An official account of it was published, in which the execution of so great a number of persons was justified by the precedent of George the Second, who executed fifty-four of the first men in Britain for the rebellion of 1745.

The existence of slavery in its most hideous form, in a country of absolute freedom in most respects, is one of those extraordinary anomalies for which it is impossible to account. No man was more sensible of this than Jefferson, nor more anxious that so foul a stain on the otherwise free institutions of the United States should be wiped away. His sentiments on this subject, and on the peculiar situation of his countrymen in maintaining slavery, are thus given in a communication to one of his friends:" What an incomprehensible machine is man ! who can endure toil, famine, stripes, imprisonment, and death itself, in vindication of his own liberty, and the next moment be deaf to all those motives whose power supported him through his trial, and inflict on his fellow-men a bondage, one hour of which is fraught with more misery than ages of that which he rose in rebellion to oppose. But we must await with patience the workings of an overruling Providence, and hope that that. is preparing the deliverance of these our suffering brethren. When the measure of their tears shall be full,-when their groans shall have involved Heaven itself in darkness,-doubtless a God of justice will awaken to their distress, and, by diffusing light and liberality among their oppressors, or at length, by his exterminating thunder, manifest his attention to the things of this world, and that they are not left to the guidance of a blind fatality.'

During the revolutionary war, Charleston and the state of South Carolina were frequently the theatre of hostilities. The first attack of the British on Charleston in 1776 was repulsed, but in the year 1780, Sir Henry Clinton made himself master of it, and for some time afterward, Colonel Tarleton, in the British service, carried the horrors of war throughout the state, and Lord Cornwallis sent off many of the inhabitants of the city, of whose influence he was afraid, to Saint Augustine. But one act of severity is, most of all, even to this day remembered-the execution of Colonel Hayne, a citizen of Charleston, of great respectability of character, and large fortune. He had served as an officer of militia during the siege of Charleston, and having no way of escaping close confinement when it fell into the hands of the British, but by signing a declaration of allegiance to the king of Great Britain, which contained a elause requiring him to support the royal government with arms,

he signed it: but he expressed to the British General Paterson, his determination never to bear arms against his country, and told him that he was forced to the step of signing the declaration, merely that he might be able to join his wife and children, who were at his plantation in a distant part of the state, and in most pressing need of his presence and support, the small-pox having afflicted them.

Being afterward threatened by the British with close confinement, in case of a refusal to take arms against his countrymen, he considered himself as released from his allegiance; and when he found the British no longer able to give that protection which was to be the compensation of his allegiance, he accepted a military appointment in the American army. Subsequently he fell into the hands of the British, and Lord Rawdon, then commanding in South Carolina, ordered him to be executed without even the formality of a trial, for which he had applied, though most powerful intercessions were made in his favour. The British lieutenant-governor, and many of the inhabitants, prayed that he might not be executed; the ladies of Charleston sent a petition in his behalf; his wife had died of the small-pox after his release from the capitulation; and his children, accompanied by their near relations, presented themselves on their knees to Lord Rawdon, as suitors for their father's life, but all in vain. At his lordship's express command, an order for immediate execution was given. His son, a boy of thirteen, accompanied Colonel Hayne to the place of execution. The boy told his father, in the sight of the gallows, that he felt he could not survive him, and he actually died insane shortly afterward. Lord Rawdon's cruelty, while he commanded in South Carolina, is a theme of conversation even at the present day. In one of his letters to a commanding officer which was taken, he thus expresses himself:- "I will give ten guineas for the head of any deserter belonging to the volunteers of Ireland, and five guineas only if he be brought alive."

Fortunately for Lord Rawdon, afterward Earl Moira and Marquis of Hastings, he lived long enough to establish a character for humanity and benevolence, founded on very different principles from those which influenced his conduct in early life in South Carolina.

On one of the last days that I remained at Charleston, I made a trip to Silliman's Island, a flat sandy island in Charleston Bay, covered with palmetto-trees, to which the inhabitants frequently resort in the very hot weather, as I have already noticed, and

upon which stands Fort Moultrie, celebrated for its defence against the British fleet in 1776.

Colonel Huger, who so gallantly attempted to relieve La Fayette from his confinement at Olmutz, is a native of Charleston. Dr. Bolman, a young Hanoverian, and he, got information conveyed to La Fayette, by prevailing on the jailer to deliver to his prisoner, open for his inspection, a book which contained pencil marks, hardly noticeable, but discovered by La Fayette on a careful perusal. They succeeded in rescuing La Fayette from his keepers and mounting him on a fleet horse, but he mistook his way, and was quickly recaptured. Huger was rigorously confined for a long period, but at last was restored to freedom, and is now in his native country.

CHAPTER XXIV.

From Charleston to the Western side of the Creek Territory-Steamboat to Savannah and Augusta-Details of "John David Monguin" Steamboat-Intricacy of Passage-Situation of Savannah-Orange Trees Turtle-Defence of Savannah by the British-Regulations respecting Free Men of Colour-Passage to Augusta-Major Spriggs, a Fellow-passenger-His Post in the neighbourhood of the Sioux Indians-Streets of Augusta-Dr. Ray-Recent Conflagration in the City-Globe Hotel-Altercation with Driver respecting BaggageWarrenton-Newspaper Office-Leggatt, a capital Driver-Macon -Gambling-A Sportsman-Planters' Houses--Knoxville--Mr. Thomas Crowall-Rogers' Plantation, wretched Place-ColumbusGeorgian Laws respecting Slavery--Proceed to Fort Mitchell-Enter the Territory of the Creek Indians-Particulars respecting themRecent occurrence, Tuskina-State of Matters between the Cherokee Indians and the State of Georgia-Major Wager's Proclamation against the White Men remaining in the Territory of the CreeksDinner at the Hotel at Fort Mitchell-Manners of the IndiansTheir Numbers generally-Their Title to their Territory-Confirmed by the Senate-General Washington's Address-Guarantee to the Cherokee Nation by Treaty recognised by the State of Georgia-Sales of Territory by the Cherokees-Their determination to sell no more-Treaty between Georgia and the United States-Report by the Legislature of Georgia upon the subject in 1827-Projected division of the Cherokee Country by the State of Georgia-Extraordinary Provisions of the Law passed by the Legislature of Georgia -State of the Cherokees, a civilized people-Cherokee NewspaperMr. Jefferson's Address to the Cherokees-Mr. Clay's opinion; that of the American Negotiators at Ghent-Mr. Wirt's opinion-Ulterior Proceedings of the State of Georgia-Fruitless Representation of

the Cherokees to the General Government-Act of the General Legislature authorizing Grants of Land to the Indians beyond the Mississippi-Debate between Mr. Forsyth and Mr. Sprague-Acts of the Legislature of Georgia and of the General Government reversed by the Supreme Court of the United States-State of the Choctaws, Chicasaws, and Creeks-Address from one of the Choctaws in the State of Mississippi, a Candidate for Congress-Hotel at Fort Mitchell, a very bad one-Conduct of Mr. Crowall to the Creeks-His Treatment of a Missionary-Details respecting Mr. Crowall's Traffic with the Indians-Colonel Colman, a South Carolinian, his Plantation in Florida-Favourable account of Florida-Climate of Florida -Culture of Sugar-cane-Journey through the Creek Country with Colonel Colman-Harris's Hotel-Fort Bainbridge-Intelligence of Tuskina-Ten Persons at Supper-An Indian Passenger in the Mailstage-Manners of the Indians-Sexual Intercourse-Anecdote of Indian Chief at Mount Vernon-Anecdote related by Brackenbridge -Flint's Statements respecting the Indians.

March, 1830.

On the 6th March I left Charleston in the steamboat "John David Monguin," for Savannah and Augusta in Georgia, the distance to Augusta being above 400 miles, for which no less than fifteen dollars was the fare, the intercourse not being so great as to warrant much competition. The voyage to Savannah may be said to be entirely inland, the course for a considerable space passing through no less than sixteen rivers, some of them not much wider than the boat itself, and so shallow, that she was sometimes propelled by booms; and in other places, being at sea, behind no less than thirteen islands. Several of the cuts from river to river were made by the British during the revolutionary war, in order to facilitate the conveyance of military stores. It is not improbable that our great military canal in Canada, now in progress, may, in some future day, be in like manner serviceable to the United States. On our voyage we passed two or three steamboats loaded with cotton; but we saw no other steamboat for passengers. The passage was so intricate, that we generally stopped for a few hours during the night. The steamboat was about 180 tons burthen, of forty-two-horse power, and had a high-pressure engine. No other boat having left Charleston for Savannah after the races, she was crowded with passengers, there being no less than fifty cabin passengers, among whom were several ladies. The Savannah party of the passengers, who were on their return, seemed a very happy set of people; some of them playing upon the guitar, and others singing all the way; but the boat was not well managed, and I did not feel easy until I had finally left her. The management seemed to me to

be carelessly attended to, and neither the captain, mate, nor steward disposed to be obliging. It was difficult even to get a place for a bed on the floor, and it was almost with equal difficulty that enough of provisions could be had, except at that part of the table where Mr. Monguin, the proprietor of the boat, who was with us for a considerable part of the way, seated himself. Mr. Cooper, a well known veteran on the American boards, and I, were obliged to show somewhat of a seditious spirit before we succeeded in enforcing a more equal division of provisions. We had to go out of our way in order to land Mr. Monguin. The ticket in the steamboat included provisions, and oranges, as many as we liked to use, but it did not include liquor. There was card-playing on board, but not to any extent; but I observed brag-hands, on which there were twenty dollars.

Almost all the people we saw at Beaufort, and on our route, were people of colour.

The city of Savannah, in Georgia, is about seventeen miles from the mouth of the river of the same name. Vessels drawing fourteen feet water come up to the city. Its situation is upon a plateau of dry light land, forty or fifty feet above the river. The population between 7000 and 8000. The situation looks healthy, but alas! there are extensive swamps on the opposite side of the river, which render it quite the reverse in the hot months.

The town is regularly and handsomely laid out. The streets wide, and ornamented with the "Pride of India" tree, the leaves of which are now expanding themselves quickly. The hotels and boarding-houses here are good,-Mrs. Maxwell's boarding-house handsome. The orange-trees many of them loaded with fruit; turtle in great abundance, sold at sixpence per pound.

One individual here gave me an account of the treatment of the slaves, very much resembling what I had witnessed in Charleston. I was prepared to expect this from observing, that the city council of Savannah had lately passed a law, imposing a tax of 100 dollars on free persons of colour coming to that city. Can there be a more atrocious violation of the principles of liberty than is contained in such a regulation as this, which may render it impossible for a free man even to visit his father or mother at the point of death? but the prohibition is positive in Louisiana and South Carolina, which no freed man from another state dare, on any terms, enter.

Savannah, when in the hands of the British during the revo