The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-11-02
In THE VOODOO'S PATH
By FRANK GRANT.

IN Nassau. Inc harDor capital mad but
~scently come into prominence as a
winter resort, and offered little enough
=, the way of entertainment for two &C
.iv. Young fellows. On this particular
evening we had just returned from FIT.
charlotte and were kicking our heels
disconsolately as we perched in the silk
cotton tree in the garden of the Royal
Victoria hotel.
Most exciting spot I've ever visited"
remarked Jerry sarcastically.
I'VE might go down to the custom
house square and chuck coppers in the
water for the darkey divers" I sug-
gested.
Jerry glared at me scornfully.
II believe we've done that for 10 con-
secutive evenings. It's getting monoto-
nous"
We'll, If the proprietor of the hotel
knows what he's talking about, we're
likely to have doings enough before the
weeks out"
what is it?" inquired Jerry indif-
ferently.
"A darkey uprising"
Sounds interesting" drawled Jerry,
"but from what I've seen of the ma
tives, l don't believe they have enough
energy to rise" He famed himself
laziIy for a few seconds. then sat bolt
upright. IT tell you what let's do.
You know-those underground pas
sages we saw to-day at FIT. Charlotte.
Let's do 'em alone after dark. We can
get a dark lantern and poke round to
our hearts content. Come on, it will be
a great lark.
FIT Charlotte, like it's companion,
Fincastle. is a relic of the Spanish
regime. 1t caps little hill, extending
almost to the waters edge, and guard
ing the western entrance to the harbor..
Built by convict labor, the hill was al
most honeycombed by galleries extend
ing under the fort. The island of New
Providence, like most of the Bahamas,
is of coral formation, and the soft rock
will cut almost as easily as dirt, though
it hardens on being exposed to the air.
The galleries thus formed were of no
use except to furnish occupation to the
convicts during the early part of the
Eighteenth century, and in the present
day to form an interesting spectacle
for tourists.
Silently we climbed the hill, and
found to our relief that the drawbridge
had not been drawn up. Bathed in
moonlight, the fort cleaned white
against the blue of the tropical skies.
We crept III the shadow of the wall I'M
til we reached the hut built for the
colored sentry. Tiptoeing across the
open, Jerry glanced into one of the
windows, then Strengthened up and
whispered exultantly:
All right. The coast is clear. The
sentry's not even here. I'll wager he's
gone over to Grantstown to show off
his uniform"
Sheltered by an angle in the wall we
hshted the dark lantern and made our
way to the shanty which hung above
the stairway and the chambers below.
We wore light yachting shoes and even
on the hard rock our tread was inau-
dlble. Jerry, whose sense of direction
was acute led the way down the stair
way, using the lantern only occasional
~ AT the first turn he halted
Let's go to the governors chamber
nrst, he said. They wouldn't let us
go down this Afternoon, and I'm bound
to see whether it really connects with
the government house.
Its a waste of time" l laughed
DIDN'T the sergeant tell us this after
noon that there hadn't been a soul
through the place this ten years. and
he don't know but what the steps are
obliterated?"
But Jerry was not to be moved from
I'm going down that hole" he an
nounced, eff 1 have to jump for it.
Come on my boy
We had gone as far as the second
turn In the passage, when we came to
a sudden halt
UP the narrow stairway there came
an unearthly sound. 1t was like a
chant echoing through the dim aisles
Oh a great cathedral, but the wild ca
dence rose and fell with a sweep that
proclaimed its African origin.
Jerry was the first to recover from
the momentary fright, his ready wit
hnding quick explanation of the sit
uation.
It's some colored campmeeting. he
SAID, in cautious whisper, "and
theyre down in the governors cham
Der. Let's go down and take in the
Iun before they get onto us. If they
90 happen to see us we can give them
crowd" '-- ~''e
Noiselessly he opened the 7oor OF the
lantern and extinguished the flame. We
clutched each other in the dark and
moved forward, Jerry counting thu
steps as we descended. Presently we
struck the level of the first gallery.
and turning sharply, saw a glcam of
lsht coming from the stone cell.
known as the governors chamber.
According to the legends of the fort.
thls chamber had been intended as a
council room in event of war; and
secret passageway connected it III
rectly with the governors mansion. 1t
was huge apartment, with Ceilings
tully 80 feet high, and aft orded accom-
modatfons for two or three hundred
PERSONS. The room was redly iliuminat-
ca by blazing sticks piled high in the
center.
Seated in circle about the light
were about 200 negroes gazing wraptly
at powerful figure, CARRIED in a long,
moving rone, which was ornamented
WIN strange designs. So intent were
the blacks that they failed to notice
US as we peered cautiously through
me doorway. After the first glance.
Jerry drew me back, retreating several
heard him tumble with the lantern,
tnen his hand, smelling vilely of sperm
vi, approached my face.
Keep STILL" he whispered. I'm go
ing 70 black you Up. Then turn up
your coat collar, and we'll sneak in on
ms. 1t will be an experience worth
@Fihg, for it's a voodoo congress. !"
MS hand passed rapidly over my
44ece' and during the moment of in
se quiet which followed / knew he
vas completing his own makeup. Then
NJ a sulphur match and gave a
NA.Gckle of satisfaction.
o. Aou II do" he said, pushing a match
my ny hand. Now, see if I'm all right.
o. ne SCOT had been put on well enough