nessed but the "Jonah's Band Party" found in our collection is one
whose making I distinctly recall. I shall tell in some detail of its
origin because it serves in a measure to illustrate how the Dance Rhymes
probably had their beginnings. First of all be it known that there was a
"step" in dancing, originated by some Negro somewhere, called "Jonah's
Band" step. There is no need that I should try to describe that step
which, though of the plain dance type, was accompanied from the
beginning to the end by indescribable "frills" of foot motion. I can't
describe it, but if one will take a stick and cause it to tap so as to
knock the words: "Setch a kickin' up san'! Jonah's band," while he
repeats the words in the time of 2/4 music measure, the taps will
reproduce the tattoo beaten upon the ground by the feet of the dancers,
when they danced the "Jonah's Band" step. The dancers formed a circle
placing two or more of their skilled dancers in the middle of it. Now
when I first witnessed this dance, there were no words said at all.
There was simply patting with the hands and dancing, making a tattoo
which might be well represented by the words supplied later on in its
existence. Later, I witnessed the same dance, where the patting and
dancing were as usual, but one man, apparently the leader, was simply
crying out the words, "Setch a kickin' up san'!" and the crowd answered
with the words, "Jonah's Band!"--the words all being repeated in
rhythmic harmony with the patting and dancing. Thus was born the line,
"Setch a kickin' up san'! Jonah's Band!" In some places it was the
custom to call on the dancers to join with those of the circle, at
intervals in the midst of the dance, in dancing other steps than the
Jonah's Band step. Some dance leaders, for example, simply called in
plain prose--"Dance the Mobile Buck," others calling for another step
would rhyme their call. Thus arose the last lines to each stanza, such
as--

"Raise y[=o]' right foot, kick it up high!
Knock dat 'Mobile Buck' in de eye!"

This is the genesis of the "Jonah's Band Party," found in our
collection. The complete rhyme becomes a fine description of an old-time
Negro party. It is probable that much Dance Rhyme making originated in
this or a similar way.

Let us assume that Negro customs in Slavery days were what they were in
my childhood days, then it would come about that such an ocasional Rhyme
making in a crowd would naturally stimulate individu