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 imjDort ; and he demeaned himself 
accordingly. Group after group arrived and dismounted, 
amidst a gay clatter of tongues, and now some thirty persons 
