lready taken: the captain, however, resigned his room to me with
much good-will; so my mischance proved fortunate, as I found myself
installed in a neat cabin having a window opening on the water, which
indeed the heat of the night made most necessary.

There were two or three southern families on board, bound for Rhode
Island: they appeared worn out by heat and long travel. The women
especially pay dearly, I fear, for their sunny possessions; and what
return can compensate for loss of health? Many of these are natives of
the north; but, marrying southern gentlemen, they follow the fortunes of
their husbands; the distances are great to which they are removed
perhaps; and the necessity for a continuous residence on the plantation
through two or three succeeding summers, saps, for ever, the
constitution of a delicate female.

The appearance of two or three of these young matrons now on board the
packet excited my more than commiseration; attenuated in form,
sallow-visaged, and fragile as the aspen, they appeared to shrink from
the very breeze, to seek whose freshness they had journeyed so far. Two
of them possessed the remains of positive beauty; their dark hair was of
gossamer fineness, and their handsome eyes sparkled with that unnatural
light which shines as it were from the tomb. No man could have looked
upon them without pity; so attractive, so young, yet so evidently past
all earthly cure.

Landing at Providence, five hours' ride over a most dusty road brought
us within sight of the State-house of Boston, when a thunder-storm,
which had been for some time threatening, fell upon us with merciless
fury. The overburdened cloud appeared as though it fairly rested upon
the house-tops, and out of it ran a torrent of rain such as I should
only have looked for under the line, or on some tropical island.

I was outside, and had I even desired to seek shelter, the assault was
of so sudden a nature, and so vigorous, that the worst one could expect
from a complete ducking was effected in a moment: I sat it out
therefore, and arrived at the Tremont uncommonly uncomfortable.

_July 22nd._--Still on the move, seeking some cool spot where I may
fold my tired wings and take "mine ease." One night's halt convinced me
Boston was no quarter such as I desired just now; the house was crowded,
the thermometer high, and my room as high as the glass, for it was one
hundred and something up four flights of stairs. My good friend, Mr.
T-