for it, I must close my letter with most affection. ate remembrances to all my friends in Old England. Adieu.

ARTHUR MIDDLETON.

LETTER X.

Mr. H. Franklin to Edward Middleton.

DEAR EDWIN,

Charlestown.

I CANNOT seal up a packet that I am going to send to my brother, without enclosing a letter for you. Carolina is divided into North and South. The eastern side, towards the ocean, through which we have lately travelled, is a low, swampy country, intersected with creeks and rivers; and from its moisture, the heat of the climate, and profusion of vegetables, extremely unhealthy.

Newbern, though a poor place, is the largest town in North Carolina. The houses are built with wood; and a few public edifices only are of brick. We have passed through several other small towns, but they have no particular claims to description.

Charlestown is the capital of South Carolina. It is situated on a tongue of land, formed by the con

fluence

fluence of the rivers Ashley and Cooper. The most populous and commercial quarter of the city stands on the Ashley. Some parts of the quay project a great way into the river, that merchant vessels may more easily receive their cargoes.

These quays are made of the trunks of the cabbage-palm, fixed together, and placed in squares one above another. The spongy nature of this tree would not lead one to expect that it would remain many years under water without injury; but experience proves that it is more durable for this purpose than any other tree in the country. The streets, from east to west, extend from river to river, and running in straight lines, open agreeable prospects each way, and afford good opportunities, by means of subterranean drains, for removing nuisances, and promoting the health and cleanli. ness of the city. The most modern houses are generally of brick, though many of the inhabitants prefer houses of wood, because they think them cooler than those of brick; and they adopt every contrivance to mitigate the excessive heats of summer, by admitting the fresh air into the apart. ments. Open windows, doors opposite to each other, and long galleries formed to shelter the upper part of the house from the sultry rays of the sun, are the luxuries, preferred by the rich to the ornaments of painting and gilding.

The outward appearance is often neglected,

when

when the inside is commodious and well furnished; though they are seldom remarkably neat, notwithstanding the numerous train of negro servants that are kept in opulent families.

The streets, instead of being paved, are covered with a loose sand, ground to a fine powder by the multitude of carriages that pass through them. In windy weather, the dust is intolerable; and, after a shower, the passengers would sink into the mud, were it not for narrow brick foot-paths, which run before the houses. Pumps are placed at short distances; but the water has a brackish taste, that is very disagreeable. The mode of living is extremely luxurious. Most families keep a coach or a chaise. The ladies are never seen to walk on foot; and the men often ride. Twenty negro and mulatto slaves are commonly employed by people of the middle rank, in domestic offices; and even the children are attended by a number of little negroes of their own age, who are obliged to comply with their humours, and form them to habits of tyranny from their infancy. Arthur cannot bear this, and is continually giving lessons of humanity and moderation to his companions.

The hospitality of the inhabitants of Carolina towards strangers, their generosity to persons in distress, and their unfeeling treatment of their slaves, show that the human breast is capable of cherishing qualities directly opposite to each other. They are expensive in their funerals, thinking it

a mark

a mark of respect to the deceased, to convey their remains to their last abode with splendid decorations and melancholy pomp, which may truly be termed the most absurd of vanities.

South Carolina has not yet adopted the humane punishments of Pennsylvania. Death and whipping are inflicted more often than in Europe. No defender is allowed to an accused negro; and his judges have power to condemn him to whatever mode of death they please.

The importation of negroes from Africa has been prohibited, at different times, for a limited period. There is a party for both sides of the question. Unfortunately, interest prevails over humanity and justice; but it is generally allowed that the slaves in this country are much better treated, in all respects, than formerly.

False opinions lead to erroneous practice. Whilst it is considered a degradation for a white man to labour, slaves must be had to cultivate the earth; particularly the rice swamps, which are here very numerous and extensive: and as the culture of that grain differs from any thing in Europe, I will relate the process usually adopted. After the ground is turned up in furrows, in April or May, a woman throws in the seed, and the negroes fill them up. The plant shoots up in ten or twelve days; and when it has attained the height of six or seven inches, the field is overflowed, so that no more than the tops of the blade can be seen.

In a few weeks the water is turned off, to give the negroes an opportunity of weeding the rice; when that is done, the field is again covered with water, till the crop is ripe, which is known by the yellow colour of the ear, and the hardness of the stem. When reaped, it is kept in stacks till winter: but more is to be done before it is exported. It is threshed and put into a small wooden house, fixed upon four pillars, with a large sieve placed in the ceiling : into this sieve the rice is thrown, and cleaned by the wind before it reaches the ground. The outer husk is then taken off by a hand-mill, after which it is winnowed, and beaten with, clubs to take off the inner husks. The large grains are sifted from the small ones, and packed in casks to be conveyed on shipboard. Before the rice comes to perfection, it is assailed by many enemies. Worms and small fishes, which live in the water that covers the swamps, would destroy the roots, were it not for the herons, who devour them in multitudes, and are, on that account, as much regarded by the planters, as the turkey buzzards are by the inhabitants of the towns.

Innumerable flocks of rice-birds hover over the swamps when the crop is ripe; but they are not uninterrupted in their feast, for young negroes are constantly kept on the watch to drive them away.

South Carolina is divided by nature into two

parts, Upper and Lower. Along the coast, and more , than one hundred miles westward, the country is

flate