enough thing to observe, as I have frequent opportunities of doing, the unbounded insolence and tyranny (of manner, of course it can go no farther), of the slaves towards each other.  ‘Hi! you boy!’ and ‘Hi! you girl!’ shouted in an imperious scream, is the civillest mode of apostrophising those at a distance from them; more frequently it is ’You niggar, you hear? hi! you niggar!’ And I assure you no contemptuous white intonation ever equalled the prepotenza of the despotic insolence of this address of these poor wretches to each other.

I have left my letter lying for a couple of days, dear E——.  I have been busy and tired; my walking and riding is becoming rather more laborious to me, for, though nobody here appears to do so, I am beginning to feel the relaxing influence of the spring.

The day before yesterday I took a disagreeable ride, all through swampy fields and charred blackened thickets, to discover nothing either picturesque or beautiful; the woods in one part of the plantation have been on fire for three days, and a whole tract of exquisite evergreens has been burnt down to the ground.  In the afternoon I drove in the wood wagon to visit the people at St. Annie’s.  There had been rain these last two nights, and their wretched hovels do not keep out the weather; they are really miserable abodes for human beings.  I think pigs who were at all particular might object to some of them.  There is a woman at this settlement called Sophy, the wife of a driver, Morris, who is so pretty that I often wonder if it is only by contrast that I admire her so much, or if her gentle, sweet, refined face, in spite of its dusky colour, would not approve itself anywhere to any one with an eye for beauty.  Her manner and voice too are peculiarly soft and gentle; but, indeed, the voices of all these poor people, men as well as women, are much pleasanter and more melodious than the voices of white people in general.  Most of the wretched hovels had been swept and tidied out in expectation of my visit, and many were the consequent petitions for rations of meat, flannel, osnaburgs, etc.  Promising all which, in due proportion to the cleanliness of each separate dwelling, I came away.  On my way home I called for a moment at Jones’ 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.