DRAGGING THE SEINE. 137 



the crushed fruit mingled with the sweet forgiveness of their 

 meek guardians, we thus rudely trampled in a doubly per- 

 fumed death. The sense was intoxicated in this delicious 

 air, until we laughed, and sang, and said, we knew not what 

 shouted and screamed, and bounded our snorting horses 

 wildly over and through these scented glories of the fresh- 

 ened earth, in a sort of delirious joy, which their game and 

 high-bred natures could fully share. Other parties joined 

 us on the way, and, together, we formed a noisy company 

 that mellow morning as we darted, one after another, into 

 the bridle-path that led to the spring, beneath a grove upon 

 the banks of a little river. 



Here we were greeted with shouts of welcome, as we burst 

 in view of a pretty basin, overhung by a huge mossy rock, 

 and shaded with tall trees, beneath which, and around the 

 spring, were gathered some ten or twelve of the party who had 

 arrived before us. The gentlemanly planter came forward 

 with a hearty greeting for each, and all was for a few mo- 

 ments the bustle of dismountings, of salutations, &c. 



My lady cared for the horses delivered to the charge of 

 the grinning and delighted slaves of the plantation, we had 

 time to look around. It was a lovely spot that had been 

 chosen, everything about it looked as wild as when the 

 thirsty Indian, in undisputed lordship here, had come to lie 

 down by the cold waters for his noonday draught. 



The plantation was several miles distant ; but our active 

 host had already commenced preparations for our reception, 

 as the blazing fire, the implements of cookery, the great bas- 

 kets with mysterious covers, scattered around, most plainly 

 showed. A droll-looking old mulatto, with shirt sleeves 

 rolled up and knife in hand, proclaimed himself, by his au- 

 thoritative demeanor, the chief cook and master of culinary 

 ceremonies for the day. This was for him a glorious occa- 

 sion ; an event of mighty import ; and he demeaned himself 

 accordingly. Group after group arrived and dismounted, 

 amidst a gay clatter of tongues, and now some thirty persons 



