300

ALABAMA.

management thus prevails, where the soil and climate aresimilar. Horizontal cultivation is as universal in Alabama asit is in the uplands of Natchez, where it was first adopted.The compact subsoils here cause washing, and the rapid dete-rioration of the natural capabilities of the lancfcensues, unless itis naturally level or laid carefully off in level ridges. I w aswell pleased at the skilful manner in which a negro, with onemule in his plough, was drawing horizontal ridges, of aboutfour feet in width, on a slightly undulating field. Littlewheat is yet raised at this elevation above the sea ; one smallfield, of about an acre, was on the plantation; the frosts atnight were keeping it in check; but it was about six inchesin length, and would be ready for harvest by the end of May,and a crop of Indian corn might be afterwards got.

Having spent an agreeable and instructive day with Dr.Cloud, I left early next morning for the railway, and makinga signal for the train to stop, got into the cars for Washing-ton, a distance of upwards of 900 miles. This journey occu-pied three days and three nights. The appearance of thecountry was most monotonous. The soil about Atlantaseemed to be poor and shallow', and cotton, wheat, and Indiancorn are grown upon the plantations, where the elevation is1000 feet above the level of the sea. After reaching Branch-ville, in South Carolina, I got upon the line by which I hadgone south—then swamps and pine-barrens to Virginia.

At Charleston I gathered, from a good, easy-lookingfellow that sat on the seat in front of me during the last longstage, that he was a “ trader.” He seemed to have no moreshame of his calling than if he had been a dealer in horses.He turned off at Branchville for Columbia, and I was some-what sorry that I had not picked up a talking acquaintancewith him a little sooner, so as to learn the particulars of hismode of doing business ; for he was by no means backw ard ingiving information. He had been south with a lot of fifty slaves,w’hom he sold in Georgia. At the same time, he mentioned thatit was against the laws of that State to import any more slaves;but such laws were not regarded. It had taken about threemonths to sell that number. He said that he rarely got cashfor one slave without giving another on credit; and he did