Jamaican Song and Story Part 71

Look how you mout', Look how you mout', Look how you mout' fe go kiss moolatta.

Look how you mout', Look how you mout', Look how you mout' like a pan.]

CL.

[Music: _Valse._

Breezy say him no want Brown lady, Breezy say him no want Brown lady, Breezy say him no want Brown lady, Afterward him go take Brown lady.

Why! Why! Why, Breezy!

Why! Why! Why, Breezy!

Why! Why! Why, Breezy!

Think you say you no want Brown lady.]

CLI.

Here are three sings referring to Colon, the port of disembarkation for labourers on the Panama Ca.n.a.l:--

[Music: _5th Figure._

Isaac Park gone a Colon, Isaac Park gone a Colon, Isaac Park gone a Colon, Colon boat a go kill them boy.

Colon bolow[57] gone a Colon, Colon bolow gone a Colon, Colon bolow gone a Colon, Colon boat a go kill them boy.]

[Footnote 57: _Bolow_, comrade.]

It was not the boat from Kingston to Colon that killed the boys; the deaths took place on the other side. Many were due to fever, but more, if the stories current here are true, to organised a.s.sa.s.sination. The wages were very large, and when a Jamaica boy has money in his pocket he gets "boastify." This annoyed the low-cla.s.s mongrels. A Coolie who was there described to me the proceedings of one night, when the 'panish (by which is meant any straight-haired people) went out in a band and murdered every woolly-haired man they met. They began at one end of the camp, a straight line of barrack huts. Some of the victims were shot through the windows, others slashed with cutla.s.ses. Where there were no lights the a.s.sa.s.sins pa.s.sed their hands over the strangers' heads, and if they felt wool, revolver or cutla.s.s did its work. Straight-haired Coolies, that is to say, East Indians, were allowed to go unharmed.

CLII.

[Music: _5th Figure._

Matilda d 'pon dyin' bed, Matilda d 'pon dyin' bed, Matilda d 'pon dyin' bed, Matilda d 'pon dyin' bed, Me want go Colabra, Me want go Colabra, Me want go Colabra, Matilda, d 'pon dyin' bed.]

When anybody is very ill all the members of the family, including quite distant relatives, think it inc.u.mbent upon them to go to the sick person's yard. They crowd into the house and sick-room and pour out a clatter of talk.

Colabra (Culebra) is a place near Colon. Matilda must have been an old Jamaica acquaintance who had gone over to settle there.

CLIII.

[Music: _5th Figure._

Mas' Charley say want kiss Matty, Kiss with a willing mind, Me rarab.u.m why! Colon money done, Me rarab.u.m why! Colon money done.]

"Me rarab.u.m" is a nonsense phrase equivalent to "my boy." "My boy, hi!

the money I made at Colon is done!"

CLIV.

Here is the lament of an out-of-work cabdriver:--

[Music: _5th Figure._

Me buggy a sell fe eight an' sixpence Wh me a go get fe drive?

Me buggy a sell fe eight an' sixpence, Wh me a go get fe drive?

Me buggy sell at last, poor me boy!

Wh me a go get fe drive?

Me buggy sell at last, poor me boy!

Wh me a go get fe drive?]

CLV.

The words of the next dance have a certain interest, but the tune is poor:--

[Music: _Polka._

Oh 'zetta Ford, gal, you name no worth a cuss!

Tief big big hog, Put ahm in a jar.

Piccany da cry, Sit down whole a day, You tief big big hog, Nyam ahm out a door.]

The girl stole the pig, killed it, cut it up and put the meat into a jar. This was done out in the bush, far away from her yard, and took the whole day. Meanwhile her poor little babies were starving at home, having been left without any one to look after them.

CLVI.