“It looks to me, sir, like a rising of the blacks, for they are all armed.”
“Well,” said the lieutenant, “they are not rising against us. If they were they would not be so civil. Besides, they have nothing against us to rise about. They can’t rebel against those who have come to give them their freedom. Let’s go and see what is going on there.”
Just then their black guide came forward and stood before them, evidently for the purpose of stopping their progress, for the lieutenant had begun to cross the middle of the wide opening in the woods to where something important was apparently taking place.
“Well, Caesar,” said the lieutenant, “what is going on there?”
The black shook his head and looked anxiously from one officer to the other.
“Massa not go dah,” whispered the man. “Massa just look, see, and listen to what Obeah man say.”
“Obeah man?”
“Yes, massa. Obeah man. Snake fetish. Big snake in great box dah. Priest Obeah man take snake out o’ box soon. Not good for massa.”
“Oh, that’s it, is it?” said the lieutenant. “Do you know anything about all this, Murray?”
“No,” replied the lad, “only that I have heard something of serpent worship which the blacks have carried with them to Barbadoes and Jamaica, sir.”