the captain, who was giving orders and swearing, irritated, we were glad to see, rather than alarmed.

the river to

“D——— and " (our captain swore shockingly sometimes), he growled, between his teeth; continuing as I went nearer to him-" Any white men on the face of the earth, except these cursed lazy Virginians, would keep this stream fit for the largest liner to go up and down in safety. Here we are, stuck on a bar, and got to stick on it half the night! Tide going down. Wind getting up, too, them. I wish would take all the cuss't niggers they're so fond I'd buy a farm here myself, then. I guess I'd show some of the F. F. V.s how to farm, too, by!"

of to heaven or to Africa. By

"There's no danger, is there, captain?" said Mrs. approaching on one side, anxiously, her three little ones round her, eyes and mouths wide

open.

A true American the captain was-cool and polite in a moment, as he turned and assured her there was none. Then, in compliance with the wishes of our steward, who had procured some luxuries from the shore, we adjourned to supper; and chickens, eggs, bacon, tomatoes, green corn,

asparagus, enabled us to make a pleasant meal.*

* Since the year when this was written, what unforeseen and, then, incredible scenes and events have taken place on the banks of the James!

In no country, so far as any human foresight or speculation extended, were such things less likely to happen than in the region now strewed with human carcases. About that very time, the wealth and respectability of London were in a state of alarm which it is now hard to realize; while America looked on Europe, labouring in the pangs of universal revolution, with mingled condolence and encouragement, pity, and self-satisfaction, in the belief that the Old World was merely struggling to imitate the institutions of the New. Let no nation, then, believe itself beyond the reach of the greatest of misfortunes.

CHAPTER II.

First Sight of a Slave-An Exploring Expedition in the since famous Chickahominy Region-Meet with an Uncle-Reach a Farm-house near the James-Virginia Farmer's Family, Dwelling, Habits—The Negro Question.

I was sitting alone on deck, enjoying the delicious night, whose quiet, however, was to my ear somewhat disturbed by the croakings of numerous frogs. My eye followed a moving light on the river, which proved to be in a boat containing two men, As they passed alongside, I felt inclined to enter into friendly communication with them; so I asked what they were doing there, and where they were going?

English travellers used to be much annoyed by the Yankee practice of asking questions of strangers; but it is, in fact, a practice much to the stranger's advantage, since it allows him to question in return, and to learn much which he could arrive at in no other way.

"We've been fishing, massa, and we'se going home now, down the river a bit to Mr. Amery's, close by Nockatock,” was the reply.

"Got a few fish to spare, boys?" asked our mate, who now stood by my side.

"Well, massa, we ain't had much luck; but I s'pose as you're come a mighty long ways, you won't be very 'ticklar; and I reckon we must

First Slave Negro Acquaintance.

9

The old negro kept saying something as he stooped down among his fish; and it occurred to me that I might be able at once to introduce myself to the natives of the region. So when the fish business had been transacted, I inquired of the negro who seemed to be in command whether there was an inn at Nockatock?

"I don't 'zackly understand the gen'leman," said the negro, turning to the mate; "I reckon he don't 'long to these parts."

"Is there a public-house or a tavern at Nockatock— any house where a traveller could get a bed for the night, and a something to eat?"

66

The grey-headed old fellow looked inquiringly and shyly at us as he replied, Why, mass'r, I speck ther's mighty few houses hereabouts where a gen❜lman travelling couldn't get that much."

"Yes, yes; but is there a public-house at Nockatock, old man?" asked the mate.

"Well, it's mighty late now, mass'r."

"How far is it from here?" I inquired. "How long will it take you to get there?" *

It was with much trouble that, assisted by the mate, I at last found I could get to Nockatock in about an hour. I had soon bid good night to him and the one or two men in sight, and was floating down the James in the fishingboat with my two rude companions.

* In what few pages the author speaks of himself and of private persons in this volume, names, dates, and localities are changed, so as to avoid the possibility of annoying any one by bringing their domestic habits, circumstances, and affairs before the public. This plan, however, does not affect debateable facts; for all of which authority is given, since I wish to make this little book indisputable testimony on the subjects concerning which the United States have been pointed to as the living illustration.

For various reasons I thought it best to say little, and we soon reached our rough landing-place, where it was arranged that the younger and more taciturn negro should carry my small valise and walk with me to my destination. He was not well acquainted with the road, but he was told he couldn't miss it with a little care.

At first we walked along the carriage-way; the dark forest on both sides, with a few lightning-bugs gliding about; a number of frogs, of all voices, from shrillest treble, and higher, down to a deep bass, interfering very much with my reflections and with the night's serenity. I congratulated myself on having left the ship, and thus plunged in medias res, instead of waiting and disembarking at the ordinary landing-place. I was now, I presumed, in a portion of the virgin forest of the New World.

Not wishing to run the risk of appearing ridiculous, I refrained from asking my guide whether wolves or bears, or other wild beasts, still infested the country, and whether the Red Indian had entirely disappeared. In fact, although Virginia has been so long settled, both bears and wolves are common in some ranges of the not very lofty mountains which run through the centre of the State, dividing it into Eastern and Western Virginia; and, at no great distance from where I was, there still remained a village of inoffensive red men.

All at once my guide broke "Ah! all right, massa! here it is. track-dat is fact."

"What is it?" I inquired.

silence by exclaiming,

I gan to tink I lost de

"Why, I tort we had somehow passed dis ole hoss's white head," said he, pointing to a white object on the

ground at our feet, which I guessed to be the bleached skull of a horse. "Now, we've only got to take dis left fork, and then we come to a fence and an ole field—”

He continued rehearsing to himself the route, which comprised so many points that I anxiously hoped he might make no mistake; the more so as we heard the roll of distant thunder, and a stillness and sultriness all roundnot a leaf moving-seemed to give warning of an approaching storm.

"The quicker we gets out of dis de better, massa, I reckon," said my guide, as he lumbered along a few feet ahead of me. "It looks mighty like we're going to have all sorts of a storm 'fore long.'

I now began to wish I had been contented to sleep on board, and had checked till daylight my curiosity to explore the still to me New World. At night the sea is solemn and awe-inspiring; so is the desert; but in the midst of an unknown forest, danger seems more imminent and there is something more awful than in either. Now and then my guide would mutter to himself. The distant thunder murmured. I with my London eyes couldn't avoid roots, small ponds, and other obstacles so easily as he did; and we had to cross two or three stony gullies, with which the heavy rains cut up the country, and the wood seemed to get thicker and darker.

This was the nature, I afterwards found, of a great portion of Virginia; three-fifths of it being still in its original forest state. Such appears to have been the natural condition of the whole of the eastern side of the continent; one vast forest covering the uneven surface, from the Gulf of Mexico northward, till the climate stunts and thins vegetation.