ng her children fighting and
suffering. The space between the two beds was occupied by three
Irishwomen and Mrs. Ivy's two babies. The babies had commenced
screaming as they were brought into the pen, at which I was not
surprised. Having pitched their voices on the proper key, they never
ceased shrieking, kicking, crying, throwing up, and going through the
whole list of baby performances. The nurses scolded with shrill voices
above the bedlam that had hushed even Mrs. R----'s complaints; Jennie
and Minna quarreled, kicked, and cried; and as an aggravation to the
previous discomforts, a broad-shouldered, perspiring Irishwoman sat
just by my head, bracing herself against my pillow in the most
unpleasant style. I endured it without flinching until about half-past
three, when the condensed odor of a dozen different people and children
became unendurable, and I staggered up on deck where Miriam and Mrs.
Ivy had been wise enough to remain without venturing below. They laid
me on a bench in the stern, rolled me up in shawls to keep off the
heavy dew, and there I remained until daylight with them, as wide awake
as ever.

At daylight there was a universal smoothing of heads, and straightening
of dresses, besides arrangements made for the inspection of baggage.
Being unwilling for any Christian to see such a book as this, I passed
a piece of tape through the centre leaves, and made Miriam tie it under
her hoops. At sunrise we were in sight of the houses at the lake end.
It seemed as though we would never reach land.

I forgot to speak of our alarm as we got in the lake. No sooner had we
fairly left the bayou than the sky suddenly became threatening. The
captain shook his head and spoke of a very ugly night for the lake,
which sent everybody's heart to their throats, and alarmed us
immeasurably. We got talking of the sailor's superstition of crossing
the water with a corpse, until we persuaded ourselves that it was more
than probable we would founder in the coming storm. But the severest
storm we met was the one in the cabin; and all night the only wind was
a head breeze, and the spicy gale from below.

When we at last entered the canal, I beheld the animal now so long
unseen, the Yankee. In their dark blue uniforms, they stood around, but
I thought of the dear gray coats, and even the pickets of Madisonville
seemed nobler and greater men than these. Immediately a guard was
placed on board, we whispering before he came, "Our de