k to their homes, but waited to see
me. I could not bear to disappoint them, for many of them had come from
the farthest settlements on the estate; and so, though my hot ride had
tired me a good deal, and my talk with Israel troubled me profoundly, I
took off my habit, and had them all in, and read the afternoon service to
them. When it was over, two of the women--Venus and Trussa--asked if they
might be permitted to go to the nursery and see the children. Their
account of the former condition of the estate was a corroboration of
Israel's. They said that the older slaves on the plantation had been far
better off than the younger ones of the present day; that Major ---- was
considerate and humane to his people; and that the women were especially
carefully treated. But they said Mr. K---- had ruined all the young women
with working them too soon after their confinements; and as for the elder
ones, he would kick them, curse them, turn their clothes over their heads,
flog them unmercifully himself, and abuse them shamefully, no matter what
condition they were in. They both ended with fervent thanks to God that he
had left the estate, and rejoicing that we had come, and, above all, that
we 'had made young missis for them.' Venus went down on her knees,
exclaiming, 'Oh, missis, I glad now; and when I am dead, I glad in my
grave that you come to us and bring us little missis.'

* * * * *

Dear E----. I still go on exploring, or rather surveying, the estate, the
aspect of which is changing every day with the unfolding of the leaves and
the wonderful profusion of wild flowers. The cleared ground all round the
new building is one sheet of blooming blue of various tints; it is
perfectly exquisite. But in the midst of my delight at these new blossoms,
I am most sorrowfully bidding adieu to that paragon of parasites, the
yellow jasmine; I think I must have gathered the very last blossoms of it
to-day. Nothing can be more lovely, nothing so exquisitely fragrant. I was
surprised to recognise by their foliage, to-day, some fine mulberry
trees, by Jones's Creek; perhaps they are the remains of the silk-worm
experiment that Mr. C---- persuaded Major ---- to try so ineffectually.
While I was looking at some wild plum and cherry trees that were already
swarming with blight in the shape of multitudinous caterpillars' nests, an
ingenuous darkie, by name Cudgie, asked me if I could explain to him why
the trees