THE DROWNED LANDS. 213 



was spread in the stem. The negroes, with their sinewy 

 arms and hairy breasts bare, sat at the oars ; they were 

 the handsomest negroes on the Jackson place, but would 

 generally run away to the woods when their master was 

 off; so to obtain some use out of them they were always 

 taken along on the marooning excursions. The boats 

 lay with theii* stems on the rocks, waiting for Miss Jack- 

 son. Her father took his seat and pushed off, calling out 

 as he went — 



" Come, Lou, hurry up. Who will you ride with ?" 



She stepped down to the water's edge and into the 

 Doctor's boat. Push off! Away they go, moving on 

 the water like shadows, so little ripple do they leave 

 behind. The shore recedes, the camp-fire smoke lessens ; 

 Rose can just be seen by the beach with her hands on 

 her hips, watching the lessening fleet ; the hounds' com- 

 plainings come fainter and fainter ; islands are passed ; 

 new vistas open to the eye with tropical vegetation ; 

 gaudy birds on the sandy points ; low swathing mist in 

 patches on the water, and no wind to drift it away. 

 How luxuriantly calm ! The land seems all afloat ! 



Jackson was in the lead, and we all followed in a line 

 after him. Presently Mike's boat shoots ahead, a feather 

 of spray at its prow, and the sweat guttering on the fore- 

 heads of the oarsmen. Yowler's head was lying over 

 the edge of the canoe. Mike had a paddle in his hand, 

 steering, and I saw the deer-skin that decorated the seat 

 had been left behind. 



" Where away ?" called out Jackson, resting on his 



