CHAPTER XXXIX.
Negroes: Fondness for “Nancy stories”—Negro loquacity—Their signification of the word “cursing”—Markets—Confusion of tongues—Weddings—The drive to church—Wedding banquet—Blushing brides—Funerals—“Wake nights”—Funeral procession—Christening—High-sounding names.
After dancing, I think the next favourite pastime of the negroes, particularly among the younger ones, is to collect together upon a fine moonlight night, and talk “Nancy stories,” (which, as before remarked, generally consist of tales of diablerie,) and the far-famed “Scheherazade” of the “Arabian Nights” could scarcely invent more marvellous ones. Some tell of a wondrous bird, (equalling in magnitude Sinbad’s roc,[[31]]) which in other days appeared, and completely covered Antigua for some time, obliging the good people to “light candle all de day, so dat dey neber no when night come self;” others tell of men turning into monkeys, (no uncommon thing now-a-days;) some of demons, and their deeds; and others, again, of golden houses, and streets of silver, flying dragons, and talking birds. These “Nancy stories” are generally given in a species of recitativo; but the conclusion to them all is the same—“I was dere, an see it well done, and I get a glass of wine for me pains!” The relater of these tales is held in great repute, and to obtain instruction in the art, many a little negro will give their dinners, and go hungry to-bed.
The negroes are indefatigable talkers, at all times, and in all seasons. Whether in joy or grief, they ever find full employment for that little member, the tongue. If none of their acquaintance are near at hand to enter into conversation with, they talk to themselves, maintaining different characters, and answering their own questions. I have often thought two persons were conversing, but upon inquiry, have found it to be only one. One peculiarity of expression among the negroes is, that if you have to find fault with them, and you express your dislike of what they have been doing in the mildest terms, they immediately say you have been cursing them. When speaking, their tongues are very vociferous, and prove extremely disagreeable to a stranger. Upon my first arrival in this island, I was one day seated in a back apartment, and wandering with Milton through the blissful shades of Paradise, when I was aroused by hearing one of our domestics speaking in a most clamorous manner. I bore it patiently for some time, until finding it appeared to have no terminus, I exclaimed—“My good Sarah, I should feel particularly obliged if you would not speak quite so loud.” How was I surprised, a few moments after, to hear the same servant calling, in a still louder tone, to one of her companions—“Sissy, (Ang., sister,) war for you ’peak so loud? Me ’bleive you no hear how missis curse me just now for doing dat ’ting!”
But the market is the place, where the chattering is the loudest and longest; it is a complete Babel—a scene of confusion almost unimaginable. Black, brown, and yellow—indeed, almost every tint which “sober autumn” wears—may be met with in the crowds of men and women, boys and girls, who frequent the busy spot. The women scream—men shout—the boys and girls, clad à la nature, laugh—the little pic’nees, (as the negroes call their babies,) clinging round their mothers’ hips, squall. In this warm country, where meat is obliged to be dressed soon after it is killed, most of the stock is brought to market alive; so to this tumult of human voices is added the cry of goats, squeaking of pigs, cackling of poultry, &c. To increase the noise, the venders call out the different articles they have for sale:—“Want any corn poon?” (Ang., pudding)—“Want any green corn duckana, ladies?” (a similar production)—“Want any yam and pitaters?” (potatoes)—“Here’s your peas and pork!” Another party cries—“Bargain, ladies! Bargain here!”—“Here’s your ’trong cloth! Here’s your nice handkerchief! tie your head smart as eber! Here aw you see de last an de bery best, aw you cum buy um—only a bit and a half,” (about 6d. sterling.) One cries out—“Pine tarts and pickled peppers!” while another vociferates—“Nice fat chickens, ladies, and castor oil!” rather heterogeneous articles, it must be allowed.
Evening brings no silence with it; for then the cries increase. “Candles here, ladies! Candles here! hard, like stones—burn like wax, (in plain English, soft as butter,) two for a half-a-bit!” (2¼d. sterling.) “Here your nice crackers! (small American biscuits,) seven for a dog! Here your fine coffee! Cigars here! Cigars here! only cum see, make you buy! Here your nice cakes!—Fish! fish!! fish!!! just come out of the sea, ladies! ladies! make haste, an buy dem!”—“Sugar-cakes here! Bread here! Salt fish here! Cum an look, only cum an see!”—“Goat-meat here, ladies! Sheep-meat! Vine here! (the vine of the sweet potato, used for fattening stock.)” “Want any grass? Want any wood? Want any pies? Sweet oranger here! Ripe pear, really nice!” besides a thousand other announcements, fill the air, and deafen the hearers. Talk of London cries! oh! they are mere whispers to the West Indian ones! The “dustman’s bell,” or the “watchman’s rattle,” would, I verily believe, pass unnoticed amid their stormy tongues.
At the principal market, which is held upon a Saturday, (the Sunday markets having been abolished, by orders of the legislature, in 1831,) all kinds of articles may be met with. Beef, mutton, pork, and goat’s flesh; live pigs, sheep, goats, and lambs; ducks, fowls, turkeys, geese, and guinea-birds; potatoes, yams, eddoes, peas, &c.; and fruits of every description, including the luscious pine-apple, the cooling melon, the fragrant guava, and the delicious “jelly cocoa-nut.” The market is also plentifully supplied with varieties of fish; some of which are very delicious fare. Besides these enumerated articles, hot soups, boiled horse-beans, boiled peas, and Indian corn, “fungy and pepperpot,” (a standing Creole dish,) “fried fish and dumplings,” souse, pigs’ heads, and black puddings, with all kinds of cakes, bread, “drink,” spruce-beer, Dyer drink, (made from a peculiar bark,) and different varieties of sugar-cakes, are exhibited, to allure the eye, and charm the taste of the sable beauties who attend this mart. Many other wares are also sold in this place of bustle, which, according to the Antigua black bellman, would be “to tedus to ’numerate.”
It was formerly the custom to ring a market-bell at six in the morning, and the same hour in the evening, and also to have a clerk of the market, whose duty it was to see that the street where the market is held was properly swept, and that the people dispersed upon the ringing of the bell. For his services he received the sum of 200l. currency per annum; but the legislature at last thought it a waste of the public money, and within these few years the office has been disannulled. There is no markethouse at present, the principal market being held in a long street running from the court-house to one of the gates of the churchyard. It was under consideration of the house of assembly, some time ago, to erect a covered market, but the proposition was overruled.
From a visit to the market, we will take another turn, and accompany the bridal party in their attendance at the altar. In former days, during the existence of slavery, the ceremony of marriage was but seldom performed, consequently the nuptial feasts were “few and far between.” The case, however, is now very different; for, since the “glorious 1st of August,” (1834,) weddings are very frequent, and many a grand fête is given in honour of the “saffron-crowned god.” The first step upon this eventful occasion is, of course, to get the bans of marriage published—or, as they term it, “to hab dere name call out”—unless they can afford to purchase a licence, which is the case with some. Then comes the purchasing of that “small and holy round,” the wedding ring, the bridal dresses, and the wedding breakfast. When all these preliminaries are arranged with satisfaction to themselves, the next grand point is to borrow, from different gentlemen, horses, gigs, and phaetons. Not being their own property, and not often having the chance of shewing off their knowledge of the “whip,” no mercy is shewn to the unfortunate animal they that day guide. To give éclat to the wedding-day by astonishing the inhabitants of the town, the gentlemen drive as violently as they can up one street, down another, turn the corners like wildfire, and then, after running over a chicken or two, or disturbing the ruminations of a few quiet ducks, deposit their female companion at the church doors, and start away, in the same random manner, to fetch another fair dame from her homage at a sixpenny “looking-glass.” It is impossible to describe the noise and confusion which ensues on mornings when such deeds are done,—Virgil’s chariot-race was nothing to the speed with which these aspiring youths urge on the foaming steeds. The consequence of this is, that the horse is very often returned to his owner broken-kneed, or else killed upon the spot, by the shaft of another gig penetrating its chest; and the carriage left minus a shaft or a wheel.
At length the company assemble in the church, the clergyman arrives, and the ceremony begins. The “blushing bride” has frequently to snuff up the fumes of her “eau de Cologne,” to support her trembling frame in that moment of excitement, and many a rent is made in the white kid gloves, as such articles are drawn off to sign the marriage X, when, as it frequently happens, the art of writing has been dispensed with in their education. The ceremony over, the party again enter the different vehicles, and after driving in the manner before described, re-assemble at the house where the nuptial banquet has been prepared. This is conducted in similar style to the “ball supper,” already mentioned; great mirth and jollity prevail at it; the health of the bride and bridegroom is drunk in “full goblets;” many a loyal and willing toast, no doubt, given, and then the company separate. I must not forget to mention that a wedding-cake of approved dimensions, and splendidly arrayed in gold and silver leaf is placed in the centre of the table, and calls for many a sidelong glance from those damsels who, as yet, are doomed to remain in single blessedness. Sometimes these wedding breakfasts, or whatever else they choose to term them, are held in the country; at other times, the company remain in town, and the bride and bridegroom retire there by themselves to spend a part of the “honeymoon,” and then return to the capital to receive the complimentary congratulations of their friends, and make their appearance at church in their wedding attire.