supply of stationery to satisfy the demands of all the correspondence of all the members, and all their friends besides. Liberality is undoubtedly a characteristic of the Americans.

From the summit of the Capitol we only wanted ruins to fancy ourselves in Italy. The clear blue sky, those flights of steps and marble pillars, the gardens, the distant river and heights beyond, the fair marble edifices, those dark pines, and the delicate green of the freshly bursting foliage; so that Washington with its peculiar beauties, in addition to its present flattering titles, might be not inaptly termed the Italian city of America.

The other lions of Washington are the Patent Office, affording many days of entertainment, the Post Office and Treasury, the White House, of course, the Smithsonian Museum, and the Washington monument. I had not the honour of attending the weekly reception at the White House during my stay, my friend's representation of the motley crowd not being sufficiently encouraging to overcome even a woman's curiosity.

Bidding adieu to Washington, and returning to Baltimore, the remainder of my journey was to be accomplished by water, and I soon found myself established in a pleasant "state-room," as berths are called, on board the "William Selden," a boat which has since taken rank as a war steamer in the American navy. The stewardess was an elderly negress attired in silk and crinoline, albeit surmounted by a

ON BOARD THE "WILLIAM SELDEN."

27

gaudy cotton handkerchief, wrapped turban fashion around her head. Her manner was exceedingly gracious, not to say patronizing, but overwhelmingly polite, and yet with so much of self-respect that I could not summon courage to inquire whether she were a slave or not. Afterwards I discovered that she

was one.

We soon got too far from the coast, as the river rapidly widens, to see much of the country on leaving Baltimore by water; but there was life enough to amuse on that warm and sunny day, and sudden transition from the snow storms and sleigh bells, with the thermometer near zero, which had been the experience of the last few weeks. The busy scene of vessels of all sorts and sizes, steaming, rowing, sailing, tacking, or smoothly gliding, had no lack of interest for those who love the sea. The water is as calm as a lake, and the soft air and sunshine deceive one into the idea that it must be June instead of the very beginning of April. We get into the bay as evening approaches, and the distant receding shore is brought out on one side by the rosy and purple of twilight, and on the other by the rising moon ascending into the starry, cloudless sky, while every stroke of the paddle-wheel covers the waves with a beautiful phosphorescence from a sort of sea-anemone, and we proceed on the luminous waters.

CHAPTER III.

Steam-boat Travelling.-Up the Rappahannock River.-First acquaintance with "a Slaveholder."-A Virginian Family.Forest Rill Plantation.

THERE is something very tranquil and agreeable after many days of travelling in every kind of vehicle on land, to find yourself ensconced for a given number of hours or days in an airy, cosy little state room on board a well-ordered American boat. By the open window, with a comfortable seat, and a nice little table to invite you to occupation, you can make yourself at home for the time being; that is, if you are so fortunate as to secure the whole state room to yourself, which it was my good luck to do. Here you are free from interruption; no smoke, no dust, you can continue the perusal of some all absorbing story, you can make entries in your note-book, go on with your crochet-work, or sum up your travelling expenses. Or, if you wish for company and sociability, go into the saloon, where some young lady will soon favour you with a mazourka on the

STEAM-BOAT TRAVELLING.

29

Chickering's grand piano that forms a regular part of the boat's furniture; which if it be somewhat out of tune, has yet a cheerful, encouraging sound. Then you can study the physiognomies of your fellow travellers, and perchance find a face that invites you to conversation. The silence and exclusiveness that Englishmen observe in travelling, would be quite unpopular in America, where people are together perhaps for several days in a boat or railroad "car," and where they sit down at the same table to the three daily meals.

We retire to rest, and awake next morning near the mouth of the Rappahannock river, and the coast of Virginia; where we perceive low banks, and rocks of light red sandstone, abundance of evergreens, the water of a beautiful greenish hue, and the weather bright and warm; our progress southward during the night being strangely evident. We stop to land cargo at a spot that is strikingly picturesque and novel to northern eyes. Several light carts with teams of mules and oxen are grouped with their sable drivers under a hanging rock, which is crested with dark pines and cedars. Not a white being is seen on shore. Slouching leisurely negroes; the women with bright handkerchiefs bound around their heads; children lying asleep on the sand, or gaping open-mouthed at the boat; other teams and negroes are approaching along the undulating line of coast, where a sandy road winds round a hill, at the foot of which beneath a cluster of pines stand some

two or three cottages; the brightness of the sunshine, the darkness of the inhabitants, the unusual warmth of the weather, and predominance of sand in the soil, bring Africa strongly to one's imagination, and it seems as if we have passed suddenly into tropical regions during our nocturnal voyage.

The boat "William Selden" made two weekly trips between Baltimore and Fredericksburg, the capital of Spotsylvania county, Virginia. This route down the Chesapeake bay and up the Rappahannock river, was not the most direct one from Washington to my destination, which could have been gained by one quarter of the distance, by going down the Potomac as far as Aquia Creek, and thence by train to Fredericksburg, a stage-coach twice a week from that town passing within six or eight miles of my future home. But the trip by water, though much longer, was to me, far more agreeable than so many changes and delays.

The Rappahannock, one of those rivers whose shores have since been exposed to the attacks of the Federal gun-boats, is of considerable width for many miles from its mouth. It is navigable for ships of large size for forty or fifty miles, brackish, and under tidal influence so far: trading vessels and steamers ascend to Fredericksburg, which is more than double that distance. The pretty little town of Tappahannock was where my journey terminated, at least so far as the boat was concerned. The river is here more than half a mile wide at high water. A long