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a conscious and definite origin in some leading mind, or whether they grew by gradual accretion, in an almost unconscious way. On this point I could get no information, though I asked many questions, until at last, one day when I was being rowed across from Beaufort to Ladies' Island, I found myself, with delight, on the actual trail of a song.
One of the oarsmen, a brisk young fellow, not a soldier, on being asked for his theory of the matter, dropped out a coy confession.
“Some good sperituals,” he said, “are start jess out oa curiosity.
I been a-raise a sing, myself, once.”
My dream was fulfilled, and I had traced out, not the poem alone, but the poet.
I implored him to proceed.
“ Once we boys,” he said, “went for tote some rice and de nigger-driver he keep a-callin‘ on us; and I say, ‘O, de ole nigger-driver!’
Den anudder said, ‘ Fust ting my mammy tole me was, notin‘ so bad as niggerdriver.’
Den I made a sing, just puttin‘ a word, and den anudder word.”
Then he began singing, and the men, after listening a moment, joined in the chorus, as if it were an old acquaintance, though they evidently had never heard it before.
I saw how easily a new “sing” took root among them.
Boston: Fields, Osgood and Co. University Press: Welch, Bigelow, & Co., Cambridge. 1870.
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