214
Martinique
Sketches.
enters into the natural musical feeling of the African,— a feeling powerful enough to impose itself upon all Spanish-America, and there create the unmistakable characteristics of all that is called " Creole music." — " Bimbolo !" — " Zimabolo !" — " Bimbolo !" — " Zimabolo !" — " Et zimbolo !" — " Et bolo-po !" —sing the Devil and his chorus. His chant is cavernous, abysmal,—booms from his chest like the sound of a drum beaten in the bottom of a well. . . . Ti manmaillelà, baill moin lavoix! (" Give me voice, little folk,—give me voice I") And all chant after him, in a chanting like the rushing of many waters, and with triple clapping of hands :—"Ti manmaille-là, baill moin lavoix/" . . . Then he halts before a dwelling in the Rue Peysette, and thunders :— —"Eh! Marie-sans-dent!—Mi! diabe-là derhb!" That is evidently a piece of spite-work : there is somebody living there against whom he has a grudge. . . . "Hey! Marie-without-teeth ! look! the Devil is outside!' '' And the chorus catch the clue. D E V I L . — " E h ! Marie-sans-dent !" . . . CHORUS.—"Marie-sans-dent! mi!—diabe-là derhb I" D . — " E h ! Marie-sans-dent!" . . . C.—"Marie-sans-dent ! mi!—diabe-à derhb I" D . — " E h ! Marie-sans-dent!". . . etc. 1
The Devil at last descends to the main street, always singing the same song ;—I follow the chorus to the Savanna, where the rout makes for the new bridge over the Roxelane, to mount the high streets of the old quarter of the Fort ; and the chant changes as they cross over :— DEVIL. — " Oti ouè diabe-là passé larivièV (Where