e, as the place was not safe; and that I must pack up instantly,
as, unless we got off before the Essex came up, it would be impossible
to leave at all. All was commotion; every one flew to pack up. Phillie
determined to go to her friends at Grosse Tete, and insisted on
carrying us off with her. But I determined to reach Miriam and Lilly if
possible, rather than put the Federal army between us. All _en
deshabille_, I commenced to pack our trunk, but had scarcely put an
article in when they cried the Essex was rounding the point, and our
last opportunity passing away. Then I flew; and by the time the boat
got opposite to us, the trunk was locked, and I sat on it, completely
dressed, waiting for the wagon, We had then to wait for the boat to get
out of sight, to avoid a broadside; so it was half-past ten before we
set off, fortified by several glasses of buttermilk apiece.

All went in the carriage except Ginnie, Lilly (Nolan), and me, and we
perched on the baggage in the wagon. Such stifling heat! The wagon
jarred dreadfully, and seated at the extreme end, on a wooden trunk
traversed by narrow slats, Ginnie and I were jolted until we lost our
breath, all down Arkansas Lane, when we changed for the front part. I
shall never forget the heat of that day.

Four miles beyond, the carriage stopped at some house, and, still
determined to get over the river, I stepped into the little cart that
held our trunks, drove up to the side of it, and insisted on mother's
getting in, rather than going the other way with Phillie. I had a
slight discussion, and overcame mother's reluctance to Phillie's
objections with some difficulty; but finally prevailed on the former to
get into the cart, and jolted off amid a shower of reproaches, regrets,
and good-byes. I knew I was right, though; and the idea reconciled me
to the heat, dust, jarring, and gunboat that was coming up behind us.

Six miles more brought us to Mr. Cain's, where we arrived at two
o'clock, tired, dirty, and almost unrecognizable. We were received with
the greatest cordiality in spite of that. Mother knew both him and his
wife, but though I had never seen either, the latter kissed me as
affectionately as though we had known each other. It was impossible to
cross when the gunboat was in sight, so they made us stay with them
until the next morning. A bath and clean clothes soon made me quite
presentable, and I really enjoyed the kindness we met with, in spite of
a "tearing" he