DESCRIPTION OF SLAVERY.

161

very rarely happens that the slave lays by money for the purchase of his freedom, though he might easily do so, were he sufficiently anxious for the boon.

You may, perhaps, think, that by saying so much in favour of these slave-owners, I am to a certain extent glossing over the evils of slavery, and conveying an erroneous idea of the condition of the black people. This, I must assure you, is far from my intention; I speak from actual observation of the good general treatment of the slaves, and in doing so you must bear in mind that my remarks apply more particularly to the State of Louisiana than to that of the slave States in general, about which I am not qualified as an eye-witness to speak. The impression upon my mind (and I have, I confess, a great horror of the state of slavery, per se) is that their bondage is not so irksome, or their situation half so unhappy as it is represented to be. The paucity of religious instruction, the want of a minister of the gospel, and the entire absence of religious observances, sacraments, and offices, are, in my opinion, the most crying evils in the slavery system. The children on the plantations are not christened; marriage is a mere civil contract; and when a negro dies, he is generally buried like a dog in a hole, in unconsecrated ground.

The slaves have naturally a strong wish for re

162

NEGRO PREACHERS.

ligious instruction, and they are also extremely inclined to the indulgence of superstitious feelings and fears; they are also very apt to select a preacher from among themselves, who discourses to them on Sundays, and even on week days after their work is over, and who is always listened to with great attention. The negro preacher is not, however, much encouraged by the planters generally, which is I think to be regretted, as in the absence of any orthodox religious instruction, it seems hard that they should not be allowed to supply his place to the best of their ability. It is said, as an excuse for this rather despotic proceeding on the part of the slave-owners, that a bad use has too often been made of the privilege when granted, the object of the preacher being rather that of exciting his hearers to discontent than of preaching to them the word of God.

Cunning seems to be a quality possessed in a great degree by most of the negro race, and we were particularly struck by the artful manner in which we saw some of the slaves belonging to a neighbouring plantation prefer their requests to their master. They were sharp enough to see that the presence of strangers might induce their owner to agree to demands which it was very possible would, under other circumstances, be refused. So it was-Massa promise build me new house' 'Massa promise, last fall, make my pigstie:' in

CARNIVAL AT NEW ORLEANS.

163

short, the poor man was harassed by fresh demands at every turn, while we were as greatly amused by the artful plottings of these cunning people.

We had some delightful rides in the woods, watching the opossums and listening to the mocking-birds. The ilexes were of great size and beauty, and the hanging moss and the profusion of creeping plants added much to the beauty of the woods. After a very pleasant visit of a week's duration, we returned to the city in time to witness the procession of the fat ox on Mardi Gras, and to be violently pelted with bonbons, both real and counterfeit. The carnival gaieties so closely resemble those of Catholic countries in Europe, that I will refrain from giving you a description of them. There were the crowds of open carriages filled with masks, some in fancy dresses and some without, and the same (often most tiresome) licence of word and deed. I have no time to write you more of our adventures at present, so shall close my letter.

LETTER XXXV.

ATROCITIES COMMITTED IN THE DISTANT PLANTATIONS DEPARTURE FOR THE MEXICAN ARCHIPELAGO-THE 'DIME' STEAMBOAT-DIFFICULTIES OF THE NAVIGATION-THE ISLAND OF RUBIERA LIFE IN THE

BARATARIA ·

- DON

ISLAND-THE MURDERED OVERSEER-SELINA-
LEAVE BARATARIA FOR ANOTHER PLANTATION.

New Orleans-February.

UR trip up the river had been so interesting,

and we had seen the condition of slavery in so mild a form, that we could not help fancying that there must be a darker side of the picture than that we had seen. There can be no doubt of the fact, that in these days the horrors of slavery cannot exist, nor can acts of cruelty and gross injustice be practised on the black race on the banks of that great thoroughfare, the Mississippi River, or indeed any part of the country, where a man's actions must inevitably become known to his fellow-men; but, on the plantations which are more removed from public observation, all sorts of atrocities may still be perpetrated to the disgrace of humanity, without any risk of loss of character

LOUIS PHILIPPE'S HOME.

165

to the tyrant who is capable of taking so cruel an advantage of the unprotected condition of his negroes. Such may certainly be the case, but we were informed by the best authorities here, and among them by some of the bitterest foes to slavery, that, in some of the distant plantations, the slaves lead frequently an easier life than they do on the Mississippi; we were also informed that though instances of cruelty are rare, the immorality which prevails is almost incredible.

We were sorry to find that we could not visit that part of the Attakapas which we were most anxious to see, owing to the absence from their plantations of those we had, at one time, intended to visit. The Attakapas is a sugar region, which commences some thirty or forty miles west of the Mississippi, and extends towards the Gulf of Mexico it is watered by the Atchafalaya, the Teche, La Fourche, and other small streams; and it was here that Louis Philippe found a home for many months, during the troubles of the French Revolution. A gentleman, who is the owner of two or three of the model plantations in the State of Louisiana, kindly offered to be our Cicerone, in our trip to the lower part of the river, and also to show us some plantations on the Gulf shore, which are the most remote from human ken, and which are, in fact, almost inaccessible except by sea. He assured me, that these plantations, though they