CHAPTER XII

A new Evil, and how it was overcome-Ladies' Gun-boat FundsThe Whipping-The Phantom-Changes of TemperatureExposed Position of Florida-An Unpardonable OffenceSudden Inundations-An artifice to procure Specimens.

I FELT my health fast giving way under the influence of the isolation, the temperature, and the diet. In vain I struggled against this new and worst evil of all. God help me! should my health fail, where would be my only protection. Day after day my strength decreased, until I had not energy to hold a pen or pencil, and could not walk ten paces without fatigue; then followed some cooler weather, cool enough "to kill;" another score of hogs was slaughtered, and I believe that put the finishing stroke to my indisposition.

The girls were very amiable, the elder ones said "Don't trouble yourself about the lessons," and undertook to instruct the younger ones; and they all seemed in the height of enjoyment with the idea of it. When at last I was confined to my room Mrs. Milton brought her work up to sit with me, and the noisy troublesome Flora sometimes came bouncing

in with the pretty little Jeff Davis, who just began to know me. I fell back upon reading novels to draw away my thoughts from frightful subjects, but in spite of all, began to fear my bones would rest under the climbing roses and Cape jasmine in the little family graveyard of Sylvania, and, as in the case of the poor Marylanders in Western Virginia, my friends might never know where I was buried. Mrs. Milton sent for a doctor. The best physician in the neighbourhood had just gone to North Carolina to be near the army, but there was another one, she said. He came, and looked at me, and went away again, forgetting to leave the medicines, or to send them; he lived eight miles off. Mrs. Milton then prescribed for me, and tried every means to procure me suitable diet, but diet was unnecessary, I could eat nothing. If I could have received one letter it seemed as if I should feel better; but the reflection that friends might write, and even a letter from England might arrive, through those kind people at Charelston, and be lost by carelessness at the postoffice, was not very consolatory. I will not teaze the reader with more of that illness, the most alarming and unhappy one of my life. Of course I recovered, as I live to tell the tale; but I shall always believe that, with the blessing of the Almighty, I was enabled to struggle against it, and keep alive by mere force of will. The idea of dying out there in the blockaded country, away from every human tie, was so terrible, that I exerted myself to keep alive, more than I

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ever exerted myself to do anything in my life before. Medicines there were none, of any consequence. Stimulants there were none; neither delicacies, or any kind of diet that an English invalid would require; but as soon as I was able to eat anything at all, Johnny went out to shoot birds and catch fish, and Aunt Peggy exerted her best skill in preparing the dishes to suit my taste; and at last I managed to get down stairs to take a drive.

The last time I had looked out at the woods none of the deciduous trees had shown a sign of buds. It had been within three weeks, and now the dogwood was in bloom. Also several species of plum, sassafras, and many flowering trees and shrubs quite new to me. The "live oaks" and some other trees were in full foliage, and among wild flowers I saw a very handsome verbena, like our garden varieties, oxalis, violets, white lilies, azaleas, and several strange plants all in bloom. This was the end of February. Uncle Steph, who drove me, was not so obliging as William. He wanted "to be home to give my pigs dere supper, and couldn't stop for no weeds." The girls enjoyed a drive into town, or to visit their young friends; but merely to pass along the road to look at the trees and inhale the pure breath of Heaven, did not possess many attractions; so I went alone.

An occasional newspaper from Richmond did begin to arrive at Sylvania, and the first letter I received was from Dr. Bacon. It had been three weeks

in coming. Good, kind old gentleman! what a treat it was to receive his long, closely-written letter, telling me of all the things worthy of notice in my botanical rambles, and philosophising on making the most of my opportunities, " seeing you were intent on going," he said. The number of pupils at the College had increased, and the house was full. The number of soldiers at the hospitals was diminished, and the general health of the army improved. "The great onward movement "to Richmond has not yet been made by the Federals, nor will it be this winter certainly," (the date of his letter was 7th February and this was the end of the month,) "for McClellan's army of the Potomac is effectually locked up by the roads for the next sixty or ninety days. They cannot move a mile, and yet they talk loudly of an advance from all quarters. Our troops have gone into winter quarters, and are making themselves happy in log huts with mud chimneys. Dr. McGee has got up a musical club in his regiment, and they are enjoying themselves finely.

"General Beauregard has just left us for Kentucky. This we all regret, but are glad to know he will return when his presence is needed. Nothing can be done here this winter, and it is scarcely worth while to keep two such Generals as Beauregard and Johnston at this point, when there is more to be done in Kentucky," &c. &c.-Then he spoke of the Georgians defending Savannah, and of the failure of the great "Burnside expedition," and of the con

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tinued "brag" of the Federals, who were "not any nearer to their object than they were a year ago, nor so near, if the expression may be allowed." He wound up his famously long letter by saying that "we are all anxiously watching the course that England and France may pursue, for by the latest news the probability of their intervention seems to be increasing. I have little doubt myself that in less than sixty days our independence will be acknowledged, and that in less than three months this odious blockade will be raised. Europe, I think, cannot stand it much longer. May God speed the day, for it is a sore oppression to us!"

This writer was a man of solid judgment, a scholar, a divine, and an example of Christian virtues.

At this time there was a perfect furore throughout the Confederacy for "Ladies gun-boat funds." Having supplied their soldiers with winter clothing, and used up all the flannels, cloths, and wools that were then procurable, in adding to their wants, their attention was turned to the gun-boats. In Charleston, Savannah, New Orleans, Mobile, and Richmond, as well as other places, ladies were forming societies for this object. One saw columns and columns of names and subscriptions acknowledged in the papers. Those who had money gave it, those who had not, gave plate and jewelry; the wealthy not only gave money themselves, but purchased, by raffling, the gifts of others, so that thus double assistance was rendered to the object.

VOL. II.

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