Page:The Homes of the New World- Vol. III.djvu/18

Rh house to another, rushing up steps and down steps many hundred times, from morning till late at night.

One kind family, among my new friends at New Orleans, invited me to spend this day with them, that I might see the cheerful scene. But it would have wearied me, without affording me what I need on New-year's day. If, however, there were here any genuine Indian Bushkiton, then would I gladly be present, that I might endeavour to forget. For this I would willingly plunge into the Mississippi, if I could only be certain of—coming up again! God's deep mercy shall be my Bushkiton!

And now, whilst the weather is bad, and the great world is paying visits and compliments, and polite gentlemen are sunning themselves in the beautiful smiles of elegant ladies, in gas-lighted drawing-rooms, I will, at my ease, converse with you about the occurrences of the last few days, about the slave-market and a slave-auction at which I have been present.

I saw nothing especially repulsive in these places, excepting the whole thing; and I cannot help feeling a sort of astonishment that such a thing, and such scenes, are possible in a community calling itself Christian. It seems to me sometimes as if it could not be reality, as if it were a dream.

The great slave-market is held in several houses situated in a particular part of the city. One is soon aware of their neighbourhood from the groups of coloured men and women, of all shades between black and light yellow, which stand or sit unemployed at the doors. Accompanied by my kind doctor, I visited some of these houses. We saw at one of them the slave-keeper, or owner—a kind, good-tempered man, who boasted of the good appearance of his people. The slaves were summoned into a large hall, and arranged in two rows. They were well fed and clothed, but I have heard it said by the people here that they have a very different appearance when they are