THE BABES IN THE WOOD OF THE NEW WORLD. THERE is a beautiful old story of two little babes, who were sent out by a cruel uncle, to perish in the woods. This story is a great many years' old, and a very affecting story it is. I well remember, when I was a very little boy, in Holland, that I used to sit on my mother's lap, while she told me that story, and I do not think that I ever heard it told without shedding tears: but I did not then think that there would be a new story of the "Babes in the Wood," and one almost as curious as the old one, and that I should have so much to do with it.Well, but you shall hear all about it. My mother was an English lady, remarkably pretty, and she married a Dutch merchant, who was my father. I was born at Amsterdam, which is the capital of Holland, and can remember very well my father's house, and my lovely mamma: but my dear mother died when I was six years' old, and I was then sent to England, where I was taken care of by my grandmother, and instructed by my lively, pleasant young aunts, who made a kind of plaything of me at one time, and at another improved me in my learning, and taught me my duty to Almighty God. My aunts were careful to teach me to show kindness to every creature which came in my way; and they were so mild in their own manners, that I cannot remember ever receiving a blow in anger from any of them, except once from my aunt Lucy, on occasion of my beating a poor dog. This was a kind blow of my young aunt's, and one to which I afterward owed my life, as I shall show by-and-by VOL. IV.-L Now, after a while, first one, and then another of my aunts was married, and my poor grandmamma died, after which my father sent for me. I was twelve years' old when the letter came from my father, and it was a sad day on which I took leave of my aunts to go on board the ship which was to carry me over the sea. Now I must tell you that my father had left Amsterdam the year after my mother's death, and had gone across the great Atlantic Ocean to Surinam, where he had a fine house, and many fields, on the banks of the river Surinam, not far from the famous city of Paramaribo. If you will please to look in the map of the world, you will find Surinam in America: it is a very hot country, and one of those places where the people sometimes have the sun directly over their heads at twelve o'clock. In England, the sun always appears on one side of us, and not very high in the heavens; and we can hardly conceive what heat is felt when its rays fall directly down upon the head. But God has been very good in providing many comforts in these hot countries, which we have not in England, and indeed do not want here; such as abundance of large and sweet and rich fruit, and very thick shades in the woods, the leaves of many of the trees being as large and as wide as fans, and even as umbrellas. My father had lived on his estate, called Awara-hill, on the banks of the Surinam, for several years, and had married a second wife, a Dutch lady, who had brought him a great deal of money, and many slaves; and before I left England, I was told that when I got to Surinam, I must expect to see a little sister, called Catharine, who would then be about two years' old. My dear aunts also told me, that my father and stepmother had a great many negro slaves, who had thick lips and woolly hair, and looked very different from white men. And then they encouraged me to ask them many questions about these negroes, in order, no doubt, to make me thoroughly understand the duties which I should owe to them. They told me, in answer to my questions, that these negroes, though black, are of the same flesh and blood as white men, for God hath made all nations of one blood; and though for the most part dull and ignorant, for want of education, yet possessing the same natural feelings as white men. They also told me that these poor blacks had been carried away from their own country, Africa, many years ago, and were now forgotten there, and would be treated as strangers if they were taken back but that it was the duty of every Christian master to use them with kindness, and to teach them their duty towards God, and make them as happy as their situation would allow. Then they told me that I should see some people behaving very cruelly to them, but that they hoped I would try to show them every kindness in my power; and my aunt Lucy reminded me of the blow which she had once given me because I had hurt a poor dog. I have said before that it was a sad hour when I parted from my aunts, my happy and gentle aunts, and I was put on board ship, under the care of a fiery sea captain, and within hearing of all the oaths and wicked language of the sailors. I thought the time very long till we saw the shores of Surinam and I do not recollect how many days and even weeks passed in that voyage. At last, the ship entered the mouth of a river, and after a while we came within view of a beautiful town. I can remember now what I felt, as I stood upon the deck of the ship, looking at the town, brightly shining with the rays of the sun, and saw noble dark woods to the right and to the left. I was all impatience to go on shore, and hoped that every boat I saw was coming for me. After waiting several hours, which seemed to me as long as days, at last a large boat or barge, beautifully painted, rowed by black men, and covered with an awning, came alongside the ship, and a gentleman stepped out from the deck of the barge and asked for me. This was my father: I did not know him in the least: he had become very stout, and was very pale or rather sallow; he was however very kind, and embraced me many times. He soon had me conveyed on board his barge with all my little property; and then, when every thing was ready, bade his slaves turn the boat about and return whence they came. My father seated himself on the deck of the barge, and sat by him; but as he had forgotten his English, and I had not recovered my Dutch, we could not talk to each other; and indeed I was not much inclined to talk to him, for I was afraid of him, and what had made me fear him was the loud and harsh manner in which he spoke to the men who rowed us. But though I did not talk, I was |