blossomed out so fair, and then all 'went off into a kind of
dying.' Having directed his vision and attention to the horrid white
glistening webs, all lined with their brood of black devourers, I left him
to draw his own conclusions.

The afternoon was rainy, in spite of which I drove to Busson Hill, and had
a talk with Bran about the vile caterpillar blights on the wild plum
trees, and asked him if it would not be possible to get some sweet grafts
from Mr. C---- for some of the wild fruit trees, of which there are such
quantities. Perhaps, however, they are not worth grafting. Bran promised
me that the people should not be allowed to encumber the paths and the
front of their houses with unsightly and untidy heaps of oyster shells. He
promised all sorts of things. I wonder how soon after I am gone they will
all return into the condition of brutal filth and disorder in which I
found them.

The men and women had done their work here by half-past three. The chief
labour in the cotton fields, however, is both earlier and later in the
season. At present they have little to do but let the crop grow. In the
evening I had a visit from the son of a very remarkable man, who had been
one of the chief drivers on the estate in Major ----'s time, and his son
brought me a silver cup which Major ---- had given his father as a
testimonial of approbation, with an inscription on it recording his
fidelity and trustworthiness at the time of the invasion of the coast of
Georgia by the English troops. Was not that a curious reward for a slave
who was supposed not to be able to read his own praises? And yet, from the
honourable pride with which his son regarded this relic, I am sure the
master did well so to reward his servant, though it seemed hard that the
son of such a man should be a slave. Maurice himself came with his
father's precious silver cup in his hand, to beg for a small pittance of
sugar, and for a prayer-book, and also to know if the privilege of a milch
cow for the support of his family, which was among the favours Major ----
allowed his father, might not be continued to him. He told me he had ten
children 'working for massa,' and I promised to mention his petition to
Mr. ----.

On Sunday last, I rode round the woods near St. Annie's and met with a
monstrous snake, which Jack called a chicken snake; but whether because it
particularly affected poultry as its diet, or for what other reason, he
could not tell me. Nearer home,