Barry-

That gospel song collector from South Carolina was Lindy Halsey. I had a nice talk with her and her husband at breakfast, and she being from the Charlston area wanted to hear more about the Black gospel songs of Ella Madison, from whom my mother learned "West Indies Blues." Lindy told me that the alligators are now moving back into Charlston, the indigenous population having been consumed by rapacious Charstonians in the 19th century, as documented in one verse of Ella's song:

Dem Charleston folks eat alligator meat,
Fried wi' rice and taters;
Bestes' eatin' I ever did have
Was monkey hips an' tomaters.

Thanks for sharing your table at the Galley.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble