Beadle's Dime Library No. 316 — page 7: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

| a ASE ce it Be . soy Coe fae j ’ Lafitte’s Lieutenant. Ss OO TT TT LL LL taught to speak the three magic names of Fetish, ornamented her arms, LEncircling ber waist with an enormous green and black serpent, sbe tied it by the bead and tail, leaving them to dan- gle before her. Then oiling her face, arms, neck and breast, she ‘dipped her finger into a basin of water which stood upon the box, muttering, meap- while, ‘words unintelligible to the Spaniard. Taking an iron pot, sbe placed it, with great solemnity, in the back part of the hut, leaving onl ! sufficient room to pass between it and the wall. These preparations completed with great show of ceremony, she took from a branch a human bone, and stirred the fire with its charred end. Laying this aside, she took from the same place a skeleton hand, the joints re- tained in their places by wires, with whiel she took up a live coal and placed it under the pot. After several coals were transferred from the fireplace in this manner, she got upon her knees before the fire she had thus eolected under the pot, and began to blow it until it blazed, Then rising and hobbling to the fireplace, she slipped a slide, which had once belonged to a binnacle-case, and reeching her band into the cavity, drew forth from its roost a snow-white cock, fat and unwieldy from long and careful ae . This bird, held sacred in all Obeah rites, the the old sorceress placed over the coals, upon a roost eonsurqused of three human bones—two ei upright, and one laid horizontally across them, These mysterious preparations completed, she walked three times round the caldron, working her features, as she moved, into the most pas- sionate contortions—so that, when she stopped on completing her round, her face was more de- moniac than buman in its aspect and expres- sion, Ina sbrill, star‘ling voice, she then ad- dressed her votary: ‘¢ Rise, buckra, }»ok; no speak!” The Spaniard bad witnessed, with feelings of dismay which he could not subdue, the ominous preparations we have described, reflected in a broken mirror which he was purposely made to face. Her object in placing her votaries in such a position was that, by the imperfect represen- tation of her rites, the reality might be exag- gerated by them, and their fears so acted upon, as better to prep’re them for her purpose. As she spoke, he stood up and turned tow:+rd her with a wild look, while his band involun- tarily She ee the hilt of his cutlass. The dis- torted features of the beldam, and her strange ornaments and appalling preparations, met bis superstitious eye. She allowed him to survey the scene before him for a moment, and then commenced chanting in rude improvisatore: ** Now tell, buckra, w’at dat you Ax of Fetish for you do? If you b'lieve dat Fetish know Ebery ting above, below— Den you hab all dat you seek, Walk t’ree times roun’, den buckra speak.”’ Seizing his passive hand as she addressed him, she leaped with almost supernatural activity three times aronnd the spot, crawing him after her with reluctant steps, yet fearing to hold back, The third time she paused,and taking an earth- en vessel from the box, she commenced dancing round the fire, commanding him to follow~— dropping, as she whirled, something she took from it into the iron vessel, chanting the while, in rude measure; ** Here de unborn baby heart, Fetish lub dis much! Here de hair from off de cat Dat gnaw de nails, Eat out de eyes, Dat drink de blood Ob dead man. Here de poison for de friend! Fetish lub dis too! Here de trouble for de foe! Here de egg of poison snake— - Here de head ob speckle cock— Here de blood. and here de dirt From de coffin, from de grave Of murdered ‘ooman an’ her babe." Then followed some unintelligible incantation, in a language unknown to the Spaniard, and still grasping both bis hands, she danced with him around the caldron. Suddenly stopping, after many rapid revo- lutions, during which her body writhed in con- vulsions, while the astonished and paralyzed victim of bisown superstition yielded passively to the strange ritesin which he was now an un- willing actor, she renewed her monotonous chant, in the same wild: and shrill tone of vuice. ‘Now de blood from near de heart Perfect make de Obeah art; Buckra’s Wish will den be grant, An’ Fetish gib him dat he want,” “What mean you, Oula?” he inquired, as the Obeah priestess drew a long knife trom her gir- aie fe held the earthen vessel in the other and. She replied, while her eyes darkened with malignity, and ber features grew more kaggard aud hideous: After buckra tell his wish, Den his blood mus’ fill dis dish; Middle finger—middle vein, Blood from dat will gib no pain— In de kettle it shall mix, Wid hangman’s bones for stirring sticks! Now, buckra Spaniard, w’at’s dy will? Speak! dy wis‘ to Oula tell.” As she concluded, she fixed her eyes, before whose strange expression his own quailed, full upon her votary. _ The Spaniard who had visited her in full be- lief of her supernatural powers, to solicit her aid in the accomplishment of his object, was wholly unprepared for the scenes—of magni- tude, to one of his tone and mind—through which he had passed. It was several moments before be recovered his self-possession, and then an impulse to withdraw his application, rather than pursue his obvedt influenced bim. But afcer a moment’s re ection, and recollecting the object he had in view, he summoned resolution, and replied with a hoarse voice, looking about him the while suspiciously, as if fearful of be- ing overheard, ene there is a maiden beautiful as the moon! Llove her! But she would scorn me if I wooed her, and she is, moreover, betrothed to another, He was my prisoner, I brought bim to this island and confined him to await our capt.in’s arrival. The next day, before my vessel sailed again, she also was brought in a captive. I bribed my captain and lingered behind in disguise, that I might see ber, of whom I had heardso much, I at length had a glimpse of her from the opening in the top of the cave, and when I saw her—lI lover her.” **Loved her to marry, Martinez?” she said, with an ironical grin. **T said not so,” replied the Spaniard, quick- “I loved her with a burning passion. I sought to gain the part of the grotto she occu- pied, and arranged my plan; but Lafitte re- turned. The next day I would have «ffected it, but last night they escaped, she and her lover, and I have all the day been planning some way to obtain her. This avening as I was sitting by the cave cursing my fate and thinking perhaps I should never see her more—yonder frigate hove in sight. I took a glass and watched her until she dropped her anchor—and whom think you I saw upon her deck?” ‘The buckra lady?” ** The same—I knew her by her form and air. She leaned upon the arm of my late prisoner, who is, no doubt, commander of the ship.” ‘What do you want done?” she inquired, as he abruptly paused, ‘‘I would possess her!” he replied warmly. “Now, Oula, fulfill your boasted promise,” he added eagerly, as his dark eye flashed with hope and passion, , ‘It hard business! But Fetish he do ebery ting! You b'lieve cat, buckra Martinez?” she added, fixing her bloodshot and suspicious eye upon him. “All, everything, only give me power to ied ah my desires,” he exclaimed, impa- iently. “Dat you s’all hab,” she replied, seizing his arm; ‘‘hol’ you’ lef’ arm—dat next de heart’s blood,” she cried; and then chanted in her usual strain: * Blood from heart, Firs’ mus’ ot Grant you’ wish." With revolting gestures, and brandishing her ss knife, she danced around him; then astening her long fingers upon his hand, she continued: “ From middle finger—middle vein, Blood must flow, you’ end to gain.” When the SpaniarJ, after a struggle between apvrehension for his own safety, and fear in failing in his object, had made up his mind to go through the ordeal, although resolved to watch ber so that she should inflict no severe wound upon his hand, the voice of the beldam’s son was heard at the door in altereation with some one in the possession of a voice no less dis- cordant than his own. : The Obeah, surprised in the middle of her orgies, in a sbrill angry tone, demanded the cause of this interruption. it Cudjoe, mummy—he want see ol’ Obi, -he ‘“‘Maldicho!” exclaimed the Spaniard, “ it were as much as my head is worth for Lafitte’s slave to find me here, when I should be at sea. ‘Ts there no outlet!” he inquired hastily. ‘‘No—but here be de deep hole,” she said, re- moving some branches and old clothing—‘ dis will hide Nee He must come in, or he br’ak in,” she added, as Cudjoe’s anxiety to enter grew more obyicus by his loud demand for ad- SERIO, and his repeated blows against the oor. The Spaniard, not in a situation to choose bis plage of concealment, let himself down in the ole, which formei her larder and stere-room, and was immediately covered over with branch- es and blankets, ‘What for such racket, you Coromanteo nigger—break in lone ’ooman’s house af’er dark?’ she grumbled with much displeasure; in’, and Comic and taking a lighted brand in her hand, she un- barred the frail door. At the sight of her strange attire, and wild appearance, increased by the flame of the burn- ing brand she beld, alternately flashing redly upon her person, and leaving it in obscurity, the slave drew back with an excl:imation of terror. The sorceress, who believed she pos- sessed the power for which the credulous gave her credit—having deceived others so long, that she ultimately deceived herself—enjoyed his surprise, feeling it a compliment to her art and received character, as one of the terrible priest- esses of Fetish. ‘‘Hugh! Coromantee,” she said, “if you start dat way at Oula, w’at t?inkee you do, you see Fetish? What rou want dis time?” she in- quired abruptly. ‘‘ What for you no wid you’ massa, Lafitte ) ‘* Him sail away affer de prisoners dat get *way las’ nig t and leave Cudjoe ’sleep in de- cave like acol’ dead nigger, and he know nottin’ *bout it.” ‘*Gi’ me! well, what for you come ’sturb Oula —you fraid she Obi you?” : ‘Oh Gar Armigbhty, good Oula, nigger! don’t put de fingeron me, Cudjoe come for Obi,” cried the slaye, in alarm. ‘* Obi can do nottin’ widout music ob de gold,” she said, mechanically extending her band. ‘‘Cudjoe know dat well ‘nuff,” he replied, taking several coins of copper, silver, and gold, from the profound depths of his pocket, in which almost every article of small size missing in the vessel in which he sailed, always found a snug berth. He gave her the money, which sbe counted with an air somewhat less satisfied than that she wore when telling the weightier coin of the Spaniard, and then invited him into ber but. Casting his eyes about the gloom y apartment with awe, he at last rested his gaze upon the white cock, which still reposed upon his roost of human bones. Gradually, as he looked, and be- came more familiar with the gloom of the in- terior, his eyes dilated with superstitious fear and without removing them from the sac bird, sunk first on one knee and then on the other, the while rapidly repeating some heath- enish form of adjuration, and at length fell prostrate, with his face tothe dampearth, — For a moment be remained in this attitude of worship, in which fear predominated over de- votion, when the-voice of Oula aroused him. “Dat good—Obeah like dat. Now what you want, Cudjoe? Be quick wid you’ word, ’coz I hab much bus’ness to do jus’ dis time!” ‘‘Cudjoe want revenge ob hell!” he replied, rising to bis knees, his features at once chang- ing to a fiendish expression, in faithful keeping with his wish, . ** Bon Giu! Who harm you now, Coroman- tee?” she inquired, in a tone of sympathy, grati- fied at meeting a spirit and feelings kindred with her own. **Debble! Who?” he said fiercely, *‘ more buckras dan de fingers on dese two han’!” “What! deir name?” she inquired. ‘‘ Obeah mus’ know de name,” Here the slave, who never forgave an insult elicited by his personal deformities, recapitula- ted the injuries he imagined he had suffered from this cause. She gave a willing ear to his recital, forgetting in her grog ee with his feelings, her first visitor, who impatiently awaited the termination of this i w. As be heard his own name in the catalogue of ven- nce repeated by the slave, he muttered with- n his teeth, that be should rue the hour he sought the Obeah’s skill. | **Gi me!” she exclaimed, as he ended, ‘** All dese you want hab me gib Obi! Hugh! what nice picking for de jonny ‘crows dey make. But dere mus’ be more gold, Hough! hol)! hob!” she laugted, or rather croaked, ‘Gah me! what plenty dead men! Well, you be de good cos’omer, if you be de Coromantee nigger!” ‘* Will de Obi beset for dem all?” he impatient- ly inquired. ““Dere mus’ be two t’ree tings done fus’; you mus’ take de Fetish in de fus’ place,” she said, bringing from her box an ebony idol carved into many grotesque variations of the human form. “Here is degreat Fetish,” she continued; ‘‘now _ your right hand on de head of dis white ird, while I hol’ de Fetish to your lips. Dere,” she continued as he tremblingly assumed the re- quired tion and manner, *‘ dere, now swéar you b’lieve w'at I speak— Fetish he be black—deb'l h» be white, ~ Sun negeatse for nigger—for buckras mak’ de night.” a a b'lieve it every bit,” he eagerly re- a Now kiss de Fetish,” she said, as he repea’‘- ed after her the form of an Obeah oath, admin- istered only to those of her own race and reli- ion, : One or two other similar ceremonies were per- formed, when she suddenly exclaim: d: ‘“‘Dere I hab it! How de debble no tink sooner? ““Coromantee,” she said, abruptly, ‘‘dere is oné t'ing more mtst be done, or Fetish do not- “S E| 00)) LI] (E(@)