92 BLUFF OF ST. STEPHEN S. [CHAP. XXV. 



covered with yew trees or juniper, where the pure 

 calcareous soil of the chalk reaches the surface. 



When I looked down from the top of the precipice 

 at St. Stephen s, the scene which presented itself was 

 most picturesque. Near us was the great steam-boat, 

 throwing off a dense column of white vapour, and 

 an active body of negroes throwing logs on board 

 by torch-light. One of my companions had clam 

 bered with me, torch in hand, to the top of the bluff; 

 the other was amusing himself in the boat below by 

 holding another blazing torch under large festoons 

 of Spanish moss, which hung from the boughs of a 

 huge plane tree. These mossy streamers had at 

 length been so dried up by the heat, that they took 

 fire, and added to the brilliant illumination. My 

 fellow passengers were asleep during this transaction, 

 but congratulated me the next morning on having 

 had the command of the vessel during the night. 



On board the steamer were three gentlemen of 

 respectable families and good standing in society, 

 who had been ruined by their drunken habits. They 

 had all been brought up to the bar, and two of them 

 were married. One had become quite imbecile ; and 

 I saw the captain and clerk interfere to prevent him 

 from taking more spirits. We heard many lamenta 

 tions at the prevalence of this vice in Alabama, and 

 were told of a skilful physician who had lost all his 

 practice by giving way to intemperance. While one 

 of the passengers was conversing with me on this 

 subject, he called my attention to an overseer just 

 coming on board, who, not long ago, had shot a 

 negro, a ringleader in a conspiracy. The affair, he 



