按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Take dis gun to de house；〃 and then turning to me； continued： 〃Dis is de sort ob man I'se am。 I'se knows how to treat a friend like a white man； and I'se can fight wid my knife or my fist or my gun anybody who 'poses on me。 Now I'se knows you is a gemmin I'se won't treat you like a nigger。 Gib you best I'se got。 Cum to de house。〃
When inside of the house of this resolute black； every attention was paid to my comfort。 The cargo of the paper canoe was piled up in one corner of the room。 The wife and children sat before the bright fire and listened to the story of my cruise。 I doctored the sick pickaninny of my host； and made the family a pot of strong coffee。 This negro could read； but he asked me to address a label he wished to attach to a bag of Sea…Island cotton of one hundred and sixty pounds' weight； which he had raised； and was to ship by the steamboat Lizzie Baker to a mercantile house in Savannah。
As I rested upon my blankets； which were spread upon the floor of the only comfortable room in the house； at intervals during the night the large form of the black stole softly in and bent over me to see if I were well covered up； and he as noiselessly piled live…oak sticks upon the dying embers to dry up the dampness which rose from the river。
He brought me a basin of cold water in the morning； and not possessing a towel clean enough for a white man； he insisted that I should use his wife's newly starched calico apron to wipe my face and hands upon。 When I offered him money for the night's accommodation and the excellent oyster breakfast that his wife prepared for me； he said： 〃You may gib my wife whateber pleases you for her cooking； but nuffin for de food or de lodgings。 I'se no nigger； ef I is a cullud man。〃
It was now Saturday； and as I rowed through the marsh thoroughfare called New Tea Kettle Creek； which connects Mud River with Doboy Sound near the southern end of Sapelo Island； I calculated the chances of finding a resting…place for Sunday。 If I went up to the mainland through North and Darien rivers to the town of Darien； my past experience taught me that instead of enjoying rest I would become a forced exhibiter of the paper canoe to crowds of people。 To avoid this； I determined to pass the day in the first hammock that would afford shelter and fire…wood； but as the canoe entered Doboy Sound； which； with its inlet； separates Sapelo from the almost treeless Wolf Island； the wind rose with such violence that I was driven to take refuge upon Doboy Island； a small marshy territory； the few firm acres of which were occupied by the settlement and steam saw…mill of Messrs。 Hiltons； Foster & Gibson； a northern lumber firm。
Foreign and American vessels were anchored under the lee of protecting marshes； awaiting their cargoes of sawed deals and hewn timber； while rafts of logs； which had been borne upon the currents of the Altamaha and other streams from the far interior regions of pine forests； were collected here and manufactured into lumber。
One of the proprietors； a northern gentleman； occupied with his family a very comfortable cottage near the store and steam saw…mill。 As the Doboy people had learned of the approach of the paper canoe from southern newspapers； the little craft was identified as soon as it touched the low shores of the island。
I could not find any kind of hotel or lodging…place in this settlement of Yankees； Canadians； and negroes； and was about to leave it in search of some lone hammock； when a mechanic kindly offered me the floor of an unfinished room in an unfinished house； in which I passed my Sunday trying to rest； and obtaining my meals at a restaurant kept by a negro。
A member of the Spaulding family； the owners of a part of Sapelo Island； called upon me； and seeing me in such inhospitable quarters； with fleas in hundreds invading my blankets； urged me to return with him to his island domain； where he might have an opportunity to make me comfortable。 The kind gentleman little knew how hardened I had become to such annoyances as hard floors and the active flea。 Such inconveniences had been robbed of their discomforts by the kind voices of welcome which； with few exceptions； came from every southern gentleman whose territory had been invaded by the paper canoe。
There was but one place of worship on the island； and that was under the charge of the negroes。 Accepting the invitation of a nephew of the resident New England proprietor of Doboy Island to attend 〃de shoutings；〃 we set out on Sunday evening for the temporary place of negro worship。 A negro girl； decked with ribbons； called across the street to a young colored delinquent： 〃You no goes to de shoutings； Sam！ Why fur？ You neber hears me shout； honey； and dey do say I shouts so pretty。 Cum 'long wid me now。〃
A few blacks had collected in the small shanty and the preacher； an old freedman； was about to read a hymn as we entered。 At first the singing was low and monotonous； but it gradually swelled to a high pitch as the negroes became excited。 Praying followed the singing。 Then the black preacher set aside 〃de shouting〃 part of the service for what he considered more important interests； and discoursed upon things spiritual and temporal in this wise：
〃Now I'se got someting to tell all' of yese berry 'portant。〃 Here two young blacks got up to leave the room； but were rudely stopped by a negro putting his back against the door。 〃No； no；〃 chuckled the preacher； 〃yese don't git off dat a…way。 I'se prepared fur de ockasun。 Nobody gits out ob dis room till I'se had my say。 Jes you set down dar。 Now I'se goin' to do one ting； and it's dis： I'se goin' to spread de Gospel all ober dis yere island of Doboy。 Now's de time； talked long 'nuf； too long； 'bout buildin' de church。 Whar's yere pride？ whar is it？ Got none！ Look at dis room for a church！ Look at dis pulpit one flour…barrel wid one candle stickin' out ob a bottle！ Dat's yere pulpit。 Got no pride！ Shamed o' yeresefs！ Here white men comes way from New York to hear de Gospel in dis yere room wid flour…barrel fur pulpit； and empty bottle fur candlestick。 No more talk now。 All go to work。 De mill pebple will gib us lumber fur de new church； odders mus' gib money。 Tell ebbry cullud pusson on de island to cum on Tuesday and carry lumber； and gib ebbry one what he can； one dollar apiece； or ten cents if got no more。 De white gemmins we knows whar to find when we wants dar money； but de cullud ones is berry slippery when de hat am passed round。〃
At the termination of the preacher's exhortation； I proposed to my companion that I should present the minister with a dollar for his new church； but； with a look of dismay； he replied： 〃Oh； don't give it to the preacher。 Hand it to that other negro sitting near him。 We never trust the preacher with money； he always spends the church…money。 We only trust him for preaching。〃
Monday； March 1st； opened fair； but the wind arose when the canoe reached Three Mile Cut； which connects the Darien with Altamaha River。 I went through this narrow steamboat passage； and being prevented by the wind from entering the wide Altamaha； returned to the Darien River and ascended it to General's Cut； which； wit