one fall over the boat's side, with one's head broken off, with looking
adoringly upwards, but which, on paper, means nothing.

At six o'clock our little canoe grazed the steps at the landing. These
were covered with young women, and boys, and girls, drawing water for
their various household purposes. A very small cedar pail--a piggin, as
they termed it--serves to scoop up the river water, and having, by this
means, filled a large bucket, they transfer this to their heads, and thus
laden, march home with the purifying element--what to do with it, I cannot
imagine, for evidence of its ever having been introduced into their
dwellings, I saw none. As I ascended the stairs, they surrounded me with
shrieks and yells of joy, uttering exclamations of delight and amazement
at my rowing. Considering that they dig, delve, carry burthens, and
perform many more athletic exercises than pulling a light oar, I was
rather amused at this; but it was the singular fact of seeing a white
woman stretch her sinews in any toilsome exercise which astounded them,
accustomed as they are to see both men and women of the privileged skin
eschew the slightest shadow of labour, as a thing not only painful but
degrading. They will learn another lesson from me, however, whose idea of
Heaven was pronounced by a friend of mine, to whom I once communicated it,
to be 'devilish hard work'! It was only just six o'clock, and these women
had all done their tasks. I exhorted them to go home and wash their
children, and clean their houses and themselves, which they professed
themselves ready to do, but said they had no soap. Then began a chorus of
mingled requests for soap, for summer clothing, and a variety of things,
which, if 'Missis only give we, we be so clean for ever!'

This request for summer clothing, by the by, I think a very reasonable
one. The allowance of clothes made yearly to each slave by the present
regulations of the estate, is a certain number of yards of flannel, and as