sighing of those millions, and very
heartily did they put their hands to the burdens; but their number was
not quite equal to the work they had undertaken: I perceived, however,
that they never lost sight of these poor, heavy-laden wretches; and as
the number of these generous helpers increased, and is continually
increasing, I felt a comfortable hope, that before all the blacks got
out of the valley, the whites would so apply themselves to the burden,
that the loads would be effectually lightened.

Among the travellers, I had occasion to remark, that those who most
kicked and struggled under their burdens, only made them so much the
heavier; for their shoulders became extremely galled by these vain
struggles. The load, if borne patiently, would in the end have turned
even to the advantage of the bearers--for so the Lord of the valley
had kindly decreed; but as to these grumblers, they had all the smart
and none of the benefit. But the thing that made all these burdens
seem so very heavy was, that in every one, without exception, there
was a certain inner packet, which most of the travellers took pains to
conceal, and carefully wrap up; and while they were forward enough to
complain of the other part of their burdens, few said a word about
this, though in truth it was the pressing weight of this secret packet
which served to render the general burden so intolerable.

In spite of all their caution, I contrived to get a peep at it. I
found, in each, that this packet had the same label: the word _sin_
was written on all as a general title, and in ink so black that they
could not wash it out. I observed that most of them took no small
pains to hide the writing; but I was surprised to see that they did
not try to get rid of their load, but the label. If any kind friend
who assisted these people in bearing their burdens, did but so much as
hint at the secret packet, or advise them to get rid of it, they took
fire at once, and commonly denied that they had any such article in
their portmanteau; and it was those whose secret packet swelled to the
most enormous size, who most stoutly denied they had any such packet
at all.

I saw with pleasure, however, that some who had long labored heartily
to get rid of this inward packet, at length, by prayers, and tears,
and efforts, not made in their own strength, found it much diminished,
and the more this packet shrunk in size, the lighter was the other
part of their burdens also.