40 
LETTEES FROM ALABAMA. 
same species^ swimming swiftly in a clear stream ^ 
close to the surface, but entirely submerged ; occa- 
sionally it stopped, protruding its head and neck 
above the surface to look about. 
In the fields of some large estates through which 
the road led, I saw, for the first time, negro-slaves 
performing the labours of agriculture. They were 
ploughing between rows of cotton, which was just 
appearing above ground. The ploughs appeared to 
me to be rude and ineffective," the share doing little 
more than scratching the soil : each was drawn by 
a single mule. 
It was revolting to me to observe women en- 
gaged in this laborious occupation, whose clothing 
—if the sordid rags which fluttered about them 
deserve the name— was barely sufficient for the 
claims of decency. Poor wretches ! whose lot is 
harder than that of their brute companions in 
labour ! for they have to perform an equal amount 
of toil, with the additional hardships of more 
whipping and less food. But perhaps you will 
say that I am not yet competent to speak on this 
subject — perhaps I am not, therefore I defer it 
till a longer residence here has given me opportuni- 
ties of more mature observation. 
To return, then, to the wild and the free : within 
a neglected pasture-field lay the carcase of a 
hog, which already diffused far and wide an odour 
anything but delectable. On this delicate morsel 
a pair of those obscene but useful vultures, the 
Turkey Buzzards ( CatJiartes aura\ were regaling 
themselves ; but, on my approach, they threw out 
their sable wings, and, lazily rising, flew slowly 
and heavily to a neighbouring tree, where, out of 
danger, they could still keep their banquet in view^ 
