Grinned the negro, grinned and trembled—
Through his nerves a shudder ran—
Saw a snake-like eye that held him;
Saw—he’d met an Obeah man.
Saw a fêtish—such a bottle—
Buried at his cottage door;
Toad and spider, dirty water,
Rusty nails, and nine charms more.
Saw in vision such a cock’s head
In the path—and it was white!
Saw Brinvilliers [{334}] in his pottage:
Faltered, cold and damp with fright.
Fearful is the chance of poison:
Fearful, too, the great unknown:
Magic brings some positivists
Humbly on their marrow-bone.
Like the wedding-guest enchanted,
There he stood, a trembling cur;
While the Indian told his story,
Like the Ancient Mariner.
Told how—‘Once that loathly Pitch Lake
Was a garden bright and fair;
How the Chaymas off the mainland
Built their palm ajoupas there.
‘How they throve, and how they fattened,
Hale and happy, safe and strong;
Passed the livelong days in feasting;
Passed the nights in dance and song.
‘Till they cruel grew, and wanton:
Till they killed the colibris.
Then outspake the great Good Spirit,
Who can see through all the trees,
‘Said—“And what have I not sent you,
Wanton Chaymas, many a year?
Lapp, [{335a}] agouti, [{335b}] cachicame, [{335c}]
Quenc [{335d}] and guazu-pita deer.
‘“Fish I sent you, sent you turtle,
Chip-chip, [{335e}] conch, flamingo red,
Woodland paui, [{335f}] horned screamer, [{335g}]
And blue ramier [{335h}] overhead.