The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1919-07-30
CHAPTER u.


In Which ! Am Afforded cIImpsss Into
Futurlty-PesslbIy Useful.
Two or three evenings before we
were due to sail. at one Of our snug
gerry conclaves. I put the question
whether anyone had eyer tried the d.
vining rod for treasure In the islands.
Old John nodded and said he knew
the man wanted. a half-crazy old ne
gro back there In Grants Town-the
negro quarter spreading out into the
brush behind the ridge on which the
town Of Nassau proper is built.
HE calls himself a 'king.' he
added. "and the natives do, / believe,
regard him as the head Of certain
tribe. The lads call him old King
Coffee'-a memory / suppose Of the
Ashantee war. Anyone will tell you
where he lives. He has a name as a
preacher-among the Holy Jumpers =
but he's getting too old 10 do much
preaching nowadays. Go and see him
for fun anyway"
So next morning went.
had hardly been prepared for the
plunge into Darkest Africa" which !
found myself taking. as, leaving Gov
eminent house behind. perched on the
crest of its white ridge, / walked a
few yards inland and entered region
which, for all its green palms, made a
similar sudden impression Of pervad-
ing blackness on the mind which one
gets on suddenly entering a coal-min-
ing district after travelling through
fields and meadows.
There were far more blacks than
whites down on Bay street, but here
there were nothing but blacks on ev.
cry side.
The roads ran In every direction,
and along them everywhere were fig
ures of black women shutting with
burdens on their heads. or groups OF
girls, audaciously merry, most of them
bonny, here and there almost beauty.
There were churches and dance halls
and saloons-all radiating so to say, a
prosperous blackness.
At first the effect Of the whole scene
was little sinister, even a little
frightening. The strangeness of AT
rican jungle, was here, and one was a
white man In II all alone among grin
ming savage faces. But for the figures
about one being clothed, the illusion
had been complete; but for that and
the kind-hearted salutations from
comedy white-turbaned mammies
which soon sprang up about me. and
the groups of elfish children that
laughingly blocked ones progress with
requests-not In any weird African
dialect but In excellent English-for
"a copper, please"
This request was not above the
maidenly dignity OF quite big and bux-
ON lasses. One Of these, a really SUI
perb young creature, asked for "a cop
per. please" but with saucy coquet-
ry betting her adolescence.
"I'll give you one IL you'll tell me
where the king lives" saiH i.
"Ole King CoffeeT she asked. and
then fell into very agony of negro
laughter. Recovering, she put her
finger to her lips. suggesting silence.
and said:
"Come along I'll show you'll"
And walking by my side, 1.-THE as
young animal. she had soon brought
me to a cabin much like the rest,
though perhaps little poorer looking.
"Shhl There he Is !" and she shook
all over again with suppressed giggles.
/ gave her sixpence and told her
to be a good girl. Then / advanced up
little strip of garden to where had
caught a glimpse of a venerable
white-haired negro seated at the win
dow, as If for exhibition, with great
open book in his hands. This he ap-