uring the summer. It was evident that they had
made very rapid improvement, and we noticed with pleasure how bright and
eager to learn many of them seemed. They sang in rich, sweet tones, and
with a peculiar swaying motion of the body, which made their singing the
more effective. They sang "Marching Along," with great spirit, and then
one of their own hymns, the air of which is beautiful and touching:--

"My sister, you want to git religion,
Go down in de Lonesome Valley,
My brudder, you want to git religion,
Go down in de Lonesome Valley.

CHORUS.

"Go down in de Lonesome Valley,
Go down in de Lonesome Valley, my Lord,
Go down in de Lonesome Valley,
To meet my Jesus dere!

"Oh, feed on milk and honey,
Oh, feed on milk and honey, my Lord,
Oh, feed on milk and honey,
Meet my Jesus dere!
Oh, John he brought a letter,
Oh, John he brought a letter, my Lord,
Oh, Mary and Marta read 'em,
Meet my Jesus dere!

CHORUS.

"Go down in de Lonesome Valley," etc.

They repeat their hymns several times, and while singing keep perfect
time with their hands and feet.

On our way homeward we noticed that a few of the trees were beginning to
turn, but we looked in vain for the glowing autumnal hues of our
Northern forests. Some brilliant scarlet berries--the cassena--were
growing along the roadside, and on every hand we saw the live-oak with
its moss-drapery. The palmettos disappointed me; stiff and ungraceful,
they have a bristling, defiant look, suggestive of Rebels starting up
and defying everybody. The land is low and level,--not the slightest
approach to a hill, not a rock, nor even a stone to be seen. It would
have a desolate look, were it not for the trees, and the hanging moss
and numberless vines which festoon them. These vines overrun the hedges,
form graceful arches between the trees, encircle their trunks, and
sometimes climb to the topmost branches. In February they begin to
bloom, and then throughout the spring and summer we have a succession of
beautiful flowers. First comes the yellow jessamine, with its perfect,
gold-colored, and deliciously fragrant blossoms. It lights up the
hedges, and completely canopies some of the trees. Of all the
wild-flowers this seems to me the most beautiful and fragrant. Then we
have the snow-white, but scentless Cherokee rose, with its lovely,
shining leaves. Later in the season come the