the regular clergy everywhere have more assistance. But may I ask, friend, are you a clergyman of this sort yourself?" "I am, sir.” "Do you preach ?" "I do, sir;" and he eyed me all the while with a serio-comic look, as if he said, "What think you of that? that is something new." "I'm a Campbellite," he added. Pray, what sect may that be?" I inquired. "Sect, sir; we have many sects in this part of the world; but I guess John Campbell is the man who will swamp them all.” "And who is John Campbell ?" I asked. "What! did you never hear of John Campbell ?" he exclaimed, with looks of astonishment. I was reminded of Hallyburton's characteristic trait of the Americans, when he represents his Colonel Slick as asking the Duke of Wellington if he had never heard of Dr Ivory Hovey, or Deacon Snodgrass? and, amazed at his Grace's ignorance, exclaimed, "Well, then, I am sure they have heard of you; but, to be sure, we are an intelligent people !" But I knew something more of John Campbell of America, from his published dispute with Owen, than his Grace knew of the Doctor or Deacon; but wishing to get my friend out upon slavery, I was about to ask him some questions on the subject, when he seized the thread of conversation which I had imprudently dropped, as I was meditating how to open the campaign. He therefore took advantage of his position to put the well-known query, "What do you think of our country?" I expressed my admiration for much I had seen; but wound up my panegyric by saying, "Yet there are some things which puzzle me in it." "As how, sir?" "Why, yesterday, for instance, I saw your declaration of independence, and in an hour

66

after was offered a slave for sale." "I daresay, sir; I daresay; but what of that ?" "What of that!" I exclaimed. "Why, your declaration begins by asserting the equality of all men; and"- "A glorious doctrine, sir!" he said, energetically; "a doctrine which you Britishers would need to learn; and which General Jackson tried to teach you at New Orleans. Yes; all men are equal; and the day will come when our Republic "- 'Be it so," I said, mildly interrupting him; "I am not going to dispute that point at present; all I meant to say was, that it seemed to me a gross inconsistency to assert that all men were equal, and then to buy and sell slaves." "Buy and sell slaves! pooh! pooh!" "What!" I exclaimed, "have you slaves?" "I have, sir." "Do you whip them ?" "I do, when they need it." "Do you teach them to read ?" I guess not; they'd soon learn to conspire and be at our throats. Read! No." "Or do you sit beside them at the communion, or in church ?" "I guess, stranger, you never sat beside a nigger, or you would not ask that." "And yet," said I, getting indigWith perfect

men are equal!"

nant, "you assert all coolness he replied, "I see what you are after all men are equal; but you don't suppose a nigger is a man!" Astounded at the syllogism, and not a little amused at my clerical friend, I said nothing; while he went on soliloquising, "A nigger a man! nonsense. Look at his head look 'specially at his heel! right off from human natur'. He was sarve the white,-fit for nothing else. created for that purpose, it is odd, I guess, that he has sarved him for six thousand years; and will sarve him,"

No, no.

He's

created, sir, to

If he was not

he said, rising to look for his luggage, "till the end of time?" We were nearing the wharf, and having also to attend to my own luggage, the conversation ended; and so ends a jotting from my journal about Washington and the slave-market.

NORMAN MACLEOD.

I

XIX.

FIRE IN THE WOODS.

CAN conceive of nothing in this world more awful

than one of those fires which have frequently rushed through forests in North America, with more fearful rapidity and destructive fury than any lava-stream that ever poured from the fiercest volcano. The first time I ever saw the traces of such a conflagration was in Nova Scotia, between Halifax and Truro, on the road to Pictou. The driver of the stage—and a better or merrier never mounted a box, or guided a team through mud and over corduroy--pointed me out the spot in which he and his charge had a most narrow escape. While pursuing his journey along one of these forest roads, ramparted on each side by tall trees that show but a narrow strip of blue sky overhead, he found himself involved in volumes of smoke bursting from the woods. It did not require the experience of an inhabitant of the great Western Continent to reveal to him instantly his terrible position. The woods were on fire! But whether the fire was far

off or near, he could not tell. If far off, he knew it was making towards him with the speed of a race-horse; if near, a few minutes must involve him in the conflagration. Suddenly the fire burst before him! It was crossing the road, and forming a canopy overhead; sending long tongues of flame, with wreaths of smoke, from one tree-top to another; crackling and roaring as it sped upon its devouring path; licking up the tufted heads of the pines, while the wind whirled them onwards to extend the conflagration. What was to be done? To retreat was useless. Miles of forest were behind ready to be consumed. There was one hope only of escape. Nathan had heard in the morning a report, that a mill had been burnt. The spot where it had stood was about six hundred yards ahead. He argued, that the fire having been there, and consumed everything, could not again have visited the same place. He determined to make a desperate rush through fire and smoke to reach the clearance. The conflagration was as yet above him like a glowing arch, though it had partially extended to the ground on either side. He had six horses to be sure, tried animals, who knew his voice, and whom he seemed to love as friends; but such a coach-lumbering and springless, and full of passengers too, chiefly ladies; and such roads !—a combination of trunks of trees buried in thick mud. But on he must go, or perish. Bending his head down, blind, hardly able to breathe, lashing his horses, and shouting to the trembling, terrified creatures, and while the ladies screamed in agony of fear, Nathan went plunging and tossing through the terrific scene! A few