way, and landed with the whole concern in
deep water below. Wonderful to relate, not a life was lost! The
mattress on which the negroes remained seated floated them off into
shallow water. The only one hurt was Tiche, who had her leg severely
sprained. The baggage was afterwards fished out, rather wet. In the mud
next morning (it happened late at night), Dophy found a tiny fancy
bottle that she had secreted from the Yankees; a present from Clemmy
Luzenberg, it was, and one of two things left in my curiosity shop by
the Yankees.

After seeing everything in, we started off for the hotel, where we
arrived after dark, rather tired, I think. Not a comfortable house,
either, unless you call a bare, unfurnished, dirty room without shutter
or anything else, comfortable; particularly when you are to sleep on
the floor with four children and three grown people, and a servant.
After breakfast we came here until we can find a place to settle in,
which Mr. Marsden has promised to attend to for us. It is rather rough
housekeeping yet, but Lilly has not yet got settled. Our dinner was
rather primitive. There was a knife and fork to carve the meat, and
then it was finished with spoons. I sat on the floor with my plate, and
a piece of cornbread (flour not to be bought at any price) and ate with
my fingers--a new experience. I found that water can be drunk out of a
cup!

Ouf! I am tired!

August 30th.

Still no prospect of a lodging; so here we remain. I never before lived
in a house without a balcony, and have only now found out how
inconvenient it is. The whole establishment consists of two rooms on
each side of a passage as wide as the front door; and as it has a very
low ceiling, with no opening, and no shade near, it is decidedly the
warmest spot I ever inhabited. We all sleep on the floor and keep our
clothes in our trunks--except Lilly, who has an armoir without doors.
Knives and forks for dinner to-day, though the table still consists of
a single plank. The house really has a suffocating effect on me, there
is such a close look about it. The front is fully a foot below the
level of the street, while quite a flight of steps leads from the back
door to the yard. In fact, the whole town consists of abrupt little
mounds. It is rather a pretty place; but Heaven save me from the misery
of living in it! Miriam is crazy to remain--even advocates that dirty,
bare, shutterless b