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 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 He was in the act of bringing the weapon down on the youny 
 girl's head, when he perceived the serpent. (Page 50.)
 
 THE 
 
 BY 
 
 MADAME VALENTINE VATTIER. 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH 
 
 MRS. MARY C. MONROE, 
 
 NEW-YORK AND CINCINNATI : 
 
 BENZIGER BROTHERS, 
 
 PRINTERS TO THE HOLY APOSTOLIC SKE. 
 I875-
 
 Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1875, by 
 
 BENZIGER BROTHERS, 
 in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.
 
 ra 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 I. WHITE COTTAGE AND ITS INMATES, ... 7 
 
 II. HENRIETTA'S FRIEND, 10 
 
 III. FIRST AFFLICTIONS, ...... 14 
 
 IV. CONSOLATION, 17 
 
 V. THE RETURN 20 
 
 VI. UNEXPECTED TIDINGS, 23 
 
 VII. ADVENTURES OF WILLIAM LEBRUN, ... 26 
 
 VIII. NEW SORROWS, 35 
 
 IX. Two DEPARTURES, 38 
 
 X. THE VOYAGE AN UNEXPECTED DIFFICULTY, 43 
 
 XI. THE SACRED SERPENT, 48 
 
 XII. HENRIETTA'S SUFFERINGS, .... 52 
 
 XIII. THE MELOCACTUS THE COLONIST AND HIS 
 
 FAMILY, 58 
 
 XIV. THE ARRIVAL WILLIAM LEBRUN, . . 64 
 XV. VILLA OF " THE ACACIAS" THE OVERSEER AND 
 
 HIS WIFE, 69 
 
 XVI. ANXIETY OF HENRIETTA'S PARENTS THREE 
 
 LETTERS AT THE SAME TIME, ... 75 
 
 XVII. ELLEN MCDOUGALL AN UNEXPECTED MEETING, 80 
 
 XVIII. HENRIETTA'S LIFE AT " THE ACACIAS," . 85 
 
 XIX. THE JOURNEY, 95 
 
 XX. PROMOTION OF CELESTIN LEONIE'S ILLNESS, 102 
 XXI. THE BALL WILKIE'S ILLNESS HENRIETTA'S 
 
 DEVOTED NURSING, 106 
 
 XXII. CONTINUANCE OF YELLOW FEVER ARCHY, THE 
 
 RUNAWAY SLAVE 115 
 
 XXIII. LETTER WRITTEN BY HENRIETTA TO HER PARENTS, 123 
 
 XXIV. A MORNING WALK CAMP OF THE RUNAWAY 
 
 NEGROES, 
 
 XXV. MR. LEBRUN'S ILLNESS SUFFERINGS OF THE 
 
 SLAVES THE INSURRECTION, 
 XXVI. INSURRECTION OF THE SLAVES, 
 
 XXVII. A GLIMPSE OF THE PAST GREAT REJOICING, 156 
 
 XXVIII. EMANCIPATION OF SLAVES SALE OF PROPERTY, 160 
 
 XXIX. HAPPINESS EMBARKING FOR FRANCE, . . 167 
 
 XXX. " HOME AGAIN," 172 
 
 EPILOGUE, 179 
 
 461504
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 WHITE COTTAGE AND ITS INMATES. 
 
 A SHORT distance from Havre, and quite near the 
 sea-shore, there stood, about fifteen years ago, a modest 
 but most attractive little cottage. A well-kept garden 
 surrounded it on three sides, inclosed by a light railing 
 painted green, with a small wicket opening on the gra- 
 veled walk which led through the garden to the front en- 
 trance. Bengal roses and clematis, honeysuckles and 
 convolvulus, covered the cottage, and wound themselves 
 fantastically in wreaths and festoons around the win- 
 dows, leaving nothing uncovered, outside their undulating 
 branches, save a glimpse here and there of the dazzling 
 white walls. It was doubtless from these narrow fa9ades 
 of white that the cottage received the name we have in- 
 scribed at the beginning of this chapter, and by which it 
 was generally known throughout the country. 
 
 The inmates of White Cottage consisted of six per- 
 sons : Anthony Lebrun, Margaret his wife, and their four 
 children, Henrietta, Celestin, Emily, and Henry.
 
 8 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 Anthony Lebrun was a man about forty years of age. 
 By dint of industry and economy he had succeeded in 
 amassing a small capital, and from a simple sailor had 
 advanced until he was now numbered among the mas- 
 ters or owners of the fishing vessels of the coast. Until 
 this time, every thing had prospered with him. His 
 wife, a good, amiable, and industrious woman, worthily 
 assisted him, by directing, with incomparable skill and 
 care, the domestic affairs of White Cottage, a modest in- 
 heritance she had received from one of her aunts, and 
 the value of which she doubly appreciated. 
 
 In his children, Anthony Lebrun was no less happy. 
 Henrietta, although only in her thirteenth year, had pro- 
 fited by the example and advice of her mother, and fol- 
 lowed closely in her footsteps. Diligent and industrious, 
 this young girl already had a thorough appreciation of 
 the value of time, and it was truly a pleasure to see her 
 engaged about the household duties, washing, sewing, 
 knitting in a word, doing every thing she found possi- 
 ble for her hands to accomplish. 
 
 Celestin, a boy of twelve years, formed one of his fa- 
 ther's crew, and manifested already the strongly-develop- 
 ed traits of a brave and hardy sailor. 
 
 Emily, although but eight years old, exerted herself 
 to assist her mother and sister, as far as her age and 
 health, always delicate, would permit. 
 
 As to little Henry, he was the Benjamin of the fami- 
 ly, and especially of Henrietta, his eldest sister and god- 
 mother. 
 
 When Anthony Lebrun, after a fatiguing day's labor, 
 took his place at table, or by the cottage fireside, and,
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 9 
 
 looking around, beheld his excellent wife and his belov- 
 ed children, he fully realized the happiness of his lot 
 that the " lines of his life" had indeed been " cast in 
 pleasant places," and in his heart thanked God for the 
 sunshine and joy of the sweet and peaceful home that 
 surrounded him. 
 
 One souvenir alone returned from time to time to 
 disturb the quiet happiness of the fisherman. Twenty 
 years before, his only brother embarked on a merchant- 
 vessel that sailed from Havre, and was never more heard 
 of. All inquiries had been in vain ; William Lebrun 
 never returned to France, and his brother was obliged, at 
 last, to believe him dead. 
 
 Gradually, the deep grief Anthony had experienced 
 from the separation and loss of his brother subsided into 
 a melancholy remembrance, but was still a constant 
 source of sadness. He taught his children to love that 
 brother, who would have been to them so good and 
 affectionate an uncle, and often, particularly on Sunday 
 evenings, when his family were gathered around him, the 
 fisherman would speak of his brother ; and as if trying 
 to console himself with the vague hope, would insist that 
 William, doubtless, charmed by the wonders of some dis- 
 tant country, had temporarily taken up his abode there, 
 but sooner or later, he would return to France and his 
 own family. 
 
 " I can not believe he is dead," the good fisherman 
 would sadly continue ; " I have the firm hope of some 
 day again beholding and embracing him." 
 
 Nevertheless, the years rolled by, and no tidings of 
 William Lebrun ever reached his family.
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 HENRIETTA'S FRIEND. 
 
 ALTHOUGH the garden surrounding White Cottage 
 was by no means an extensive one, yet Margaret Lebrun 
 and her eldest daughter attended it so carefully that the 
 products raised far exceeded the requirements of the fa- 
 mily. A portion of the vegetables and fruits was sent to 
 market at Havre, while Henrietta herself carried around 
 the most choice and beautiful, to supply a number of 
 wealthy families in the neighborhood. 
 
 The young girl conducted herself with so much mo- 
 desty and politeness, and at the same time was so amia- 
 ble and obliging, that she everywhere received a kind 
 welcome, and particularly at the mansion called " The 
 Elms." 
 
 This country-seat, a magnificent estate situated about 
 half a league from the sea, belonged to Madame Hermier, 
 a rich widow, who resided there eight months of the 
 year, in order that the delicate health of her only daugh- 
 ter, Leonie, might be strengthened by the pure bracing 
 air of the coast of Normandy. 
 
 Over-indulged by her mother, Leonie abandoned her- 
 self without restraint to every whim and caprice that 
 suggested itself. One day, about four years previous to
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. n 
 
 the time our story commences, white walking on the sea- 
 shore, she took a sudden fancy to run on alone, for a 
 great distance. This freak had nearly resulted in fatal 
 consequences ; for, regardless of the warnings of her 
 governess, the young girl had approached very near the 
 waves, leaping heedlessly over the numerous little streams 
 that form the ocean at the hour of ebb-tide. 
 
 Fortunately, that day, Henrietta was waiting on the 
 beach for the arrival of her father's boat. Her warning 
 cries saved the young lady from the danger into which 
 she was running. The amiable and lovely face of the 
 fisherman's daughter attracted her attention, and she en- 
 tered into conversation with her. When she was inform- 
 ed that Henrietta often carried fruits to the different 
 manor-houses, she urged her not to fail to present herself 
 very soon at The Elms. 
 
 " I am perfectly delighted with you," she added, " and 
 I want you to become my friend." 
 
 Henrietta excused herself on the ground of that being 
 too great a familiarity. 
 
 " I am not at all proud," replied Leonie, " and mam- 
 ma lets me do just as I please. You may be sure she 
 will be glad to have you come to our house." 
 
 Partly from curiosity and partly with the hope of 
 finding a new market for the products of their garden, 
 Henrietta made no delay, but took an early opportunity 
 of making her appearance at the residence of Madame 
 Hermier. 
 
 Leonie perceived her coming, while she was yet at a 
 distance, and running to meet her, she at once hurried 
 the young girl into the presence of her mother.
 
 12 THE FISHERMAN S DAUGHTER. 
 
 " Dear mamma," she cried, " here is the little girl I 
 have been telling you so much about. I love her dearly 
 already. Now won't you let her come and see me very 
 often ?" 
 
 Madame Hermier responded very graciously to this 
 demand ; but notwithstanding her weakness for Leonie, 
 she reserved the privilege of keeping a careful watch 
 over the friend to whom her daughter wished to attach 
 herself. Her examination resulted most favorably for 
 Henrietta ; and very soon, far from wishing to prevent 
 Leonie from continuing the intercourse, Madame Her- 
 mier encouraged the intimacy as far as the different posi- 
 tions of the two young girls would permit. 
 
 Time did not lessen Leonie's friendship. For four 
 years she had not permitted a week to pass without visit- 
 ing White Cottage, and on every occasion, when her 
 friend carried something to sell at The Elms, she found 
 an opportunity of having a long conversation with her. 
 
 Henrietta considered herself fortunate, for many rea- 
 sons, in having acquired the sympathy and affection of 
 this young girl. For although she was accustomed to 
 having every one accede to her wishes in every thing, 
 Leonie had a good heart ; and besides, she was naturally 
 kind and obliging. Her quick temper led her into trans- 
 ports of anger, but she soon recovered her amiable dis- 
 position, and would then exert herself in the most 
 charming manner, to make one forget her faults. 
 
 Having observed Henrietta's fondness for reading, 
 she loaned her books ; at first, story-books and light lite- 
 rature, then school-books and histories ; in this way, the 
 fisherman's daughter, when her work was finished, em-
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 13 
 
 ployed an hour or two, each evening, in useful reading. 
 Her quick and ready intellect and excellent memory 
 seconded her great ambition to learn ; and she was con- 
 sequently very soon as far advanced, in many branches, 
 as her friend. 
 
 Leonie rejoiced at her progress, and Madame Her- 
 mier was no less delighted ; because she perceived that 
 the good example, the industry, and ardent studiousness 
 of Henrietta exerted a beneficial influence upon her 
 daughter, and gradually corrected the faults which a too 
 indulgent education and training had developed in her 
 character.
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 FIRST AFFLICTIONS. 
 
 UNTIL this time, fortune had continued to smile on 
 Anthony Lebrun. But happiness is a fugitive thing; 
 and the iron hand of adversity at length fell on the in- 
 mates of White Cottage. 
 
 Several fishing excursions proved disastrous, not only 
 from the scarcity of fish taken, but the still more serious 
 loss of nets and sails. One day Anthony's boat struck a 
 rock, and barely escaped being lost ; but the repairs made 
 necessary by this accident caused a great breach in the 
 modest savings fund of the family. 
 
 A contagious disease having desolated the country, 
 one after another, Anthony, his wife, and children, were 
 all attacked by the scourge, until the last earnings of the 
 family were obliged to be sacrificed. 
 
 Notwithstanding this rapid succession of misfortunes, 
 the fisherman did not lose courage. His health was soon 
 restored ; and with fine weather, a few successful fishing 
 excursions would accomplish the rest. 
 
 Margaret endeavored to encourage this hope in the 
 heart of her husband, and Henrietta followed her mo- 
 ther's example. The young girl spoke cheerfully of the
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 15 
 
 magnificent appearance the garden presented, and the 
 fine prospect for a future harvest of fruits and vegeta- 
 bles. She insisted that without the least inconvenience 
 they could retrench their expenses, and always ended by 
 declaring that God would never make their burdens hea- 
 vier than they were able to bear. 
 
 These words of consolation animated her father's 
 courage, and made him hopeful and resigned. 
 
 Celestin, on his part, exerted himself to become more 
 and more useful every day. It has been already stated 
 that he was persevering and industrious ; he very soon 
 qualified himself, notwithstanding his tender years, to 
 take the place of a sailor on his father's boat. This sub- 
 stitute diminished the expenses very materially. In the 
 mean time, several voyages were made successfully ; so 
 that prosperity and peace were once more restored to the 
 White Cottage. 
 
 One afternoon, the fisherman informed his wife that 
 he was going on an expedition, and it would be at least 
 four days before he would return, as his nets were to be 
 spread at a point some considerable distance from home. 
 Accompanied by Celestin, he started the next morning 
 before day : the weather was fine, the sea smooth as 
 glass ; and every thing bade fair for a successful voyage. 
 
 However, the next day the wind changed ; and very 
 soon the waves were beating furiously against the Nor- 
 mandy coasts, and a rumor was heard that several fish- 
 ing vessels had perished. 
 
 The apprehension and distress with which Margaret 
 and her daughter received the announcement may be 
 imagined. With anxious hearts they inteirogated all
 
 1 6 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 whom they thought might be able to give them some en- 
 couragement ; but with every response their fears in- 
 creased. One had seen Anthony's boat far out at sea; 
 another declared that in the tempest, which threatened to 
 continue for a long time, very few of the small vessels, 
 gone out two days before, would be able to enter port. 
 These unfortunate predictions seemed bound to be rea- 
 lized. During an entire week they heard of the loss, 
 one after another, of a great number of fishing vessels ; 
 among them, alas ! was found that of Anthony Lebrun. 
 One of his crew, who by a miracle had escaped ship- 
 wreck, came to White Cottage, to break the intelligence 
 to the unhappy Margaret, of her double calamity. She 
 had lost her husband and her oldest son ; and with them 
 the boat, which annihilated almost entirely the resources 
 of the family.
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 CONSOLATION. 
 
 THE angel of sorrow brooded with darkened wing 
 over White Cottage. In vain Henrietta, with a degree of 
 fortitude far beyond her years, exerted herself to revive 
 the courage of her mother, and arouse her from the state 
 of despairing apathy into which she had sunk. With 
 eyes fixed and tearless, noticing nothing, nor uttering a 
 word, Margaret Lebrun, but for the convulsive sighs that 
 shook her frame from time to time, might have been tak- 
 en for a marble statue of grief. 
 
 For three days she had known the entire extent of the 
 calamity that had fallen upon her, and yet, during all 
 that time, had never been able to utter a word or shed a 
 tear, that sad source of relief for the overburdened and 
 despairing heart. 
 
 During the course of the third day, Madame Hermier 
 and Leonie arrived at White Cottage. Having been ab- 
 sent from home, it was only on their return that morn- 
 ing, they had learned the sad events that had occurred. 
 Immediately, regardless of the fatigue they had experi- 
 enced from traveling, the mother and daughter, without 
 a moment's delay, hastened to offer the bereaved Marga-
 
 1 8 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 ret and her daughter all the consolation and sympathy it 
 was in human power to bestow. 
 
 On entering the cottage, Leonie ran and threw her 
 arms around the neck of her friend. 
 
 " I have come to mingle my tears with yours, my dear 
 Henrietta," "she exclaimed. " If the sincerest sympathy 
 of true affection had power to alleviate your sorrow, be 
 assured that I would take a large share of the burden 
 that has fallen upon you." 
 
 Henrietta could only answer by tears and sobs, as 
 she leaned her head on the shoulder of her friend. 
 Meanwhile Madame Hermier had taken poor Margaret's 
 hands in both of her own, and strove to soothe and con- 
 sole while she spoke of courage and resignation to the 
 poor stricken wife and mother ; but it was all in vain. 
 
 " Alas !" she murmured at length, in a tone of despair, 
 "the loss of my husband and my first-born son has 
 crushed all hope and courage from my heart ; I feel that 
 I shall not long survive them." 
 
 In spite of all that Madame Hermier and Leonie 
 could say to dispel this impression, they were unable to 
 divert or change the current of Margaret's thoughts. 
 Her soul had been too cruelly torn and crushed to be 
 capable, for a long time, of receiving consolation. 
 
 Deeply moved with compassion, Madame Hermier was 
 scarcely able to restrain her tears ; but suppressing her 
 feelings with a strong effort, and the recollection that she 
 had come to assist the poor woman, she immediately 
 proceeded to make known her intentions. She did this 
 with all the delicacy and discretion possible, in order not 
 to wound the natural pride and sensitiveness of a person
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 19 
 
 who until this time had been sustained by and indebted 
 to her own and her husband's exertions alone, for the ne- 
 cessary resources of her family. 
 
 Margaret listened to Madame Hermier without inter- 
 rupting her. 
 
 " Thank you," she at last gasped forth. " I thank you. 
 As long as I live, my children, I -hope, will want for no- 
 thing essential ; but as I have told you, already, madame, 
 my energies are all crushed, my strength is exhausted. I 
 shall not be here long with my family ; then, when I shall 
 be no more, then remember my poor orphans, and ex- 
 tend to them the generous kindness you have come to 
 offer their mother." 
 
 In vain Madame Hermier insisted; she found it im- 
 possible to induce Margaret to accept her immediate 
 assistance. 
 
 " The produce of our garden will be all-sufficient," 
 she persistently responded. " Besides, I can spin and 
 knit ; we have enough ; how many thousands are far 
 worse off than ourselves !" 
 
 These noble and disinterested sentiments deeply 
 affected Madame Hermier ; but while she admired the 
 spirit of independence manifested by the afflicted Mar- 
 garet, she still cherished the hope of being able to do 
 something more for her than simply to offer consolation 
 and sympathy.
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE RETURN. 
 
 MEANWHILE, as night was rapidly approaching, Leo- 
 nie and her mother prepared to depart, when suddenly 
 the sound of footsteps and joyous voices was heard 
 without. At the same instant, the door was thrown 
 open, and O joy inexpressible ! Anthony and Celestin 
 stood on the threshold ! After such fearful suffering, 
 this sudden return of happiness was too much for 
 Margaret, who fell fainting into the arms of her husband 
 and her son. 
 
 For some time, they were apprehensive the violent 
 shock had produced a fatal reaction ; but joy is a potent 
 medicine : very soon Margaret began to revive, opened 
 her eyes, and rested her gaze on the beloved faces of 
 those whom she had believed lost forever. 
 
 It was then Henrietta's turn, and that of her younger 
 brother and sister, to embrace their father and Celestin. 
 All were so overwhelmed with joy, so intensely happy, 
 and Margaret so impatient to learn how her husband and 
 son had been restored to her, after having been given up 
 for dead, that Madame Hermier and her daughter, as well 
 as the neighbors who had accompanied the two sailors
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 21 
 
 home, were entirely ignored or forgotten. Henrietta was 
 the first to observe it, and to remind her mother of the 
 apparent neglect. 
 
 Margaret hastened immediately to thank her neigh- 
 bors for having so kindly returned with Anthony and 
 Celestin ; and then, in a few words, informed her husband 
 of the generous assistance offered by Madame Hermier. 
 In vain the latter endeavored to cut short their protesta- 
 tions of gratitude ; Margaret felt too deeply grateful to 
 permit this solemn occasion to pass without expressing 
 her sentiments. 
 
 When the excitement had somewhat subsided, Antho- 
 ny was called on to give a detailed account of his ship- 
 wreck and adventures. 
 
 " We started out, as you all know," he said, " in most 
 favorable weather, which continued until the next day ; 
 when the tempest was suddenly unchained, a fearful 
 storm arose, and we soon recognized that our loss was 
 inevitable. In vain the most superhuman efforts were 
 exerted ; every moment the danger became more threat- 
 ening. The fatal instant arrived but too soon. An im- 
 mense wave, rising mountain high, dashed upon and 
 foundered our vessel. She sank instantly, and her entire 
 crew was precipitated into the watery abyss. 
 
 " When I arose to the surface, I saw two men at some 
 distance from me trying to sustain themselves by clinging 
 to the wreck of the boat. One of them I recognized as 
 Celestin ; the other was Pierre, my best sailor. I made 
 my way toward and joined them. To describe what we 
 afterward suffered during those long hours we were toss- 
 ed about at the mercy of the sea, would be impossible.
 
 22 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 At length, God, in his mercy, permitted an English vessel 
 to discover and pick us up. The captain and crew were 
 lavish in their kindness and attentions. When we arriv- 
 ed at the Isle of Wight, where the vessel was bound, we 
 would at once have sailed for Havre ; but fatigue and 
 excitement had thrown Celestin into a high fever, which 
 only left him yesterday afternoon. This morning we 
 started, and on arriving, heard the report that had been 
 circulated of our death. Unhappily, the disaster has, 
 after all, been but too correctly reported ; for out of six 
 sailors, Pierre and the one who before arrived here have 
 alone been able to escape with us. May God rest the 
 souls of our poor brave companions !" 
 
 Saying this, Anthony fell on his knees; every one 
 followed his example, and a fervent prayer was repeated, 
 in which all joined from the depths of their hearts. This 
 duty accomplished, they then offered up a prayer of 
 thanksgiving and gratitude for the unhoped-for return of 
 Anthony and his son : the neighbors then took their 
 leave, and in a few minutes no other strangers remained 
 at White Cottage, except Madame Hermier and her 
 daughter. 
 
 " We will talk of our business affairs hereafter," said 
 the former ; " now we will go, and leave you alone to en- 
 joy your happiness. To-morrow we will come over and 
 see you again." 
 
 And escaping hurriedly from the renewed torrent of 
 acknowledgments with which the whole Lebrun family 
 would have overwhelmed them, she entered her carriage 
 with Leonie, and drove rapidly back to The Elms.
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 UNEXPECTED TIDINGS. 
 
 THE next day, it was necessary for Anthony to con- 
 sider what means could be best devised for escaping the 
 miseries entailed by the loss of his boat. That loss was 
 evidently very great. " But, remember," explained Mar- 
 garet, in the midst of a discussion concerning their diffi- 
 culties, " remember, we have every thing to console us, 
 since your life has been spared, and you are again re- 
 stored to your family. We are indeed but too happy; 
 we have only now to work a little harder, and all will 
 be well." 
 
 Anthony concluded that he and Celestin would go to 
 Havre on the following day, and endeavor to find some 
 owner of a fishing-boat, who would engage their services. 
 Margaret strongly advised them to no longer follow the 
 dangerous occupation of fishermen, but choose some 
 other calling ; but it was too late to change their voca"- 
 tion. Even Celestin, young as he was, already loved the 
 sea too much to renounce it. But a few hours had pass- 
 ed since he had barely escaped being the victim of a 
 terrible catastrophe, and yet he was already impatient 
 to brave new dangers.
 
 24 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 All sailors are alike in this respect. Habituated to 
 the constant change of scene and continued excitement 
 attending their perilous voyages, they become restless 
 and miserable, when detained for any length of time on 
 land ; and age, with its infirmities, can alone induce 
 them to abandon at last their adventurous calling. 
 
 Madame Hermier, faithful to her promise, returned 
 next day to confer with the Lebrun family. 
 
 " I shall offer you nothing gratuitously," she said, 
 when Margaret had informed her of her husband's inten- 
 tion. " I know that you would refuse it ; but for the 
 sake of your children, I think you might accept at least 
 a sufficient sum for Anthony to buy an interest in some 
 fishing vessel. You can return the money when you are 
 able. In this way, the loss you have experiencd will not 
 weigh so heavily on you." 
 
 " We thank you with all our hearts, and we are indeed 
 most truly grateful, my dear madame," said Anthony ; 
 " but I must still refuse your kind offer ; and for this rea- 
 son, the sea is so capricious. To-day we may gain a 
 great deal to-morrow, we lose all we have gained. You 
 would run the risk of waiting too long before we should 
 be able to pay this debt." 
 
 " You need not be uneasy on that account," replied 
 Madame Hermier. " I repeat it again, that you can pay 
 me whenever you are able. Am I not fully aware of 
 your industry and capacity ? I have not forgotten that it 
 was by your own labor and economy that you were ena- 
 bled to buy a vessel in the beginning. Have no scruples 
 then, and hesitate no longer about accepting the small 
 service that I shall be so happy to render you."
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 25 
 
 How could such gracious benevolence be resisted? 
 Anthony and his wife at length submitted to the argu- 
 ments and persuasions of Madame Hermier, and accept- 
 ed the -loan, which was indeed an unexpected relief for 
 them, a succor that had changed the most painful feature 
 in their position, by permitting Anthony not only to es- 
 cape returning to the sea as a simple sailor, after having 
 been master of a vessel, but also to aspire to a more ex- 
 tensive business than before. 
 
 All this being arranged, Margaret insisted that Ma- 
 dame Hermier and Leonie should honor them by taking 
 breakfast with the family. The invitation was accepted, 
 and the richest milk, the most exquisite fruits, and fresh- 
 est golden butter the cottage could produce, were spread 
 on the snow-white cloth that covered their humble board. 
 
 But good fortune seldom comes unattended. While 
 they were at breakfast, conversing hopefully of the future, 
 the postman entered, bringing a voluminous letter. The 
 superscription was in a hand that seemed not altogether 
 unknown to Anthony ; and yet he could not positively 
 recognize it. But on reading the words, " My dear Bro- 
 ther!" he could not credit his own senses, there must be 
 some mistake, and all bewildered he sought the signa- 
 ture. Then his eyes gushed with tears, and his voice 
 trembled as he read the name, "William Lebrun." A 
 cry of joy escaped his lips. " From my brother !" he ex- 
 claimed. " My brother still lives ! My God, I thank 
 Thee for this happiness !"
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 ADVENTURES OF WILLIAM LEBRUN. 
 
 EVERY one partook of the joy and astonishment of 
 Anthony, and urged him to read the letter aloud, which 
 he immediately proceeded to do. It ran thus : 
 
 " MY DEAR BROTHER : You have doubtless for long 
 years believed me dead. Twenty years have passed 
 since we parted, and adventures and events have with me 
 succeeded each other so rapidly that you must pardon 
 me for having delayed writing to you until this late hour. 
 How often I have thought of you, my dear brother J 
 And now, I indulge in the hope of enjoying but one hap- 
 piness on earth that of beholding your face once more, 
 and meeting your wife and children ! 
 
 " And now, let me tell you by what a succession of 
 curious events I have been brought to America, and be- 
 come a rich Southern planter. Twenty years ago, when 
 I embarked on the ' Alcyon,' I had, as you know, a great 
 fancy for long voyages. I felt that I could never be sa- 
 tisfied or happy, until I had traveled around the world, 
 and seen something of new and unknown countries ; and 
 I was resolved to seize the first opportunity favorable for
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 27 
 
 realizing my projects. The desired occasion soon pre- 
 sented itself. 
 
 " The vessel on which I had sailed foundered at sea, 
 off the coast of Normandy. I, with great difficulty, es- 
 caped death, and was taken up by a merchant-vessel, on 
 board of which I met an Australian trader and merchant, 
 who seemed to fancy me, and proposed I should engage 
 in his service, in the capacity of clerk. I would proba- 
 bly have refused this offer, had he not added that every 
 year he made a long voyage, to purchase supplies and 
 attend to other business, and would be glad to take me 
 with him. 
 
 " I accepted his proposition, and never had cause to 
 regret it. Mr. Simpson was the name of this merchant ; 
 he was one of the best and most honorable of men, and I 
 shall ever retain for him the most affectionate and grate- 
 ful remembrances. In his employ I passed five yeais. 
 
 " Every spring, as he had told me, we traveled to the 
 most distant portions of the island, and also visited the 
 United States, in order to become acquainted with the 
 principal fishermen and hunters who would then reserve 
 for Mr. Simpson the choicest products of their labors. I 
 accumulated a considerable amount on these trading ex- 
 peditions, as my employer, being a true friend, gave me a 
 large share in the profits, in order that I might feel inte- 
 rested, and exert myself to be useful to him. 
 
 "I had been in this situation five years, when, in 
 consequence of the dishonesty of one of his agents, Mr. 
 Simpson was called to New-York to look after his inte- 
 rests. I was again his companion. While in that city, I 
 heard them speak of the ' Trappers.' Now these trap-
 
 28 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 pers are men who are not afraid to force their way into 
 the unexplored regions of North-America, in quest of 
 animals whose furs are valuable, and engage in traffic 
 with the different tribes of Indians. 
 
 " Hearing some of these hunters relate their adven- 
 tures, I was completely carried away. They vainly re- 
 presented the dangers to be encountered, the cruel death 
 reserved for them by the savages, when they were so un- 
 fortunate as to be captured, the horrible privations 
 they had to endure, etc. Nothing could deter me or 
 change the resolution I had made to join them ; my de- 
 termination was irrevocable. I informed Mr. Simpson 
 of my wish to become a trapper. He endeavored to re- 
 monstrate, but I would listen to nothing, and ended the 
 conversation by saying that, amid all the dangers of my 
 new career, I would never forget the kindness I had re- 
 ceived from him. 
 
 " Seeing that he could not succeed in altering my de- 
 termination, that excellent man resolved at least to give 
 me a token of his friendship and good-will. He counted 
 me out a sum much greater than the amount of my five 
 years' savings (which I had left in Australia) ; then em- 
 brracing me as though I had been his own son, he gave 
 me the kindest advice, and finished, by assuring me, if I 
 ever stood in need of assistance, I would find him ready 
 to do all in his power to aid me. 
 
 " Two days after, I left New-York with a band of 
 trappers, and set out upon a long expedition. I will not 
 detain you, my dear Anthony, with particulars of all I 
 had to suffer during that campaign, and how I cursed the
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 29 
 
 spirit of reckless adventure that had induced me to un- 
 dertake it. I will simply state that by dint of persever- 
 ance I amassed a small fortune, and six years after my 
 coup-de-tete, I arrived at New-Orleans, with the determi- 
 nation of embarking for France. But* a singular inci- 
 dent detained me in America, which I will now relate. 
 
 " One night, while passing through an unfrequented 
 street, I was attracted by cries, seeming to proceed from 
 quite a handsome residence near by. I rushed toward 
 the door, but found it strongly fastened. I vainly en- 
 deavored to force it open, at the same time calling loud- 
 ly for help ; when I perceived a window on the first 
 story, the shutters of which had been negligently left 
 open. I at once climbed into it, and found myself in a 
 large hall, at the extremity of which a faint light gleamed 
 through a half-open door. The cries I had at first heard 
 continued, but grew more and more feeble. Making my 
 way through a quantity of different kinds of furniture 
 that filled the hall, I at last reached the back-door; I 
 pushed it open, and a frightful spectacle met my view. 
 
 A man of gigantic stature had thrown to the ground, 
 and was holding down, with his knee on his breast, an- 
 other man, old and feeble, upon whose head he was 
 dealing violent blows, and inflicting wounds from which 
 the blood ran in streams. On perceiving me, he rushed 
 on me with poniard in hand ; but fortunately I had a pis- 
 tol ; I fired, and the assassin, wounded in the breast, fell 
 near his victim. At this moment, the house filled with 
 people, neighbors attracted by my cries before entering 
 the window. With their aid, the assassin was securely
 
 30 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 bound, and the old man conducted to his bed, xeceived 
 all the attention his condition required. After some 
 time, he revived sufficiently to explain that the man who 
 had so basely attacked him was one of his former over- 
 seers. Furious .at losing his situation, this man had 
 sworn to be revenged, and knowing that his old master 
 intended to spend a week or two at his residence in the 
 city, he had selected that time as being most favorable for 
 the execution of his murderous purpose. 
 
 " A fortnight after, and the assassin, who had not 
 died of his wounds, was condemned to the State prison 
 for life. 
 
 " Mr. Richards, the old gentleman whose life I had 
 saved, was a wealthy planter. He soon recovered from 
 his wounds, and insisted that I should, by all means, re- 
 turn with him to his plantation, on the borders of Lake 
 Ponchartrain. I consented to accompany him on a 
 visit. His residence was indeed magnificent, and situat- 
 ed in a country of ravishing beauty. There was but one 
 source of annoyance to me in this charming abode of 
 luxury and wealth ; and that was to see the miserable 
 slaves driven around like cattle, by the lash and cudgel 
 of an inhuman overseer. Mr. Richards listened kindly 
 to my opinions and remonstrances on this subject, for he 
 was truly a good man ; and very soon proposed that I 
 should myself assume the management of his estate. I 
 accepted the proposition of my patron, who treated me 
 more like a friend than a master, and seemed highly 
 pleased with the manner in which I accomplished the 
 duties of my position. But alas ! in less than two years
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 31 
 
 after I had met him, we were separated by death ; he died, 
 leaving me, in his will, a considerable legacy, as a testi- 
 monial, he said, of his gratitude for the services I had 
 rendered him. 
 
 " Mr. Richards, being a widower, without children, 
 his property reverted to his distant relatives, who, not 
 being able to agree upon a division, the estate was 
 brought to sale. 
 
 " My legacy, together with the sum I had acquired as 
 a trapper, amounted to a considerable fortune, and the 
 idea occurred to me, of becoming, in my turn, a planter. 
 Accordingly I bought the plantation on Lake Ponchar- 
 train. 
 
 " Here, for eight years now, I have been proprietor ; 
 during that time, my fortune has greatly increased ; I 
 am rich, even very rich ; and I require nothing but a 
 family to complete my happiness. I am scarcely forty- 
 five ; but the hardships and exposure suffered during my 
 hunting expeditions in North-America have made me 
 prematurely old. I would like very much to return to 
 France, my dear native country of Havre, and embrace 
 you all once more. But unfortunately I could not do 
 this without compromising very seriously my interests 
 here, and as those interests, dear Anthony, are identical 
 with those of your family, I must guard them very care- 
 fully. 
 
 " However, I can not remain here any longer alone, 
 and I have now this request to make of you. I have 
 asked a friend from New-Orleans to inquire about you, 
 and from him I learn that you are married, and have
 
 32 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 four children, the eldest of whom is an interesting girl of 
 about twelve or thirteen years. Now, the request I have 
 to make of you, dear brother, is, that you will send my 
 niece out to me. She will be perfectly happy here, be- 
 lieve me ; the superintendent's wife, whom I have in- 
 trusted with the direction of my household affairs, is in 
 every respect a competent person, and would take the 
 place of a devoted mother toward your child. 
 
 " It consoles me greatly, my dear brother, to think 
 that you will not oppose this arrangement, on which I 
 have built my dearest hopes. I want to make my niece 
 a wealthy heiress ; but I also desire to have her company 
 for my own benefit. Her society will indeed be most 
 consoling to me, now that the infirmities of age are be- 
 ginning to weigh upon me. Do not refuse me this hap- 
 piness, Anthony. Consider how the sacrifice I demand 
 will contribute to the good of your family in the end. 
 Besides, I do not believe I shall live very long ; a few 
 years will quickly pass away, and then your daughter 
 will return to you, and you will welcome her with re- 
 newed joy. 
 
 " I beg you to remember me affectionately to my sis- 
 ter your good wife, and all your children, whom I would 
 so much like to see. As for you, my dear brother, be- 
 lieve me I love you as dearly as when, in the beautiful 
 days of our childhood, we played together around our 
 mother's knee. 
 
 "And now, adieu, dear Anthony. I fear we shall 
 never meet again on earth ; because, as I have said, I
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 33 
 
 am already a very old man ; but until the last moment 
 of my life, believe me I shall ever remain, 
 " Your devoted brother, 
 
 "WILLIAM LEBRUN." 
 "LAKE PONCHARTRAIN, 
 
 VILLA OF THE ACACIAS." 
 
 There was a note inclosed in the letter, containing 
 these lines : 
 
 " I have ascertained, dear Anthony, that by your in- 
 dustry you have acquired a competence ; and I am hap- 
 py to hear it : but in spite of the pride which I know you 
 possess, you will, I hope, not feel offended that I have 
 spoken of your pecuniary affairs ? Consider, my brother, 
 that the occupation of a sailor is a very precarious one, 
 and that you have to provide for the wants of your chil- 
 dren. Let me renew, then, my request that you send 
 your oldest daughter to me, and permit me to offer you, 
 for her sister and brothers, and your wife, the little gift 
 here inclosed. 
 
 " By this same mail, I have written to Mr. Berlin, of 
 Havre, the business agent of one of my friends, to hand 
 you two thousand francs, as passage-money for my niece, 
 and to furnish her with the trousseau she will require. 
 
 "W. L." 
 
 The " small present," spoken of by the planter in his 
 letter, was a draft for ten thousand francs, deposited with 
 Mr. Bertin. 
 
 We will not repeat all the reflections to which this 
 narrative of Mr. William Lebrun's adventures gave rise,
 
 34 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 nor the astonishment caused by his requesting Henrietta 
 to be sent to him. 
 
 Anthony was deeply affected by his brother's letter ; 
 he was most happy to know that he still lived, and that 
 fortune had favored him ; but, while grateful for the be- 
 nefits William wished to bestow on him, he could not, at 
 the same time, tolerate the idea of being separated from 
 his daughter.
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 NEW SORROWS. 
 
 His brother's donation placed Anthony Lebrun in a 
 condition to re-establish himself far beyond his most 
 sanguine expectations, and at the same time relieved him 
 from the disagreeable necessity of borrowing. It is true, 
 Madame Hermier was no ordinary creditor ; but not to 
 be compelled to borrow any sum, however insignificant it 
 might be, was a positive relief to Anthony Lebrun. He 
 felt no less grateful to Madame Hermier, for her gene- 
 rous offer, however, and the friendship between the two 
 families became as intimate as possible, under the cir- 
 cumstances of their respective positions. 
 
 Thus, their usual quiet contentment and happiness 
 was again restored to the inmates of White Cottage. A 
 handsome new boat replaced the one lost in the storm. 
 An extensive piece of ground, contiguous to the garden, 
 was bought, and promised to become very productive. 
 These acquisitions not having exhausted the money sent 
 by his brother, the remainder was, by Madame Hermier's 
 advice, advantageously invested, to serve as a resource 
 in case of any unforeseen accident or necessity. 
 
 A very affectionate and grateful letter was dispatch-
 
 36 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 ed to the planter, declining his urgent proposal to Hen- 
 rietta, but at the same time imploring him to leave Ame- 
 rica, and return to reside with his own family in France. 
 
 Although she loved her parents most tenderly, Hen- 
 rietta could not avoid sometimes thinking of the delight- 
 ful journey she would have had, in going out to her uncle, 
 and her vivid imagination represented the voyage and 
 countries she might have visited in such glowing colors 
 that she was frequently astonished at finding herself re- 
 gretting her father's decision. 
 
 To divert her mind from dwelling on these regrets, 
 she begged Leonie to loan her some voyages of discovery, 
 and these books, especially those treating of that portion 
 of America in which her uncle William Lebrun lived, 
 became her favorite studies, though many times even the 
 descriptions she read made her sigh ! 
 
 Nearly a year had passed in this manner. Winter 
 had come, and with it a number of violent storms had 
 desolated the coast of the channel. These inauspicious 
 visitations continued to succeed each other without in- 
 termission. Among the population of the coast the de- 
 solation and destruction were without a parallel. There 
 was not a family but had lost either some of its members, 
 or the greater part of its resources ; and upon many of 
 them both these misfortunes had fallen at the same time. 
 Up to this period, Anthony Lebrun had experienced no 
 new disasters ; but very soon he was taken with a violent 
 attack of acute rheumatism, that confined him for months 
 entirely to the house. He was compelled to consign his 
 boat to one of his friends, whom he considered reliable ; 
 but a month had scarcely passed, after the change of
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 37 
 
 commanders, before the vessel, badly managed during a 
 storm, was dashed to pieces on the rocks. More than half 
 the crew perished ; but fortunately, his son, Celestin, be- 
 ing slightly indisposed, had not gone out on this voyage. 
 
 He could not for a moment think of buying another 
 boat ; without this loss, Anthony would have scarcely 
 been able to meet his requirements, and it proved but 
 the prelude to a succession of misfortunes that were 
 about to befall him. His wife became, and for a long 
 time continued, violently ill ; he himself required con- 
 stant nursing ; and after all his expenses and indebted- 
 ness had been settled, not only the money placed at in- 
 terest was absorbed, but he was compelled besides to bor- 
 row, giving a mortgage on the little property of the 
 White Cottage for the amount. 
 
 Anthony vainly endeavored to struggle against these 
 misfortunes ; vainly endeavored to return to the sea as a 
 common sailor ; his limbs, tortured by rheumatism, con- 
 tinued to prevent all such exertions, and very soon his 
 situation became so desperate, he was driven to the con- 
 sideration of selling his beautiful White Cottage home. 
 
 At the bare idea of such a necessity being imminent, 
 the entire family were plunged in tears. 
 
 461504
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 TWO DEPARTURES. 
 
 ONE evening, after a. more unprofitable day's work 
 than usual, Celestin could no longer conceal his dissatis- 
 faction, and summoning all the courage of which he was 
 master, ventured to ask permission of his parents 19 en- 
 gage on board a merchant-vessel. 
 
 " I am now almost thirteen years old," he argued ; 
 " I am a large boy, stout and hardy ; I understand my 
 business, and I am not afraid to work ; let me then en- 
 gage in trade. Just now, the three-mast ship ' L' Espe- 
 rance,' belonging to Mr. Bertin, brother of the banker, is 
 about starting on a long voyage to China and Japan. I 
 have been speaking to Mr. Bertin, and I feel almost sure 
 he will give me a good position, because I am accustom- 
 ed to the sea. In this way, at least, I can assist you, by 
 sending you my wages." 
 
 Margaret Lebrun burst into tears on hearing this ge- 
 nerous proposal. "No, no! "she replied,"! can never 
 consent to be separated from you, my dear child, on a 
 voyage so long and uncertain." 
 
 " But consider, dear mother," replied Celestin " that 
 sooner or later it must come to this. Here, now, my fa-
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 39 
 
 ther's boat is lost again, and I have no chance of doing 
 any thing at all, while if I go on a long voyage like this, I 
 can be of very great assistance to you." 
 
 " Celestin is right," interrupted his father. " I must 
 say I approve of his plan entirely, not because of the ad- 
 vantage it will be to us, but for the opportunity it affords 
 him of traveling and learning something of the world. 
 He is industrious and intelligent, and the simple calling 
 of a fisherman is not suited to him. We will let him en- 
 gage on board the ' Hope.' God will watch over and 
 protect him, and bring him back to us again, uncontam- 
 inated by vice or folly, steadfast and faithful to the 
 pure principles we have always endeavored to instill into 
 his heart." 
 
 Anthony could say no more ; for notwithstanding his 
 apparent firmness, the idea of Celestin 's leaving home 
 almost broke his heart. As for Margaret, she covered 
 her face with her apron and wept bitterly ; Henrietta 
 also wept ; while Emily and little Henry, seeing the tears 
 of their parents and sister, clung sobbing to Celestin, as 
 though he was that moment going to leave them. 
 
 Eight hours later, and the youth sailed from Havre, 
 on a voyage that would require him to be absent at least 
 two years. 
 
 This separation was not the only sacrifice, however, 
 that was to be required of Anthony and Margaret. A 
 second letter from William Lebrun peremptorily de- 
 manded that Henrietta should be sent, without delay, 
 to New-Orleans. If this request was complied with, the 
 planter instructed his brother to draw on Bertin, the 
 banker, for money as he needed it, to the amount of ten
 
 40 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 thousand francs. He added that unless Henrietta was 
 sent, this would be the last letter they would receive, 
 and the family should be disinherited. 
 
 What response should be made to this ? Anthony men- 
 tally asked himself, looking in despair at his deplorable 
 condition. He felt that it would be necessarily a long 
 time before he could think of being able to work, and 
 even if his health was restored, he could not hope for 
 sufficient strength to endure any hard labor. His wife's 
 health grew feebler every day, and he was not able to 
 provide her with actual necessaries. Emily and Henry, 
 although young, had begun to suffer from the privations 
 they endured ; and Henrietta even, in spite of her vigo- 
 rous constitution and courageous nature, grew every 
 day paler and more delicate. Such a condition of 
 things was intolerable. 
 
 Too proud to ask assistance from any one, Anthony 
 preferred being deprived of another child rather than 
 apply to Madame Hermier. And yet that estimable 
 lady and her daughter had done every thing possible to 
 overcome the poor father's scrupulous pride. 
 
 One evening, at last, Anthony took up courage, and 
 made some remark about accepting the offer of his broth- 
 er. He was interrupted immediately by the tears and 
 entreaties of his wife ; but Henrietta at once spoke, and 
 encouraged the idea. 
 
 "Remember, my dear father and mother," she ex- 
 claimed, " that this journey you so much dread would at 
 once put an end to all our difficulties. Uncle offers to 
 leave you his entire fortune, if I will go after it ; and 
 there is no other possible way for us to escape from the
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 41 
 
 desperate condition surrounding us. Would it not be 
 better that this fortune should become ours rather than 
 to fall into the hands of strangers ? It is to be hoped, 
 moreover, that once I get there I shall not find it diffi- 
 cult to persuade uncle to return to France. We shall 
 never obtain this result by writing letters to him, you 
 know. Imagine our happiness should I come back 
 bringing him with me !" 
 
 "If I could go along and take care of you," inter- 
 rupted Margaret, "I should probably be resigned; but 
 alone, at your age, I can never consent for you to take 
 such a journey." 
 
 "We can find out when the vessels sail," replied 
 Henrietta; "almost every time, there are ladies going 
 alone, or with their families. It would not be difficult, 
 I am sure, to find some one who would be willing to take 
 me under her care, during the voyage." 
 
 And as Anthony seemed to approve of his daughter's 
 resolution, Margaret saw very well that she would have 
 to be resigned to another separation. 
 
 Madame Hermier, when informed of the project, said 
 she was acquainted with a Creole lady, the widow of a 
 sea-captain, who expected very soon to return to Ameri- 
 ca and her native city of New-Orleans. This lady would 
 embark in the month of May ; and at the request of her 
 friend, Madame Hermier, would doubtless be willing to 
 take Henrietta under her protection during the voyage. 
 
 In the course of two days, every thing was decided, 
 and the young girl's passage engaged. This was near 
 the end of March ; an entire month remained, during 
 which the necessary preparations were to be made. An-
 
 42 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 thony wrote immediately to his brother, apprising him of 
 the date of Henrietta's anticipated departure, and the 
 probable time of her arrival at New-Orleans. 
 
 How rapidly the time passed, bringing the moment 
 of separation ! Already the hour for parting had arriv- 
 ed, and yet it seemed she had said nothing of so much 
 there was to say to her beloved parents. At last, bathed 
 in tears, Henrietta, with difficulty, tore herself from the 
 arms of her devoted family, and all those she so dearly 
 loved and by whom she was so fondly cherished. 
 
 " Have courage !" she said, endeavoring to force back 
 her tears. " In a little while I will return, and bring 
 uncle with me, and just imagine what joy, what happiness 
 will be ours then!" 
 
 Madame Hermier and her daughter were deeply af- 
 fected by these touching farewells, and consoled Henri- 
 etta, by promising to visit her family very often. 
 
 "Have no fears," said Leonie; "I will try and con- 
 sole them so well that they will scarcely have time to miss 
 you, before you will be back again, and " 
 
 At that moment, the ship's bell sounded for depart- 
 ing, and Henrietta was hurried on board,
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 THE VOYAGE AN UNEXPECTED DIFFICULTY. 
 
 THE vessel on which our young heroine sailed was 
 not bound directly for New-Orleans ; the captain having 
 first to convey some instructions or orders to a colony 
 located on the coast of Senegambia. The voyage, on 
 this account, was considerably prolonged. Notwith- 
 standing the inconvenience of such a necessity, Madame 
 Delmont, the lady under whose protection Henrietta had 
 been placed, preferred sailing on the " Swallow" because 
 the captain of that vessel had been a friend of her hus- 
 band. 
 
 The first few days they were favored with a smooth sea 
 and most beautiful weather. Henrietta, although much 
 depressed and very sad for some time after parting with 
 her parents, soon recovered her cheerfulness. " It is for 
 their benefit that I am going," she reflected ; " then why 
 should I regret it?" Then she began to wonder how 
 she would feel and act, when she arrived at her uncle's ; 
 and very soon, carried away by her imagination, she was 
 dreaming joyfully of all she would be able to do to con- 
 tribute to his happiness. Surely it would not be very 
 long either, before he would decide upon returning to 
 France.
 
 44 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 She was influenced also by another cause of happi- 
 ness, at first not very definite, but which, by degrees, as- 
 sumed a prominent place in the young girl's thoughts. 
 She was now about to realize the beautiful dreams in 
 which she had so often indulged while reading the books 
 loaned her by Leonie. What pleasure might she not an- 
 ticipate in traveling through those distant countries, the 
 mere description of which had so delighted her ! 
 
 Enjoying these brilliant anticipations and the affec- 
 tionate kindness of Madame Delmont, Henrietta found 
 the time passing rapidly enough. Besides, being always 
 disposed to make herself useful, she found a thousand 
 kind offices to perform for the children of her protec- 
 tress. She amused them by relating stories that had been 
 told her in childhood ; watched over them with constant 
 solicitude, when they promenaded the deck of the ves- 
 sel ; in fact, she took entirely the place of their mother, 
 who had been suffering from sea-sickness, and unable to 
 leave her state-room since the day she embarked. 
 
 Near the coast of Senegambia, the weather, which 
 had until then been most favorable, became quite tem- 
 pestuous, and the captain prudently resolved to run into 
 the first bay that seemed to offer sufficient shelter. 
 This proved to be no vain precaution ; during eight en- 
 tire days a violent storm continued to rage, and the ship, 
 notwithstanding the protection afforded by the harbor, 
 suffered considerable damage. 
 
 When the storm had ceased, the captain hastened to 
 have all necessary repairs made, and permitted his crew 
 to go on shore for recreation, after the fatigue they had
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 45 
 
 undergone. Madame Delmont, accompanied by her 
 children and Henrietta, also landed. 
 
 They found a small negro hamlet near the beach, and, 
 not far distant, several houses or habitations occupied 
 by Europeans, engaged in the ivory trade, also trading 
 in gold-dust, gums, spices, palm-oil, and other products 
 of this African country. These colonists, the majority 
 of whom were French, rejoiced at this unexpected visit 
 of their countrymen, gave the sailors and passengers a 
 cordial welcome, and dispatched a quantity of fresh pro- 
 visions to the ship. The entire day passed rapidly and 
 pleasantly. Toward evening, the captain gave the sig- 
 nal for departure. Just as they reached the beach, the 
 most frightful howlings and cries arose from the negro 
 hamlet, and a troop of armed warriors rushed upon the 
 crew who were returning to the ship. 
 
 In the first moment of surprise, the sailors, unprepar- 
 ed for the attack, defended themselves badly, and several 
 were wounded. 
 
 At last, the colonists, who had come down to see 
 them off, succeeded in quelling the tumult, and demand- 
 ed the cause of the aggression. 
 
 A gigantic negro immediately advanced, gesticulat- 
 ing violently, and holding up the body of a serpent that 
 one of the sailors had killed with his sabre. Seven or 
 eight feet long, the reptile had an immense round head ; 
 his skin was gray, richly painted with the most brilliant 
 hues of yellow, blue, and brown, with a small pointed 
 tail. 
 
 " Ah !" exclaimed one of the colonists, "who has 
 been so unfortunate as to kill this serpent? It is held
 
 46 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 sacred by the negroes, is one of their idols, and we 
 shall find it difficult to appease their wrath." 
 
 And so it proved ; for in a few moments they again 
 renewed the assault. It was with great difficulty the cap- 
 tain succeeded in embarking his crew and passengers, 
 and, notwithstanding the expedition with which the boats 
 pushed off from the shore, more than one of the enemies' 
 arrows took effect upon the fugitives. 
 
 They had scarcely gotten on board the vessel, when 
 Madame Delmont uttered a cry of horror. She then, 
 for the first time, discovered that Henrietta was missing; 
 she had been left on shore. In the alarm and confusion 
 caused by the sudden attack, she scarcely had strength 
 to save her own children. But recovering from this pros- 
 tration, she immediately looked around, supposing Hen- 
 rietta had followed her. What had become of the unfor- 
 tunate young girl ? The distracted woman implored the 
 captain to return to land, wringing her hands in de- 
 spair. This child, confided to her care, had doubtless 
 already been massacred by those negro savages. 
 
 The utmost consternation reigned throughout the 
 ship at this intelligence. By her affability and gentle 
 deportment, Henrietta had gained the love of all on 
 board; therefore the sailors in a body volunteered to 
 return to land in search of her. The captain selected 
 those whom he knew possessed the greatest shrewdness, 
 courage, and prudence ; then, transferring the command 
 of the ship to his second mate, went himself to direct 
 the expedition. 
 
 It was with great difficulty Madame Delmont could 
 be prevented from returning with them to the shore,
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 47 
 
 The young girl must be found, she insisted, and bitterly 
 reproached herself for having lost sight of her : finally, 
 forcible measures were obliged to be used to compel the 
 distracted woman to remain on the vessel. 
 
 All in vain the captain and sailors scoured the 
 country around the negro village ; in vain they interro- 
 gated a number of negroes whom they captured. The 
 entire night and the following day were spent in fruit- 
 less searches. At last, they were forced to conclude that 
 Henrietta had been murdered and her body buried or 
 concealed. The colonists themselves, not daring, with- 
 out imperiling their own safety, to openly take part 
 with the people of the ship, went secretly among the 
 blacks to make inquiry, but were unable to obtain the 
 slightest clue to the fate of the unfortunate girl. Com- 
 pelled, at length, to abandon the useless search, the cap- 
 tain and sailors returned sadly to the vessel, while Ma- 
 dame Delmont, on seeing them return alone, was over- 
 whelmed anew with an agony of grief and remorse.
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 THE SACRED SERPENT. 
 
 HENRIETTA was not dead. Made prisoner, and so 
 closely bound as scarcely to be able to move, she was 
 taken into one of the negro cabins, and there, thrown in 
 a dark corner on the ground, she awaited in terror the 
 fate reserved for her. It would doubtless be a fearful 
 one! 
 
 "O my poor mother, my dear father!" she mur- 
 mured in the agony of despair ; " you are dreaming of 
 me. Doubtless you are saying now, that very soon I shall 
 be happy with my uncle. Could you only know where I 
 am, and what my fate is to be in a few hours !" And her 
 very thoughts were stifled by tears and sobs. How, in- 
 deed, could a child of scarcely fourteen years contem- 
 plate with serene composure the cruel termination that 
 threatened her young life ? In spirit she was transport- 
 ed to her beloved home at White Cottage ; one after an- 
 other, every circumstance of her tranquil, happy life 
 passed in succession before her, and she clasped to her 
 heart in imagination her dear parents, Celestin, Emily, 
 and Henry, her precious little brother and godson. 
 
 At last, fatigue overcame both terror and wretched- 
 ness, and exhausted she sank into a feverish slumber. 
 For an hour, perhaps, she slept, when a sudden sensa-
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 49 
 
 tion of coldness on one of her hands, caused her to 
 start up with an impression of dread. She opened her 
 eyes, and what was her terror on discovering, through 
 the almost perfect darkness surrounding her, an enor- 
 mous serpent twined around her arms, precisely similar 
 to the one whose death by the sailor had caused the 
 calamity by which she had been overtaken ! She tried 
 to cry out, but her voice died away on her lips. Bound 
 as she was, it was impossible to defend herself ; besides, 
 how utterly useless to struggle against such an enormous 
 reptile ! 
 
 Seized with a mortal terror, she was prevented from 
 noticing that the serpent seemed disposed to do her no 
 harm. On the contrary, he rubbed his great round head 
 against her arms and hands, as if desiring to be ca- 
 ressed ; and at length, coiling himself up in a circle on 
 her knees, he went to sleep. 
 
 Astonished at this, Henrietta concluded that the rep- 
 tile must be inoffensive, yet, although slightly reassured 
 by this supposition, with a very natural feeling of repug- 
 nance, she felt inclined to throw it out of her lap, but 
 the idea of having it again wrapping and coiling itself 
 around her body prevented her from making the slight- 
 est movement. 
 
 This strange and frightful position was prolonged for 
 several hours. To\vard midnight loud cries suddenly be- 
 gan to resound near the door of the prisoner's hut, and a 
 crowd of negroes, men, women, and children, rushed in 
 
 One of the blacks, a gigantic and powerful creature, 
 advanced toward Henrietta, armed with an old Euro- 
 pean sabre. He was in the act of bringing the weapon
 
 down on the young girl's head, when he perceived the 
 serpent. With a yell of surprise, he fell prostrate on the 
 ground. The whole crowd followed his example, and 
 before Henrietta had recovered from her astonishment, 
 they had removed the cords that bound her, and a pro- 
 fusion of refreshments, consisting of fruits, palm-wine, 
 etc., were placed before her. 
 
 The first impulse, on regaining her liberty, was to 
 cast the serpent to the ground, but instantly she saw 
 some women approaching the reptile with a jar of milk, 
 and sinking on their knees before it, waited patiently and 
 reverently for it to drink. 
 
 All at once it occurred to Henrietta, that she had 
 read in one of Leonie's books, that the negroes worship- 
 ed an infinity of objects, animate and inanimate, which 
 they call fetiches. She remembered, also, at the moment 
 she was captured, of hearing one of the colonists say 
 something about the " sacred serpent." All fear of the 
 reptile then disappeared, and she returned fervent thanks 
 to God for the visible protection he had extended around 
 her. Seeing the young girl clasp her hands, the negroes 
 supposed it to be an act of adoration offered to their 
 idol, and their kind attentions increased. They 
 brought in a great quantity of leaves and moss, and 
 spread them down in a corner of the hut, to serve as a 
 bed, and then, all together, retired in silence. 
 
 Left alone, Henrietta tremblingly endeavored to rid 
 
 herself of the serpent, which still lay sleeping on her 
 
 knees; She was not yet assured that this species of 
 
 snake was perfectly docile and not at all venomous. 
 
 The negroes held it in great veneration because of its
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 51 
 
 making furious war upon the poisonous reptiles so nu- 
 merous throughout Africa, and especially a kind of black 
 viper, about ten feet long, whose bite always proved 
 fatal. 
 
 Although exhausted by the rapid succession of emo- 
 tions through which she had passed, the young girl look- 
 ed around her to discover, if possible, some means by 
 which to make her escape ; but all hope fled when she 
 heard the sound of footsteps and voices, and perceived, 
 through the openings between the logs of which the hut 
 was built, that a guard had been placed around it. She 
 then endeavored to resign herself to her fate as a prison- 
 er, yet, notwithstanding the wretchedness caused by the 
 hopeless condition surrounding her, the young girl felt 
 more composed. " My God !" she cried, with a sudden 
 outburst of grateful fervor and steadfast faith, "my 
 God ! Thou hast already miraculously snatched me from 
 the jaws of death ; in Thee alone do I place my trust : 
 watch over me, and in the plenitude of Thy goodness 
 and mercy, abandon not Thy helpless child !" 
 
 Resigning herself entirely into the hands of God, with 
 a last lingering thought to parents and home, she retired 
 to her rude couch of leaves and moss, and was soon 
 wrapped in a quiet slumber.
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 HENRIETTA'S SUFFERINGS. 
 
 FOR three days Henrietta was kept a prisoner, and 
 the hut strictly guarded, where every night the " sacred 
 serpent" came to sleep. On the fourth day, she was con- 
 ducted from her lodging, and taken off to a great dis- 
 tance, to gather sticks and dead branches for fire-wood. 
 Reaching the summit of a small hill, she came in view of 
 the ocean, but looked in vain for a glimpse of the ship ; 
 the bay was deserted, not a sail to be seen. 
 
 Poor Henrietta ! she was indeed abandoned ! The 
 conviction seemed so cruel that, overwhelmed by a sense 
 of her misery, she threw herself on the ground in an 
 agony of tears and grief. 
 
 The negroes who accompanied her, although they 
 treated her with a certain degree of deference, imme- 
 diately gathered around, and with earnest and threaten- 
 ing gestures, commanded her to return to her task. She 
 was compelled to obey. 
 
 The work assigned the poor girl was not in itself 
 very painful or laborious ; but was rendered intolerable 
 from having to be accomplished under the burning rays of
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 53 
 
 a tropical sun. Henrietta was incessantly consumed by 
 an intense thirst, besides being kept in perpetual dread ; 
 as in traversing the forests, and making her way through 
 the dense shrubbery, at every step she could hear the 
 black viper's hiss, while thousands of strange and horri- 
 ble insects were flying and buzzing in swarms around 
 her. Monkeys were leaping and chattering among the 
 branches of the trees, and every moment a loud roaring 
 sound announced that a lion, panther, or leopard had 
 been aroused from his slumbers. 
 
 Toward midday, when the sun's rays were hottest, 
 Henrietta, exhausted and faint, ventured to take a few 
 moments' repose. Her guards seeming to offer no objec- 
 tion, she laid herself down at the foot of a palm-tree, 
 whose large leaves afforded a slight shade. In a very 
 short time, however, she was compelled to get up and 
 resume her task. When evening came on, they returned 
 to the village, and the young girl was again shut up in 
 the hut. 
 
 More than an entire month passed away, during 
 which each succeeding day was a repetition of the last. 
 Henrietta was obliged to go to the woods, but from com- 
 passion on the part of her keepers, or some other motive, 
 she was not ill-treated ; they only forced her to eat im- 
 moderately, and, in spite of her entreaties, would scarcely 
 ever permit her to drink. When, impelled by a burning 
 thirst, she would approach a stream of water, or if she 
 even tried to chew the green leaves, in order to moisten 
 her parched lips and tongue, they would always prevent 
 her. 
 
 This mysterious conduct was very soon explained.
 
 54 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 With their own idiom, the negroes had mixed some 
 French words, and, at the end of a fortnight, Henrietta 
 was enabled, by paying close attention, to understand 
 slightly what they said. In this way, she discovered their 
 object was \.o fatten her, in order that she might become 
 more worthy of being immolated to their idols, on a so- 
 lemn festival which was to take place at the next full 
 moon, the usual season of devotion and rejoicing with 
 the African people. 
 
 At this discovery Henrietta's last hope vanished ; but 
 her confidence in God was not for a moment shaken. 
 " My life is in His hands," she exclaimed ; " not a hair of 
 my head can fall to the ground without His permission. 
 May His holy will be done !" 
 
 The day before the full moon, she was conducted for 
 the last time to the fields. It was six o'clock in the 
 morning when they arrived. While working, and with- 
 out being conscious of it herself, she wandered far away 
 from her dusky companions, and was left entirely alone 
 with the exception of one woman. The two were just in 
 the act of starting to rejoin the group, when a frightful 
 roar was heard, and an enormous lion rushed furiously 
 from the thicket. Before they could move, the ferocious 
 animal had sprung upon the negress, strangled her, and 
 then proceeded deliberately to devour her, all the time 
 keeping his haggard and bloodshot eyes fixed on Henri- 
 etta. 
 
 How the child had strength to fly, it is impossible to 
 conceive, but she made her escape. What were her feel- 
 ings, when, as night came on, she found herself alone, in 
 the midst of an immense plain, and far away from e.ven
 
 55 
 
 the negro village, it is difficult to imagine. But one idea 
 alone inspired her with courage ; she was free ! there was 
 a radiant joy in the thought, though all around her lurk- 
 ed darkness and danger ! But after the first moment of 
 ecstasy had passed, and the full consciousness of her 
 perilous position flashed upon her, an intense anguish 
 took possession of her soul. What had she really gained 
 by her escape ? How, all alone, would she be able to 
 direct her course through this savage country, where, at 
 every step, mortal dangers were to be encountered ? And 
 even if she succeeded in escaping the fangs of wild 
 beasts and venomous reptiles, what could save her from 
 the deadly grasp of starvation ? 
 
 And yet, despite these gloomy reflections, a gleam of 
 hope dawned in the heart of Henrietta. " Why not aban- 
 don myself entirely into the hands of divine Provi- 
 dence?" she exclaimed mentally; "how ungrateful in 
 me to act otherwise ! Has it not been God who has so 
 miraculously and visibly led me by the hand through the 
 midst of every peril, even until this hour ?" 
 
 These reflections aroused all her courage ; and, too 
 inexperienced to comprehend the entire extent of the 
 difficulties in the way of her deliverance, she started re- 
 solutely across the plain. 
 
 Darkness very soon began to close around her its 
 gloomy folds, as in these torrid regions there is, properly 
 speaking, no twilight ; and she hastened to find a shelter 
 for the night. After many unsuccessful efforts, she at 
 length found a small tree growing at the foot of a palm, 
 into which she climbed, and from thence reached the 
 junction of two large palm-branches which she thought
 
 $6 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 would afford her a secure lodging-place for the night. 
 Her condition was indeed pitiable ; her hands were torn 
 and bleeding, her face lacerated by thorns ; but all 
 fear had passed away, leaving her soul perfectly calm 
 and serene. She was hoping against hope; had "cast 
 her burdens upon the Lord," and, although food had not 
 passed her lips since the evening before, she soon fell 
 into a peaceful slumber. 
 
 In this position she passed the night. More than 
 once she was aroused by the cries of wild beasts, and in 
 every direction around her could discern, gleaming 
 through the darkness, the mottled forms of serpents 
 twining and untwining themselves about the trunks of 
 the trees. 
 
 Morning at length dawned, dispelling a portion, at 
 least, of 'the gloom and terror surrounding her. With 
 the first gleam of light, she descended from the palm and 
 recommenced her journey across the plain. She gather- 
 ed some fruits, that slightly appeased her hunger ; but 
 constantly tormented with thirst, she sought to find a 
 stream of water. Listening attentively, she at last 
 thought she heard a distant murmur, resembling the 
 sound of running water. Following the direction of the 
 sound, after an hour's fatiguing walk, she reached the 
 bank of a river, whose rapid flow, over a bed of rocks, 
 produced the noise that had attracted her. 
 
 With great difficulty, Henrietta succeeded in de- 
 scending the steep, rugged banks of the river, and dip- 
 ping up some water with her hand, carried it eagerly to 
 her lips. An intolerable odor of musk, and a strange 
 disagreeable taste, caused her to reject it as quickly in
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 57 
 
 disgust. Looking around her, the cause of this taste and 
 smell was at once explained. Great numbers of sleeping 
 crocodiles covered the surface of the water, and, half 
 dead with terror, the young girl with difficulty clambered 
 up the steep bank of the river, and resumed her sad and 
 perilous journey.
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 THE MELOCACTUS THE COLONIST AND HIS FAMILY. 
 
 AFRICA is a country of most wonderful fertility. 
 The trees grow to an enormous size, such as the manchi- 
 neel and Indian date or great palm-tree ; but above all, the 
 gigantic baobab, or Adansoria digitata, the king of the 
 forest, whose branches grow in the form of a dome, and 
 are capable of giving shelter to two thousand persons ; 
 the immense trunk, thirty feet in diameter, when hollow- 
 ed out by time, or the dexterity of the negroes, will con- 
 tain thirty persons. Herbs and plants grow also to a 
 wonderful size and height ; among them a profuse vari- 
 ety of cactus, aloes, and other plants, bulbous and thor- 
 ny. The flowers are magnificent, and the most delightful 
 perfumes emanate from every thicket and are exhaled 
 from every brush. Swarms of insects of every variety 
 and form live in the midst of this luxurious vegetation. 
 Countless numbers of birds of the richest plumage, the 
 bengalis, rollers, and parrots, suspend their nests from 
 the smallest branches. The marshes are inhabited by 
 flamingoes, storks, and guinea fowls ; and in the deserts 
 we encounter the ostrich and giraffe. Multitudes of 
 monkeys inhabit the forests ; among them, and most re- 
 markable above all, the frightful chimpanzee, or orang- 
 outang.
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 59 
 
 When night came on, the deep azure vault of 
 heaven was covered with stars and constellations, the 
 most brilliant and beautiful of which is the " South- 
 ern Cross." But amid all these magnificent surround- 
 ings, dangers are intermingled, and every moment 
 lurking. Lions, tigers, leopards, panthers, the rhi- 
 noceros and buffalo, infest the forests and cliffs. The 
 banks of the smallest water -courses swarm with croco- 
 diles, and close by, in the vicinity of the rivers, lies the 
 hippopotamus. Serpents abound in infinite multitudes, 
 from the immense boa-constrictor down to the tiny rep- 
 tile called de verre, scarcely the third of an inch in 
 length, which lies concealed in the calixes of flowers, and 
 whose bite is always fatal. Swarms of locusts often 
 come, and, in a few hours, reduce the most verdant coun- 
 try to a desert waste. Scorpions are innumerable, and 
 the white ants or termites spread far and wide their ra- 
 vages. 
 
 To all these disadvantages is added a most insalu- 
 brious climate. The swamps, the great luxuriance of ve- 
 getation, together with the alternate dryness and humi- 
 dity of the atmosphere, produce terrible fevers, which 
 very few Europeans are able to resist. Finally, and 
 above all other dangers, are the various tribes of negroes 
 to be encountered, some of whom are cannibals, and al- 
 most all are ferocious savages. 
 
 It was, then, in the midst of these thousand dangers 
 Henrietta had to make her way. Would she ever be able 
 to escape ? 
 
 On leaving the river, she walked, or rather, dragged 
 herself along in a westerly direction. Fortunately, she
 
 60 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 had learned from her father how to be guided by the si- 
 tuation of the sun and stars. Again she ate fruits ; but 
 had nothing to quench her burning thirst, until at length 
 she found a plant called the melocactus or melon-thistle, 
 from which she had seen the negroes take a sweet and 
 refreshing juice ; she hastened to break some of these, 
 and they satisfied her intense thirst. 
 
 During an entire week Henrietta had traveled, and 
 yet the plain seemed to stretch out in endless length be- 
 fore her. But we will not dwell on these sad details. 
 On the morning of the eighth day, a forest appeared in the 
 distance, and the report of a gun reached her. Imme- 
 diately the courage of the young girl revived, because 
 she believed the gun had been fired by some of the colo- 
 nists. God, who, since her escape from the negroes, had 
 so visibly watched over her, permitted her not to be de- 
 ceived. It was an inhabitant of a settlement about 
 ninety miles from the place Henrietta had landed, a 
 gentleman who was out engaged in hunting. 
 
 As soon as she came in sight of him, forgetting her 
 fatigue, the young girl ran toward him, and throwing 
 herself at his feet, implored him to have pity on her. So 
 intense was her emotion, she was not able to finish her 
 prayer, but fell fainting at his feet. 
 
 The astonished colonist hastened to render her all 
 the assistance in his power, and when she recovered from 
 her swoon, requested to know by what train of circum- 
 stances she had been brought all alone to the confines of 
 an African desert. The question was asked in English ; 
 but Mr. Thompson for such was the gentleman's name
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 61 
 
 knew a little French ; thus the young girl was enabled 
 to give him a succinct account of all her misfortunes. 
 
 The recital deeply moved Mr. Thompson, who pro- 
 mised immediately to interest himself in securing her a 
 passage to New- Orleans ; but until a vessel could be 
 found, on which he could confide her with safety, she 
 would be welcome, he said, to remain in his family, and 
 his wife and daughters would do every thing in their 
 power to make her comfortable and happy. 
 
 After these kind assurances, the colonist gave her a 
 portion of the provisions in his game-bag ; then placing 
 her on his horse, he started toward the settlement. 
 
 With what joy Henrietta again beheld the faces of 
 Europeans, and how her heart overflowed with gratitude 
 when Mrs. Thompson and her daughter hastened to wel- 
 come her, and lavished on her all those kind cares and 
 attentions of which she stood in such pressing need! 
 Their cares became still more necessary and devoted 
 during the night after her arrival ; the sufferings she had 
 undergone had given so great a shock to her system that 
 she was stricken down with a high fever, which in a few 
 days reduced her to the last extremity. 
 
 The devotion of her kind hostess and daughters 
 again saved her from this danger, and a month after her 
 arrival among them, she had recovered sufficiently to 
 be able to undertake another voyage. 
 
 Notwithstanding the kindness with which she was 
 treated, she awaited with the greatest impatience the ar- 
 rival of an opportunity to continue her journey. Every 
 day found her on the sea-shore, anxiously watching the 
 horizon, to see if a vessel appeared, which might con-
 
 62 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 duct her to the end of the journey so unfortunately in- 
 terrupted. Day after day passed, and still no ship des- 
 tined for New-Orleans entered the port; and the disap- 
 pointed child at last almost abandoned herself to despair. 
 
 " Don't give up or feel discouraged," said Natalie, 
 the eldest daughter of Mrs. Thompson ; " it can not be 
 long before a vessel comes in, and you will soon be with 
 your dear uncle. But I assure you, I should like nothing 
 better than to have you remain here with us. We have 
 found you so amiable and pleasant, we shall all regret 
 your departure." 
 
 u Yes, indeed," said Eva, the youngest sister, " I shall 
 feel, my dear Miss Henrietta, truly sorry when you leave 
 us. I wish you did not have to go ; but I hope, however, 
 you will sometimes think of us." 
 
 " Think of you !" cried Henrietta ; " can you doubt it 
 for a moment! What do I not owe your family? Has 
 your dear father not saved my life? But for him I 
 should have died in the desert. My strength was ex- 
 hausted, and I should have soon become the prey of lions 
 or the victim of savage negroes. And then, think of all 
 your dear, good mother and yourselves have done for 
 me since my arrival here. You could not have bestowed 
 more generous attention and care on a daughter or a 
 beloved sister ! Believe me, I never can be so ungrate- 
 ful as to forget you !" 
 
 And saying this, she threw herself into the arms of 
 her young friends, and they exchanged tearful protesta- 
 tions of love and fidelity. A little more than three 
 months had passed since Henrietta had been captured 
 by the negroes.
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S PAUGHTER. 63 
 
 "Ah !" she would often reflect, "if this unfortunate 
 affair had not taken place, I should long since have been 
 happy with my uncle ! Now he believes me dead, and 
 has doubtless written to my parents that I am ! O 
 my God ! how deeply they will be grieved !" 
 
 At last, one day, a vessel entered the port for water ; 
 and not only was it bound for New-Orleans, but the cap- 
 tain's wife was also on board, and Henrietta would 
 therefore have a traveling companion. The captain ob- 
 jected, at first, to taking another passenger ; but on hear- 
 ing from Mr. Thompson the young girl's history, his 
 sympathies were so deeply aroused that he at once pro- 
 mised the passage. 
 
 Three days after, Henrietta bade an affectionate 
 adieu to the Thompson family, who had followed to the 
 wharf to see her on board the " Vigilant." 
 
 Very soon the shores of Africa, which had been so 
 near proving fatal to her hopes and life, disappeared 
 from view forever, and with a glad heart the young girl 
 gave herself up to dreams of happiness that awaited her 
 in Louisiana.
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 THE ARRIVAL WILLIAM LEBRUN. 
 
 THE voyage proved a happy one, and the " Vigilant" 
 entered the Mississippi River early in December. Im- 
 mediately on his arrival at New-Orleans, the captain ad- 
 dressed a note to the French Consul, requesting him to 
 make inquiry for Mr. Lebrun, and inform him that his 
 niece was on board. 
 
 , The response was prompt ; in the afternoon of the 
 same day, William Lebrun ascended the vessel, and wept 
 with joy as he folded his niece to his heart. 
 
 Henrietta then related her adventures, her uncle lis- 
 tening, and occasionally interrupting her with tears and 
 sighs. 
 
 "I believed you were lost, my dear child," he ex- 
 claimed, when she had finished her story. " On arriving 
 here, the captain of the ' Swallow ' informed me of all 
 that had occurred. I was almost distracted with grief, 
 and determined to enter a complaint against the impru- 
 dent captain ; but after an interview with Madame Del- 
 mont and beholding the sorrow in which I found her 
 plunged, besides hearing the explanation she gave, I was 
 deterred from all such proceedings.
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 65 
 
 " But a cruel necessity still hung over me ; the terrible 
 misfortune that had befallen them must be announced to 
 your parents. For a long time I hesitated ; at length I 
 underook to prepare them for the sad tidings, by writing 
 that you had arrived, but was very ill. A month later, 
 and I informed them that you were no better, and this 
 morning I had determined to disclose to them the whole 
 truth. God be praised, that cruel duty will be spared 
 me, and I shall immediately write and relieve their 
 minds of all anxiety." 
 
 The same evening a letter was dispatched to the dis- 
 tressed parents of Henrietta. 
 
 William Lebrun rewarded the captain and his wife 
 munificently for the care and kindness they had bestow- 
 ed on his niece ; he then hastened to conduct her to his 
 residence in New-Orleans. It was an antique but most 
 picturesque structure, surmounted by a terrace, with a 
 double piazza., supported by small columns, extending 
 entirely around it. At the foot of these columns im- 
 mense boxes of laurel-roses, Virginia jasmines, and 
 oranges, perfumed the air, while the clematis and other 
 climbing-plants clambered over the walls, and hung in 
 festoons from the roof. At the rear of the mansion was 
 an immense garden, while in front a beautiful lawn in- 
 closed by an elegant iron railing extended down to the 
 street. 
 
 Henrietta was enraptured with the appearance of all 
 around her. Never had she dreamed of any thing more 
 beautiful. On entering the house, the servants, a dozen 
 slaves, men and women, assembled to pay their respects 
 to her. At sight of these negroes, she experienced a
 
 66 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 feeling of repulsion very natural after all she had suf- 
 fered in Africa. But reason quickly resumed her em- 
 pire, and she received the slaves' salutations quite gra- 
 ciously, speaking to them with so much affability and gen- 
 tleness as at once to prepossess them in her favor, and 
 assure them they had found in their new mistress a 
 friend and protector. Had they need of protection with 
 such a master as Mr. Lebrun, a man who in every respect 
 appeared so unexceptionably kind and good ? This we 
 shall discover hereafter. 
 
 An entire week was spent in such preparations as 
 Henrietta's arrival made necessary. Delighted at having 
 her with him, her uncle, among a score of other things he 
 had devised for his niece, insisted that she should at 
 once select and purchase a number of the most elegant 
 and expensive toilets, that she might not find herself at 
 all inferior in dress to other young girls with whom she 
 would be associated. 
 
 " I am rich, my dear child," he insisted, " and I desire 
 you to take the same position my daughter would occupy 
 if I had one." 
 
 Therefore, in despite of all Henrietta could say 
 in favor of the trousseau "bought in Havre, the costliest 
 silk dresses, Parisian hats, rare and costly jewels, in a 
 word, every thing was added to her wardrobe necessary 
 for sustaining the rank she was henceforth to assume in 
 society. 
 
 One circumstance contributed greatly to increase Mr. 
 Lebrun's affection for his niece. He expected to find her 
 entirely ignorant and uninstructed, or, at least, with a very 
 limited education,' and destitute of all refinement. As
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 67 
 
 his position brought him in contact with the oldest and 
 best families in the South, he intended she should be 
 educated before being introduced into society. But 
 having had Leonie for her friend and companion, and 
 enjoying constant intercourse with the family, her man- 
 ners, naturally refined, had become quite easy and 
 polished ; besides this, her quick perception and intelli- 
 gence had enabled her to profit by the course of reading 
 she had followed ; so that altogether, she was capable of 
 doing her uncle great honor. 
 
 The planter was delighted on making this discovery. 
 Instead of having to engage in the work of education 
 from its foundation, as he had anticipated would be ne- 
 cessary, he had only to insure her a few extra accom- 
 plishments. His gratification was indeed very great. 
 
 " My dear Henrietta," he exclaimed, " I had not ex- 
 pected to find you so carefully reared and educated. I 
 am truly delighted to have you with me, and believe me, 
 my dear child, you shall never regret leaving France, to 
 come and live with your old uncle." 
 
 "My old uncle, indeed !" replied the young girl, smil- 
 ing ; " then you grow old at pleasure, do you ? You are 
 not at all the dilapidated person you described yourself 
 to be in your first letter to my father. No, indeed, dear 
 uncle, on the contrary, you are now in the prime of life, 
 and I am quite sure we shall yet pass many long and 
 happy years together." 
 
 "I dare not indulge in such dreams as that, my 
 child ; I feel very old, and worn out ; but," he added 
 hastily, ''we must not dwell on that subject now." 
 
 And he at once commenced describing the numerous
 
 68 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 fetes and entertainments he intended giving in honor of 
 the arrival of his niece. The first, he decided, should 
 take place at his country-seat, called " The Acacias." In 
 order, therefore, to begin the necessary preparations, and 
 issue the cards of invitation, he started with Henrietta at 
 once for the plantation.
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 VILLA OF " THE ACACIAS" THE OVERSEER AND HIS 
 WIFE. 
 
 " THE ACACIAS" was situated on the shores of Lake 
 Pontchartrain, in the midst of a picturesque country, but 
 with nothing grand or imposing in the surrounding 
 scenery. A few slight undulations alone broke the per- 
 fect equality of the level plain ; but groves of trees and 
 numerous beautiful residences served to relieve the mo- 
 notony of the landscape. 
 
 "The Acacias" was one of the most beautiful of these 
 elegant residences, and the abode of every comfort and 
 luxury. The mansion was surrounded by immense gar- 
 dens, beyond which verdant fields and meadows extend- 
 ed as far as the eye could reach. On one side of the 
 house there was a thick grove, which afforded an agreea- 
 ble shade during the hottest portion of the day. The 
 ground now occupied by the gardens had formerly 
 been covered by a vast morass ; this swamp Mr. Lebrun 
 had thoroughly drained, and the water thus collected 
 formed an artificial lake in the centre ; thus, while re- 
 moving a source of malarious diseases, he had created a 
 most useful and agreeable object, in the form of this 
 well-stocked fish-pond.
 
 7o THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 This mansion, built in a style similar to the one in 
 the city, was approached by a magnificent avenue of 
 acacias, fiom which the villa had taken its "name. 
 
 Henrietta was transported with wondering admiration 
 at the splendors surrounding her. " If only my beloved 
 parents were near me, how happy I should be in this 
 lovely place !" she exclaimed mentally. 
 
 The planter and his niece were received at " The 
 Acacias" by Mr. and Mrs. Edwards. Edwards was a 
 man nearly forty years of age. His real character it was 
 difficult to define. His countenance wore an expression 
 of excessive animation, and seemed to beam with since- 
 rity; but a sinister expression lurked in his gray eye, 
 which, with a constant habit of compressing his lips, left 
 the impression that Edwards was an arrant hypocrite, 
 and the mobility of his countenance only assumed in 
 order to render his real character more impenetrable. 
 
 Tall, muscular, and robust, there was something in 
 the appearance of the man reminding one of a wild 
 animal, restrained in his instincts. He constantly car- 
 ried a walking-cane or riding-whip in his hand ; his 
 dress was always faultless; and altogether, a considerable 
 degree of perspicacity was necessary in order to form a 
 correct opinion of the man. 
 
 His wife was about thirty years of age, but still re- 
 tained a considerable degree of beauty, something very 
 unusual with the Creoles, who generally fade very soon. 
 Her manners were affable, and her voice sweet. Unfor- 
 tunately, beneath this exterior graciousness, she conceal- 
 ed a wicked and malignant heart. Edwards, therefore, 
 found in her an active and earnest coadjutor, in the ac-
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 71 
 
 complishment of all the cruelties he felt disposed to ex- 
 ercise toward the slaves. 
 
 This man and his wife were acquainted with Mr. Le- 
 brun when he purchased "The Acacias." Of a generous 
 and confiding nature, the planter was easily imposed on 
 by their protestations of devotion, and installed them, as 
 we have stated before, the one as his overseer, the other 
 as lady of the house. 
 
 Mr. Lebrun's health being quite feeble, in conse- 
 quence of the fatigues and exposure of his early life, he 
 was unable to give personal attention to his affairs, and, 
 regarding Edwards more as a reliable friend than a paid 
 hireling, he invested him with full power to manage every 
 thing about the plantation, in his own way. 
 
 Edwards and his wife confidently expected to influ- 
 ence the planter to such an extent that his entire fortune 
 would ultimately come into their possession. In the 
 mean time, they took every advantage their position ren- 
 dered available, and neglected nothing that would enable 
 them to appropriate, without exciting suspicion, large 
 sums of money to their own benefit. The furious disap- 
 pointment of these people may be imagined on learning 
 that Mr. Lebrun intended leaving his property to his 
 family, and, in execution of this design, had already sent 
 a large amount of money to his brother, with the request 
 that his daughter would come and make her home with 
 him. The report of the young girl's death, however, had 
 entirely reassured them : they henceforth counted on 
 readily accomplishing their designs through the generous 
 and too confiding nature of their employer. Their con-
 
 72 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 sternation was indeed great when the young girl arrived, 
 and her adoption by her uncle became a fixed fact. 
 
 "We must be very cautious," suggested Mrs. Ed- 
 wards, who was the first to recover from the stunning 
 effect of their amazement. " Mr. Lebrun must never 
 suspect that the arrival of his niece has in any manner 
 disconcerted our plans. Once this girl is established 
 here, it will be strange, indeed, if I can not succeed in 
 prejudicing her uncle against her. And it will be no- 
 thing more than simple justice to ourselves, either. For 
 eight years we have been working to increase the reve- 
 nues of the plantation, and is it not owing to you entire- 
 ly, that this foolish old man has been able to make a 
 single good investment ? And to think of all the fruit of 
 our labor at last going into the hands of these strangers, 
 who will deliberately kick us out of doors, under the 
 pretext of their being relations of the proprietor. Now, 
 all this must be considered and prevented ; but we shall 
 have to proceed very cautiously." 
 
 "Yes," replied her husband, with a sinister and ma- 
 lignant smile; "we shall have to be prudent." 
 
 It was with their hearts filled with such designs and 
 reflections, that the overseer and his wife went out to re- 
 ceive Henrietta. 
 
 They were prodigal in their exclamations of joy at 
 her unexpected arrival, and overwhelmed her with de- 
 monstrations of welcome; but Henrietta replied in a 
 slightly restrained though amiable manner, as it seemed 
 to her Mrs. Edwards put rather too much warmth in 
 her protestations. 
 
 The slaves again assembled, as they had done in the
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 73 
 
 city, to pay their respects to their new mistress. The 
 retinue of house-servants was not less than thirty. In 
 all slave countries, and especially in Louisiana, domestics 
 are very numerous, and generally those employed as 
 house-servants exclusively are not ill-treated. The 
 work being divided among a great number, is compara- 
 tively light, and fewer occasions offered exposing them to 
 the caprices or ill-temper of their owners. They are 
 also sufficiently well fed, and comfortably clothed : but 
 the miserable field-hands, entirely abandoned to the 
 cruel authority of an inhuman overseer, are driven out, 
 half-naked, and compelled to accomplish the most ardu- 
 ous tasks, in spite of sickness, hunger, or the inclemency 
 of the weather. Even though they should fall, fainting 
 from pain and exhaustion, they are forced to rise, and 
 under the lash to move on and perform their appointed 
 tasks. No words can convey an adequate idea of the 
 wretched condition of the slaves, on the majority of 
 Southern plantations. 
 
 Edwards and his wife, both Creoles, and imbued as 
 Creoles usually are, with bitter prejudices against the ne- 
 gro, treated them with the most revolting cruelty on all 
 occasions when they were sure their conduct would not 
 be discovered by Mr. Lebrun. If by chance, the com- 
 plaints of one of the miserable creatures reached the ears 
 of the planter, Edwards would adroitly misrepresent the 
 facts, prove those who had preferred the charges to be 
 "impudent liars," and as soon as the attention of Mr. 
 Lebrun was diverted, would secretly revenge himself for 
 the trouble his victim had caused him. 
 
 Thus the blacks, when summoned to pay their re-
 
 74 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 spects to Henrietta, were in no hurry to make their ap- 
 pearance, expecting to find in this new mistress but 
 another instrument of cruelty and oppression ; but the 
 sweet countenance of the young girl, and the deeply 
 compassionate expression beaming from her eyes, pro- 
 duced the same effect on the slaves at " The Acacias," as 
 had been done on those in New-Orleans ; they fondly 
 believed they had found in their new mistress a protec- 
 tress and friend, and a ray of hope shone suddenly into 
 their hearts, and lightened up their dusky faces with an 
 expression of unusual joy.
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 ANXIETY OF HENRIETTA'S PARENTS THREE LETTERS AT 
 THE SAME TIME. 
 
 APPREHENSION and sorrow reigned supreme in White 
 Cottage. The first letter of William Lebrun had been 
 received, announcing the pretended malady of Henrietta, 
 and from that time, nothing had come to console the 
 afflicted parents. " No doubt but she is dead !" exclaim- 
 ed Margaret, weeping. " O my God ! why did we ever 
 let her leave us ?" 
 
 Anthony was of his wife's opinion ; but, unwilling to 
 add to her afflictions, he avoided expressing his real 
 sentiments. 
 
 An atmosphere of quiet happiness had heretofore 
 pervaded White Cottage ; the last generous donation of 
 William having been judiciously employed, they were 
 enabled to live in ease and abundance, and were cheerful 
 and contented. 
 
 Not willing to risk again losing all he possessed, 
 Anthony had commenced by first paying his debts, and 
 that important duty accomplished, he placed the rest 
 of the money in Berlin's bank. 
 
 The fisherman's health no longer permitting him to
 
 76 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 follow the sea, he passed the greater portion of his time 
 in looking after his little property, which every day in- 
 creased in value. When the desire of going to sea could 
 no longer be resisted, he would obtain a position, and 
 make a voyage on the boat of some one of his old 
 friends, who always gave him a hearty welcome. 
 
 In this way, the time had passed peacefully and plea- 
 santly by. But now, fearing that Henrietta no longer 
 lived, Anthony and Margaret constantly reproached 
 themselves for the blessings they enjoyed ; the cup of 
 happiness had indeed become embittered, which they 
 imagined had been purchased with the life of their de- 
 voted child. Besides this, they were also very anxious 
 on account of Celestin. A year had passed since the 
 youth left Havre, and yet not a word had been received 
 from him to reassure his parents. 
 
 Therefore, notwithstanding the amiable efforts of 
 Emily, who endeavored to take the place of her elder 
 sister, and the affectionate caresses of the lovely little 
 Henry, life had become very sad to the distressed 
 parents at White Cottage. It was toward the close of the 
 month of January, when at last the long-desired letters 
 arrived ; and there were three at the same time. The 
 first that met his eager glance was from William Lebrun : 
 he opened it hurriedly, to find his worst fears confirmed ! 
 This, it will be remembered, was the second letter writ- 
 ten by the planter, announcing the continued and dan- 
 gerous illness of Henrietta. It chanced to arrive at the 
 same time with the one the young girl and her uncle had 
 written from New-Orleans. 
 
 Anthony, in his perplexity to decide how to break
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 77 
 
 the news of the great calamity that threatened them to 
 his wife, held the three letters mechanically in his trem- 
 bling hand. One of them fell to the ground without his 
 observing it, and was picked up by Margaret, who had 
 hurried in to inquire if any tidings had at last been re- 
 ceived from their child. As she took up the letter, a 
 cry of joy escaped her lips ; she recognized in the super- 
 scription the handwriting of Henrietta. 
 
 "God be praised!" she cried, "my daughter still 
 lives!" And overcome with emotion, she fell into a 
 chair, almost deprived of consciousness. 
 
 Hearing her explanation, Anthony was bewildered 
 with astonishment. 
 
 "What does this mean?" he cried, "is it not true 
 then ?" And seizing the letter Margaret had picked up, 
 he opened it, and hurriedly turned to the signature and 
 date. The latter, he discovered, was more recent than 
 that of the letter he had just read from William Lebrun. 
 
 At the same moment, the happy father observed that 
 the third letter still remaining in his hand was from 
 Celestin. Therefore, both the dear children for whom 
 he had so much feared, still lived. 
 
 Anthony and Margaret shed tears of joy, as with 
 overflowing hearts they clasped Emily and Henry in 
 their arms; in them, it seemed, they embraced the 
 absent. 
 
 When the first emotion had subsided, Anthony pro- 
 ceeded to read the letters. He commenced with the one 
 from Henrietta, as on her account they had suffered the 
 greatest anxiety. After a thousand affectionate messa- 
 ges addressed to her parents, brothers, and sister, she re-
 
 78 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 lated the various incidents attending her voyage, her safe 
 arrival, at length, in New-Orleans, and concluded thus : 
 
 " My uncle, it seems to me, is the personification of 
 all that is good, and I am sure I shall be very happy with 
 him. But oh ! how much I miss you ! All of you, my 
 dearest father, my beloved mother, Emily, and my pre- 
 cious little godson, and dear Celestin ! No words can 
 express my intense longing to see you. But let us hope 
 the time will soon arrive when we shall again be united, 
 and have dear uncle also .with us. Then we shall in- 
 deed be too happy !" 
 
 The feelings of Anthony and Margaret may be imag- 
 ined on reading this letter. Their beloved Henrietta 
 was alive and well, and looking forward to a bright and 
 happy future in her new home. What joy this assur- 
 ance brought to their hearts ! 
 
 Anthony then read Celestin 's letter. The youth had 
 written but a few lines, having to take advantage of a 
 vessel they had encountered returning to France. But 
 Celestin wrote that he was well; that he gave perfect 
 satisfaction to his employers, and hoped very soon to be 
 promoted ; this was the most important news it con- 
 tained. 
 
 The day sped rapidly away, passed in cheerful con- 
 versation, and a thousand comments on the good news 
 they had received were indulged in ; nor did they forget 
 to communicate the joyful tidings immediately to Ma- 
 dame Hermier and her daughter. They well merited this 
 attention ; for both had more than amply fulfilled the 
 promise made Henrietta on her departure. Anthony 
 and Margaret had been constantly sustained and com-
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 79 
 
 forted in their afflictions by the kind attention and con- 
 soling words of Madame Hermier and Leonie. 
 
 It was with glad hearts, at the hour when they were 
 sure of finding the ladies at home, that all the fisher- 
 man's family went over to the Elms. 
 
 Leonie and her mother were truly delighted to hear 
 the consoling news brought them. Absence had not di- 
 minished the affectionate regard with which Henrietta 
 had inspired them, and Celestin had attracted their 
 favorable notice by going, so young, to labor for the 
 purpose of assisting his parents. 
 
 " You see now," said Madame Hermier, " that I was 
 right in telling you to hope on and not to despair, even 
 though matters might look gloomy. I felt perfectly sure 
 the good Lord had eventually in store for you joy and 
 consolation. See how visibly He has protected Hen- 
 rietta ! I shudder at the thought of the fearful dangers 
 she has passed through ; but they are all over now, 
 and henceforth anxieties and apprehensions are at an 
 end ! One of these days your daughter will return to 
 you rich and happy, and secure the fortune of the 
 whole family."
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 ELLEN MCDOUGALL AN UNEXPECTED MEETING. 
 
 As time passed on, Mr. Lebrun congratulated him- 
 self every day, more and more, on having his niece with 
 him-. He now had a gentle, good, and most amiable 
 companion, always ready to do every thing for his com- 
 fort and pleasure. 
 
 Henrietta exerted every faculty to the utmost to pro- 
 fit by the lessons her uncle had engaged she should take 
 in different branches. She was thus enabled to complete 
 her education, and also acquire a number of agreeable 
 accomplishments, which became, for herself and her un- 
 cle, a constant source of pleasure. But we must not 
 anticipate. 
 
 Six months had already passed since the young girl's 
 arrival at New-Orleans. Gentle and compassionate as 
 she naturally was, she had made more than one discovery 
 that pained, and forced her to use all her influence to 
 bring about a number of reforms on the plantation. 
 
 She was not long in discovering that Mrs. Edwards 
 was very cruel in her treatment of the servants employ- 
 ed about the house, and her husband still more brutal 
 toward those working in the fields.
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 81 
 
 She had accidentally been a witness to the barba- 
 rous punishments inflicted on some of the slaves, and 
 that, very often, for the most trivial offenses. 
 
 As has been already stated, there were at least thirty 
 servants employed about the house. Among them, Mrs. 
 Edwards's maids, Betty and Malcy, who had charge of 
 the linen, were the housekeeper's principal drudges. 
 They were two bright and graceful quadroons, with the 
 most cheerful and obliging dispositions. Both of these 
 girls had been reared in one of the best Southern fami- 
 lies, and had acquired by their training a refinement of 
 manner and a style of expression and conversation very 
 far superior to others of their color and condition. 
 
 From the first, Henrietta had taken them especially 
 into favor, and it often happened that, under pretext of 
 giving them an order or something to do, she had 
 retained them to talk with her. 
 
 Mrs. Edwards, for a long time exceedingly provoked 
 at the generous condescension of the young girl, had re- 
 solved to bring the subject to the attention of her uncle 
 in a way to excite his disapprobation ; but she conclud- 
 ed to wait until the planter would no longer be under 
 the influence of the joy with which the arrival of his 
 niece had inspired him. 
 
 But that moment seemed long in approaching. Mr. 
 Lebrun every day appeared to take more pleasure in, and 
 become more devoted to, the society of his niece. He 
 seemed never to tire of walking with her, showing her 
 the beauties of the country, and still more, of giving the 
 most splendid entertainments, on which occasions he 
 enjoyed the admiration excited by his niece, whom all
 
 82 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 united in pronouncing a most charming and beautiful 
 
 Never forgetting her humble origin, and having too 
 much good sense to feel elated by the fortune she would 
 inherit from her uncle, she conducted herself with such 
 perfect modesty and graceful affability, so far removed 
 from the proud haughtiness generally affected by the 
 Creoles, and a vivacity and sprightliness in such contrast 
 with their languid indolence of manner, that soon, rap- 
 turous praises of the " charming young French girl " 
 were in the mouths of every one. 
 
 Henrietta, while she received in the most gracious 
 manner the advances made by the young ladies to whom 
 she had been introduced, became intimate with but one ; 
 and in this one she believed she discovered all the ele- 
 ments essential in a true and sincere friend. 
 
 Ellen McDougall for such was the name of Henriet- 
 ta's new friend had just completed her fifteenth year; 
 the two girls were consequently near the same age. 
 
 The daughter of Irish parents, who had left their 
 country to escape religious persecution, Ellen's habits 
 and aspirations were similar to those of Henrietta ; and 
 sensible as she was of the value of time, she endeavored 
 to spend it usefully and improve every moment as far 
 as was in her power. 
 
 The intimacy of these two young girls being approv- 
 ed by their friends, soon became firmly cemented; 
 and the residence of Ellen's parents being near The 
 Acacias, they saw each other very often. 
 
 One day, Henrietta had gone to visit her friend, and 
 on entering the parlor, before having time to recognize
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 83 
 
 who it was, she found herself clasped in the arms of a 
 lady, who embraced her with the most rapturous and 
 joyful exclamations. 
 
 Partially recovered from her astonishment, the young 
 girl in her turn exclaimed aloud, on recognizing Ma- 
 dame Delmont. 
 
 " If you were my own child," said the delighted wo- 
 man, " I could not be more sincerely happy at seeing 
 you again !" And she wept with joy ; and laughing and 
 crying together, asked a thousand questions, and begged 
 to be informed "by what miracle the dear child had 
 escaped death." 
 
 Henrietta willingly consented to gratify her, and 
 gave a detailed account of her adventures. 
 
 "Ah!" exclaimed Madame Delmont, when the young 
 girl had finished her narrative, " God only knows what I 
 have suffered, and how unceasingly and bitterly I have 
 reproached myself for having lost sight of you for an in- 
 stant ! But you are alive and here, and all is well. And 
 now promise me you will bear no malice against me, but 
 come often to my house. I reside at the Cottage, a 
 plantation scarcely fifteen miles from this of Mr. Le- 
 brun's. I shall be charmed to see you, and my children 
 will be more than delighted to embrace you ; they loved 
 you so dearly !" 
 
 Henrietta promised all that Madame Delmont re- 
 quested. 
 
 " It was only this moment," continued the latter, 
 " that Mrs. McDougall informed me of your arrival. I 
 could not believe my own senses, and feared there might 
 be some mistake in name or person. Yes, my dear Henri-
 
 84 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 etta, I assure you again that, were you my own daughter, 
 I could not be more delighted at this meeting." 
 
 The day was a charming one for Henrietta; Ellen 
 and her parents, together with Madame Delmont, sur- 
 rounding her with so many kind attentions that she found 
 herself wondering what she had done to merit so many 
 proofs of affection. Her modesty and humility prevent- 
 ed her from recognizing that to her own virtuous quali- 
 ties and amiable dispositions she was alone indebted 
 for the popularity she enjoyed.
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 HENRIETTA'S LIFE AT "THE ACACIAS." 
 
 THE letters written by the absent daughter contain- 
 ed all such details as she thought would be interesting 
 to her parents, and often those letters grew to an enor- 
 mous length. Among others, one written about six 
 months after her arrival at New-Orleans, seems to us too 
 interesting to be withheld from our readers ; we there- 
 fore give it. The letter ran as follows : 
 
 "VILLA OF THE ACACIAS, May, 184 
 " MY DEAR FATHER AND MOTHER : The mail-boat 
 will not leave for ten days yet, but I will take advantage 
 of the time before me, and commence my letter. This 
 is the way I . have been in the habit of doing ; other- 
 wise, I should always have to write so hurriedly, it would 
 not give me time to say to my dear parents one half 
 as much as I would wish. 
 
 " Heretofore, I have not spoken to you of myself par- 
 ticularly ; but I shall now endeavor to repair the neglect 
 with which you reproach me on that account. 
 
 " Could you but look from White Cottage and behold 
 your Henrietta, you would scarcely be able to recognize 
 her. It is my uncle's desire that I should always be
 
 86 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 dressed in the height of the fashion, consequently my 
 wardrobe is munificently replenished. I have the most 
 elegant silks, the costliest cashmeres, exquisite India 
 muslins, as light as a cloud, and all kinds of expensive 
 and beautiful jewelry. But this does not render me 
 happy, so long as I must be separated from my beloved 
 parents and my dear sister and brothers. However, I 
 now have reason to believe our reunion will take place 
 much sooner than I had dared to hope before. 
 
 " My good uncle has been quite indisposed recently, 
 but is at present much better. I am now entirely con- 
 vinced that he said but the truth, in writing you lie had 
 ' grown old in advance of his years.' Poor dear uncle ! 
 his constitution is so completely broken down by expos- 
 ure and hardships endured in early life that the intense 
 heat of this debilitating climate wears dreadfully upon 
 him. His physician constantly insists that a change is 
 necessary ; but he is so much attached to this country, 
 he imagines that to leave it and be compelled to change 
 all his habits of life would be unendurable. 
 
 " Therefore, I scarcely dare yet to speak of our re- 
 turn to France, fearing uncle might think we desired to 
 get possession of his property. O my dear parents ! if 
 he could only imagine how delighted we would all be to 
 have him in our midst, even though he had nothing to 
 leave us ! I know your feelings perfectly well on this 
 subject, and my great desire is to furnish my uncle with 
 a delicate proof of those sentiments. The greatest obsta- 
 cle will be the breaking up of old habits and customs, 
 now become second nature, and which have, until this 
 time, alone prevented him from returning to France.
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 87 
 
 " I believe I have never yet given you a description 
 or ' pen-portrait ' of Uncle William. Well, he is tall, and 
 rather spare ; but his appearance, nevertheless, is quite 
 robust. His hair is gray, with barely a few dark locks 
 clustering about the temples. His eyes are brown, and 
 beam with an expression of benevolence and genuine 
 goodness. His forehead is broad and high ; his man- 
 ner slightly formal, but, notwithstanding this stateliness, 
 quite gracious. Every thing about him, in fact, is cal- 
 culated to inspire confidence, affection, and respect. 
 
 " I can not begin to tell you all the kind and generous 
 attentions he lavishes on me. My least desires are grati- 
 fied, my slightest wish is law. I have entirely at my ser- 
 vice two mulatto slaves ; another one, my maid, a quad- 
 roon ; and a little groom, as black as ebony, whose duty 
 is to attend me when I ride in the carriage or on horse- 
 back ; for I must inform you, my dear parents, that 
 horseback riding has also been added to the number of 
 my accomplishments. It was uncle's desire that I 
 should become an expert horsewoman, in order that I 
 might accompany him in his morning rides over the 
 plantation. Besides this, I have been taking music les- 
 sons; and commence already to play passably well on 
 the piano ; I practice also on the harp, and am receiving 
 instruction in drawing and painting. 
 
 " I would be glad to make myself useful in the family, 
 by taking charge of the household affairs ; but to this 
 uncle is decidedly opposed. In this country, the chil- 
 dren of the rich have nothing to do, except dress, visit, 
 and amuse themselves ; all work is left to the slaves. I 
 assure you the young girls of my acquaintance here
 
 88 THE FISHERMAN S DAUGHTER. 
 
 are constantly astonished at seeing me always occupied. 
 But I endeavor to retain the industrious habits taught 
 me by my dear mother, and try, as far as is in my power, 
 never to waste a moment of time. 
 
 " I have already spoken to you, I believe, of my espe- 
 cial favorite, Ellen McDougall. I have not been disap- 
 pointed in the character of this young girl, and think 
 myself fortunate in possessing such a friend. 
 
 " Besides the pain of being so far from you, my beloved 
 parents, there is but one other impediment to the perfect 
 happiness I should otherwise enjoy here, and that is, I 
 am compelled so often to witness scenes which to me are 
 most revolting. You can form no idea of the cruelty 
 and injustice with which the slaves are treated; and 
 what I can least comprehend is, that even young girls, the 
 most refined and delicate seemingly, often display the 
 greatest cruelty toward these unhappy creatures. 
 
 " Mrs. Edwards, the overseer's wife, is a heartless wo- 
 man, and her conduct with regard to the negroes is real- 
 ly barbarous. It is on this account that I have lost all 
 confidence in and respect for her. I may be mistaken, 
 but I believe her to be a very great hypocrite. She ne- 
 ver lets my uncle see her whip or otherwise mistreat the 
 slaves ; she would not dare do it. But, unfortunately, 
 he can not be always present, and she takes advantage, 
 on every occasion, of his absence to have the most se- 
 vere and unmerited punishments inflicted upon her mis- 
 erable victims. 
 
 " A number of times already I have tried to make this 
 woman and her husband understand how shocking their 
 conduct appeared to me, and that I should be compelled
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 89 
 
 to inform my uncle. The malice and vindictiveness, 
 since displayed in their expression and manner, has al- 
 most made me tremble for my own safety. I know not 
 why it is, but I should like to be away from these two 
 persons. 
 
 " One morning, quite recently, just as I was leaving 
 my chamber, I heard a piercing shriek proceeding from 
 the end of the piazza which extends across the front of 
 the house. The cry so alarmed me that without reflec- 
 tion I immediately rushed on in the direction from 
 whence it seemed to proceed ; and there I found a little 
 negro boy, about six years old, on his knees before Mrs. 
 Edwards. On seeing me, her face turned crimson, and, 
 trembling with rage, she hurriedly ordered the child to 
 get up. The poor little creature obeyed, and as he stag- 
 gered to his feet, I saw with horror a deep gash cut on 
 his forehead, from which a stream of blood poured over 
 his face. 
 
 " ' What does this mean ? ' I cried. ' What is the mat- 
 ter with this child ? ' 
 
 " ' Nothing at all,' replied Mrs. Edwards, in a curt, an- 
 gry voice. ' Wilkie, in carrying the flowers to your 
 chamber, Miss Henrietta, has let the vase fall and bro- 
 ken it. a magnificent porcelain vase. I have just been 
 scolding the awkward little blockhead; he never will be 
 careful, or do any thing as he ought.' 
 
 " ' But that cut on his forehead ? ' I insisted, ' how did 
 that happen ? ' 
 
 " ' In falling, he struck his head on a piece of the bro- 
 ken vase.' 
 
 " At this reply, the expression of the child's eyes so
 
 9O THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 plainly told that Mrs. Edwards had uttered a falsehood 
 that I could not refrain from saying, 
 
 " ' No, Mrs. Edwards, that is not so ; you have struck 
 this child.' 
 
 " She would have protested, but at the same instant I 
 perceived hidden among the folds of her dress a small 
 cowhide covered with blood. The horror and indigna- 
 tion with which I was seized on making this discovery, 
 prevented me from giving full vent to my feelings ; but 
 with an imperative gesture, I ordered this wicked woman 
 to leave the piazza at once. 
 
 "Left alone with the child, I hastened to lead him to 
 my chamber. There I dressed his wound, and, in order to 
 more entirely console and divert him, I bound around his 
 head a yellow and red plaid silk handkerchief. This su- 
 perb turban, with a paper of candy, rendered him perfectly 
 happy, and oblivious to the pain of his wound. 
 
 " ' O Miss Henrietta ! ' he cried, ' you are so good ! 
 Daddy Sam and Mammy Cassy will be too glad, when 
 they see me looking so fine.' 
 
 " Sam and Cassy are his parents, and are both employ- 
 ed as field-hands. 
 
 " Before dismissing the poor little negro, I advised him 
 in future to pay strict attention to all he was told, and 
 do his work so well that he might no more deserve to be 
 scolded or punished. 
 
 " ' O miss ! it was that bad Miss Edwards who made 
 me break the beautiful vase,' he said excitedly. 'Be- 
 cause I was walking along very slow and careful ; then 
 she called me a lazy dog, and give me a hard push ; then
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 91 
 
 I stumbled, ma'am, and let the vase fall, and then Miss 
 Edwards, she beat me ! ' 
 
 " Not wishing to blame the housekeeper too openly, I 
 ended the conversation by making no farther reply. 
 
 " At the breakfast-table, that morning, I informed my 
 uncle of what had occurred ; but it was very evident he 
 could not credit the story entirely, and thought I had 
 mistaken some of the facts, or misjudged the house- 
 keeper. 
 
 " ' Mrs. Edwards maybe a little too hasty and strict,' 
 he replied, ' but she is good at heart. Besides, my dear 
 Henrietta, you can not imagine to what an extent these 
 negroes will lie, nor with how many grains of allowance 
 their statements must generally be received. Let us ex- 
 ercise charity toward all. I find nothing- in this matter 
 with which to blame Mrs. Edwards : let her control the 
 negroes ; it is necessary, believe me.' 
 
 " Since that time, I have watched the overseer and his 
 wife as closely as possible, but have, of course, reported 
 nothing more to my uncle. 
 
 " I endeavor to make the lives of the slaves who are 
 under my immediate direction as endurable as possible, 
 and they, being so contented and happy, are envied by 
 all the others, and every day I am urged to take more of 
 them into my own personal service. Would that it were 
 in my power to give all these poor creatures their liberty ! 
 They seem perfectly devoted to me, and I do not believe, 
 if I had need of their assistance, that they would fail me 
 in any emergency. They wait on me with the most 
 scrupulous attention, and I never have to reprove or re- 
 mind them of a neglected duty. When I go out walk-
 
 92 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 ing, one or two of the slaves always accompany me, and 
 no ' guard of honor ' could be more polite and solicitous. 
 I believe they would be delighted if they could relieve 
 me from even the exertion of walking. And what have 
 I done to merit all this devotion ? Nothing, really no- 
 thing. A kind word when they render me a service, 
 and occasionally, some little present ; I never administer 
 corporal punishment for a fault ; a reprimand adapted 
 to the intelligence of these poor creatures is entirely 
 sufficient. Some time ago, I got up a project for their 
 improvement, which I thought would be both useful and 
 pleasant for them all. I obtained uncle's consent for the 
 slaves to assemble every Sunday morning in one of the 
 large rooms used for storing cotton. A priest from a 
 neighboring parish willingly consented to come and give 
 them a short instruction, and when that is finished, I ac- 
 company a small melodeon with some of our beautiful 
 hymns, in singing which the blacks join with the great- 
 est imaginable enthusiasm and fervor. 
 
 " It has now been two months since these instructions 
 were commenced. At first, the project only excited ridi- 
 cule; but uncle himself is obliged to see and acknowledge 
 that, after a Sunday spent in this manner, the slaves are 
 more 'docile, and better disposed to work faithfully. 
 Therefore, I think he is now perfectly satisfied for me to 
 continue my undertaking. 
 
 " You see, my dear parents, that I constantly endea- 
 vor to act on the advice I have received from you, and 
 therefore lose no opportunity for doing an act of charity. 
 
 " I had almost forgotten to relate you a little adven- 
 ture that happened to me yesterday.
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 93 
 
 " I was crossing a small cane-field to reach the grove 
 near the house. Walking along, in an abstracted man- 
 ner, my mind absorbed with thoughts of France and 
 those so dearly loved in my own native home, I was sud- 
 denly startled by a piercing cry, uttered quite near me, 
 and at the same instant I felt myself seized by the arms 
 from behind, and suddenly jerked backward. 
 
 " In astonishment and alarm, I turned my head, and 
 beheld Sam, silently pointing with his finger to an enor- 
 mous serpent lying coiled in the path before me. It was 
 now my turn to cry out ; but before I had time to recover 
 from the fright, the negro had already dispatched the 
 reptile with a blow from the spade he carried in his hand. 
 
 " Truly grateful for his timely intervention, I tried to 
 make * Daddy Sam ' accept a small reward ; but all in 
 vain, no persuasion could induce him to receive it. 
 
 " * No, young mistress,' he replied, ' you defended my 
 poor little boy, and took him out of the hands of that 
 wicked Mrs. Edwards. Hereafter, Sam belongs to you, 
 madame ; he will watch over you like a faithful dog, be- 
 lieve me, he will do it, young mistress.' 
 
 "Now, is it not singular to find such gratitude in a 
 man, belonging to a race despised and condemned by the 
 entire American nation to the horrible condition of 
 slavery ? What stronger argument could be brought 
 against the injustice of this cruel institution ? 
 
 " A people susceptible of so many good impressions, 
 and especially of a sentiment so elevated as that of gra- 
 titude, can not deserve to be held in this abject and de- 
 graded condition. 
 
 " But to return to my adventure with the serpent :
 
 94 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 you must not suppose we are constantly surrounded by 
 such dangers here. Oh ! no, very far from it ; but were 
 the country even as badly infested as Africa, I should not 
 be afraid. I feel assured that God watches over me in 
 an especial manner ; have I not already received the 
 most convincing proofs of it ? 
 
 "But now, my dearest father and mother, I must 
 leave you. Uncle is going to make a short visit into the 
 interior of the country, and wishes me to accompany 
 him. So I must go and make preparations for the jour- 
 ney. 
 
 " Once more I embrace you with all my heart ! You 
 know how dearly I love you ; then think of me always 
 with the same affection, and believe me, 
 
 " Your devoted daughter, 
 
 " HENRIETTA."
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 THE JOURNEY. 
 
 LEAVING Anthony and his family in the enjoyment of 
 the happiness caused by the reception of Henrietta's let- 
 ter, we will follow the young girl toward whom the most 
 grave and serious events were now rapidly approaching. 
 
 Proud, as we have said, of the intelligence and refine- 
 ment of his niece, William Lebrun was nevei willing to 
 be separated from her, and took the greatest delight in 
 presenting her to his friends. The journey he was about 
 to take was, in fact, principally for her benefit, and to 
 secure him an opportunity of displaying the charms and 
 superior accomplishments of Henrietta. 
 
 For a long time, the planter had been promising visits 
 to numerous friends, who often came to see him at The 
 Acacias, and had heretofore insisted, in vain, on their 
 visits being returned. Wishing to procure his niece as 
 many diversions as possible, as well as to enjoy the plea- 
 sure of introducing her to his friends, he resolved to ac- 
 cept all the invitations he had received. 
 
 Mr. Lebrun determined to travel in a style suited to 
 his wealth and position. Henrietta was supplied with an 
 extravagant outfit, and he took with him a numerous re- 
 tinue of servants. He intended, he said, that his niece
 
 g6 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 should be the acknowledged peer of the wealthiest young 
 girls in Louisiana. 
 
 The most agreeable and convenient manner of tra- 
 veling in the United States is undoubtedly by steam- 
 boat on the lakes and rivers. These boats ply regularly 
 between the large cities and towns, and are arranged and 
 furnished in the most elegant and convenient manner. 
 
 The utmost liberty and ease are permitted among the 
 passengers, 'and one may here enjoy all the advantages 
 of wealth without any of its inconveniences, as in public 
 vehicles ; but above every thing else, the greatest attrac- 
 tion offered by this mode of traveling is the admirable 
 country through which you pass. Nothing can convey 
 an idea of the grandeur and beauty of the scenery that 
 every moment spreads out before you on the banks of 
 these immense American rivers. 
 
 Since Chateaubriand, in his own incomparable style, 
 described the banks of the Mississippi, many changes 
 have taken place ; but the spectacle is no less grand than 
 it was in the past ; the works of man have not destroyed 
 the boundless prospects which from all points are conti- 
 nually extended before you ; on every side an exube- 
 rance of vegetation, almost without a parallel in the 
 world, makes in many places the most veritable enchant- 
 ed gardens. The meanderings of the river and the isl- 
 ands with which it is ornamented offer scenes of ravishing 
 beauty to the lovers of nature. To these picturesque 
 elements, the industry of man has added its wonders ; 
 numerous large and flourishing cities have been built on 
 the banks of the river, inhabited by the most energetic 
 and thriving populations. The stoppages, constantly
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 97 
 
 made by the boats, afford travelers a view of the life and 
 animation existing in these growing cities, and varies the 
 panorama wKich unceasingly passes before their enrap- 
 tured vision. 
 
 Accustomed as she had been from infancy to behold- 
 ing the sublime views of ocean, Henrietta would natural- 
 ly have been more difficult to impress than others ; but 
 the novelty of all that she saw exceeded her most bril- 
 liant imaginings and filled up the measure of her en- 
 thusiastic delight. 
 
 As for William Lebrun, he was perfectly happy ; 
 flattered by the favorable impression evidently created 
 by his niece, he had nothing more to desire. 
 
 " I am never so happy as when I see they admire 
 you," he said to Henrietta ; " you are so attractive, and 
 at the same time so modest and gentle, that every body 
 loves you, my child." 
 
 " Ah my dear uncle !" responded the young girl, " I 
 desire the affection of none but yourself. I assure you I 
 should enjoy far more spending my days at The Acacias 
 with you alone, than in the midst of all the gayety and 
 festivities with which you surround me." 
 
 " You should not condemn yourself to solitude and 
 seclusion, when your fortune and position make it impe- 
 ratively your duty to mingle in society," said Mr. Lebrun. 
 " Since you are to become a wealthy heiress, I hope, be- 
 fore I die, to see you make one of the most eligible alli- 
 ances in the country." 
 
 Henrietta sighed deeply at these words. "Ah !" she 
 exclaimed mentally, " the only desire of my heart is to 
 return and live quietly with my family. Then my poor
 
 98 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 father and brother would no more be compelled to go to 
 sea ; and we should be but too happy ! And if my dear 
 uncle would decide to come and live with us, that happi- 
 ness would be still greater !" 
 
 Mr. Lebrun often suspected that such reflections oc- 
 cupied the mind of his niece ; but he affected not to be 
 aware of it, and never referred to the subject. This was 
 not owing to any feeling of indifference toward his fami- 
 ly ; for he would have been rejoiced to see them again : 
 but he was now entirely accustomed to the life of a 
 planter, and above all, had become the adopted father of 
 so devoted and lovely a child that he had nothing more 
 to desire. 
 
 The journey he had undertaken, seeming to benefit 
 his health, was greatly prolonged, and a number of dis- 
 tant cities visited. During their sojourn at Louisville, a 
 pathetic incident occurred. Whilst walking one day 
 with his niece through one of the principal streets, Mr. 
 Lebrun found himself, before he was aware of it, in the 
 midst of the slave-market. 
 
 About thirty miserable negroes, men, women, and chil- 
 ren, who, at the death of their master, had become the 
 property of some rapacious relatives, were on the block 
 to be sold. 
 
 The tears and lamentations of these poor creatures so 
 greatly affected Henrietta that, without reflecting on the 
 impracticability of the request, she began to supplicate 
 her uncle to buy the slaves, and give them their liberty 
 on the spot. 
 
 " Are you dreaming, my child ?" replied Mr. Lebrun ; 
 " why, that would be an unheard-of thing ! Besides, my
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 99 
 
 fortune is not sufficient to permit such deeds of genero- 
 sity." 
 
 " Then, my dear uncle, come, let us go ! Oh ! take me 
 away from the sight of these horrors, I beg you !" replied 
 the young girl, bursting into tears. " I can not behold 
 such a spectacle with indifference; my inmost soul is 
 moved with compassion, whilst every principle of my 
 nature revolts against this system of slavery." 
 
 And indeed, so deeply moved and excited was Hen- 
 rietta, that she had scarcely reached the hotel, before she 
 was seized with a nervous attack that greatly alarmed 
 Mr. Lebrun. After a long and quiet sleep, however, she 
 appeared quite well again, but implored her uncle to re- 
 turn at once to The Acacias, which they did the following 
 day. 
 
 " There, at least," thought the young girl, " I shall 
 be able to effect some little good, because, as far as lies 
 in my power, I shall endeavor to ameliorate the condi- 
 tion of the poor slaves belonging to my uncle." 
 
 On reaching home, Henrietta was struck by the ap- 
 pearance of the two quadroons, Malcy and Betty, who 
 had become her especial favorites. It will be remem- 
 bered that the latter was Mrs. Edwards 's maid, and 
 the former had charge of the linen-closets ; but to her as- 
 tonishment, Henrietta found these two young girls were 
 now compelled to do the meanest drudgery of the house- 
 hold. 
 
 " What does this mean ?" she demanded of Mrs. Ed- 
 wards. 
 
 " Those two mulattoes have become so insolent," re-
 
 TOO THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 sponded the latter, " that I have concluded to try and 
 break them, by bringing down their pride." 
 
 " But," replied Henrietta, " could you not succeed in 
 making them docile and obliging without employing them 
 at work to which they have never been accustomed ?" 
 
 " Permit me to remind you, Miss Lebrun," replied 
 Mrs. Edwards, " that as far as the slaves are concerned, 
 my experience certainly renders me a more capable 
 judge of what is proper for them than yourself. For- 
 merly, when Mr. Lebrun left the entire control of them 
 in my hands, all was well. But since you have come, 
 miss, and, consulting only your extreme sensibilities and 
 peculiar views, have endeavored to treat these creatures 
 as if they had intellect and souls, the effect has been very 
 bad, I assure you. My husband declares the negroes 
 have become so indolent and ungovernable he can do 
 nothing scarcely with them; and the situation grows 
 constantly more serious, as will be shown by the decreas- 
 ing profits of the crops. Now, my husband intends to 
 explain this state of affairs to Mr. Lebrun ; and then, 
 miss, you and I will each understand our proper posi- 
 tions." 
 
 And leaving Henrietta confounded by her impudence 
 and hypocrisy, Mrs. Edwards swept from the chamber 
 with a smile of malicious triumph on her lips. She 
 understood but too well the weakness of Mr. Lebrun. 
 Alarmed by the overseer's representations of the demo- 
 ralized and ungovernable condition of the slaves, the 
 planter ordered his niece in future to have no commu- 
 nication with them. In vain Henrietta urged him to in- 
 vestigate the facts which had so greatly alarmed him ;
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. IOI 
 
 the planter insisted that Edwards had too much experi- 
 ence to be deceived, was entirely reliable, and again re- 
 newed the order that nothing should be done for the 
 slaves without the sanction of the overseer. 
 
 Henrietta, in despair, went immediately to pour her 
 grief into the bosom of her devoted friend Ellen Mc- 
 Dougall. 
 
 "I am afraid," replied the latter, "that your slaves 
 are indeed cruelly treated. I have heard many reports 
 of very sad things occurring, through the bad conduct of 
 your overseer. But let him look to it ! these unhappy 
 creatures may some day seek to revenge themselves, and 
 such a retribution would be fearful ; I shudder to think 
 of it!"
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 PROMOTION OF CELESTIN LEONIE'S ILLNESS. 
 
 AFTER Henrietta's letter, another great joy came to 
 console Anthony and Margaret for the absence of their 
 children. Celestin had constantly distinguished himself 
 by his good conduct, his intelligence, and his ambition to 
 improve. Cheerful, polite, and industrious, he gained the 
 esteem and good-will of all with whom he was associated. 
 He was an especial favorite of the captain, who promot- 
 ed him to the position of first pilot, and promised to take 
 him under his immediate protection. He commenced 
 by loaning him books to study, and Celestin exhibited 
 great aptness and intelligence ; the captain assured him, 
 as soon as he was of age he should be sent on a long 
 voyage. Besides this, another consolation in store for 
 Margaret was, that in six months at farthest her son 
 would be again at home. 
 
 These tidings carried happiness and rejoicing to White 
 Cottage. 
 
 "Dear child!" exclaimed Margaret, while tears of 
 gratitude coursed down her cheeks; " Celestin's only 
 desire was to serve his parents, and God has rewarded 
 his devotion."
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 103 
 
 In the midst of this tranquil happiness, Anthony and 
 Margaret were aroused to a new sorrow, by the illness of 
 Leonie Hermier. Always delicate, the young girl had 
 been suddenly attacked with inflammation of the lungs, 
 or pneumonia, as the disease is called, which the physi- 
 cians considered so serious in its consequences that they 
 advised her mother to try the air of Italy for at least two 
 years. This decision greatly distressed the Lebrun fa- 
 mily. Leonie was so lovely, so kind and good ; she had 
 scrupulously kept the promise made to Henrietta on her 
 departure, and her visits had always carried light and 
 consolation to White Cottage. Henry was her favorite 
 of all the family. At six years, he was much farther ad- 
 vanced than children usually are at that age ; and so in- 
 teresting and bright that Madame Hermier and Leonie 
 often made him visit The Elms, and the little boy insen- 
 sibly imbibed the manners, and a style of language and 
 ideas, far above his station in life. But Anthony, consi- 
 dering that sooner or later the condition of his children 
 would be entirely reversed or very much changed, was 
 not displeased at this transformation in the character of 
 his son. 
 
 "They are called," he said, "to follow a different 
 career from that to which I had destined them ; I should 
 then feel grateful to God for sending them such bene- 
 factors." 
 
 Therefore, following the advice of Madame Hermier, 
 he placed Emily at boarding-school. A modest and un- 
 pretending boarding-school, it is true ; for the excellent 
 Sisters who kept it were richer in piety and learning 
 than in worldly possessions. Nevertheless, although the
 
 104 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 terms were very moderate, they lavished on the pupils the 
 fondest and most maternal care, and carried them 
 through a course of instruction best calculated to insure 
 a complete and thorough education. 
 
 It will be readily understood how the solicitude mani- 
 fested by Madame Hermier and her daughter in all that 
 concerned the interests of Anthony's family awakened in 
 the soul of the latter, and his wife, the most devoted at- 
 tachment. It was therefore with sincere regret that 
 they heard of Leonie's approaching departure and long 
 absence ; it seemed to them like being separated anew 
 from one of their own children. 
 
 The parting was most touching. Conformity of sen- 
 timent had presided at the union of these two families in 
 a friendship founded on mutual esteem and reciprocal 
 affection. After the departure of Madame Hermier, sad- 
 ness and desolation again presided over the inmates of 
 White Cottage. 
 
 " If dear Miss Leonie would only come back very 
 soon!" exclaimed little Henry, sorrowfully sighing. 
 " Oh ! I should be so glad ! She was always so kind, and 
 knew so well how to amuse and instruct me." 
 
 " If she can only recover her health," replied Emily, 
 " I shall continue to pray for her with all my heart." 
 
 " Yes," in their turn answered Anthony and Marga- 
 ret ; " let us all pray unceasingly for this amiable and 
 lovely child. She is the only hope of her mother : may 
 God in His mercy preserve her!" 
 
 Every day, from White Cottage, some such affection- 
 ate souvenir was wafted on the wings of hope and pray- 
 er toward the beloved invalid.
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 105 
 
 In several letters, Madame Hermier expressed great 
 fear lest the voyage, instead of causing Leonie to im- 
 prove, had aggravated her malady. But at last, the pure 
 air of Sicily, and doubtless, far more than all else, the fer- 
 vent prayers of her mother and friends, caused a favora- 
 ble reaction. 
 
 This letter was transmitted to Henrietta by her 
 father. He feared, with reason, too, that the sympathies 
 of his daughter would be too deeply moved, on hearing 
 of the dangerous condition of her friend. The intelli- 
 gence, in fact, had greatly excited and grieved her, while 
 the affectionate tenderness expressed for her by her de- 
 voted parents revived more strongly than ever a feeling 
 of intense homesickness and the earnest longing to see 
 those beloved parents again.
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 THE BALL WILKIE'S ILLNESS HENRIETTA'S DEVOTED 
 NURSING. 
 
 THE presence of his niece, as we have seen, revived 
 in William Lebrun a taste for luxury and festivities. 
 They had scarcely returned from their journey before he 
 determined to give a grand ball and concert. Invita- 
 tions were consequently sent out to a large number of 
 his friends, among the planters, and the families of those 
 with whom he had business relations. Henrietta's ward- 
 robe was again freshly replenished with elegant and ex- 
 pensive toilets. Endowed with a great deal of natural 
 taste, the young girl, assisted by Ellen McDougall, super- 
 intended all the arrangements and preparations for the 
 festival. Betty and Malcy, the two quadroon victims of 
 Mrs. Edwards's malicious vindictiveness, were appointed 
 by Henrietta as first waiters, and she would insist on 
 having them with her (to the great displeasure of the 
 overseer's wife), to assist at the preparations for the en- 
 tertainment. This being her wish, Mr. Lebrun, under 
 the circumstances, was not the man to oppose his niece, 
 by listening to the insinuations or complaints of Mrs. 
 Edwards. 
 
 Determined that her uncle should be pleased with
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 107 
 
 her industry and good taste, Henrietta spared no exer- 
 tions, and added to the programme a number of happy 
 inventions and beautiful suggestions. 
 
 A spacious pavilion was erected in the magnificent 
 garden of The Acacias. The sides of this tent were 
 entirely concealed by trailing vines, and small trees and 
 evergreens, so skillfully arranged around the tables as 
 to give them the appearance of being elevated in the 
 midst of flowers and foliage. In another portion of the 
 garden, a second pavilion, not less ingeniously decorat- 
 ed, formed the dancing-hall. The finest musicians had 
 been engaged, and every thing in fact gotten up in a style 
 to do honor to the munificent hospitality of Mr. Lebrun. 
 
 During the two days the festivities were to continue, 
 the slaves in the fields were made to stop work, and all 
 take part in the necessary service of waiting on the in- 
 vited guests. None were excepted but the aged and in- 
 firm, whose presence would have cast a shadow on the 
 otherwise faultless tableau. The others were all supplied 
 with suitable apparel, and especially bright-colored plaid 
 silk handkerchiefs, to make turbans for their heads, a 
 kind of ornament of which the negroes are excessively 
 proud. Finally, in order that they should appear to the 
 best possible advantage, for some days previous to the fes- 
 tival their daily allowance of food was considerably in- 
 creased, while their " quarters" received a general and 
 thorough cleansing. 
 
 The collection of cabins built for the slaves on a 
 plantation is called the "quarters." These places are 
 usually horribly filthy, and, under the management of 
 Mr. Edwards, they could not be otherwise at The Acacias.
 
 io8 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 Often and again, Henrietta, moved by compassion, 
 had tried to effect a change in this state of things : but 
 obtained nothing, Mr. Lebrun referring every thing of the 
 kind exclusively to his overseer. 
 
 This weakness of the planter had its source in his 
 bad health and the too confiding generosity of his na- 
 ture. Edwards, adroit and hypocritical, understood how 
 to turn aside every thing that might have enlightened his 
 employer to the true condition of affairs, and to conceal 
 his own enormities beneath an appearance of such ex- 
 treme probity and devotion, that Mr. Lebrun intrusted 
 the management of every thing to him, with the most 
 implicit confidence. 
 
 The festival day at length arrived. During the en- 
 tire morning, carriages from every direction were throng- 
 ing to The Acacias, the guests wishing to take advantage 
 of the early morning hours for traveling, that being the 
 most delightful portion of the day in those warm cli- 
 mates. Among the number of invitations issued, one 
 for Madame Delmont had, of course, not been forgotten. 
 
 Henrietta and Ellen McDougall were appointed to 
 act as hostesses on the occasion, and acquitted them- 
 selves wonderfully. Compliments innumerable were 
 lavished upon Henrietta, every one admiring her unaf- 
 fected simplicity, her graceful ease of manner and mo- 
 dest self-possession. 
 
 The two young girls had agreed to avoid in their 
 toilets the extravagant style of dress worn by the Creoles. 
 Simple white muslin, therefore, with natural flowers, 
 composed their sole ornaments. At first, Mr. Lebrun 
 offered the most serious opposition to this severe simpli-
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 109 
 
 city of style ; but as he contemplated his niece, as she 
 stood in the midst of a group of youthful guests, he 
 could but acknowledge the superiority of her refined 
 taste. 
 
 It was a curious spectacle, that crowd of men and 
 women, arrayed in the costliest apparel, their fair com- 
 plexions, languid movements, and nonchalant air con- 
 trasting with the ebony color, eager vivacity of move- 
 ment, and coarse, gaudy adorning of the blacks employ- 
 ed in waiting. Nothing could have been more original 
 and amusing than the appearance of the little negroes, 
 circulating here, there, and everywhere, each one pre- 
 tending to be fully employed, and enjoying to the fullest 
 extreme the entertainment around him. 
 
 The busiest of these children was unquestionably 
 Wilkie. His eyes were scarcely ever withdrawn from 
 Henrietta, and the least sign made by his young mistress 
 was instantly understood and executed. 
 
 The morning passed rapidly away ; and the guests 
 each retired to enjoy a siesta ; the elder to await the 
 dinner-hour, the young girls with the perspective of the 
 ball constantly before them, for which they waited with 
 eager impatience. 
 
 In traversing one of the verandas, to issue some ne- 
 cessary order, Henrietta's attention was arrested by the 
 sound of a voice, whose harsh severity of tone startled 
 her. She looked around in vain, to try and discover the 
 speaker ; the slaves whom she questioned were either un- 
 able or unwilling to give her any information. She felt, 
 however, that she could not have been deceived ; she had 
 heard the strange voice and caught several words ; among
 
 i io THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 others, the word " deatff had been pronounced in a tone 
 so threatening that she shuddered with terror at the 
 sound. She passed tremblingly along the veranda, and 
 descended under the peristyle ; but discovered no one 
 whose voice could have possibly been the one that had 
 alarmed her. She at length concluded that she might 
 have been mistaken ; nevertheless, a profound sadness 
 took possession of her soul ; she felt impressed with the 
 idea that some misfortune threatened her uncle, and, 
 seeking Ellen McDougall, she confided these apprehen- 
 sions to her friend. 
 
 "Are you entirely sure of all this?" inquired Ellen, 
 whose countenance at once assumed a gloomy and 
 anxious expression. " If so, it would be well to inform 
 your uncle immediately, in order that he may be on his 
 guard ; for unfortunately, the most terrible catastrophes 
 have often occurred on the plantations, induced by the 
 hatred of the negroes for their overseers. Who knows, 
 but the one who uttered these violent threats has per- 
 haps some grudge against Mr. Edwards ?" 
 
 " But," observed Henrietta, " I know all of our 
 slaves, and I have not recognized the voice " 
 
 " That is nothing," replied Ellen ; " I remember now 
 hearing it said that, for two or three years, numbers of 
 blacks have fled from your uncle's plantation, and are 
 living in the swamps. Perhaps in the confusion which 
 he supposed would exist during the fete, one of these fu- 
 gitives has returned to consult with his old companions. 
 It will not do, I assure you, to neglect informing your 
 uncle." 
 
 The conversation was here interrupted by a summons
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. in 
 
 to dinner. Whatever desire Henrietta might have had to 
 speak immediately to her uncle, she was compelled to 
 defer the conversation until the next day, as the duties 
 of the master of the house left him no opportunity during 
 the evening of absenting himself from his guests. 
 
 It was scarcely dark, before the sound of the orches- 
 tra was heard, calling them to the ball-room, and very 
 soon several quadrilles were formed, and the dancing 
 commenced. 
 
 The servants appeared in every direction, carrying 
 waiters filled with ices, fruits, jellies, and cake ; among 
 them, little Wilkie was conspicuous for his earnestness ; 
 an observing glance, however, would have detected in the 
 eyes of the child a certain painful distention, and in his 
 countenance that gray ashen hue, which is the pallor of 
 the negroes. His movements, so quick and animated in 
 the morning, had become languid and heavy. Taking 
 advantage of a moment when Henrietta was resting from 
 the numerous invitations to dance constantly pressed 
 upon her, Wilkie approached, and addressed his young 
 mistress. 
 
 " Miss Henrietta," he stammered, " I feel very sick, 
 ma'am ; may I go, please " Unable to finish the sen- 
 tence, he stopped, and the waiter he carried fell from his 
 hands. The glasses with which it was filled were brok- 
 en, and the contents of one or two of them emptied on 
 the dress of a young lady sitting beside Henrietta. Fu- 
 rious at his supposed carelessness, she gave Wilkie a 
 blow on the ear ; the child staggered, and sank upon the 
 floor. 
 
 Another moment, and a loud exclamation was heard,
 
 ii2 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 uttered by Edwards, who, running to make the little 
 negro get up, remarked the frightfully pinched and 
 shrunken features. " The yellow-fever /" he cried, " the 
 yellow-fever /" 
 
 At these words, the utmost consternation seized upon 
 the assembly. The guests rushed terror-stricken out 
 into the gardens. The truth of the overseer's assertion 
 was found to be amply confirmed ; several negroes, and 
 among them some of those belonging to the visitors, fell 
 to the ground, writhing in the grasp of the plague which 
 had stricken them. 
 
 The alarm of the planters knew no bounds ; an inde- 
 scribable confusion reigned throughout the mansion; 
 every one was anxious to leave at once; but the terror of 
 the slaves being equally great with that of their masters, 
 the preparations for departing advanced but slowly. 
 However, in an hour after the alarm had been given, not 
 a single one of the invited guests remained at The 
 Acacias. 
 
 Ellen McDougall tried earnestly to carry Henrietta 
 home with her; and Madame Delmont as earnestly im- 
 plored that she should accompany her ; but to all these 
 proposals the young girl had but one reply : that her 
 place was in the midst of the unfortunate creatures who 
 had been stricken by the plague, and neither arguments 
 nor entreaties, nor the positive commands of her uncle, 
 sufficed to make her change her resolution. 
 
 The entire night was spent in making provision for 
 the sick ; and in these preparations Mr. Lebrun permit- 
 ted nothing to be spared. His kind heart was moved 
 with deepest compassion for the sufferers, and, when
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 113 
 
 urged by Edwards to leave the plantation, he assured 
 him that he would remain until the end, and intended 
 that nothing should be neglected to prevent the spread 
 of the epidemic. 
 
 Those who have not visited America, and especially 
 Louisiana, Mexico, and the Antilles, or have not read the 
 accounts of travelers in those countries, can form no 
 conception of the violence and rapidity with which the 
 yellow-fever, commonly called the black vomit, develops 
 itself. The souvenirs left in France, by the invasion of 
 the cholera in 1832, can alone convey an idea of its hor- 
 rors. 
 
 Generated by the malarias exhaled from the swamps 
 and marshes which cover those vast extents of country 
 surrounding the mouths of the American rivers, accele- 
 rated by the intense heat, and the humidity that reigns in 
 those regions, the yellow-fever suddenly spreads through 
 the atmosphere, and strikes like a thunderbolt. Its ope- 
 rations are such that it will infect not only entire houses, 
 but will get aboard ships also. In the beginning of the 
 year 1864, an example of the tenacity of the plague oc- 
 curred at St. Nazarus. 
 
 The " Anna Maria," a vessel coming from America, 
 brought in her hold the germ of yellow-fever, which sud- 
 denly broke out when she proceeded to discharge her 
 cargo. The deck-hands were almost all attacked, and in 
 order to prevent the epidemic spreading through the city, 
 they were compelled to submerge the vessel, and leave 
 her for some time under water. 
 
 The Antilles, Vera Cruz, and New-Orleans have a 
 sad reputation because of the periodical visitations of the
 
 ii4 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 fever. Newly-arrived Europeans are especially liable 
 to become its victims. A great many succumb to the 
 disease, and those who recover are often left with the 
 germs of disease sown in their constitutions, and are com- 
 pelled to return to Europe under penalty of dying a pre- 
 mature death. 
 
 One fact, which, more than any thing else caused 
 such consternation among the guests of Mr. Lebrun, was, 
 that the usual season for the fever to make its appear- 
 , ance was yet several months off. It was evident that 
 some very powerful local cause had suddenly developed 
 the contagion. If it appeared already in so violent a 
 form, what might not be ultimately anticipated from its 
 ravages ? 
 
 Henrietta had been terror-stricken ; but although of 
 so gentle a nature, her character was full of energy and 
 heroic courage, which soon elevated her above the effects 
 of fear. She waited on all the sick, and especially little 
 Wilkie. Nothing could intimidate the self-sacrificing 
 girl, when she saw an opportunity of relieving any of the 
 suffering creatures; but it was to the bedside of this 
 child especially that she returned with the greatest inte- 
 rest and anxiety. She had taken an especial fancy to the 
 poor little slave, so bright and intelligent, so earnest and 
 devoted ; and with the most unceasing solicitude, she 
 watched beside him, and exerted every effort possible to 
 arrest the progress and effects of the pestilence.
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 CONTINUANCE OF THE- YELLOW-FEVER ARCHY, THE 
 RUNAWAY SLAVE. 
 
 As we have already stated, Mr. Lebrun had ordered 
 every possible attention to be lavished on the sick ne- 
 groes. Mr. and Mrs. Edwards immediately displayed so 
 much unwillingness in having his orders executed that 
 the planter was struck by their conduct, and for the first 
 time since they had been in his employment, he spoke to 
 them with severity. 
 
 " I intend," he exclaimed, " that what I have com- 
 manded shall be done without delay. Your unwilling- 
 ness doubtless proceeds from a bad feeling toward these 
 poor slaves, and who knows, now, but what you are in 
 some way responsible for the outbreak of this fearful 
 pestilence ? However, I wish you to obey my orders ; 
 otherwise, I will see what can be done." 
 
 These orders, issued in a tone so different from the 
 usual good-natured suggestions of the planter, recalled 
 the overseer and his wife to their senses, and prevented 
 them from attempting farther to carry out their wicked 
 intentions of cruelty and neglect. 
 
 But the planter was really not aware of how much
 
 ii6 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 justice there was in the accusation he had made against 
 this man and his wife of having caused the outbreak of 
 yellow-fever on the plantation. The physician who 
 was called in declared the slave " quarters" to be the 
 centre from which the infection proceeded. The revolt- 
 ing and filthy condition in which they were kept render- 
 ed this opinion but too plausible. The precipitate 
 cleansing to which the " quarters" had been subjected, on 
 the occasion of the grand entertainment (in order that 
 its usual disgraceful condition might not, by any possibi- 
 lity, be discovered by even a strange servant), had served 
 to sooner develop the plague that was already breeding 
 among those foul habitations of the negroes. 
 
 When Mr. Lebrun heard the doctor's opinion, he fell 
 into a state of gloomy reflection. Ten years passed 
 among the slaves had not been sufficient to deaden his 
 sensibilities : had he not contracted the careless habits 
 of other planters, and kept an eye on the affairs of the 
 plantation himself, instead of trusting every thing impli- 
 citly to the overseer, the terrible abuses introduced by 
 Edwards would never have existed. His only mistake 
 had been in placing so much authority exclusively in the 
 hands of the overseer; but the sad event which had just 
 occurred gave a decisive blow to the confidence he had 
 so entirely reposed in his wily superintendent. 
 
 For eight days the yellow-fever raged with unabated 
 violence at The Acacias. Five slaves had already died, 
 five others were dying, and almost every one on the 
 plantation had been attacked by the disease. Henrietta 
 escaped ; God, it seemed, had protected her in an espe- 
 cial manner, that she might have courage and strength to
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 117 
 
 sustain those wretched beings whom she nursed with so 
 much devotion. 
 
 Mr. Lebrun tried at first to restrain the ardor of his 
 niece, in her laborious, self-imposed task of nursing ; but 
 failing in his efforts, he was at last obliged to confine 
 himself simply to watching Henrietta with unceasing 
 vigilance, in order, if the least symptom of the disease 
 should be developed in her system, he might be ready to 
 give her instantly the necessary attention and remedies. 
 
 One evening, after an unusually fatiguing day, Hen- 
 rietta was returning to the house to seek a few moments' 
 repose, when she remembered that she had omitted to 
 visit one of the farthest cabins belonging to the " quar- 
 ter." This was the domicile of Wilkie's parents, Cassy 
 and Sam, the former having been taken sick that after- 
 noon. Henrietta turned back, and hurried toward the 
 cabin. 
 
 She found the door closed and bolted ; and through 
 the openings between the logs of which it was built she 
 heard the sound of several voices. Henrietta knocked 
 at the door. A hurried movement was made on the in- 
 terior, and several seconds passed before Sam came to 
 open it. 
 
 On seeing the young girl, a sigh of relief escaped the 
 negro, who hastened to offer her a stool. 
 
 "Why did you have your door bolted, Sam?" de- 
 manded Henrietta, casting around her an investigating 
 glance. 
 
 " It was bolted, miss, without thinking, accidentally 
 done," replied Sam, greatly embarrassed. 
 
 " But you know," replied Henrietta, who was trou-
 
 n8 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 bled by this embarrassment, which she knew concealed 
 something important, " you know that you are forbidden 
 to bolt your doors. If, in place of me, Mrs. Edwards 
 had come this evening to visit you, a very severe punish- 
 ment would have been the consequence of your 'disobe- 
 dience. But never mind now, we will let it pass," she 
 added kindly, " you need not tremble so, nor be uneasy ; 
 I will forget your infraction of the established regula- 
 tions, if you will tell me who was with you just now, 
 when I knocked." 
 
 " Nobody, miss," Sam answered hurriedly and in a 
 confused and excited manner that clearly condemned 
 him. 
 
 " No person, Sam ? Why, I distinctly heard another 
 voice besides Cassy's and your own. However, I know 
 you have too much confidence in me to try to deceive 
 me; therefore I will not doubt your word." 
 
 Sam turned away his head, and remained silent. 
 The young girl then approached the bed on which Gassy 
 was lying, and with much interest inquired how she felt. 
 
 " Very weak and bad, ma'am, indeed ; but I have not 
 got the fever." And in fact, with all the symptoms of a 
 serious illness, Gassy discovered no signs of yellow-fever. 
 
 " So much the better," replied Henrietta, " because, 
 in that case, it will not be long before you are well again. 
 I expect in nursing Wilkie and the other servants, you 
 have over-fatigued yourself." 
 
 " Oh ! no, ma'am," said the negress, " that is not all : 
 nursing my poor little boy was only a pleasure to me, 
 and to try and help my own people, that was my duty,
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 119 
 
 you know. But .please tell me, ma'am, how is my little 
 Wilkie getting along this evening?" 
 
 "Very well, indeed; you need have no uneasiness 
 about him now." 
 
 "I would like to thank you, mistress," said Cassy. 
 "because it was you saved my child, when Mrs 
 Edwards would have been glad to see him die. Oh!" 
 she added, lowering her voice, " why can not my poor 
 Archy also find such a friend?" 
 
 Henrietta was about to ask an explanation of these 
 words, when she thought she saw a curtain, placed be- 
 hind the bed, suddenly moving. An involuntary shud- 
 der ran over her, and Sam, who, until then, apparently 
 involved in deep reflection, had been sitting, gazing at- 
 tentively at the young girl, observed the movement. A 
 sudden inspiration seemed to seize the negro, who, fall- 
 ing on his knees before Henrietta, began to implore her 
 pardon. 
 
 "Pardon you for what?" she demanded gravely. 
 
 "For having deceived you," he cried. "Yes, mis- 
 tress, there is somebody hid here. You was not mis- 
 taken. But when I tell you that it is my son, and that 
 the most cruel vengeance will fall on him if he is dis- 
 covered, you will forgive me for having told you a lie 
 you who have always been so good to us !" 
 
 Then getting up hurriedly, Sam ran to the curtain 
 behind the bed ; with one hand he raised it, and with 
 the other pointed to a young negro man, nearly twenty 
 years old apparently. Tall and robust, the new-comer 
 had an intelligent countenance, stamped with an expres- 
 sion of indomitable pride and determination.
 
 120 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 "Get on your knees, Archy !" cried Sam. " Get on 
 your knees, boy, and ask Miss Henrietta to protect you." 
 
 The young negro knelt for an instant ; then rising, he 
 said, " Young mistress, I know how much you have done 
 for my father and mother, and especially how good you 
 have been to my little brother; that is the reason I knelt 
 down before you a thing, mistress, I have never done to 
 any body else before. 
 
 " I have been your uncle's slave. I am very proud, 
 but I would always have done my tasks, had it not been 
 for the wickedness* of the overseer, who, knowing I was 
 his equal, regarded me with the most perfect hatred. 
 There is no kind of torture he did not inflict on me. I 
 submitted to all his cruelty, because I did not want to 
 leave my parents ; but one day my patience was at last 
 exhausted. While Edwards was beating me, I threw my- 
 self on him, and would have killed him, if they had not 
 taken him out of my hands. Fortunately for me, this 
 happened in one of the farthest fields. Before they had 
 time to seize and tie me, as the overseer ordered them to 
 do, I leaped a ditch, and by fast running, was very soon 
 out of their reach. The same evening I was all safe. 
 That happened three years ago. Edwards offered a 
 large reward to any body who would catch me ; however, 
 I braved the danger of coming in when I heard of my 
 little brother's sickness, I wanted to see him so badly. 
 I came in this afternoon without any one finding it out. 
 Father tells me Wilkie is at the house, and I shall not get 
 to see him ; but I am satisfied to have a sight of my old 
 father and mother once more. Now, mistress, what will 
 you do with the runaway? My fate is in your hands."
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 121 
 
 This recital was given with an accent of such haughty 
 sorrow and sincerity that Henrietta was deeply moved 
 with compassion. Gassy half raised herself in bed, and 
 watched the scene with anxious eye, uttering stifled ex- 
 clamations, and reaching her clasped hands imploringly 
 toward the young girl. Sam endeavored to appear more 
 composed ; but his trembling agitation betrayed the great 
 anxiety he suffered. Archy stood immovable as a statue. 
 
 A long silence ensued. Henrietta seemed to be re- 
 flecting. 
 
 " Archy," she said at length, " it is my duty, perhaps, 
 to have you arrested ; but pity speaks louder than rea- 
 son. Go ; but first promise me, as the price of my 
 silence, that you will never undertake an act of violence 
 against any one who may belong to this house." 
 
 "What!" cried Archy, "not even against Edwards?" 
 
 " Not even against him." 
 
 " I can not promise " 
 
 "But you must promise," replied the young girl, 
 in a tone of authority. " God has forbidden us to take 
 revenge. If I, for instance, remembering the suffer- 
 ings I endured among them, should determine to be re- 
 venged on your race, what would become of you ? be- 
 cause, listen to me but no, the story would take too 
 long, and I am afraid they will send to look for me. 
 Swear that you will obey me!" 
 
 Archy made no reply. At that moment a noise was 
 heard without. "Go!" said Henrietta; "but you have 
 sworn, is it not ?" 
 
 "Never!" replied the young negro; "but for you, 
 young mistress, for your sake alone, I would do any thing
 
 122 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 possible, because my father has not been deceived in 
 thinking you are good." 
 
 While speaking, Archy had displaced one of the logs 
 in the side of the cabin ; then embracing Sam and Cassy 
 with great affection, he bowed to Henrietta, and disap- 
 peared. 
 
 His father hastened to return the log to its place. 
 "O my dear young mistress ! be merciful!" cried Cas- 
 sy imploringly. " Archy has not obeyed you ; but for- 
 give him, forgive him, mistress ; he has suffered so 
 much ! God only knows how much !" 
 
 At the same instant the door opened, and the over- 
 seer appeared. 
 
 " Miss Lebrun," he said, " your uncle wants you ; he 
 felt uneasy, and sent me to look for you." 
 
 " Very well," replied the young girl. " Good-by, 
 Cassy, I will come again to-morrow evening, and see how 
 you are getting along." 
 
 And although greatly troubled at the bare possibility 
 of Edwards having heard and recognized Archy's voice, 
 she assumed an air of quiet unconcern, and accompanied 
 the overseer to the house.
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 LETTER WRITTEN BY HENRIETTA TO HER PARENTS. 
 
 THREE months after the last-described scene, Anthony 
 and Margaret Lebrun received the following letter from 
 their daughter : 
 
 " MY DEAR FATHER AND MOTHER : It has now been 
 more than two years since I left you, and I am yet un- 
 able to predict when we shall meet again. I dare not 
 even think of the uncertainty, it makes me so miserable. 
 Not that I am unhappy here ; oh ! no ; my uncle is the 
 soul of goodness, and perfectly devoted to me, studying 
 my wishes and pleasure even in the most trivial mat- 
 ters. And yet I hesitate and dread speaking to him 
 on the subject of our return to France ; he has become 
 so much accustomed to the Creole habits and style of 
 living that the idea of changing seems to make him 
 shudder. He constantly thinks and speaks of you, and 
 desires, above all things, to see you ; but the thought of 
 leaving the loved country of his adoption, and having 
 again to change in every habit of his life, as it is at 
 present, necessarily makes him hesitate, and recoil 
 from the ordeal. I hope, notwithstanding, that he will
 
 124 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 ultimately decide on going, as events recently transpir- 
 ing have been the source of great trouble to him. 
 
 " You must know that about three months since, uncle 
 had arranged a magnificent festival in my honor, which 
 was to have continued two days. Every thing had been 
 prepared in the most luxurious and elegant style ; but alas ! 
 the festivities were suddenly interrupted and brought to 
 a most unexpected and terrible conclusion." 
 
 Henrietta here related the circumstances as they had 
 occurred : the appearance of the yellow-fever, the diffi- 
 culty with the overseer, then the episode and discovery 
 of Archy. In her humility she omitted telling but one 
 thing, and that was the heroic part she had performed in 
 nursing the sick. 
 
 She added : 
 
 " The pestilence claimed many victims ; twenty 
 slaves, which is one fourth the number owned by my 
 uncle, are dead. I know not how I have escaped. God 
 has been merciful to me ; he intends to preserve my life, 
 I suppose, for your sakes, my dear good parents. 
 
 " Write to me oftener, I pray you ; and never let a 
 single vessel come off, without sending me a letter. If 
 you only knew how much I need these constant remem- 
 brances ! because, I am obliged to acknowledge, I could 
 never become accustomed to this country, nor be willing 
 to live in it. 
 
 " Now that the yellow-fever has disappeared, visiting 
 has again been resumed. Among those who first hasten- 
 ed to us was Madame Delmont. She seems to love me as 
 dearly as if I were her own daughter. The accident that
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 125 
 
 separated us in Africa, and which was followed by such 
 serious consequences to me, has increased still more her 
 affection for me. I am also quite fond of her children ; 
 they are very lovely, and I am always glad when she 
 brings them with her. 
 
 " I have had the happiness, recently, of receiving a 
 letter from Mr. Thompson and his family. Natalie and 
 Eva, it seems, have not forgotten me ; and this delights 
 me more than I can express ; for under what obligations 
 have I not been placed to those lovely young girls and 
 their estimable parents ! Uncle was anxious to have a 
 share in my grateful acknowledgments, and we have se- 
 veral times already sent them boxes of our American 
 productions and luxuries, little attentions which they 
 seem to enjoy very much. 
 
 " I hope, my dear parents, that you also derive some 
 pleasure from our little presents. It is I who get them 
 all up for you, and in doing so, I bathe with my tears 
 every article sent you ! But I do not wish to make you 
 sad ; on the contrary, I want you to remember nothing 
 but the joy I shall feel when I can announce the time 
 of our departure for France. 
 
 " Ellen McDougall is always the same devoted friend, 
 and we see each Qther very frequently. Uncle is also 
 very much attached to this dear, good girl, consequently 
 there is no obstacle to our intimacy. When with Ellen, 
 I am always reminded of Leonie Hermier ; Leonie is 
 more cheerful and lively than Ellen ; but both are sensi- 
 ble and affectionate, and I consider myself extremely 
 fortunate in having two such friends. 
 
 " Do not neglect, my dear parents, to keep me con-
 
 126 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 stantly informed of Leonie's condition, and whether she 
 will return very soon to France. When you write to 
 Madame Hermier, beg her to say to my poor friend, how 
 deeply grieved I have been to hear of her illness. 
 
 "And dear Celestin, will he return very soon to 
 Havre ? and does he often write to you ? 
 
 " I have commenced my letter by making all manner 
 of requests of you. I should now, I suppose, give you 
 some particulars about myself and my every day life. It 
 is very simple, and very much the same as I have already 
 described it to you. In the mornings, to the continued 
 astonishment of those around me, I rise very early. I 
 read and study, and as often as possible go to mass. 
 But, unfortunately, the nearest church is at New-Orleans, 
 which is about fifteen miles from The Acacias. Uncle 
 although so indulgent in every other respect, will not 
 consent for me to go, except on Sundays ; and always 
 finds some pretext to keep me at home. To compensate 
 for this deprivation, the pastor comes occasionally to 
 visit us. 
 
 " The Abbe' Durand is not yet an old man ; but the 
 life of a priest in this country is attended by such inces- 
 sant fatigue and constant labor that the locks of this 
 good father are already blanched, an$ he has the appear- 
 ance of an old man. 
 
 " I enjoy his visits very much ; he understands my 
 uncle perfectly, and without seeming to intend it he says 
 many excellent things to him, and especially on the subject 
 of slavery. He never fails to visit the " negro quarter," 
 where his presence and counsel seem to be well received. 
 The slaves are all Protestants, generally Baptists, though
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 127 
 
 some are Methodists ; but whatever creed they may pro- 
 fess, they are obliged to be impressed with the genuine 
 goodness and piety of the Abbe Durand. 
 
 " The afternoon is usually devoted by my uncle to 
 the enjoyment of his siesta, as is the custom with all 
 Southern people ; at five o'clock I rejoin him and leave 
 him no more until he retires for the night. 
 
 " I am still taking lessons, and my professors assure 
 me that I am quite proficient in music and drawing. I 
 have by no means neglected the other branches of edu- 
 cation, as I am most ambitious to render myself worthy 
 of the advantages lavished on me through the indulgent 
 kindness of my uncle. 
 
 " When, by accident, I find myself alone, I sew, and 
 am assisted in this by the two quadroons already men- 
 tioned, Betty and Malcy. I try to instruct these young 
 girls on every subject possible, and endeavor especially 
 to enlighten their understandings with the truths of 
 Catholic faith. I have not found this very difficult to 
 do, as they both have great confidence in me. 
 
 " I have not neglected little Wilkie either ; he be- 
 comes every day more intelligent, and uncle having given 
 him to me, as my own "property," I am at liberty to as- 
 sume the entire control of him, and keep him removed 
 from those who would corrupt and lead him astray. He 
 is almost constantly with me, and always accompanies 
 me in my walks. Sam and Gassy have been, through my 
 influence, excused from working out in the fields, and 
 are now employed as house-servants. 
 
 " I am told that Archy escaped from a grand hunting 
 party organized by Edwards, and sent, with his blood-
 
 128 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 hounds, to capture the runaway. I know not how he was 
 informed of Archy's visit. 
 
 " If it were only left to me, how quickly every thing 
 here would be changed ! But what can I do ? Pray and 
 hope ! And surely I will not fail to do that. My dear 
 parents, pray also for your child. 
 
 " During my leisure moments, I have made a sketch 
 of White Cottage ; I have also sketched, from memory, 
 liknesses of you all. They are, of course, very imper- 
 fect ; but having even such portraits reconciles me in 
 some degree to this cruel separation, so far from you. 
 
 " After a while, I will send you a portrait of myself, 
 also my own work ; I shall be very much delighted if 
 you think it good. 
 
 " And now, what more can I tell you ? I believe no- 
 thing else, without repeating something I have written in 
 my former letters ; as my days here are usually repeti- 
 tions of each other. 
 
 " Adieu, then, my dearest father and mother, or rather 
 I should say au revoir, the word adieu is too sad, and I 
 require to have my courage kept up, and all the cheer- 
 fulness of my nature aroused, in order to sustain in my 
 heart the hope of seeing you very soon. 
 
 " I beg you to kiss dear little Henry for me, also 
 Emily, and if my brother Celestin has returned, tell him 
 not to forget his sister, who lets not a single day pass 
 without thinking of him. 
 
 " Au revoir, dearest father ; au revoir, dearest mother ; 
 only love me half as dearly as you are loved by 
 
 " Your devoted 
 
 " HENRIETTA."
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. . 129 
 
 In every letter a little note was inclosed from her 
 uncle, who would let no opportunity pass of thanking 
 his brother and sister-in-law for their kindness in send- 
 ing Henrietta to live with him. The joy of her presence 
 was to the planter an inexhaustible theme. However 
 Anthony and Margaret, pleased as they were by these 
 testimonials of affection, began to grow impatient at the 
 long absence of their child.
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 A MORNING WALK CAMP OF THE RUNAWAY NEGROES. 
 
 IT was a beautiful morning in the month of March ; 
 the sun rose in great splendor, and all nature seemed to 
 wear a festive appearance. The flowers opened their 
 perfumed chalices, the birds sang their sweetest songs, 
 even the grass seemed fresher, and of a more brilliant 
 green than usual. Henrietta determined to take advan- 
 tage of the early hours of this delicious morning, and 
 after obtaining her uncle's permission, started out for a 
 long walk, taking with her Betty, Malcy, and the little 
 negro Wilkie. 
 
 They directed their steps toward a small river, bor- 
 dering on the west of the plantation. This water-course 
 with its banks, rendered beautifully picturesque by the 
 thick heavy foliage of innumerable trees covering them, 
 promised a cool and inviting shade. 
 
 They had scarcely reached the cover of the trees, be- 
 fore Henrietta began to inhale the delightful fragance 
 exhaled by the leaves and flowers, and borne upon the 
 cool refreshing breeze from the water. Festoons of the 
 odorous yellow jasmine, covered the trees in wild profu- 
 sion, and hung across the pathway in tangled masses,
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 131 
 
 which slight obstacles the gay promenaders, with child- 
 like joy, leaped over or gayly put aside. The air was 
 filled with those indefinable sounds produced by awaken- 
 ing nature on all such bright summer mornings, mingled 
 with the joyous notes of thousands of feathered songsters 
 of the forest. The eye was gladdened by the bright ver- 
 dure, and the view of the rippling waves of the crystal- 
 line river, and invited to follow the movements of the 
 graceful little humming birds, so aptly and poetically 
 called "nature's animated flowers." Thousands and 
 thousands of brilliant insects of the brightest and most 
 beautiful colors were flying and buzzing in swarms 
 through the air. All was life, animation, and beauty. 
 
 " Henrietta, enraptured by the scene, had not noticed 
 that the road she had taken was becoming more and 
 more solitary, and now began to assume a wild and isolated 
 appearance. The trailing vines and honeysuckles hung 
 in more profuse and thickly tangled masses, and the lit- 
 tle foot-paths, bordering on the river, were becoming 
 few and almost untrodden. 
 
 At length, feeling fatigued, Henrietta seated herself 
 on the trunk of a fallen tree, but only after Wilkie and 
 Malcy had made a careful examination, and were sure 
 that no hidden reptile lurked about the improvised seat. 
 In the mean time, Betty took from a light basket she car- 
 ried, a collation which she soon arranged tastefully on 
 the grass. 
 
 "How delightful this is!" exclaimed Henrietta; 
 "what a quiet, lovely spot, perfectly charming!" 
 
 "But O Miss Henrietta!" replied Malcy earnestly, 
 " let me beg you to look around, and see how lonesome
 
 132 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 and out of the way this place is. Indeed, it will not be 
 safe for us to stay here very long, ma'am." 
 
 "And why not ?" 
 
 " Because places like this are generally frequented by 
 runaway negroes. If they found us here, what would 
 become of us ?" 
 
 "Indeed! is that so?" replied Henrietta; "come, 
 then, let us hasten and eat our breakfast, and then we 
 will go." 
 
 At this moment Wilkie approached his young mis- 
 tress, and pretending to be picking up something on the 
 ground near her, said, in a low voice, 
 
 " Miss Henrietta, there is somebody in the bushes 
 watching us." 
 
 " Are you certain of that, Wilkie ?" 
 
 " Oh ! yes, ma'am ; just look over there to the right of 
 us, among those reeds on the river bank. I see two 
 bright shining eyes " 
 
 "And me too," said Betty. "I see somebody there 
 plain enough. For God's sake, Miss Henrietta, don't 
 look frightened, but just talk on, unconcerned: like you 
 didn't suspect nothing. May be they won't trouble us, 
 and we'll try and get away from this place as quick 
 as possible." 
 
 Henrietta arose quietly, and, concealing her alarm, 
 started on, carelessly telling the servants to follow her. 
 
 She had not proceeded a hundred paces, when she 
 felt her arms seized from behind, and some kind of a 
 covering thrown over her head. She was hurried rapidly 
 forward. In vain she endeavored to scream ; the cover- 
 ing around her head was drawn across her mouth, stif-
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 133 
 
 ling her voice, and as she heard no sound from the ser- 
 vants, she concluded they had been made to submit to 
 the same treatment. She was so terror-stricken, poor 
 girl, as to be almost deprived of consciousness ; and had 
 scarcely strength to commend herself to God, and in- 
 voke His assistance. 
 
 After a quarter of an hour's rapid march, she was 
 carried across the river ; at least she thought she heard 
 the sound of running water. A few minutes later, and 
 she was deposited on the bank, and the covering re- 
 moved from her eyes, though her mouth was still left 
 bandaged. 
 
 The scene that presented itself to Henrietta's gaze 
 was certainly calculated to inspire the utmost terror. 
 Twenty-five or thirty negroes and mulattoes had aban- 
 doned their preparations for breakfast, and come to ex- 
 amine the prisoners ; for Betty, Malcy, and Wilkie were 
 all there, closely bound and tied. Some of the runa- 
 ways (for they were readily recognized as such), armed 
 with long knives, and some kind of huge knotted clubs, 
 gesticulated violently, and uttered the most threatening 
 exclamations, announcing their determination to kill the 
 prisoners on the spot. 
 
 But a mulatto, of herculean stature, cut short this 
 harangue, by reminding them that they would have to 
 await the return of their chief or leader. In the mean 
 time, these ferocious creatures to whom the mulatto ad- 
 dressed himself, began to overwhelm Henrietta and her 
 attendants with the most violent abuse. They reproach- 
 ed the young girl with having cruelly tyrannized over the
 
 134 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 slaves, and condemned Betty and Malcy for being so de- 
 graded and cowardly as to remain with their master. 
 
 Very soon, and while they were waiting for the arri- 
 val of the chief of the gang, the excitement in the camp 
 reached such a height that poor Henrietta silently com- 
 mended her soul to God, in anticipation of a speedy 
 death. The threats and vociferations redoubled, and 
 the mulatto seemed no longer able to restrain his com- 
 rades, or prevent them carrying their murderous designs 
 into immediate execution, when the cry was heard, " The 
 chief, the chief!" and all rushed out to meet him. An- 
 other moment, and he stood before the prisoners, on re- 
 cognizing whom, he immediately uttered an exclamation 
 of surprise. 
 
 "What!" he exclaimed sternly, "how could you ever 
 have committed such a blunder as this!" And before 
 they had time to divine his intention, he had torn away 
 the cords and bandages from Henrietta and her attend- 
 ants. 
 
 A loud murmur of disapprobation arose from the 
 group, and a number of the runaways approached the 
 leader in order to remonstrate ; but with a wave of his 
 hand he motioned them back. 
 
 "Listen to me," he exclaimed, in a voice of authori- 
 ty; "you know I have never deceived you. Well, this 
 white person, far from being cruel to the negroes, has al- 
 ways been their friend. Ask my brother there, who it 
 was nursed and waited on him through the yellow-fever ? 
 Ask those two girls, if it were not for this young lady, if 
 they would not be kept out, working like brutes in the 
 field ? And me too she saved me ; when I stole in to
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 135 
 
 see my sick mother, if she had betrayed me to the over- 
 seer, as she might have done, you know what I would 
 have suffered ; the most cruel beatings, and, may be, been 
 whipped to death ; any how, if they had not killed me, 
 they would have put me back into a harder slavery than 
 before ! But Miss Henrietta saved me, and now my 
 friends, say, do you still want to kill her?" 
 
 This harangue of Archy for it was he seemed to 
 make a powerful impression on the greater number of 
 the runaways. Some of them, however, still threatened 
 and exhorted their comrades not to listen to the chief. 
 At this juncture, Wilkie sprang up, and rushed into the 
 midst of the rebels. 
 
 " Listen to me also," he cried, with flashing eyes, 
 and his little hand raised as if to defend his young mis- 
 tress ; " all that my brother has told you is true, and be- 
 sides, he has not told you that Miss Henrietta is the only 
 dependence, the saviour of the slaves in the house. If 
 you only knew how good she is to us all, how she tries 
 to lighten our work, and to keep us from being punish- 
 ed ! Betty," he cried, turning toward the two quad- 
 roons, " come here, you and Malcy, and say if I have 
 not told the truth ; say, both of you, if, since Miss Hen- 
 rietta came, she has not kept us all from being whipped 
 and beaten by that wicked Mrs. Edwards ?" 
 
 " Yes, yes," the two girls hastened to reply. " In- 
 deed, she has done every thing for us ; our young mis- 
 tress is our saviour, and it would be a shame and a cry- 
 ing sin for any body to do her any harm." 
 
 Until this time, Henrietta had been so terrified and 
 entirely bewildered by her situation, that after Archy 's
 
 136 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 arrival she had not been able to utter a word ; but on 
 hearing herself so warmly defended, her presence of 
 mind gradually returned. After a moment's silence, dur- 
 ing which she calmly surveyed her persecutors, she sum- 
 moned up all her courage and said, 
 
 " They have told you the truth in assuring you that I 
 have tried to do every thing possible for the slaves, and 
 to protect them, as far as has been in my power ; and 
 yet, nobody has greater reason than myself, perhaps, to 
 cherish feelings of resentment against your race. Two 
 years ago I left my own country and family and came to 
 Louisiana to live with my father's brother. The vessel 
 that brought me over landed on the coast of Africa. 
 There, in consequence of an affray which came near be- 
 ing fatal to all who accompanied me, I found myself a 
 prisoner in the hands of the negroes. I can not describe 
 the sufferings they inflicted on me, a total stranger to 
 them, and one who had never done them any harm ; the re- 
 collection is too painful to dwell upon. Know, howev- 
 er, that it was their intention to murder me, and offer me 
 up at one of their public feasts,- as a sacrifice to their 
 idols. But God saved my life, and delivered me out of 
 their hands. I escaped from the awful dangers that sur- 
 rounded me, and reaching some of my own race, they 
 assisted me in getting to this country. On entering my 
 uncle's house at New-Orleans, the first sight of the slaves 
 recalled so vividly the sufferings I had experienced in 
 Africa, that I could with difficulty conceal my aversion 
 and horror. And yet, from that day, I determined to do 
 all for them in my power, and to render them as happy 
 as possible in their condition.
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 137 
 
 " Do you know," continued Henrietta, with increased 
 energy of voice and manner, " do you know why I tried 
 to forget my resentment ? It was because I am a Chris- 
 tian, and the God I worship commands me to render 
 good for evil. That command I have gladly executed 
 in behalf of your people, because I believe that negroes 
 are no more wicked or depraved than other men. Their 
 eyes have never been opened to the light of truth ; that 
 is why they are inspired with feelings of revenge. Ah ! 
 well, if by taking my life, you think you will be repaid 
 for your past sufferings and wrongs, take it ; and with 
 my last breath I will continue to pray for you, that God 
 may forgive you, and restore your race yet to liberty." 
 
 These generous sentiments finished what Archy and 
 the servants of Henrietta had commenced. Tears filled 
 the eyes of these savage men, who, for years, had never 
 felt an impulse of humanity or compassion. With a 
 unanimous voice, they swore to protect and defend the 
 young girl to the utmost extremity of devotion, and at 
 once informed her that she was at liberty to return 
 home. 
 
 " Permit us, however," they said, " to again bandage 
 your eyes, and conduct you to a safe distance from our 
 camp. It is not because we suspect you, but your safe- 
 ty might be compromised by an involuntary indiscre- 
 tion ; and besides, miss, when you get back into the 
 
 road, walk as fast as possible, for Dick might overtake 
 
 
 you, and nobody can escape from him." 
 
 Henrietta accepted these conditions for herself and 
 her companions. A quarter of an hour later, Archy re- 
 moved the bandages from their eyes, and after taking a
 
 138 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 respectful leave of his young mistress, and embracing his 
 brother affectionately, he left them and returned to the 
 swamps. 
 
 The excitement which had, -until this time, sustained 
 Henrietta, was too intense to continue. A reaction very 
 soon took place, and she for a moment feared she would 
 not have sufficient strength to enable her to reach the 
 house. 
 
 "O Miss Henrietta!" exclaimed the two quad- 
 roons, "you don't know how terribly frightened we felt 
 about you ! But we beseech you to say nothing to mas- 
 ter, about what has happened ; because he will immedi- 
 ately send out to hunt them with the hounds and the 
 overseer, and these poor runaways might be brought 
 back, and then, oh ! such dreadful times as we would 
 have here !" 
 
 Henrietta herself, judging that silence might be ne- 
 cessary, at least for the time, assured the quadroons that 
 she would not betray the secret. 
 
 The first person she met, on entering the house, was 
 her uncle, who, alarmed at the prolonged absence of his 
 niece, was just dispatching a messenger to look for 
 her. 
 
 The planter was shocked on beholding the extreme 
 pallor and exhaustion of Henrietta, who hastily assured 
 him that it was only the effect of a slight indisposition, 
 and nothing at all serious. 
 
 " I do not wish you to take any more such long walks 
 unless I am with you," he replied ; " if any thing should 
 happen to you, I would never forgive myself." 
 
 Henrietta, with forced smile, replied that in a few
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 139 
 
 hours she would be entirely restored. The same even- 
 ing, when she made her appearance at tea, all traces of 
 indisposition had disappeared, and she seemed perfectly 
 cheerful and well.
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 MR. LEBRUN'S ILLNESS SUFFERINGS OF THE SLAVES 
 THE INSURRECTION. 
 
 HENRIETTA resolved to inform the Abbe Durand, 
 under the seal of secrecy, of all that had occurred. She 
 believed it possible that the good priest would find some 
 means of assisting the unfortunate runaways, and per- 
 haps reconciling them to their master. But an unex- 
 pected event prevented her from carrying out her de- 
 sign. Mr. Lebrun was taken violently ill, and Henriet- 
 ta's time and attention were immediately devoted entire- 
 ly to her uncle. After a few days, finding that she 
 would be unable to absent herself to go to New-Orleans, 
 she determined to write and beg the Abbe Durand to 
 visit her ; but the servant charged with the commission 
 returned, and announced that the Abbe had just started 
 on a journey, to be absent two months. 
 
 The condition of Mr. Lebrun grew each day more 
 and more alarming. Henrietta, forgetting in the great 
 anxiety she felt, that she had failed to secure the advice 
 of the priest on a most momentous subject, thought of 
 nothing but applying herself, heart and soul, to the care 
 of her uncle, to amuse and divert his mind as far as 
 possible from his sufferings. 
 
 The physicians were apprehensive of a general para- 
 lysis of the system, but added that, in any event, the ill-
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. - 141 
 
 ness would be a prolonged and serious one. Their prog- 
 nostications were realized ; it was soon with the greatest 
 difficulty the invalid could be moved, even occasionally, 
 from his bed to an easy-chair, in order to rest him ; the 
 slightest movement causing him to utter the most dis- 
 tressing groans of anguish. 
 
 Unable to read or write, Mr. Lebrun would have 
 died of ennui but for the companionship of his niece. 
 Always cheerful and affectionate, she exerted herself in a 
 thousand ways to divert him. That she might constant- 
 ly be near him, she had her piano, her little library, her 
 work-table, and painting materials, all moved into his 
 chamber. While awake, she read aloud to him, from 
 such works as she knew would amuse him and divert 
 his mind from his condition. She played and sang his 
 favorite songs and conversed with him, always carefully 
 avoiding other than the most cheerful subjects. While 
 he slept, she watched by his bedside, engaged with her 
 embroidery or drawing. She was constantly assisted in 
 her task by Ellen McDougall, and it was doubly pleas- 
 ing to see these two amiable young girls earnestly vying 
 with each other in their efforts to call to the lips of the 
 weary invalid a smile of satisfaction. 
 
 Days glided by without any perceptible change in 
 the condition of Mr. Lebrun. More than a month had 
 passed, and the physicians, anxiously interrogated by 
 Henrietta, confirmed their first opinion. 
 
 " And do you think," she added, wiping the tears 
 from her eyes, " that by careful nursing, I may yet be 
 able to keep my uncle for a long time with us ?" 
 
 The physicians assured her that the invalid might
 
 142 THE FISHERMAN S DAUGHTER. 
 
 live many years, especially if no new complications of 
 the disease were developed. 
 
 The life that Henrietta would henceforth have to lead 
 might have seemed gloomy enough, but she did not view it 
 in that light. Profoundly grateful for the benefits her un- 
 cle had bestowed on herself and her family (as well as all 
 he anticipated doing for them in the future), the thoughts 
 of the young girl took but one direction, and that was, to 
 endeavor, by the most devoted care and attention to her 
 uncle, to testify the gratitude she felt for all he had done 
 and intended doing for her family. 
 
 It will be readily understood how, in consequence of 
 the planter's illness, and Henrietta's exclusive devotion 
 to him, the overseer and his wife were enabled to regain 
 almost entirely their old authority over the slaves on the 
 plantation. The entire house groaned under the iron 
 yoke of Mrs. Edwards, while the slaves employed in the 
 fields were more than ever subjected to the cruel treat- 
 ment of her husband. 
 
 But all this came to an end. The overseer and his 
 wife, fearing they might lose their situations in conse- 
 quence of the planter's death (which might occur at 
 any time), determined to increase, as rapidly as possi- 
 ble, the small fortune they had already amassed by 
 fraud and dishonesty. With more audacity than ever 
 before, the overseer converted large amounts to his own 
 benefit, which should have been returned to Mr. Lebrun. 
 He concealed the actual receipts, and exaggerated the 
 expenses ; in a word, used every possible means of ap- 
 propriating to himself the greater portion of the revenues 
 of the estate.
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 143 
 
 At one time his calculations came near being frus- 
 trated. Mr. Lebrun, alarmed at the course affairs had 
 taken, expressed his intention of employing an assis- 
 tant overseer, who would be required to render him an 
 exact account of the most minute expenditures. Ed- 
 wards thus understood that he had gone too far, and at 
 once commenced leaving a larger margin to his receipts ; 
 but as he could not bring himself to decide upon renounc- 
 ing the immense acquisitions he had been so rapidly accu- 
 mulating, he determined, by overworking and otherwise 
 wronging the slaves, to regain what he regarded as per- 
 sonal losses. 
 
 Their rations were consequently diminished to such 
 an extent that the unfortunate creatures had scarcely suf- 
 ficient to keep them from starving, while at the same 
 time their tasks were redoubled. A number of slaves 
 died from the effects of this regimen ; Edwards careful- 
 ly prevented the planter from being informed of this, 
 and compelled the survivors, at the point of the lash, to 
 redoubled exertions in order to make up the deficiency. 
 
 Nothing was neglected in carrying out this system of 
 oppression ; and doubtless, had it not been for the pre- 
 sence of Henrietta, Edwards and his wife, taking advan- 
 tage of the enfeebled condition of the planter, would 
 have succeeded in secluding him from all communica- 
 tion with his friends, and in that way shortening his 
 days. The young girl, believing that matters were not 
 going right in the house, several times expressed her con- 
 victions on the subject to Mrs. Edwards. But the latter, 
 with her usual consummate adroitness, readily diverted 
 her suspicions, and very soon Henrietta's attention
 
 144 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 would again be entirely centred in the care of her in- 
 valid uncle. 
 
 She had appointed Betty and Malcy to assist her in 
 nursing, an arrangement which of course, excited the 
 sovereign displeasure of the overseer's wife. And Wilkie 
 was also constantly in the chamber, ready to attend 
 himself to the slightest order or errand, or see that it 
 was done promptly. 
 
 In conversing with his niece, it sometimes happened 
 that Mr. Lebrun would express his fears lest she should 
 become unhappy on account of not being able to return 
 to France. 
 
 " My dearest uncle," Henrietta replied one day, " I 
 would be glad if you would banish all such thoughts. 
 How could I regret having an opportunity of proving 
 my gratitude and affection for you ! I often think of 
 France, I confess, and it would indeed be a great plea- 
 sure to see my beloved parents again ; but if you wish to 
 send me back to them now, I should, for the first time, 
 be under the necessity of disobeying you. My parents 
 have another daughter, and a son, who console them 
 during my absence, or enable them to wait more patient- 
 ly my return. But you, my dear uncle, are here all 
 alone. It is true you have friends who are devoted to 
 you ; but even they can not love you as I do I, who am 
 indebted to you for the peace and prosperity enjoyed 
 by my parents, for my education, my happiness, in a 
 word, for every thing I am or enjoy !" And Henrietta 
 threw her arms around her uncle's neck and embraced 
 him affectionately.
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 145 
 
 Too deeply moved to reply at once, Mr. Lebrun sat 
 with tears of joy silently coursing down his cheeks. 
 
 "As soon as I recover my health," he said at last, " I 
 promise you, dear child, that you shall be made perfect- 
 ly happy." 
 
 It was now the young girl's turn to shed tears of joy. 
 " Perfectly happy !" she repeated mentally, " O my God ! 
 I thank Thee for this hope !" 
 
 Then for her all care seemed banished. Her uncle 
 would soon be well ! She already imagined herself at 
 home with her parents and her uncle ! Will the future 
 bring the realization of that dream ? 
 
 In the mean time the sufferings of the slaves contin- 
 ued to increase, and their condition became so intolera- 
 ble that the more desperate among them resolved to put 
 an end to it. 
 
 Notwithstanding the overseer's vigilance, they estab- 
 lished a correspondence with the runaway slaves (the 
 same who had taken Henrietta prisoner), and the secret 
 was so well kept that no suspicion was aroused. 
 
 In order to prevent all possibility of treachery, a gen- 
 eral meeting was called, and the slaves all made to take 
 a solemn oath not to disclose the plot under penalty of 
 death. 
 
 Sam and Archy were both present at this meeting, 
 and endeavored to stipulate for the safety of Hen- 
 rietta; but they were refused, and forced to give up 
 and trust in Providence for the result. The rage of 
 their companions was excited to such a degree that the 
 savage men were unable to comprehend any thing but 
 revenge.
 
 146 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 Dick, the runaway whom Edwards had formerly 
 punished in the most unmerciful manner, and whose 
 children had been sold by the overseer, had sworn to de- 
 stroy every thing about the plantation, and would not 
 tolerate the proposal to spare Henrietta. 
 
 " If I had been on the island when that young wo- 
 man was brought there, things wouldn't have turned out 
 as they did. I'd have shown them very different," he 
 said, with a threatening gesture. Dick had been the 
 ringleader of the conspiracy. For a long time he 
 had been urging them on to an insurrection. It was 
 he who, during the confusion prevailing at The Aca- 
 cias on the occasion of the grand entertainment given 
 by Mr. Lebrun, his master, had tried to gain over 
 the slaves on the plantation to his plans, and it was his 
 voice that had so greatly alarmed Henrietta. He, at that 
 moment, was trying to persuade two or three of his old 
 companions in slavery that this would be the most favora- 
 ble opportunity they would have, to kill all the whites 
 while they were asleep ; but the events transpiring in the 
 evening put an end to all idea of revolt, which had begun 
 to spread widely and make great progress among the 
 slaves.
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 INSURRECTION OF THE SLAVES. 
 
 THE health of Mr. Lebrun showed no symptoms 
 of improvement, but fortunately became no worse ; for 
 three months the planter remained in the same condition. 
 His physicians seemed to have renounced all hope of his 
 recovery. Nature, they said, might ultimately triumph 
 over the disease, and a salutary reaction would follow; 
 but they could give no positive assurance of this result. 
 
 Henrietta never once flagged in her untiring care and 
 devotion. Every day she seemed to find some new 
 method of amusing and entertaining the poor paralytic. 
 Her patience never wearied, the sunny cheerfulness of 
 her countenance was never clouded by a shadow of en- 
 nui. The sole desire of her heart was to render her pre- 
 sence as agreeable as possible to her uncle. 
 
 On several occasions, Mr. Lebrun had spoken of 
 making his will. One morning, after suffering much 
 more than usual, he expressed his intention of doing im- 
 mediately what he considered his duty in this respect. 
 " Because," he added, " it is but just and right that I 
 should bequeath you a larger share of my property 
 than your brothers and sister. Even then, I shall never 
 be able sufficiently to acknowledge my gratitude for your 
 devotion."
 
 148 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 " Dearest uncle," replied Henrietta, " I beg you not 
 to think of making your will. I hope it may be a long 
 time yet before it will be necessary for you to trouble 
 yourself about that. Your physicians have truly said 
 that God is all-powerful, and if He desires to raise you 
 from this sick-bed, He is able, and will do it. Every day 
 I pray for your recovery. It would be, I assure you, 
 doubly painful to me, to lose you in this country. But 
 that will not happen. You will recover, and we shall re- 
 turn to our beautiful France, our beloved Normandy, 
 and you will yet spend many happy years in the bosom 
 of your family." 
 
 " I have no longer any hope of that," interrupted the 
 invalid. " Two months ago, I still thought my recovery 
 possible ; but I see very well, my child, I must renounce 
 all such hopes. I shall never be able to realize the in- 
 tention I had formed of going with you to France,, as 
 soon as my health would permit ; but I can, at least, se- 
 cure you your fortune, as I have always intended do- 
 ing." 
 
 " My dear uncle," interrupted the young girl, " I do 
 not wish to offend or contradict you in the slightest 
 thing ; but let me assure you, it would be most painful 
 to me to be favored more than my parents. No, I beg 
 you to make no will, or, if you are absolutely resolved to 
 do it, then let it be made in favor of my father and mo- 
 ther." 
 
 " But my object," replied Mr. Lebrun, " is to make a 
 special disposition in your favor, as a reward for your 
 constant and devoted affection." 
 
 " I have no need of a recompense for having loved
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 149 
 
 you. And moreover, have I not already been rewarded 
 far beyond my merits ? Is it not to you, dearest uncle, I 
 am indebted for the education I have acquired, and for 
 the happiness enjoyed by my family ? What more could 
 I ask ?" 
 
 " Dear, good child !" exclaimed the invalid, moved to 
 tears. " May God spare me yet a long time with you, 
 before calling me to Himself; the thought of leaving 
 you is the only regret I feel at the approach of death." 
 
 " My dear uncle," responded Henrietta, sighing deep- 
 ly, "let us leave this gloomy subject; why will you al- 
 ways speak of dying, when there is no reason why you 
 should despair of getting well ? I have a firm hope of 
 your recovery. Do not try to destroy my confidence in 
 this belief." 
 
 At this moment, a confused sound was heard, coming 
 from the direction of the garden. 
 
 " What is that ?" demanded Mr. Lebrun. Henrietta 
 raised the window, but saw nothing unusual; the noise, 
 however, continued to increase. She felt very uneasy, 
 although she gave no expression to her fears. 
 
 "It is the wind, perhaps," she remarked, without dar- 
 ing to betray her anxiety to her uncle. 
 
 "The wind!" repeated Mr. Lebrun. "But, no! I 
 hear loud cries, and all sorts of confused noises." In 
 fact, furious cries, and loud clamors of every kind, could 
 now be readily distinguished. 
 
 The perspiration commenced pouring down the inva- 
 lid's face. 
 
 " This is incomprehensible," he murmured. " What 
 can it mean ?"
 
 150 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 " My God ! my God !" cried Henrietta, sinking on her 
 knees before her uncle. " We are lost ! and it is I who 
 have brought this upon you !" 
 
 " You ! Why, you must be deranged, my child ! What 
 are you saying ?" 
 
 " Yes, I have been the cause of this insurrection ; for I 
 know very well it is an insurrection of the slaves, uncle. 
 Oh ! if I had only warned you in time !" 
 
 At that moment Wilkie, followed by the two quad- 
 roons, rushed into the room. 
 
 " O master ! O Miss Henrietta !" they cried, over- 
 whelmed with terror ; " they are coming ! they will soon 
 be here!" 
 
 Henrietta raised her eyes to heaven. 
 
 " My God," she exclaimed calmly, " our lives are in 
 your hands ; let all things be done according to your 
 will." 
 
 The cries and clamors approached, rapid footsteps 
 ascended the stairs, the door opened suddenly, and 
 Mrs. Edwards, pale as death, rushed in and threw her- 
 self at Henrietta's feet. 
 
 " Save me ! save me !" she cried. Before Henrietta 
 had time to reply, the rebel slaves entered. 
 
 Without hesitation, the young girl advanced and con- 
 fronted them. 
 
 " What do you want ?" she demanded in an authori- 
 tative tone. 
 
 The habit of obedience made these furious creatures 
 involuntarily bow their heads ; but it was only for an in- 
 stant. Dick, who appeared to be the leader, brandished 
 a long knife with which he was armed.
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 151 
 
 " We are going to have our revenge on the white peo- 
 ple!" he cried; and his companions echoed the cry, 
 " Yes, we are going to have our revenge on the white 
 people !" 
 
 "Stop!" said Henrietta courageously. "Stop! 
 Would you dare to strike your old master, and he sick 
 and unable to defend himself? Would you dare to 
 strike helpless women ?" 
 
 " I command you to return instantly to the quarters," 
 said Mr. Lebrun, in a voice of stern severity. " If you 
 do not obey, I will have you punished by the overseer." 
 
 "Punished by the overseer!" repeated Dick, with a 
 laugh that made the blood run cold; "by the overseer, 
 eh ? Look at him here he is ! Order him now to 
 punish us !" 
 
 The ranks opened, and Edwards was discovered, 
 closely bound and tied. His face, all covered with dirt 
 and blood, was no longer recognizable. His trembling 
 limbs refused to support him ; two ferocious negroes held 
 him up, grinning with malicious triumph. A cry of hor- 
 ror escaped from Henrietta, while Mrs. Edwards fell 
 fainting to the floor. 
 
 "The time has come for revenge!" cried Dick. 
 " Here, my friends, do your work ; no standing back 
 now. Come along, and exterminate all these white 
 people !" 
 
 Several negroes advanced, and one of them seized the 
 overseer's wife; another was in the act of laying his 
 hands on Mr. Lebrun, when Henrietta, with a degree of 
 strength which astonished herself, threw him off, and
 
 152 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 placing herself before the invalid's chair on which her 
 uncle was extended, she exclaimed, 
 
 " Come, now ! come near him, if you dare. But be- 
 fore you kill your master, you will first have to kill me, and 
 that will be my reward for not denouncing the runaways 
 when I discovered their camp. Kill me ! I deserve it 
 for having been so foolish as to believe you had souls 
 enough to be grateful for a benefit." 
 
 At these words, two men advanced from among the 
 crowd of negroes. They were Sam and Archy. 
 
 " Miss Henrietta," they said, " you are safe among all 
 the gang ; they will do you no harm ; we have made 
 them swear that ; but as for master, we can do nothing 
 for him." 
 
 " Leave me then !" she exclaimed, " leave me ; I want 
 none of your assistance ; I want none of your pity. If 
 you kill my uncle, you shall kill me ; you can not tear 
 me away from him. What holds you back, what are you 
 waiting for ?" she cried, with a kind of exultation. " You, 
 Archy, and you, Sam, haven't you the courage to strike 
 me ? Come, I merit it, for having put so much confi- 
 dence in you." 
 
 Two cries were uttered at that moment ; one pro- 
 ceeded from Wilkie, who placing himself between Hen- 
 rietta and his brother, said to the latter, " Kill me also ; I 
 will defend Miss Henrietta till I die !" 
 
 The second cry came from Archy, who, aroused by 
 the reproaches of his young mistress, his eyes flashing 
 fire, and his lips quivering, made no reply ; but seizing 
 his father's hand, the two rushed in front of the revolters. 
 
 This scene required but an instant, and had scarcely
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 153 
 
 terminated, when a furious struggle began between Archy 
 and his father on one side, and the rebellious negroes on 
 the other. The latter accused their two comrades of be- 
 ing traitors, and swore they would bury them beneath the 
 ruins of the mansion, together with the planter and his 
 niece. 
 
 Dick encouraged the blacks to fight. " Exterminate 
 them, every one," he cried ; " they deprived us of our liber- 
 ty, and sold our children away from us !" And suiting 
 the action to the word, he threw himself upon Archy and 
 Sam with such violence and desperation that the victory 
 seemed doubtful, and the other rebels, emboldened by 
 his example, rallied promptly to his assistance. 
 
 But, at the moment Henrietta's defenders were on 
 the point of yielding to the force of superior numbers, a 
 body of armed men arrived at The Acacias. They were 
 led by Mr. McDougall in person. He had learned of the 
 insurrection through the indiscretion of one of his own 
 slaves, who had been let into the secret of the revolt that 
 was to be attempted by their neighbors. He immediate- 
 ly hurried over to Mr. Lebrun's assistance. 
 
 His arrival caused the utmost consternation in the 
 ranks of the rebellious slaves. Even before he ordered 
 them to surrender, several had fallen on their knees, and 
 were begging forgiveness, declaring they were not guilty, 
 but had been forced into the conspiracy by others. 
 
 But one among them was resolved not to return un- 
 der the yoke of servitude ; and that was Dick. With a 
 single bound he threw himself into the midst of the 
 slaves, and brandishing his knife over his head, he 
 plunged it into the heart of the overseer, then into his
 
 154 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 own, and fell, exclaiming, as the life-blood poured from 
 the mortal wound, " I die a free man, thanks be to God ! 
 My dear children, I come to join you !" 
 
 Henrietta, who, while danger threatened herself and 
 her uncle, stood firm and undaunted, was so overcome 
 by this scene of horror that she fainted and fell in- 
 sensible to the floor. 
 
 When she again returned to consciousness, the noon- 
 day sun was gleaming into her chamber, and sitting at 
 the foot of the bed, she recognized her friend, Ellen 
 McDougall. 
 
 " Ellen !" she exclaimed in a feeble voice. 
 "O what joy!" cried Ellen, embracing her. "At 
 last, my poor darling, you are beginning to recover. God 
 only knows the anxiety and fear we have suffered about 
 you." 
 
 " Anxious ? afraid ? oh ! yes, that is true the negroes 
 that insurrection " And Henrietta instantly grew 
 pale, and seemed on the point of swooning. 
 
 " Hush, hush !" quickly exclaimed Miss McDougall. 
 " You must think no more of that ; try and imagine it 
 was only a bad dream." 
 
 But the recollection could not be so easily dispelled ; 
 it still returned to Henrietta. 
 
 " My uncle !" she cried. " What has become of uncle ?" 
 
 "He is perfectly well; have no uneasiness about 
 him." 
 
 " Is that true ? Ellen, forgive me my suspicions ; it 
 seems to me I have suffered a great deal ! My poor head
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 155 
 
 can not yet recall its ideas. But where am I ? Is this 
 not your chamber ?" 
 
 " Yes, my dear Henrietta, the doctor thought it best 
 for you to have a change of air." 
 
 " The doctor ! Have I been sick then ?" 
 
 " Yes, I am obliged to acknowledge it. We have 
 been very much alarmed about you, and even at present 
 you require very careful nursing. Now, as the doctor 
 has forbidden you to talk, I can not answer any more 
 questions. You must avoid the least excitement." 
 
 " But oh ! tell me, I entreat you, all that has happened 
 at The Acacias ?" 
 
 '* I will just as soon as the doctor will permit it." 
 
 " One question only, then : you assure me that my 
 uncle is well ; but is he here ?" 
 
 " Yes ; and in a little while, if you are very reasona- 
 ble, you shall see him. Come now, my darling," added 
 Ellen, passing her arm under Henrietta's head, and kiss- 
 ing her affectionaely, " be very good and quiet now ; obey 
 me, I am your nurse. Believe me, you have nothing 
 more to fear or dread." 
 
 Henrietta was too weak to oppose any resistance to 
 the commands of her friend. Assured of her uncle's 
 safety, she submitted without murmuring to Ellen's di- 
 rection, and sank into a quiet and refreshing slumber. 
 
 The next day the doctor found his patient so much 
 improved that he pronounced all danger past, and con- 
 cluded she might hear, without fear of causing a relapse, 
 all that her friend had to communicate.
 
 CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 A GLIMPSE OF THE PAST GREAT REJOICING. 
 
 As soon as the physician left the room, Henrietta 
 urged Ellen to relate all that had transpired during her 
 illness. 
 
 " You know," said her friend, " that my father, hav- 
 ing learned, from one of our servants, of the plot against 
 your uncle, hurried immediately to The Acacias. The 
 spectacle that met his gaze was frightful. The floor of 
 the chamber was inundated with blood from the wounds 
 of Dick and the overseer. Several of the revolters were 
 wounded, and among them Sam and Archy." 
 
 "And did they escape? Are they living?" cried 
 Henrietta vehemently. "I owe my life to them-!" 
 
 " Let me tell you now what has happened : I will 
 come to that in good time. My father found the dead 
 and the wounded ; but what horrified him more than all 
 else, was seeing yourself and your uncle lying in an in- 
 sensible condition. At the first glance, he thought you 
 were dead, but soon discovered his mistake. A physi- 
 cian was hastily summoned, who at once declared that 
 your uncle and yourself, having been so terribly impressed 
 by what had occurred, should be immediately removed to 
 another house ; otherwise, he could not answer for your 
 lives ; he feared having you return to consciousness in
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 157 
 
 the midst of those frightful scenes through which you 
 had just passed. 
 
 " Consequently, my father had you brought here ; also 
 Malcy and Betty, who, frantic with terror, had been seiz- 
 ed with nervous convulsions. He removed little Wilkie 
 also, who, although not dangerously wounded, yet requir- 
 ed immediate attention. 
 
 " The rebellious slaves were chained and closely 
 guarded until Mr. Lebrun might be able to decide their 
 fate. Sam and Archy, at first included among the pri- 
 soners, were immediately released, as soon as my father 
 was informed of the part they had acted in the terrible 
 tragedy. You may suppose they have been well cared 
 for ; but as their wounds, although severe, were not con- 
 sidered dangerous, they were left in charge of the house. 
 A week ago, Wilkie joined them, but comes regularly 
 every day to inquire about you." 
 
 " A week, did you say ?" asked Henrietta, with asto- 
 nishment. " Have I been sick so long as that ?" 
 
 u For nearly two months," responded Ellen. " A 
 brain-fever has been the result of your excitement. At 
 length, thank God, you are out of danger, and have now 
 only to keep quiet, in order not to retard your convales- 
 cence." 
 
 " Dearest friend ! how much I am indebted to you !" 
 exclaimed Henrietta, while tears of gratitude flowed from 
 her eyes ; " and what do I not owe your good father ! 
 But hasten, I pray you, to satisfy my impatient curiosity. 
 What has become of Mrs. Edwards ? And my uncle ; is 
 he well to-day ? has all this not had a bad effect on his 
 health ?"
 
 158 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 " Mrs. Edwards," replied Ellen, " is as well as could 
 be expected under the circumstances ; but it is more than 
 probable that she will never recover her reason." 
 
 " How is that ?" 
 
 " She is deranged, and is now an inmate of Dr. Bow- 
 er's asylum, in New-Orleans." 
 
 " O poor woman!" said Henrietta, who, in the depth 
 of her compassion, forgot the odious character of Mrs. 
 Edwards, and could only remember her afflictions. " But 
 my uncle ?" 
 
 " He is well. What could I tell you more gratifying 
 than that ? However," she continued, in a laughing 
 manner, " it would be better for me not to answer the 
 question." And, opening the door, " There," she added, 
 " whom do you see ?" 
 
 A cry of joy burst from Henrietta's heart, as her un- 
 cle, entirely recovered and looking well, hastened for- 
 ward, and folded her in his arms. 
 
 The excess of joy and surprise for an instant over- 
 came the young girl ; she turned deadly pale, and closed 
 her eyes. 
 
 Immediately Mr. Lebrun and Ellen began to re- 
 proach themselves for their mistaken management, when 
 Henrietta, reviving, seized both their hands, pressed 
 them convulsively to her heart, and bathing them with 
 tears, murmured, "Oh! I am only too happy !" 
 
 The rest of the day was spent in the enjoyment of 
 their reunion, after so terrible an experience as the uncle 
 and niece had passed through. It was necessary to 
 explain to Henrietta the manner in which her uncle's 
 health had been restored; the fearful excitement through
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 159 
 
 which he had passed produced a kind of swoon, follow- 
 ed by a fever that continued for three days ; at the end 
 of that time, his afflictions had almost entirely disappear- 
 ed, and the doctor, finishing the work commenced by na- 
 ture, had, by his skill, succeeded in entirely re-establish- 
 ing his health. 
 
 In the evening, Betty, Malcy, and Wilkie were allow- 
 ed to come and see their young mistress ; all three of 
 whom expressed the greatest joy, and declared it was Miss 
 Henrietta's courage alone that prevented every body at 
 The Acacias from being massacred. 
 
 In less than a week, Henrietta was able to sit up. 
 She was left, in consequence of her long illness, extreme- 
 ly debilitated, and suffering from a nervous sensibility 
 which increased under the least excitement. As soon 
 as her strength would permit, Mr. Lebrun informed his 
 niece of the resolution he had taken. 
 
 " I promised to reward you, my dear child," he said, 
 " for your devotion, and I shall no longer delay the ful- 
 fillment of that promise. I have advertised my property 
 for sale, and as soon as these affairs are all settled " 
 
 He was interrupted by Henrietta throwing herself 
 into his arms, and clasping his neck. 
 
 " You understand me, do you not ?" he added. " We 
 will return to France."
 
 CHAPTER XXVIII. 
 
 EMANCIPATION OF THE SLAVES SALE OF PROPERTY. 
 
 IT was not without a sad feeling that Henrietta 
 returned to The Acacias. She could never summon 
 sufficient resolution to enable her to enter the apart- 
 ment in which the bloody drama occurred which we have 
 just described. 
 
 Sam and Archy had taken the best possible care of 
 the house and premises ; nothing had been destroyed, 
 and while faithfully executing the orders given them with 
 regard to their companions, they had, at the same time, 
 been able to do much toward alleviating the condition of 
 those unhappy creatures, who were weighed down with 
 woe at the though of having to be sold away from their 
 families. 
 
 It was indeed but too true that such was to be their 
 fate. Mr. Lebrun had resolved upon it, believing that no 
 purchaser of his plantation would be willing to buy 
 slaves who had been guilty of an insurrection in which 
 their master had barely escaped with his life. 
 
 Before exposing them for sale, the planter desired to 
 see them, and be sure they were all well-clothed and that 
 none of them were sick. 
 
 Henrietta accompanied her uncle on this visit, al- 
 though he strongly opposed her intention, fearing the
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 161 
 
 associations connected with the sight of the slaves would 
 occasion a dangerous degree of excitement. 
 
 The insurgents were confined in one of the houses 
 used for storing cotton, and in the very same one in 
 which Henrietta had formerly organized her Sunday re- 
 ligious exercises. 
 
 Theirs was a crushing, hopeless sorrow, and had de- 
 generated into a kind of apathy, which seemed to render 
 them utterly insensible to every thing around them. 
 They scarcely turned their heads when Mr. Lebrun and 
 his niece entered. 
 
 Only one among them dared to speak and ask his 
 master not to sell them, promising him entire submission 
 for the future. Mr. Lebrun made no reply, and the 
 most profound silence again prevailed. 
 
 On leaving the room, the planter and his niece were 
 surrounded by the wives, sisters, and children of the pri- 
 soners. Throwing themselves on their knees, they im- 
 plored their master, with tears and cries, not to sell their 
 husbands, their fathers, and their brothers from them. 
 
 Henrietta could not endure the sight, and, bursting 
 into tears, she fled for refuge to her chamber. Archy 
 soon after came to seek her, announcing the arrival of 
 the Abbe Durand. 
 
 " Oh ! surely God has inspired this visit," she cried, 
 and hastened to the parlor. 
 
 " I have only learned this morning," said the priest, 
 " of the events that have recently transpired here, and I 
 hurried over to see you, at once." 
 
 " Had you only been here before this insurrection,
 
 162 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 Father Durand, I truly believe it never would have 
 taken place." 
 
 Then, having related her adventure at the camp of 
 the fugitive slaves, she added, 
 
 " It is useless now to dwell on what is past. How- 
 ever, before leaving this country, I should like to prevent 
 one thing, which it really seems will break my heart to 
 witness. Uncle is determined to sell his slaves. I have 
 just been with him to visit those unfortunate creatures 
 and witnessed the tears and distress of their families, 
 whose supplications addressed to their master were 
 heart-rending ! Oh ! may I not entreat you, reverend 
 father, to join me in persuading my uncle to set these 
 wretched slaves at liberty ?" 
 
 " My child, I fear that will not be possible." 
 
 " Let us make the effort, at any rate. But here is 
 uncle now." 
 
 Alarmed at the state of excitement into which his 
 niece had been thrown when visiting the slaves, Mr. Le- 
 brun had come to inquire after her. 
 
 " I am very well indeed, uncle, I assure you," she said, 
 " but my heart is very, very sad. I have this moment 
 informed Father Durand of the cause of my sorrow." 
 
 " And will you not inform me also ?" inquired Mr. 
 Lebrun. 
 
 " Oh ! yes, dear uncle ; but you must first promise me 
 you will not be angry. You know that I will say nothing 
 with the intention of displeasing you." 
 
 " Speak without fear or hesitation, my dear child : 
 any request that it is in my power to grant is already 
 accorded you."
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 163 
 
 " Well, dear uncle, I have just been saying to Father 
 Durand that the one supreme desire of my heart would 
 be accomplished if you could be persuaded to set all 
 your' slaves at liberty." 
 
 "You are dreaming!" interrupted Mr. Lebrun. 
 " What ! would you intercede for these wretches, whose 
 only regret is that they were not permitted to extermi- 
 nate us ? I have said that they shall be sold." 
 
 " Ah dear uncle ! if you but knew how much those 
 poor negroes have suffered under the cruel domination 
 of Edwards ! He is dead, and I will say nothing against 
 the man ; but I assure you it was but natural that revenge 
 should have fermented in the souls of these unhappy 
 creatures. Remember how exemplary their conduct be- 
 came during Father Durand's Sunday instructions. Had 
 Edwards tried to influence and govern them by kindness, 
 he could have effected any thing." 
 
 "Effected any thing !". interrupted the planter. 
 " Then you do not remember that instead of profiting by 
 the instructions they received, these miserable creatures 
 became too worthless and idle to live ?" 
 
 " In that you are mistaken, dear uncle ; Edwards, 
 naturally a bad man, was highly displeased because I 
 procured this means of instruction for the slaves ; and 
 he determined it should cease. Besides this, remember 
 how he acted during your illness ; the slaves were brok- 
 en down with work, half starved, and beaten constantly 
 and without mercy." 
 
 " And your overseer did this," added the priest, " for 
 the sole purpose of increasing his own gains. I \Vould 
 not wish to be wanting in charity ; above all, toward a
 
 164 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 man who is no longer among the living ; but I am oblig- 
 ed to inform you that your overseer, through the disho- 
 nest means he employed, has succeeded in making a 
 fortune of nearly twenty thousand dollars out of your 
 estate." 
 
 " Can it be possible ?" cried Mr. Lebrun, 
 
 " It is true," responded the priest. " And as that 
 fortune was accumulated by robbery and extortion, I be- 
 lieve it my duty to inform you of what I know on the 
 subject. Any further proof or information that you may 
 desire will be furnished you by Mr. Herman, the banker." 
 
 " Now, dear uncle, will you still refuse to believe 
 me," replied Henrietta, " and to refuse my request ?" 
 
 " But consider, my child," replied the planter, " con- 
 sider what an amount of money those slaves are worth." 
 
 " Oh ! do not speak of that, I beg you," cried Henri- 
 etta earnestly ; " only remember that I shall owe you an 
 eternal debt of gratitude for the sacrifice." 
 
 ' " But another thing," said the planter, visibly moved, 
 and influenced as much by his own natural goodness of 
 heart as by the persuasions of his niece. " I do not 
 wish, nor am I willing, to lessen the fortune which be- 
 longs to you and your family." 
 
 " My family will thank me, uncle, for having asked 
 the liberty of your slaves, and these unhappy creatures 
 will bless your name forever, for bestowing on them this 
 priceless boon." 
 
 " Well, well ! Let it be then as you say ! I will set 
 them free ; this very day the emancipation-papers shall 
 be drawn up." 
 
 " O dear uncle ! how shall I ever sufficiently thank
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 165 
 
 you ?" said the young girl, taking his hands in her own, 
 and pressing them to her heart. " I will go at once and 
 announce the good news to the slaves." 
 
 " No, no, not yet," interrupted the planter. " They 
 have behaved very badly, are very guilty, and should at 
 least be punished by being kept in suspense regarding 
 the fate which awaits them. However, you may be very 
 sure the punishment shall not be of long duration." 
 
 Great tears stole silently down the cheeks of the 
 Abbe Durand, which, Mr. Lebrun observing, asked him, 
 
 " And why, my dear sir, do you weep ?" 
 
 " I weep tears of joy !" replied the priest ; " glad that 
 I shall at last behold some of these poor blacks realizing 
 the blessing of freedom." 
 
 Faithful to his promise, Mr. Lebrun made without 
 delay all the arrangements necessary for the emancipa- 
 tion of his slaves. The raillery of his friends failed 
 to move him from his purpose. Every one exclaimed 
 against an act of justice so expensive to him who ac- 
 corded it. They even went so far as to declare such an 
 example was dangerous, and made other remarks also, by 
 no means pleasant or flattering to the planter. But no- 
 thing had power to move him from his resolution, and, 
 proceeding at once to execute his designs, he was soon 
 in possession of the emancipation-papers. 
 
 In the mean time, he arranged also for the sale of his 
 property. Several purchasers presented themselves ; but 
 as the plantation was to be sold without the slaves, the 
 prices offered were not very high. However, after a 
 great deal of annoyance and parleying, Mr. Lebrun sue-
 
 1 66 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 ceeded at last in selling his plantation at a reasonable 
 price. 
 
 This affair once concluded, the planter found him- 
 self in possession of a fortune of nearly two hundred 
 thousand dollars. He then took the necessary measures 
 to insure that this fortune, in case of his death, should 
 immediately revert to the family of his brother. This 
 accomplished, he determined to start for Europe. Just 
 at that time, the three-mast ship " Vigilant," the same 
 vessel that brought Henrietta from Africa, was about to 
 sail, and he at once secured passage for himself and 
 Henrietta. 
 
 "We will embark in a very few days," he remarked 
 to his niece, " and now is the time to make your visit to 
 the negroes. I have their free-papers all ready." 
 
 Henrietta's only reply was to throw her arms around 
 her uncle's neck, weeping tears of grateful joy.
 
 CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 HAPPINESS EMBARKING FOR FRANCE. 
 
 THE negroes continued in the same condition of 
 body and mind. Sam and Archy, believing their fate 
 would, of course, be similar to that of the other slaves, 
 were almost in despair. 
 
 When Mr. Lebrun again went among them, the same 
 unbroken silence was maintained as on the occasion of 
 his first visit ; but suppliant glances were cast toward 
 Henrietta. The radiant expression of the young girl's 
 lovely countenance announced a gleam of hope for the 
 miserable creatures. They knew how good she was ; 
 they remembered the kindness she had shown them since 
 their captivity ; and they hoped she had gained some 
 mitigation of their punishment. 
 
 " You have rebelled against my authority," said Mr. 
 Lebrun, in a severe tone. " You have murdered my 
 overseer, and driven his wife into a mad-house, a condi- 
 tion perhaps worse than death. You deserve, therefore, 
 to be punished with the utmost severity. But an angel 
 of mercy has interceded in your behalf. My niece, 
 whose life you have dared to threaten, and whom you 
 would have murdered but for the intervention of Sam 
 and Archy my niece comes to announce that you are 
 FREE, and thus avenge herself for your base ingratitude !"
 
 168 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 " Yes, my friends," added Henrietta, " you are free !" 
 
 " FREE !" The cry went up from the lips of every 
 one of those despairing slaves, until the empty building 
 reverberated with the echoes. " FREE !" and they arose, 
 every man to his feet, and stood in breathless amaze- 
 ment, gazing with a look of bewildered inquiry at the 
 planter and his niece. " Free ! Can it be possible ? Shall 
 we no longer have masters, no longer be slaves ?" 
 
 " It is even so," replied the young girl. " Here are 
 your free-papers." Then addressing Archy, she added, 
 " Take off the chains that bind your friends." 
 
 An indescribable scene followed this command. Loud 
 exclamations and cries of joy mingled with the thanks that 
 were showered upon Mr. Lebrun and his niece. The wives 
 and children of the blacks, who from the door had heard 
 the good news, rushed in and threw themselves into the 
 arms of their husbands and fathers, and then conducted 
 them to the feet of their generous owners, before whom 
 they knelt. 
 
 " May God forever bless you !" they exclaimed, with 
 upraised hands, and tears of inexpressible happiness 
 streaming from their eyes. " May God forever bless 
 you and reward you !" 
 
 " Dear uncle," whispered Henrietta, in a voice trem- 
 bling with emotion, " does not this moment more than 
 repay you for the sacrifice you have made?" 
 
 Mr. Lebrun made no reply, his heart was too full for 
 words, and his emotion so great he could with difficulty 
 restrain his tears. 
 
 " Listen to me," he at last said to the blacks. " You 
 are now at liberty and are your own masters ; but re-
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 169 
 
 member that you will be compelled to work to live by 
 the fruit of your own labor. Liberty does not mean 
 idleness ; I have endeavored to insure employment for 
 you, before setting you free, and I have been successful. 
 I have especially recommended you all to Father Du- 
 rand ; you may rely upon his assistance as long as you 
 continue honest and industrious ; but I hope you 
 will never give him cause to regret the interest he now 
 takes in you." 
 
 They all promised to be faithful and industrious ; we 
 shall see hereafter how they kept their resolution. 
 
 As Mr. Lebrun and Henrietta retired, they met Sam 
 and Archy in the passage. 
 
 " Master," they said, " and you, young mistress, you 
 have given us our freedom, which is more to us than life. 
 Now, as a testimonial of our gratitude, permit us, as 
 freemen, to continue to serve you, as long as we live." 
 
 " Thank you," replied Henrietta, with a kind smile, 
 " thank you. I see that I have not been mistaken in my 
 estimate of your character. But my uncle and I are go- 
 ing back to our own country ; we can not take any of 
 you with us, that is irrevocably decided. Remain here, 
 among your own people, and by your good example try 
 and influence them to work, and guide them in the way 
 of virtue." 
 
 " We will obey your orders, mistress," replied Sam, 
 "if we can not follow you as we would like." 
 
 When Betty, Malcy, and Wilkie Jearned that their 
 young mistress was going to leave the country, all 
 three implored her to take them along. 
 
 "Take back our freedom, or let us go with you !" 
 they cried; " we love you far better than freedom."
 
 170 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 Henrietta had all imaginable difficulty in persuading 
 them to remain with their people They were so dis- 
 tracted they would listen to nothing ; but their young 
 mistress could not take them, Mr. Lebrun having decid- 
 ed that none of his servants should accompany them to 
 France. All she could do was to promise to recommend 
 the two quadroons to her friend Ellen McDougall. As 
 to Wilkie, still so young, and in whom she was so deeply 
 interested, she could but feel great anxiety about his fu- 
 ture. In order to relieve her apprehensions, Mr. Lebrun 
 promised to deposit with the Abbe Durand a sum suffi- 
 cient to maintain the child until he was old enough to 
 support himself. 
 
 Relieved of this care, Henrietta thought of nothing 
 more but finishing her preparations for departing and 
 making her farewell visits. 
 
 Ellen McDougall was inconsolable. "Oh!" she ex- 
 claimed, " how much I regret that all your family can 
 not come and live in Louisiana ! I have become so ac- 
 customed to seeing you and loving you ! You will write 
 to me very often, will you not ? Oh ! where shall I ever 
 find another such friend?" 
 
 The two young girls remained fora long time clasped 
 in each other's arms. A thousand promises were ex- 
 changed between them, Henrietta being no less afflicted 
 at leaving her friend than Ellen was in seeing her depart. 
 
 " Perhaps you may be able to visit us," she said, with 
 forced composure.- " I have often heard your father ex- 
 press a desire to visit France. Let us hope he will de- 
 termine to do so, and who knows but he might be induc- 
 ed to remain, and take up his permanent abode there ?"
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 171 
 
 "I can not flatter myself with that hope," replied 
 Ellen sadly. " My father is now too old to think of 
 leaving this country. I must bid you adieu ; but at least, 
 dear Henrietta, I can promise never to forget you." 
 
 " And I shall never cease to remember you, my dear 
 Ellen, and love you as devotedly as now." 
 
 And the two friends renewed a hundred times more 
 their promises of fidelity and friendship, nor seemed 
 to weary of repeating them. 
 
 Some days later, Mr. Lebrun and his niece, followed 
 by a veritable 'procession of friends, proceeded to the 
 wharf to embark on their contemplated journey. Ellen 
 was determined to remain until the last moment with 
 her friend. The Abbe" Durand was also among those 
 who escorted the travelers. 
 
 Betty, Malcy, Sam and his wife, Archy, and Wilkie 
 were already at the landing, waiting to take a last fare- 
 well of their benefactors, and remain with them as long as 
 possible. Wilkie threw himself at Henrietta's feet and 
 had to be forcibly taken away. The despairing grief of 
 the child was truly heart-rending. The Abbe Durand 
 tried in vain to console him, and promised to arrange it 
 that he should go and see Miss Henrietta as soon as he 
 was grown ; but Wilkie's cries and lamentations became 
 only more violent, and he declared he would not leave 
 his dear mistress. 
 
 At length the hour for their departure arrived, and, 
 bathed in tears of happiness and regret, Henrietta em- 
 barked with her uncle on board the vessel which was to 
 carry them to France.
 
 CHAPTER XXX. 
 
 " HOME AGAIN." 
 
 FOR a long time, Anthony Lebrun and his wife look- 
 ed in vain for letters from New-Orleans ; but every mail 
 brought a disappointment. Henrietta's" had failed to 
 reach them, and they knew not to what her silence could 
 be attributed. The most painful forebodings oppressed 
 them, while each was afraid to disclose to the other the 
 extent of their apprehensions. 
 
 The arrival of Celestin, who had completed his most 
 successful voyage, brought some diversion to White Cot- 
 tage. Three years of separation had passed rapidly 
 for Celestin, now a strong, hardy sailor of sixteen 
 years, and disposed to make his way gallantly through 
 the world. 
 
 Emily was twelve ; studious, gentle, ancl amiable, 
 she was the great consolation of her parents, who disco- 
 vered in her character all the good qualities of Henriet- 
 ta, the beloved absent daughter. Little Henry, now 
 eight years of age, exhibited the most promising disposi- 
 tions. 
 
 But very soon a new subject of sorrow unexpectedly 
 occurred. They had confidently hoped to receive tid-
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 173 
 
 ings of Henrietta by the last mail-boat, and it arrived 
 without bringing a word of consolation to the sad 
 parents. Henrietta's long illness, and subsequent prepa- 
 rations for the voyage home, were the cause ; but Antho- 
 ny and Margaret were ignorant of this ; consequently 
 their anxiety became intolerable. 
 
 But this painful situation was not of long duration. 
 One morning Celestin, who had gone to spend the day at 
 Havre, returned hurriedly to his parents. He was evi- 
 dently much excited, and his father and mother feared 
 some accident had happened. 
 
 " What is the matter ? Tell us what has happened ?" 
 they anxiously inquired. 
 
 "O my dear parents!" replied Celestin, "promise 
 me not to be too much excited, promise me to be 
 reasonable." 
 
 "Celestin!" cried Margaret, "what is it you have to 
 tell ?" 
 
 "Well, I have received through Mr. Berlin news 
 from uncle and Henrietta. They are coming are on 
 their way to France ! Mr. Bertin is surprised that you 
 have not heard it. My sister should have written 
 you, he says." 
 
 "Can this be possible?" exclaimed Margaret, as she 
 sank on a chair, overcome by her feelings. " But," she 
 added very soon, " is this really true ?" 
 
 " Yes," faltered Anthony, " is this news certainly 
 true?" And he could say no more, so great was his 
 emotion. 
 
 " It is true, certainly true ! Mr. Bertin has received 
 a letter from my uncle."
 
 174 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 "Who told you that ?" replied Margaret, "Come, 
 Celestin, see that you conceal nothing from us !" 
 
 "Mother," replied Celestin, "I will no longer dissi- 
 mulate. My uncle and Henrietta are here !" 
 
 Anthony and Margaret were unable to articulate a 
 syllable ; a moment later, and Henrietta was folded to 
 their hearts. 
 
 The scene that followed can not be described ; to at- 
 tempt it, would be to fall too far short of the reality ; we 
 therefore leave it to the reader's imagination to portray. 
 
 The same evening, all the family gathered around 
 William Lebrun, to hear the descriptions he gave of 
 Henrietta, of the joy and happiness with which she had 
 surrounded him, and the devoted affection she had un- 
 ceasingly shown him. The young girl would fain have 
 cut short these panegyrics, but her uncle constantly re- 
 turned to the subject. 
 
 " I want them," he said, " to know and appreciate 
 you as much as you deserve." 
 
 " My dear Anthony, and you, my good sister Marga- 
 ret," he continued, " it is owing entirely to my niece, 
 this dear child of yours, that I am with you all to-day. 
 Her virtues conquered all my inclinations, and it is in 
 acknowledgment of what she has done for me, that I 
 have left the country in which I had determined to end 
 my earthly career." 
 
 A few days after, they set about looking for a house 
 better suited to the style of living to which Mr. Lebrun 
 had been accustomed. The latter intended that all the 
 family should live with him. 
 
 A charming residence was selected and purchased at
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 175 
 
 Ingonville, in which Mr. Lebrun, having furnished it ele- 
 gantly, installed himself with Anthony, Margaret, and 
 Henrietta. 
 
 Emily 'returned to boarding-school, Henry was 
 placed at college, and Celestin, following the advice of 
 his uncle, was preparing to enter a naval academy. 
 
 All being thus arranged, life passed quietly and 
 peacefully with this devoted family. Henrietta, how- 
 ever, had yet one desire ungratified, which was to see Le- 
 onie Hermier again, her earliest friend and companion. 
 
 Two months after her return, this new joy was grant- 
 ed ; Leonie and her mother returned to reside at The 
 Elms. Thanks to the beautiful clime of Italy, Leonie 
 had been entirely restored to health. 
 
 It would be superfluous to say that the most amica- 
 ble relations were re-established between the two fami- 
 lies. Leaving, then, our characters, heretofore so con- 
 stantly tried by affliction, now so perfectly happy, we 
 will return to those who are living far beyond the sea. 
 
 A year had passed since Henrietta left New-Orleans, 
 when she received the following letter from the Abbe 
 Durand : 
 
 "My dear child," he wrote, "time passes rapidly; 
 it has already been a year since you left us ; but, I as- 
 sure you, no person here has forgotten you ; you have 
 left souvenirs behind you in the hearts of your friends, 
 that will never be effaced. 
 
 " I shall now endeavor to fulfill my promise of keeping 
 you informed of what passes here, among your friends 
 and proteges. 
 
 " First of all, the McDougall family are well ; and
 
 176 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 every time I see them, we have a long chat about you. 
 You will find inclosed a note from Ellen. 
 
 " Wilkie works with a perseverance far beyond his 
 years ; and when I try to moderate his ardor, he prompt- 
 ly answers me that he is trying to prepare himself to 
 go as soon as possible, to see his dear young mistress. 
 Never has benevolence been better bestowed than on 
 this child. I hope to make a good man of him. His fa- 
 ther and brother have found constant work ; the former 
 with a blacksmith, the latter in the shop of a house-car- 
 penter. 
 
 "Archy already renders great assistance to his em- 
 ployer, who, having a bad opinion of all negroes, took 
 him with much reluctance : he sees now that he was in 
 error. 
 
 " Sam and Cassy live with their son. I make them 
 very happy every Saturday evening, by sending Wilkie to 
 visit and remain with them until Monday ; but on Sun- 
 day I see them all, as the family attend church regular- 
 ly, and manifest the most exemplary and pious disposi- 
 tions. 
 
 " Betty and Malcy are employed by a wealthy Eng- 
 lish lady, who, in consequence of her husband's death, 
 will soon return to England. This lady is very humane 
 and very good ; and I am quite sure these girls will ne- 
 ver regret having followed her. 
 
 " All the other blacks, former slaves of your uncle, 
 conduct themselves, I am happy to say, very well in- 
 deed. They work steadily, and live peacefully with 
 their families. 
 
 " I fiequently receive visits from one and another of
 
 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 177 
 
 them, and they never fail to beg me to remember them 
 kindly and gratefully to you. 
 
 " So you perceive, my dear child, God has deigned 
 to bless the good seed you have sown here, and it is a 
 great consolation to me, I assure you, to find that you 
 have no cause to regret your generosity. 
 
 " I come now to the saddest part of the commission 
 with which you have charged me. I have seen Mrs. Ed- 
 wards several times, but alas ! her condition is always 
 the same. She will never recover her reason ; her state 
 is a most pitiable and frightful one. She imagines herself 
 constantly threatened by the knives of the rebel slaves, 
 and seems to see her husband falling beneath their mur- 
 derous blows. 
 
 " Mr. Lebrun has done all that was possible for her, 
 in leaving the ill-gotten gains of herself and husband 
 for her support. Nothing farther remains for us but to 
 pray that God may, before her death, permit this unfortu- 
 nate woman at least to return to the use of reason long 
 enough to repent of her sins. 
 
 " You are happy, my dear child, in the midst of your 
 devoted family, and in our beautiful France, which I 
 also would be so delighted to see again. But this pleas- 
 ure I shall never realize, as my duty calls me here. 
 
 " Pray for me, my dear child, as I pray for you, and 
 remember me kindly to all those whom you love, partic- 
 ularly your dear uncle; and with sincere wishes for 
 your happiness, now and forever, 
 
 " Believe me your friend in Christ, 
 
 "FATHER DURAND."
 
 i/8 THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 The note of Ellen McDougall inclosed in this letter 
 was as follows : 
 
 " My dear and cherished friend, not a day passes 
 that I do not find myself, with all my heart, regretting 
 your absence, and grieving and pining for your presence. 
 You are more fortunate than myself, because you have 
 that beloved friend Leonie, of whom you have so often 
 spoken to me ; but alas ! I have no one who can take 
 the place of my Henrietta ! But although this Made- 
 moiselle Leonie may be so amiable and lovely, I hope 
 you will still reserve a small place in your heart for me, 
 your absent friend. I can not doubt this, since you 
 have continued so faithful to your promise of writing to 
 me often. Continue to do this, dear Henrietta, I beg 
 you ; I am never more happy than in receiving your let- 
 ters. 
 
 " My father and mother send you a thousand loving 
 messages, and Madame Delmont, who visits us frequent- 
 ly, never forgets you. 
 
 " Here, every body loves you, and if you should for- 
 get us, you will prove most ungrateful : that, I am sure, 
 can never happen. 
 
 " And now, my dear Henrietta, I embrace you, as I 
 love you, that is, from the fondest depths of my heart. 
 
 "Your devoted ELLEN."
 
 EPILOGUE. 
 
 DURING the summer of 1863, which I passed in Nor- 
 mandy, I spent some time at Havre. I there became 
 acquainted with Mrs. Johnson, a most amiable and 
 charming person, whom I often visited, and very soon a 
 reciprocal esteem sprang up between us. 
 
 Our conversation turned one day on America, and 
 the Southern States, Mr. Johnson being present. " If my 
 wife would do so," he said to me, " she could give you 
 some curious details respecting Louisiana, as she lived 
 there several years." After some little persuasion on 
 my part, Mrs. Johnson complied with my request, and it 
 was from herself and her parents I heard the history I 
 have narrated here ; Mrs. Johnson being no other than 
 our heroine, Henrietta Lebrun. 
 
 Her history struck me as being so very interesting, 
 that I asked permission to write it out ; which was gra- 
 ciously accorded, though Mrs. Johnson, with her usual 
 modesty, considered it unworthy the trouble. Our read- 
 ers, we hope, will be of a different opinion. The only 
 change I have made in the narration, has been in the 
 names of the characters. 
 
 Mr. William Lebrun still lives, surrounded by the de- 
 voted and affectionate care of his family, who never
 
 ISO THE FISHERMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 cease to remember with gratitude the benefits he has 
 bestowed on them. 
 
 Anthony and Margaret behold all their children pros- 
 pering and happy: Emily, like her sister, has married 
 advantageously. Celestin is a naval officer, and, judging 
 from appearances, his career will be a brilliant one. 
 Henry is about becoming a partner in business with Mr. 
 Berlin, the banker. 
 
 Madame Hermier and her daughter, the latter happi- 
 ly married and the life of her family, are still devoted to 
 their old friends, and continue to make them an annual 
 visit of several days. 
 
 Wilkie by his persevering industry has become a pros- 
 perous merchant, and some time ago made the voyage to 
 France, attracted toward the country more by his affec- 
 tion for his former mistress than by business. He has 
 seen his benefactress, and Henrietta kindly welcomed 
 her young protege to her home. 
 
 "I am really too happy !" she remarked to me, one 
 day. " I know I have too many blessings." 
 
 " Not more than you deserve," I replied. She quick- 
 ly tried to close my lips. 
 
 "You must not try to flatter me in this way," she an- 
 swered with a gracious but reproachful smile. " I could 
 never have deserved the benefits God has so graciously 
 showered on me. May He ever keep me humble and 
 grateful!"
 
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