derly negro man came out, and took his seat
on a mound of turf, a few feet from the cottage; he was followed by a
lad, about twenty years of age, who bore in his hand a formidable
cow-skin. For the information of my readers, I must observe that a
cow-skin is a large whip, made like a riding whip out of the hide of the
hippopotamus, or sea-cow, and is proverbial for the severity of
punishment it is capable of inflicting. After the executioner, came,
with slow and measured steps, the poor little culprits, five boys and
three girls, who, with most rueful faces, ranged themselves rank and
file, before the old man.

I soon perceived that the hands were turned up for punishment; but the
nature of the offence I had yet to learn; nor did I know whether any
order had been given to strip. With the boys this would have been
supererogatory, as they were quite naked. The female children had on
cotton chemises, which they slowly and reluctantly rolled up, until they
had gathered them close under their armpits.

The old man then ordered the eldest boy to begin his Pater Noster; and
simultaneously the whipper-in elevated his cow-skin by way of
encouragement. The poor boy watched it, out of the corner of his eye,
and then began, "Pattery Nobstur, qui, qui, qui--" (here he received a
most severe lash from the cow-skin bearer)--"is in silly," roared the
boy, as if the continuation had been expelled from his mouth by the
application of external force in an opposite direction--"sancty fisheter
nom tum, adveny regnum tum, fi notun tas, ta ti, tu, terror," roared the
poor fellow, as he saw the lash descending on his defenceless back.

"Terror, indeed," thought I.

"Pannum Nossum quotditty hamminum da nobs holyday, e missy nobs, debitty
nossa si cut nos demitti missibus debetenibas nossimus e, ne, nos
hem-duckam in, in, in, temptationemum, sed lilibery nos a ma-ma--" Here
a heavy lash brought the very Oh! that was "caret" to complete the
sentence.

My readers are not to suppose that the rest of the class acquitted
themselves with as much ability as their leader, who, compared to them,
was perfectly erudite; the others received a lash for every word, or
nearly so the boys were first disposed of, in order, I suppose that they
might have the full benefit of the applicant's muscles; while the poor
girls had the additional pleasure of witnessing the castigation until
their turn came; and that they were aware of what awaited them was
evid