129 



BAPTISMAL AND MATRIMONIAL CEREMONIES 

 AT TRINIDAD. 



According to appointment, at nine the next morn- 

 ing, Mr. Mitchell's house was surromided by a noisy 

 multitude of men, women and children. Some came 

 to be baptized, some to gossip, and some to be married. 

 Many of the latter brought in their arms smiling argu- 

 ments that the prayers of the church for fecundity 

 would be superfluous. They all entered the house 

 with perfect nonchalance, roamed about in every part 

 of it, and laughed and gabbled in as unrestrained a 

 manner as they would have done in their own huts. 

 Mrs. Mitchell's parlour, where I had slept, was con- 

 stituted baptistery and altar. A white cloth was 

 spread on the table, and a large glass vase, filled with 

 pure water, was placed in the middle. After about a 

 quarter of an hour's arduous exertions on the part of 

 the governor and commandant, these light-hearted 

 creatures were reduced to as low a degree of noise as 

 their natures would admit. The bishop then read the 

 first part of the service, the whole party kneeling on 

 the floor ; but when the rite of aspersion came to be 

 performed, there had like to have been a riot from the 

 mothers jockeying for the honor of first baptism at 

 the bishop's hand. The two chaplains ministered till 

 they streamed, and never did I hear such incessant 

 squalling and screaming as arose from the regenerated 

 piccaninnies. I think seventy were baptized and re- 

 gistered, which was the most laborious part of all. 

 We had some difficulty in collecting them for the con- 

 clusion of the service, but upon the whole the adult 

 negros behaved exceedingly well, and displayed every 

 appearance of unfeigned devotion. 



And then came Hymen ! Bless thine eyes, sweet 

 divinity, how I love thee ! 



About a dozen couples were agreed, but seven or 



eight more were influenced by the sweet contagion, 



and struck up a marriage on the spot, as we see done 



at the ends of the old comedies. One woman, I re- 



voL. II. — 1833. R 



