"Crabs, crabs!—live crabs!" then, "Cabage, cabagees!"
"Yes ma-am! raw shrimps, yes ma-am." Still further pleas:
"Sweet potats. I-rish´ potats!" "Banans."
And so each passing vendor stays and scans
Some friendly gate, whose ancient hinges wheeze;
There's soft-voiced bargaining 'neath spiky trees;
The turbaned cook and tempter—Africans.
Africans! nay, nay, Americans!
Their comeliness well suits this smiling clime;
Unwilling captives once, now citizens,