and things, combining with the forces of nature, attending the dead and the sepulcher, assuming protean but always animate forms—a stage of belief in which characters of zootheism and psychotheism are curiously blent with traces of the commonly intermediate physitheism. The attendant worship is essentially secret, at least so far as whites are concerned, but is known to be ceremonial and sacrificial; ostensibly at least, the principal sacrifices are cocks and goats, though there is reason to opine that the “goat without horns” (i. e., the human child) is still sacrificed in the outlying districts. In some of these districts there is a class of blacks, descendants of escaped slaves, known as maroons, who are partially free of English rule, though the author does not note especial prevalence of primitive beliefs and ceremonies among them. Even about the market places and kitchens, and indeed in the domestic schools around the white man’s house, there is no lack of primitive characters; the men tell stories of the donkey who would go hunting like the tiger, and how his courage failed, or other African tales in which the rabbit, lion, elephant, and other animals play leading roles; while every mother sings or chants an alphabet rhyme, which every Jamaican can repeat, and which has even gone into print in Jamaican primers:
A is for Assinoo,[1] see how him stan’!
B is for Buckra,[2] bery bad man.
C is for Pussy; him name Maria.
D is for Duppy[3]; him eye shine like fire.
E is for Eel; him catch in de ferry.
F is for Figgler[4]; him play sweet, bery.
G is for Governor; him live at King’s House.
H is for Dry-Harbor, place poor as church-mouse.
I is for Miyself. When I sick, I go to bed.
J is for Jim Crow; he have a peel head.
K is for Kalaloo,[5] bery nice when him boil.
L is for Lizard, but him tail ’poil.
M is for Monkey; just look ’pon him face.
N is for Nana[6]; him cap trimmed with lace.
O is for Oliphant[7]; him have a big mouf.
P is for Potto[8]; when night come he go out.
Q is for Quattie[9]; I beg you one, massa, please.
R is for Ratta; him tiptoe ’pon cheese.
S is for Snake; him crawl in de grass.
T is for Toad, so farr’ard an’ fast.
U is for Uncle. Boy, you tell him howdee!
V is for Vervine[10]; make very good tea.
W, X, Y. Hi! I really forget.
Z is for Zebedee, mending his net.
