Two 'prime' negro men, dressed in the usual costume, were 'tending the
still,' and a negro-woman, as stout and strong as the men, and clad in a
short, loose, linsey gown, from beneath which peeped out a pair of
coarse leggins, was adjusting a long wooden trough, which conveyed the
liquid rosin from the 'still' to a deep excavation in the earth, at a
short distance. In the pit was a quantity of rosin sufficient to fill a
thousand barrels.

'Here, Bill,' said Barnes to one of the negro men, as we pulled up at
the distillery, 'put these critters up, and give 'em some oats, and when
they've cooled off a bit, water 'em.'

'Yas, yas, massa,' replied the negro, springing nimbly forward, and
taking the horses by the bridles, 'an' rub 'em down, massa?'

'Yas, rub 'em down right smart,' replied the corn-cracker; then turning
to me, as we dismounted, he said: 'Stranger, thet's th' sort o' niggers
fur ye; all uv mine ar' jess like him, smart and lively as kittens.'

'He does seem to go about his work cheerfully,' I replied.

'Cheerfully! d--d ef he doan't--all on 'em du! They like me better'n
thar own young 'uns, an' it's 'case I use 'em like human bein's;' and he
looked slyly toward the Colonel, who just then was walking silently
away, in the direction of the run, as if in search of the drowned
'chattels.'

'Not thar, Cunnel,' cried the native, 'they're inter th' shed,' and he
started to lead the way to the 'spirit-house.'

'Not now, Barnes,' I said, putting my hand on his arm, 'leave him alone
for a little while. He is feeling badly, and we'd better not disturb
him.'

The native motioned me to a seat on a rosin-barrel, as he replied:

'Wal, he 'pears ter, thet's a fact, and he orter. D--d ef it arn't
wicked to use niggers like cattle, as he do.'

'I don't think he means to ill-treat them; he's a kind-hearted man.'

'Wal, he ar' sort o' so; but he's left ev'ry thing ter thet d--d
overseer uv his'n. I wudn't ha' trusted him to feed my hogs.'

'Hogs!' I exclaimed, laughing; 'I supposed you didn't _feed_ hogs in
these diggings. I supposed you 'let 'em run.''

'_I_ doan't; an' I've got th' tallest porkys 'round har.'

'I've been told that they get a good living in the woods.'

'Wal, p'raps the' du jest make eout ter live thar; but my ole 'oman
likes 'em ter hum. They clean up a place like, eat up all th' leavin's,
an' give th' young nigs suthin' ter du.'

'It seems to me,' I said, resuming the previous thread of the