eats. At
one end, but not close to the cabins, was a raised stand, which served
as a pulpit for the preachers, one of them praying, while five or six
others sat down behind him on benches. There was ingress to the area by
the four corners; the whole of it was shaded by vast forest trees, which
ran up to the height of fifty or sixty feet without throwing out a
branch; and to the trunks of these trees were fixed lamps in every
direction, for the continuance of service by night. Outside the area,
which may be designated as the church, were hundreds of tents pitched in
every quarter, their snowy whiteness contrasting beautifully with the
deep verdure and gloom of the forest. These were the temporary
habitations of those who had come many miles to attend the meeting, and
who remained there from the commencement until it concluded--usually, a
period of from ten to twelve days, but often much longer. The tents
were furnished with every article necessary for cooking; mattresses to
sleep upon, etcetera; some of them even had bedsteads and chests of
drawers, which had been brought in the wagons in which the people in
this country usually travel. At a farther distance were all the wagons
and other vehicles which had conveyed the people to the meeting, whilst
hundreds of horses were tethered under the trees, and plentifully
provided with forage. Such were the general outlines of a most
interesting and beautiful scene.

Where, indeed, could so magnificent a temple to the Lord be raised as on
this lofty hill, crowned as it was with such majestic verdure. Compared
with these giants of the forest, the cabins and tents of the multitude
appeared as insignificant and contemptible as almost would man himself
in the presence of the Deity. Many generations of men must have been
mowed down before the arrival of these enormous trees to their present
state of maturity; and at the time they sent forth their first shoots,
probably were not on the whole of this continent, now teeming with
millions, as many white men as are now assembled on this field. I
walked about for some time surveying the panorama, when I returned to
the area, and took my seat upon a bench. In one quarter the coloured
population had collected themselves; their tents appeared to be better
furnished and better supplied with comforts than most of those belonging
to the whites. I put my head into one of the tents, and discovered a
sable damsel lying on a bed and singi