quickly across the Atlantic.

My father and Tim, who were old voyagers, lost no time in making
themselves at home--the former with the captain, mates, and cabin
passengers; the latter with the seamen and his companions in the
steerage.

We had an assemblage of various nationalities. Almost every one on
board was interested to some extent in the growth of cotton, the chief
produce of Georgia, to the principal port of which we were bound. While
we sat round the table at supper, the relative values of sea-island
cotton and upland cotton, and the best modes of manufacturing sugar and
tobacco, were the general subjects of conversation; but as I knew no
more about these articles than I did of the cultivation of cloves and
nutmegs, I could only sit and listen: though I was able to note the
remarks of others, and tried to gain some idea of the character of the
speakers. Two other persons were at first as silent as myself. One of
them at length began to ask a few questions, speaking with a strong
French accent. He appeared far more interested in what was said than
the other. I heard him addressed as Monsieur Lejoillie. On inquiring
about him from the gentleman who sat next me, he replied--

"What! don't you know him? If you had seen his luggage coming on board
you would have guessed--cases of all sorts, mostly empty, except a few
containing instruments and bottles. He is a great naturalist,--and, I
may add, linguist, for I don't know how many languages he speaks. Not
equal to our own Audubon, I guess, but a man of wonderful talent,
notwithstanding. But, to confess the truth, I am not very well versed
in the matters in which he excels."

This information impressed me with a due respect for Monsieur Lejoillie,
and I hoped to become better acquainted with him before long.

A remark made by the hitherto silent personage on the subject of
slavery, which caused many of the party to prick up their ears and cast
angry looks at the speaker, showed me that he was a fellow-countryman.

I heard Monsieur Lejoillie say to him, in a low voice, "Hush, my young
friend! Liberty, equality, and fraternity may be very fine things to
talk about in the Old World; for being incompatible with our advanced
state of civilisation, people can there afford to laugh at such notions.
It is quite a different thing in the New World, where hostile races are
brought close together; and I would advise you not to give expression to
your opinions ex