voyage of the paper canoe-第45部分

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result　was　ruin；　and　simply　because　he　had　not　paused　to　　consider　that　the　negro　had　not　been　born　a　　freedman；　and　that　the　demoralization　of　slavery　was　still　upon　him。　　Beside　which　facts　we　must　also　place　certain　ethnological　and　moral　　principles　which　exist　in　the　pure　negro　type；　and　which　are　entirely　overlooked　by　those　　philanthropic　persons　who　have　rarely；　if　ever；　seen　a　full…blooded　negro；　but　affect　to　understand　him　through　his　half…white　brother；　the　mulatto。

Mud　River　opened　its　wide　mouth　before　me　as　I　left　the　inlet；　but　the　tide　was　very　low；　and　Mud　River　is　a　sticking…point　in　the　passage　of　the　Florida　steamers。　　It　became　so　dark　that　I　was　obliged　to　get　near　the　shore　to　make　a　landing。　　My　attempt　was　made　opposite　a　　negro's　house　which　was　on　a　bluff　but　the　water　had　receded　into　the　very　narrow　channel　of　Mud　River；　and　I　was　soon　stuck　fast　on　a　flat。　Getting　overboard；　I　sank　to　my　knees　in　the　soft　mud。　　I　called　for　help；　and　was　answered　by　a　tall　darky；　who；　with　a　double…barrelled　gun；　left　his　house　and　stood　in　a　threatening　manner　on　the　shore。　　I　appealed　for　help；　and　said　I　wished　to　go　ashore。　　〃Den　cum　de　best　way　you　can；〃　he　answered　in　a　surly　manner。　〃What　duz　you　want　'bout　here；　any　way？　　What　duz　you　want　on　Choc'late　Plantation；　anyhow？〃

I　explained　to　this　ugly　black　that　I　was　a　northern　man；　travelling　to　see　the　country；　and　wished　to　camp　near　his　house　for　protection；　and　promised；　if　he　would　aid　me　to　land；　that　I　would　convince　him　of　my　honest　purpose　by　showing　him　the　contents　of　my　canoe；　and　would　prove　to　him　that　I　was　no　enemy　to　the　colored　man。　　I　told　him　of　the　maps；　the　　letters；　and　the　blankets　which　were　in　the　little　canoe　now　so　fast　in　the　mud；　and　what　a　loss　it　would　be　if　some　marauder；　passing　on　the　next　high　tide；　should　steal　my　boat。

The　fellow　slowly　lowered　his　gun；　which　had　been　held　in　a　threatening　position；　and　said：

〃Nobody　knows　his　friends　in　dese　times。　I'se　had　a　boat　stealed　by　some　white　man；　and　spose　you　was　cumin　to　steal　sumting　else。　Dese　folks　on　de　riber　can't　be　trussed。　　Dey　steals　　ebryting。　　Heaps　o'　bad　white　men　'bout　nowadnys　sens　de　war。　　Steals　a　nigger's　chickens；　boats；　and　ebryting　dey　lays　hands　on。　　Up　at　de　big　house　on　High　Pint　（norfen　gemmin　built　him；　and　den　got　gusted　wid　cotton…planting　and　went　home）　de　white　folks　goes　and　steals　all　de　cheers　and　beds；　and　ebryting　out　ob　de　house。　Sens　de　war　all　rascals。〃

It　was　a　wearisome　and　dangerous　job　for　me　to　navigate　the　canoe　over　the　soft；　slippery　mud　to　the　firm　shore；　as　there　were　unfathomed　places　in　the　flats　which　might　ingulf　or　entomb　me　at　any　step；　but　the　task　was　completed；　and　I　stood　face　to　face　with　the　now　half　tranquillized　negro。　Before　removing　the　mud　that　hung　upon　me　to　the　waist　in　heavy　clods；　I　showed　the　darky　my　chart…case；　and　explained　the　object　of　my　mission。　　He　was　very　intelligent；　and；　after　asking　a　few　questions；　said　to　his　son：

〃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　cullu