new linch-pin was soon whittled out, the
turpentine rolled on to the cart, and the vehicle put in a moving
condition.

"Where are you hauling your turpentine?" asked the Colonel.

"To Sam Bell's, at the 'Boro'."

"What will he pay you?"

"Wal, I've four barr'ls of 'dip,' and tu of 'hard.' For the hull, I
reckon he'll give three dollar a barr'l."

"By tale?"

"No, for tu hun'red and eighty pound."

"Well, _I'll_ give you two dollars and a half, by weight."

"Can't take it, Cunnel; must get three dollar."

"What, will you go sixty miles with this team, and waste five or six
days, for fifty cents on six barrels--three dollars!"

"Can't 'ford the time, Cunnel, but must git three dollar a barr'l."

"That fellow is a specimen of our 'natives,'" said the Colonel, as we
resumed our seats in the carriage. "You'll see more of them before we
get back to the plantation."

"He puts a young cow to a decidedly original use," I remarked.

"Oh no, not original here; the ox and the cow with us are both used for
labor."

"You don't mean to say that cows are generally worked here?"

"Of course I do. Our breeds are good for nothing as milkers, and we put
them to the next best use. I never have cow's milk on my plantation."

"You don't! I could have sworn it was in my coffee this morning."

"I wouldn't trust you to buy brandy for me, if your organs of taste are
not keener than that. It was goat's milk."

"Then how do you get your butter?"

"From the North. I've had mine from my New York factors for over ten
years."

We soon arrived at Sandy, the negro-hunter's, and halted to allow the
Colonel to inquire as to the health of his family of children and
dogs--the latter the less numerous, but, if I might judge by
appearances, the more valued of the two.

[Footnote G: The negro-whippers and field overseers.]

[Footnote H: Referring to the common practice of bathing the raw and
bleeding backs of the punished slaves with a strong solution of salt
and water.]

CHAPTER VIII.

THE NEGRO HUNTER.

Alighting from the carriage, I entered, with my host, the cabin of the
negro-hunter. So far as external appearance went, the shanty was a
slight improvement on the "Mills House," described in a previous
chapter; but internally, it was hard to say whether it resembled more a
pig-sty or a dog-kennel. The floor was of the bare earth, covered in
patches with loose plank of various descriptions, and littered over with
bille