settlement to leave money and presents promised to the people
there, for similar improvement in the condition of their huts. I had not
time to stay and distribute my benefactions myself; and so appointed a
particularly bright intelligent looking woman, called Jenny, pay-mistress
in my stead; and her deputed authority was received with the utmost
cheerfulness by them all.

I have been having a long talk with Mr. ---- about Ben and Daphne, those
two young mulatto children of Mr. K----'s, whom I mentioned to you lately.
Poor pretty children! they have refined and sensitive faces as well as
straight regular features; and the expression of the girl's countenance,
as well as the sound of her voice, and the sad humility of her deportment,
are indescribably touching. Mr. B---- expressed the strongest interest in
and pity for them, _because of their colour_: it seems unjust almost to
the rest of their fellow unfortunates that this should be so, and yet it
is almost impossible to resist the impression of the unfitness of these
two forlorn young creatures, for the life of coarse labour and dreadful
degradation to which they are destined. In any of the southern cities the
girl would be pretty sure to be reserved for a worse fate; but even here,
death seems to me a thousand times preferable to the life that is before
her.

In the afternoon I rode with Mr. ---- to look at the fire in the woods. We
did not approach it, but stood where the great volumes of smoke could be
seen rising steadily above the pines, as they have now continued to do for
upwards of a week; the destruction of the pine timber must be something
enormous. We then went to visit Dr. and Mrs. G----, and wound up these
exercises of civilized life by a call on dear old Mr. C----, whose nursery
and kitchen garden are a real refreshment to my spirits. How completely
the national character of the worthy canny old Scot is stamped on the care
and thrift visible in his whole property, the judicious successful culture
of which has improved and adorned his dwelling in this remote corner of
the earth! The comparison, or rather contrast, between himself and his
quondam neighbour Major ----, is curious enough to contemplate. The Scotch
tendency of the one to turn everything to good account, the Irish
propensity of the other to leave everything to ruin, to disorder, and
neglect; the careful economy and prudent management of the mercantile
man, the reckless profusion, and careless ex