to　their　owners；　or　else　bury　them　out　of　the　sight　of　your　children；　that　they　may　not　be　led　to　believe　that　the　war　for　the　preservation　of　the　Great　Republic　was　a　war　for　plunder；　　else　did　brave　men　fight；　and　good　women　pray　in　vain。　　Away　with　stolen　pianos；　〃captured〃　sideboards；　and　purloined　silver！　　What　but　this　petty　plundering　could　be　expected　of　men　who　robbed　by　wholesale　the　poor　negro；　to　protect　whose　rights　they　were　sent　south？
  The　great　political　party　of　the　north　became　the　pledged　conservator　of　the　black　man's　rights；　and　established　a　Freedman's　Bureau；　and　Freedman's　banks　to　guard　his　humble　earnings。　　All　know　something　of　the　workings　of　those　banks；　and　to　everlasting　infamy　must　be　consigned　the　names　of　many　of　those　　conducting　them；　　men　who　robbed　every　one　of　these　depositories　of　negro　savings；　and　left　the　poor；　child…like　freedman　in　a　physical　state　of　destitution；　and　in　a　perfect　bewilderment　of　mind　as　to　who　his　true　friend　really　was。
  A　faithful　negro　of　Jehossee　Island　was　but　one　among　thousands　of　such　cases。　　While　the　tumult　of　war　vexed　the　land；　the　faithful　negro　overseer　remained　at　his　post　to　guard　his　late　master's　property；　supporting　himself　by　the　manufacture　of　salt；　and　living　in　the　most　　frugal　manner　to　be　able　to　〃lay　by〃　a　sum　for　his　old　age。　　Having　saved　five　hundred　dollars；　he　deposited　them　in　the　nearest　Freedman's　bank；　which；　though　fathered　by　the　United　States　government；　failed；　and　the　now　destitute　negro　found　himself　stripped　in　the　same　moment　of　his　hard…earned　savings；　and　his　confidence　in　his　new　protectors。
  As　the　war　of　the　rebellion　was　slowly　　drawing　to　its　close；　Mr。　Lincoln's　kind　heart　was　drawn　towards　his　erring　countrymen；　and　he　made　a　list　of　the　names　of　the　wisest　and　best　men　of　the　south；　who；　not　having　taken　an　　active　part　in　the　strife；　might　be　intrusted　with　the　task　of　bringing　back　the　unruly　states　to　their　constitutional　relations　with　the　national　government。　　Governor　Aiken　was　informed　that　his　name　was　upon　that　list；　and　he　would　gladly　have　accepted　the　onerous　position；　and　labored　in　the　true　interests　of　the　whole　people；　but　the　pistol　of　an　assassin　closed　the　life　of　the　President；　whose　generous　plans　of　　reconstruction　were　never　realized。
  In　the　birth　of　our　new　Centennial　let　us　eschew　the　political　charlatan；　and　bring　　forward　our　statesmen　to　serve　and　govern　a　　people；　who；　to　become　a　unit　of　strength；　must　ever　bear　in　mind　the　words　of　the　great　　southern　statesman；　who　said　he　knew　〃no　north；　no　south；　no　east；　no　west；　　but　one　undivided　country。〃
  On　Monday；　at　ten　A。　M。；　two　negroes　assisted　me　to　launch　my　craft　from　the　river's　bank　at　the　mouth　of　the　canal；　for　the　tide　was　very　low。　　As　I　settled　myself　for　a　long　pull　at　the　oars；　the　face　of　one　of　the　blacks　was　seemingly　rent　in　twain；　as　a　huge　mouth　opened；　and　a　pair　of　strong　lungs　sent　forth　these　parting　words：　〃Bully　for　Massachusetts！〃
  〃How　did　you　know　I　came　from　　Massachusetts？〃　I　called　out　from　the　river。
  〃I　knows　de　cuts　ob　dem。　　I　suffered　at　Fort　Wagner。　　Dis　chile　knows　Massachusetts。〃
  Two　miles　further　on；　Bull　Creek　served　me　as　a　〃cut…off；〃　and　half　an　hour　after　entering　it　the　tide　was　flooding　against　me。　　When　Goat　Island　Creek　was　passed　on　the　left　hand；　knots　of　pine　forests　rose　picturesquely　in　places　out　of　the　bottom…lands；　and　an　hour　later；　at　　Bennett's　Point；　on　the　right；　I　found　the　watercourse　a　quarter　of　a　mile　in　width。
  The　surroundings　were　of　a　lovely　nature　　during　this　day's　journey。　　Here　marshes；　　diversified　by　occasional　hammocks　of　timber　dotting　their　uninteresting　wastes；　there　humble　　habitations　of　whites　and　blacks　appearing　at　intervals　in　the　forest　growth。　　As　I　was　destitute　of　a　finished　chart　of　the　Coast　Survey；　after　rowing　along　one　side　of　Hutchinson's　Island　I　became　bewildered　in　the　maze　of　creeks　which　　penetrate　the　marshes　that　lie　between　Bennett's　Point　and　the　coast。
  Making　a　rough　topographical　sketch　of　the　country　as　I　descended　Hutchinson's　Creek；　or　Big　River；　　the　latter　appellation　being　the　most　appropriate；　as　it　is　a　very　wide　　watercourse；　　I　came　upon　a　group　of　low　islands；　and　found　upon　one　of　them　a　plantation　which　had　been　abandoned　to　the　negroes；　and　the　little　bluff　upon　which　two　or　three　rickety　buildings　were　situated　was　the　last　land　which　remained　unsubmerged　during　a　high　tide　between　the　plantation　and　the　sea。
  I　was　now　in　a　quandary。　　I　had　left　the　　hospitable　residence　of　Governor　Aiken　at　ten　o'clock　A。　M。；　when　I　should　have　departed　at　sunrise　in　order　to　have　had　time　to　enter　and　pass　through　St。　Helena　Sound　before　night　came　on。　　The　prospect　of　obtaining　shelter　was　indeed　dismal。　Just　at　this　time　a　loud　shout　from　the　negroes　on　shore　attracted　my　attention；　and　I　rested　upon　my　oars；　while　a　boat…load　of　women　and　children　paddled　out　to　me。
  〃Is　dat　de　little　boat？〃　they　asked；　viewing　my　craft　with　curious　eyes。　〃And　is　dat　boat　made　of　paper？〃　they　continued；　showing　that　negro　runners　had　posted　the　people；　even　in　these　solitary　regions；　of　the　approach　of　the　paper　canoe。　I　questioned　these　negro　women　about　the　route；　but　each　gave　a　different　　answer　as　to　the　passage　through　the　Horns　to　St。　Helena　Sound。　　Hurrying　on　through　tortuous　creeks；　the　deserted　tract　called　〃the　Horns〃　was　entered；　and　until　sunset　I　followed　one　short　stream　after　another；　to　its　source　in　the　reedy　plain；　constantly　retracing　the　route；　with　the　tide　not　yet　ebbing　strong　enough　to　show　me　a　course　to　the　sound。　　Presently　it　ebbed　more　rapidly；　and　I　followed　the　tide　from　one　　intricacy　to　another；　but　never　found　the　principal　thoroughfare。
  While　I　was　enveloped　in　reeds；　and　at　a　loss　which　way　to　go；　the　soft　ripple　of　breaking　waves　struck　my　ear　like　sweet　music。　　The　sea　was　telling　me　of　its　proximity。　　Carefully　　balancing　myself；　I　stood　up　in　the　cranky　canoe；　and　peering　over　the　grassy　thickets；　saw　before　me　the　broad　waters　of　Helena　Sound。　　The　fresh　salt　breeze　from　the　ocean　struck　upon　my　forehead；　and　nerved　me　to　a　renewal　of　my　efforts　to　get　within　a　region　of　higher　land；　and　to　a　place　of　shelter。
  The　ebbing　tide　was　yet　high；　and　through　the　forest　of　vegetation；　and　over　the　submerged　coast；　I　pushed　the　canoe　into　the　sound。　　Now　I　rowed　as　though　for　my　life；　closely　skirting　the　marshes；　and　soon　entered　waters　covered　by　a　chart　in　my　possession。　　My　course　was　to　skirt　the　coast　of　the　sound　from　where　I　had　entered　it；　and　cross　the　mouths　of　the　Combahee　and　Bull　rivers　to　the　entrance　of　the　broad　Coosaw。　This　last　river　I　would　ascend　seven　miles　to　the　first　upland；　and　camp　thereon　until　morning。　The　tide　was　now　against　me；　and　the　night　was　growing　darker；　as　the　faithful　craft　was　forced　along　the　marshes　four　miles　to　the　mouth　of　the　Combahee　River；　which　I　had　to　ascend　half　a　mile　to　get　rid　of　a　shoal　of　frisky　　porpoises；　who　were　fishing　in　the　current。
  Then　descending　it　on　the　opposite　shore；　I　rowed　two　miles　further　in　the　dark；　but　for　half　an　hour　previous　to　my　reaching　the　wide　　debouchure　of　Bull　River；　some　enormous　　blackfish　surged　about　me　in　the　tideway　and　sounded　their　nasal　calls；　while　their　more　demonstrative　porpoise　neighbors　leaped　from　the　water　in　the　misty　atmosphere；　and　so　alarmed　me　and　　occupied　my　attention；　that　instead　of　crossing　to　the　Coosaw　River；　I　unwittingly　ascended　the　Bull；　and　was　soon　lost　in　the　contours　of　the　river。　As　I　hugged　the　marshy　borders　of　the　stream　to　escape　the　strong　current　of　its　channel；　and　rowed　on　and　on　in　the　gloom；　eagerly　scanning　the　high；　sedge…fringed　flats　to　find　one　little　spot　of　firm　upland　upon　which　I　might　land　my　canoe　and　obtain　a　resting…spot　for　myself　for　the　night；　the　feeling　that　I　was　lost　was　not　the　most　cheerful　to　be　imagined。　　In　the　thin　fog　which　arose　from　the　warm　water　into　the　cool　night　air；　objects　on　the　marshes　assumed　　fantastical　shapes。　　A　few　reeds；　taller　than　the　rest；　had　the　appearance　of　trees　twenty　feet　high。　So　real　did　these　unreal　images　seem；　that　I　drove　my　canoe　against　the　soft；　muddy　bank；　repeatedly　prompted　to　land　in　what　seemed　a　copse　of　low　trees；　but　in　every　instance　I　was　deceived。　　Still　I　pulled　up　that　mysterious　river；　ignorant　at　the　time　of　even　its　name；　praying　only　for　one　little　spot　of　upland　where　I　might　camp。
  While　thus　employed；　I　peered　over　my　shoulder　into　the　gloom；　and　beheld　what　seemed　to　be　a　vision；　for；　out　of　a　cloud　of　mist　rose　the　skeleton　lines　of　a　large　ship；　with　all　its　sails　furled　to　the　yards。　　〃A　ship　at　anchor；　and　in　this　out…of…the…way　place！〃　I　　ejaculated；　scarcely　believing　my　eyes；　but　when　I　pointed　the　canoe　towards　it；　and　again　looked　over　my　shoulder；　the　vision　of　hope　was　gone。
  Again　I　saw　tall　masts　cutting　through　the　mists；　but　the　ship's　hull　could　not　be　　distinguished；　and　as　I　rowed　towards　the　objects；　first　the　lower　masts　disappeared；　then　the　topmasts　dissolved；　and　later；　the　topgallant　and　royal　masts　faded　away。　　For　half　an　hour　I　rowed　and　rowed　for　that　mysterious　vessel；　which　was　veiled　and　unveiled　to　my　sight。　　Never　did　so　spectral