d commenced a
prayer, shutting his eyes (as I observed most clergymen in the United
States do when they pray) and raising his hands above his head; then
another burst out into a prayer, and another followed him; then their
voices became all confused together; and then were heard the more
silvery tones of woman's supplication. As the din increased so did
their enthusiasm; handkerchiefs were raised to bright eyes, and sobs
were intermingled with prayers and ejaculations. It became a scene of
Babel; more than twenty men and women were crying out at the highest
pitch of their voices, and trying apparently to be heard above the
others. Every minute the excitement increased; some wrung their hands
and called for mercy; some tore their hair; boys laid down crying
bitterly, with their heads buried in the straw; there was sobbing almost
to suffocation, and hysterics and deep agony. One young man clung to
the form, crying, "Satan tears at me, but I would hold fast. Help--
help, he drags me down!" It was a scene of horrible agony and despair;
and, when it was at its height, one of the preachers came in, and
raising his voice high above the tumult, intreated the Lord to receive
into his fold those who now repented and would fain return. Another of
the ministers knelt down by some young men, whose faces were covered up,
and who appeared to be almost in a state of frenzy; and putting his
hands upon them, poured forth an energetic prayer, well calculated to
work upon their over excited feelings. Groans, ejaculations, broken
sobs, frantic motions, and convulsions succeeded; some fell on their
backs with their eyes closed, waving their hands with a slow motion, and
crying out--"Glory, glory, glory!" I quitted the spot, and hastened
away into the forest, for the sight was too painful, too melancholy.
Its sincerity could not be doubted, but it was the effect of
over-excitement, not of sober reasoning. Could such violence of feeling
have been produced had each party retired to commune alone? most surely
not. It was a fever created by collision and contact, of the same
nature as that which stimulates a mob to deeds of blood and horror.

Gregarious animals are by nature inoffensive. The cruel and the savage
live apart, and in solitude; but the gregarious, upheld and stimulated
by each other, become formidable. So it is with man.

I was told that the scene would be much more interesting and exciting
after the lamps were lighted;