the Negroes looked up to, respected, and feared as witches, wizzards,
and magic-workers. These either brought their "learnin" with them from
Africa or absorbed it from their immediate African forebears. Mentally,
these people wern't brilliant, but highly sensitized, and Rias gave "all
sich" as wide a berth as opportunity permitted him, though he knows "dat
dey had secret doins an carrying-ons". In truth, had the Southern Whites
not curbed the mumbo-jumboism of his people, he is of the opinion that
it would not now be safe to step "out his doe at night".

Incidentally, Rias Body is more fond of rabbit than any other meat "in
de wurrul", and says that he could--if he were able to get them--eat
three rabbits a day, 365 days in the year, and two for breakfast on
Christmas morning. He also states that pork, though killed in the
hottest of July weather, will not spoil if it is packed down in shucked
corn-on-the-cob. This he learned in slavery days when, as a "run-away",
he "knocked a shoat in the head" one summer and tried it--proving it.




EX-SLAVE INTERVIEW

JAMES BOLTON
Athens, Georgia

Written by:
Mrs. Sarah H. Hall
Federal Writers' Project
Residency 4
Athens, Georgia