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9 The Early Nineteenth Century Text 5. Captain Hugh Crow, Memoirs Hugh Crow (1765-1829) of Liverpool, a captain active in the triangular trade, retired after making his final journey from Bonny in 1807-1808. His Memoirs (begun in 1815 and continued up to shortly before his death) were edited by his executors chiefly from his manuscript and from anecdotes fresh in their recollections (Crow 1830:179). Such evidence, together with the fact that he began writing after retirement , makes the authenticity of his work uncertain at some points. However, he is described as having "a memory uncommonly quick and retentive" and as being scrupulous about the veracity of his material (xiii). Crow's linguistic abilities may have been considerable. In Liverpool he was seen to address in the man's own language an African whom he encountered by chance and whose origin he recognized by tribal marks (xxxii-xxxiii). He was acquainted with the "soft and pleasing" form of the Ibo language spoken in Bonny (229). His record of the English-based creole spoken there provides one of the few clues as to the nature of trade languages of that time and place; defective as his account of the usage of King Pepple and King Holiday may be, it allows some comparison with Jamaican Creole of the period, especially as Crow records both forms. Crow was himself bilingual in Manx and English. Song Made by the People of Colour in Jamaica on CaptO Hugh Crow Although it seems hardly credible, Crow claimed a proven reputa133 ·~ !1J; / /.(:t 'J(./~/ ' ~ //Ud'4?Ya;;'7'fi: /4'~a,(11,-Z//M(M CAPT.~OW. . .J .. r~{t lL,.j t:'I .r.i ~....' ,""" -.w,(.,J:.;,., ;~{vo J.U. VOl.' "";"":",1 J.., ~,I .m .....-:'"\ - ... - I"';" h"'" ..J--,,,. r..-.+; rft' Plate 2. Song for Captain Hugh Crow (Crow 1830) ~ r.'I J..".,,~- J.fi' t.4~ - rf..( M ~ir.."" 'm ~.J- "" 4" ___" tel v . """ tTl Il> .., ~ z s· o ~ o ::l ..., :r o o ::l 2 - [b) change. Jekyll's work is, nonetheless, one of the most informative sources of Jamaican folk materials. Because of certain details in the following text (Jekyll 1907: 31-34), it has been ascribed to the early nineteenth century. Brother Annancy and Brother Death One day Brother Annancy sen' gal Annancy fe go a Brother Deat' yard fe go beg fire. When the gal go, him go meet Brother Deat' dis a eat fe him breakfas' enough eggs. Brother Deat' give gal Annancy one. Gal Annancy take the egg an', after eat done, put the shell 'pon him finger. 138 Early Nineteenth-Century Texts Brother Annancy wait an' wait but can't get the fire, till at last he sees the gal a come. When him see the gal with the egg shell 'pon him finger, him run an' bit off the gal finger slap to the hand. Him take 'way the fire, out it, an' go back to Deat' say: - "Bro'er Deat', de fire out." Brother Deat' give him fire an' one egg, tell him fe go home. "Say, Bro'er Deat', I goin' to give you me daughter fe marry to." So Annancy do marry off Deat' an' him daughter the same day. So him lef them gone for a week, then come back again fe come see him son-in-law. When him come him say: -"Bro'er Deat', me son, me hungry." Brother Deat' no 'peak. So Annancy begin fe talk to himself: "Bro'er Deat' say me fe go make up fire, but no mo so me no yerry." After five minutes him call out: -"Bro'er Deat', me make up de fire." Deat' no 'peak. "Bro'er Deat' say me fe wash de pot, but no mo so me no yerry. When the pot wash done, him call out: - "Pot wash." Deat' no 'peak. "Bro'er Deat' say me fe to put him on, but no mo so me no yerry." Soon him say: -"Bro'er Deat', where de vittle?" Deat' no 'peak. "Him say me fe look somewh6 de me see enough yam, me fe peel dem put dem a fire, but no mo so me no yerry." Annancy cook all Deat' food. When it boil, him take it off. Him say: -"Bro'er Deat', him boiL" Deat' no 'peak. "Bro'er Deat' say me fe share, but no mo so me no yerry." Annancy eat fe him share, then turn back say: -"Bro'er Deat', you no come come...

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