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partly owing to the perpetual loss by disease or accident, death or running away. He was sure more revenue might be obtained if his employer's estate were let under lease.

But it was not because of the physical hardships of the slaves, nor on account of the wastefulness of slave labour, nor yet by reason of the horrors of the ocean traffic in human cattle, that Murray declaimed most vehemently against the system. He was a staunch Whig, and the worst feature in his eyes was the necessity for keeping these creatures in the grossest ignorance, for excluding them even from the knowledge of the sentiment lying at the root of all self-improvement and self-respect-the love of liberty.

Murray spent most of the winter in Washington, and an unpublished reminiscence of his sojourn there remains among his private notes. It is, perhaps, not particularly edifying, but it serves to show the kind of frame in which his gentle, cultivated nature was lodged.

"When I arrived at Washington on my travels through America, some foolish friend of mine talked about my various feats of strength, such as bending and breaking pokers over my arm, and above all, of putting my fist through a closed door. This annoyed me rather, but the climax came one

evening at a big party. There was amongst the guests a little Dutchman, who pooh-poohed the idea of its being possible to put a fist through the panel of a door, upon which my friend, who had more loyalty than tact, grew very angry, and made a bet that I would not only do it, but would do it then and there. When I was told this, I flatly refused; but they urged that my friend would lose his money, and so forth; so with much reluctance I went up to the lady of the house and told her the facts of the case, and added, 'If, madam, you are kind enough to allow me to make this experiment, I will naturally hold myself responsible for any harm that may be done to your door, and will send an upholsterer to remedy it in the morning.' She looked rather astonished, but very good-naturedly said I might try my hand on her door. I waited till nearly every one had gone in to supper and the room was almost empty; then carefully shutting the door, I planted myself firmly, brought my fist against the panel, and, as usual, through it went, amidst great applause. Unluckily, at that moment a footman happened to be bringing up a great pile of plates to the supper - room, when just as he passed the door, through came my fist and forearm, caught him right in the chest, and felled him and his pile of plates with a mighty crash to the ground. You can imagine the hideous noise. Every one came rushing out to see what the deuce was going on, and found me, very shamefacedly, the culprit. Next day, to my great annoyance, all Washington was ring

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ing with the story of the rough-and-ready English cub, who came to evening parties and broke doors and knocked down footmen. Meantime the Dutchman, seeing I had so easily done what my friend had claimed I should do, turned round and declared that after all it was perfectly easy-he could do it himself. I said nothing, as his bumptiousness annoyed me. Of course it is a great deal a knack, as well as strength; but the knack must be known, as the Dutchman found to his cost. He bared his arm and hit out at the door, but the door remained uninjured, while his wrist broke instead; so he lost his money, and got a nasty arm into the bargain."

In spring Murray revisited the West, taking in his tour Richmond, Jamestown, and Norfolk. He spoke gratefully, and even enthusiastically, of the simple hospitality which he encountered everywhere. Returning in April to Washington, he started again in May for Baltimore, crossed the Alleghanies in the rope-railroad-a great marvel in those days-passed through Pittsburg, embarked on the Ohio, and came near ending his days at Cincinnati, where, being attacked by cholera, he made and forwarded his will to the British Legation at Washington — a document which he had the satisfaction of reclaiming and tearing up the following year.

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CHAPTER V.

1835.

ADVENTURES AMONG THE PAWNEES.

ONCE more re-established in health, Murray, resuming his travels, sailed up the Ohio to Louisville, and, as an instance of the discriminating nature of his criticism, there may be quoted his remarks on that town:

"Louisville is an active and thriving town,1 but, like all the others in the West, wretchedly lighted and paved at present. It is necessary to mark these two words, as in this most wonderful portion of this most wonderful continent, observations of a condemnatory nature are not likely to be true for more than twelve months." 2

In passing through Lexington he was delighted

1 The population of Louisville at the time of Murray's visit was under 11,000; in the census of 1880 it stood at 123,758. 2 Travels, vol. i. p. 184.

at meeting Harriet Martineau; and here again one is struck by the true liberality of Murray's mind, for nothing could be more directly opposed to his profound attachment to religious doctrine, conspicuous even at this early age, than the avowed scepticism of this writer.

"This lady's writings," he says, are too well known to require any comment on them here. I differ from many of her opinions, but nobody can deny her possession of great talent, or refuse her the merit of writing in a clear, concise, and elegant style; moreover, her conversation is agreeable, lively, and varied, displaying a mind both strong and original, a judgment very decisive, though not without prejudice, and a quickness of observation and comparison that render her an entertaining as well as an instructive talker."1

His host at Lexington was the celebrated American statesman, Henry Clay, then in the zenith of his reputation, although he had been twice defeated in contests for the Presidency. Murray had already heard this famous orator during a debate in the Senate, and was greatly impressed with his voice and manner, which produced on him "that most powerful of all effects-a conviction that, if provoked, the lion could roar yet more terribly." How commonly is this grace of 1 Travels, vol. i.

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