The Unpublished Works of Joseph Le CoJite. 241 



and all was still as death. I lay awake a long time gazing 

 into the tranquil heavens studded with innumerable stars: 

 and the huge oaks standing like giants with arms uplifted and 

 faces upturned to the sky. Slowly the deep tranquility and 

 holy calm of nature transfused itself into my soul and I sank 

 quietly to sleep." 



They were discovered the next morning, but Joseph Le 

 Conte made his escape. His brother John and his nephew 

 were captured. 



"I was comparatively safe but my extreme anxiety concern- 

 ing my brother and nephew rendered it impossible for me to 

 remain quiet. Three or four times in the course of the after- 

 noon, I crept down to the camp; but in every case I found 

 stray Yankees there and had to retreat. My anxiety increased 

 until it became insupportable. * * >k i crept down on my 

 hands and knees, closely observing at every step until I came 

 within ten steps of the camp fire. There was no one there but 

 one little negro boy about eight years old. As I rose and 

 walked toward the fire the little fellow started up to run. I 

 called to him to stop and he turned and recognized me." 



The negroes greeted Professor Le Conte gladly, told of the 

 capture of his brother and nephew and five negro men. He 

 found that all of his manuscripts had been burned, with all of 

 the silver, jewelry and other articles of personal value. The 

 Confederate supplies had been destroyed also. 



The negroes had saved something for their master to eat, 

 after which he sought and found the hiding place of Captain 

 Green. 



The hardships endured during the days while Professor Le 

 Conte and Captain Green were making their way to Columbia, 

 are entirely forgotten in his humorous account of their narrow 

 escapes from capture, their ragged condition, and their eager- 

 ness to gain rest and food. Captain Green made a good sub- 

 ject for comedy, and the anecdotes told of him are very laugh- 

 able. Finally they reached their destination: 



"We entered Columbia and went down Main street for 



