CHAP. XVIIL] SOUTHERN PLANTERS. 245 



sionally they struck up a hymn, taught them by the Methodists, 

 in which the most sacred subjects were handled with strange 

 familiarity, and which, though nothing irreverent was meant, 

 sounded oddly to our ears, and, when following a love ditty, al 

 most profane. 



Darien is on the left or northern bank of the Altamaha. 

 About fifteen miles above it, on the opposite bank, we came to 

 Hopetori, the residence of Mr. II. Couper, having first passed 

 from the river into a canal, which traversed the low rice fields. 

 Here we put up prodigious flights of the marsh blackbird (Aje- 

 laius phceniceus), sometimes called the red-winged starling, be 

 cause the male has some scarlet feathers in the upper part of his 

 wing. When several thousands of them are in rapid motion at 

 once, they darken the air like a cloud, and then, when the whole 

 of them suddenly turn their wings edgeways, the cloud vanishes, 

 to reappear as instantaneously the next moment. Mr. Couper 

 encourages these birds, as they eat up all the loose grains of rice 

 scattered over the field after the harvest has been gathered in. 

 If these seeds are left, they spring up the year following, pro 

 ducing what is called volunteer rice, always of inferior quality to 

 that which is regularly sown. From the rice grounds we walked 

 up a bank to a level table land, composed of sand, a few yards 

 above the river, and covered with pines and a mixture of scrub 

 oa,k. Here, in this genial climate, there are some wild flowers 

 in bloom every day of the year. On this higher level, near the 

 slope which faces the rice fields and the river, stands the house 

 of Hopeton, where we spent our time very agreeably for a fort 

 night. Much has been said in praise of the hospitality of the 

 southern planter, but they alone who have traveled in the south 

 ern states, can appreciate the perfect ease and politeness with 

 which a stranger is made to feel himself at home. Horses, car 

 riages, boats, servants, are all at his disposal. Even his little 

 comforts are thought of, and every thing is done as heartily and 

 naturally as if no obligation were conferred. When northerners 

 who are not very rich receive guests in the country, where do 

 mestic servants are few and expensive, they are often compelled, 

 if they would insure the comfort of their visitors, to perform me- 



