replied
that she made it in bales, and sold it by weight.

"It must be heavy carriage from here to James Town?" said I.

"Yes, indeed, if it went that way it never would arrive, I imagine,"
replied she; "but I have a sloop in the river below, which carries it
round."

"When is the time it is harvested and fit to be carried round?" inquired
I.

"It is now turning fast," said she; "all that you see hanging in the
drying sheds has been already drawn; in three or four weeks it will be
housed, and then we begin to pack: in about two months from this the
sloop will take it round."

"But is it not expensive keeping a sloop on purpose, with men to have
her in charge?" inquired I, to hear what she would say.

"The sloop lies at anchor, without a soul on board," said she. "No one
ever comes up this river. I believe Captain Smith, who made the
settlement, did so once. There is another river, about twenty miles
further down, which is occasionally frequented by buccaneers, I am
told--indeed, I know it, for my husband had more to do with them than
perhaps was good for his soul, but this little river is never visited."

"Then your servants take her round?"

"Yes; I leave one in charge, and take two with me."

"But you have but two."

"Not till you came--one died; but now I have three," and she smiled at
me again.

If I had not been so afraid of affronting her, I certainly would have
said to her, "Do anything, I beg, but smile."

I said no more on that point. She called Jeykell, who was in the
tobacco-shed, and desired him to kill a couple of chickens, and bring
them in. We then entered the cabin, and she observed--"I don't doubt
but you are tired with so much fatigue; you look so; go and sleep on one
of their beds; you shall have one for yourself by night."

I was not sorry to do as she proposed, for I was tired out. I lay down,
and I did not wake till she called me and told me that dinner was ready.
I was quite ready for that also, and I sat down with her, but the two
convict servants did not. She ate in proportion to her size, and that
is saying enough. After dinner she left me, and went with her two men
on her farming avocations, and I was for a long while cogitating on what
had passed. I perceived that I was completely in her power, and that it
was only by obtaining her good-will that I had any chance of getting
away, and I made up my mind to act accordingly. I found a comfortable
bed, of the husks of In