good and evil in every condition; for a negrogirl is not more a slave to her mistress, than her mistress to a sopha; and the one riots in health, while the other has every faculty Lenervated. Negroes are remarkably tolerant of heat. A negro in the hottest month will court a fire. From the black there is an easy transition to the white man. Society in Carolina exhibits not that unrestrained intercourse which characterises English manners. And this remark will apply throughout the States of the Union. The English have been called reserved; and an American who forms his notions of their manners from Addison and Steele, entertains a contemptible opinion of the cheerfulness that prevails in the nook-shotten isle of Albion. But let the cheerfulness of both countries be fairly weighed, and I believe the scale will preponderate in favour of the English. That quality termed humour is not indigenous to America. The pleasantries of a droll would not relax the risible muscles of a party of Americans, however disposed to be merry; the wag would feel no encouragement from the surrounding countenances to exert his laughter-moving powers; but like the tyrant in the tragedy, he would be compelled to swallow the poison that was prepared for another. Cotton in Carolina, and horse-racing in Virginia, are the prevailing topics of conversation: these reduce every understanding to a level, and to these Americans return from the ebullitions of the humourist, as the eye weary of contemplating the sun, rejoices to behold the verdure. Captain Pelotte, who, I have observed, composed one of our hunting party, having invited me to the review of the Militia of Coosohatchie district, I rode with him to the muster-field near Bee's-Creek, where his troop was assembled. It was a pleasant spot of thirty acres, belonging to a school-master, who educated the children of the families in the neighbourhood. There is scarcely any contemplation more pleasing than the sight of a flock of boys and girls just let loose from school. Those whom nature designed for an active, enterprising life, will contend for being the foremost to cross the threshold of the school-door; while others of a more wary temper keep remote from the strife. A throng of boys and girls was just released from the confinement of the school, as I reached Bee's Creek with Captain Pelotte. Our horses and they were mutually acquainted. The beasts pricked up their ears, and some of the children saluted them by name; while some, regardless of both the horses and their riders, were earnestly pursu ing butterflies; some stooping to gather flowers; some chaunting songs; and all taking the road that led to the muster-field. If ever I felt the nature that breathes through Shenstone's School poem, it was on beholding this band of little men and little women. "And now Dan Phoebus gains the middle skie, And now the grassy cirque is cover'd o'er A thousand ways in wanton rings they run. Captain Pelotte having reviewed his soldiers, marched them triumphantly round a huge oak that grew in the centre of the parade, animated by the sound of the spiritstirring drum; and afterwards laid siege to a dinner of venison in the open air, to which I gave my assistance. It was a republican meal. Captain, Lieutenants, and Privates, all sat down together at table, and mingled in familiar converse. But the troop devoured such an enormous quantity of rice, that I was more than once inclined to believe they had emigrated from China. On the 7th of April 1799, I accepted the invitation of a Mr. Wilson, who was visiting [* The Schoolmistress, St. 30.] the family at Ocean, to accompany him to Savannah; glad with the opportunity to extend my travels into Georgia, and not less happy to cultivate his acquaintance. We left Ocean plantation at eight in the morning. Mr. Wilson drove himself in a sulky, and I rode on horseback, followed by a servant on another. Our journey offered nothing to view but an uncultivated tract, or one continued pine baṛren; for Priesburg is a village composed of only three houses, and Barnazoba can boast only the same number of plantations. Having refreshed ourselves in the house of Mrs. Hayward's Overseer, (the lady was gone to Charleston) we waded from Barnazoba, through mud and mire to the mouth of a creek, where we embarked with a couple of negroes in a canoe, and were paddled into a small river that empties itself into that of Savannah. Again we landed, and walked about a mile to another plantation, of which the white people were absent, but the negroes remained. Jee Chri! exclaimed a negrowench, too much buckra come here today, for true! Here we launched a large canoe, and were rowed to my companion's plantation; dining on the water in our passage thither. The negroes of the plantation beheld the coming of Mr. Wilson with joy; old and young of both sexes came to the landing place to [* Purysburg.] welcome his approach. The canoe was in a moment run high and dry upon the beach, and the air resounded with acclamations. We left the plantation in a four-oared canoe, and were rowed with velocity up the beautiful river of Savannah. Quantities of alligators were basking in the sun on both shores. They brought to my recollection the happy description of Ariosto. Vive sub lito è dentro a la Riviera, This animal (says the poet) lives on the river and its banks; preying on human flesh: the bodies of unwary travellers, of passengers, and of sailors. We landed at Yamacraw, the name given by the Indians to the spot on which part of Savannah is built; and after ploughing through one or two streets of sand, we reached Dillon's boarding-house, where we were obligingly received, and comfortably accommodated. There was a large party at supper composed principally of cotton manufacturers from Manchester, whose conversation operated on me like a dose of opium. Cotton! [*E grande a maraviglia questa fiera; Berni: Orlando, III, 3, 6.] |