is
his walk. He has climbed up the
steep river embahlment when there
was mud all over II. and he has come
down that same slide with a heavy
weight upon his back. He has adopt!
ed step which prevents him from
slipping. and this gives him d pecu
liar stunning step unlike any move
ment seen elsewhere -, He combines
with this sh6istng Of the Shoulders
and a peculiar turn OF the head acquir
ed from turning his face to let a snck
ltbl uPOh nuONlutl' lHltC
traits are distinctive and give the
deckhand a strange appearance upon
the levee, or anywhere off u boat or
away from the, river.
Az he works going up the incllnes
or along the gangplank. precautionary
rnating upon levee's crest. he has
a rhythmic sort of chant which fits
IN with his music. Always the same
tlR's Of songs are sung. Usually
there are no words but some leader
chants and the others voice the chorus
as they bend to their tasks. There
are sack songs and barrel sOngs and
Music for the cotton bale and the
ordinary package. The music vhries
with the task, as the movement OF the
negr0's body varies. The cotton song
as the bale Is lifted forward ana al
lowed TO drop, has n catchy swing to
It. Down go the sharp hooks and the
bale starts up to fall with a quick
thud. SO does the music. The other
airs, like all negro music. are har
monies. not melodies. which are timed
to the labor, ~ NA 4 4 p
n1'he crap gatfie can be seen In It's
full glory only when the d0clthand
plays II upon the boats deck From
the foot OF Presidents Island to the
city no stops are made, and like con
dItion prevails In regard 10 boats
from the upper river, This Is called
the crap limit. The negroes are paid
of before they reach the city. and
usually at the last stop before the city.
As soon as the pay IL received the
negroes gather and begin 10 shoot
Grams. and the cries for "BiR Dick"