274 MILD DOCTRINES OF CHRISTIANITY.

"Their camp meetings are generally held in a wood; deep, dark, lonely, and almost impenetrable, far from any human habitation. The native burghers of the forest are frightened from their wild retreat, and driven from their home to make way for these midnight worshippers of the most extravagant superstition. Here the cauldron is set a-boiling; and here, in this gloomy hour, the ingredients are cast in until the spell is wound up, and the weak and terrified mind becomes a converted Methodist."

One half of the converts to Methodism in Ame rica are made at camp meetings. What a contrast to the mild and heavenly conduct of the Redeemer! who, after instructing the multitude in the wilderness, fed them, and sent them quietly to their homes. He terrified them not with wild and furious gestures and imprecations: he caused none to faint,-to fall down with fear and trembling, and to exclaim, that a lake of fire and brimstone was flaming before them! He resorted not to such unnatural means to reclaim his auditors from, sin and wickedness. His doctrines were mild and peaceable, and his actions corresponded with them. He uttered no thundering denunciations; no blasphemous curses, nor deadly maledictions. He invited the repentant by gentleness and kindness; not repelled him by horrible threatenings. His tongue dropped manna upon all who heard

UNIVERSAL BENEVOLENCE.

275

him, and his spirit breathed peace and good-will to all mankind!

The Christian religion (says a writer of eminence) is in every shape agreeable to the divine justice, which does not punish man for speculative opinions, and particularly for such as are incomprehensible to all mankind. It is a religion every way worthy of its eternal Author; and we may know by the doctrine that it comes from God. It is a religion for men of sense, for philosophers, for honest men, and comprehensible too by the meanest vulgar without a guide; a religion of reason, free from the blind mazes and studied intricacies of designing people, and beneficial to society at first view. It despises apish gestures and external buffoonery; and effectually prevents and puts an end to all inhuman fierceness and holy squabbles, too often occasioned by the selfish religions of corrupt priests and enthusiasts. It leaves not unhappy men in perpetual doubts and anxie ties; nor tosses and tumbles them, for relief, out of one superstition into another, but esteems them all alike. In short, it is a religion which every honest man would wish it to be-a religion of cha rity and benevolence to all the world!

276

EXCURSION UP SAVANNAH RIVER.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

Leave Savannah-Excursion up Savannah River -Inundations-Swamp Plantations-Alligators -Anecdote of an Alligator-Terrepins--Water Vipers-Rattle Snakes-Journey through the Woods-Black Snakes-Variety of BirdsBeautiful Plumage-An Adventure in the Woods -A disinterested Physician-Fire in the Forest -Immense Body of Smoke-Seasons of South Carolina-Cotton Plantations- Bad RoadsWaggoners or Crackers-Roads of South Caro lina-Arrive at Charleston.

AFTER a stay of nearly six days at Savannah, I set out on my return to Charleston, in company with a Scotch gentleman of the name of Chapman, with whom I had been acquainted some months previous to our meeting at Savannah. I was now happy to have a companion with me, to relieve the tedium of a journey through the lonely pine barrens. We left Savannah about nine o'clock in the morning of the 18th of March, in the mail boat, with the same conductor and negro boatmen as I came down the river with the week before. The morning was remarkably fine, and

the weather so warm, that we found the benefit of a covered boat to screen the powerful beams of the sun from our heads. We were the only passengers; and we found ourselves equally comfortable without the company of strangers, not always the most agreeable companions on a journey.

The Savannah river, which waters nearly the whole of the northern frontier of Georgia, is bold and deep; and from the sea to Augusta, a distance of 236 miles, is navigable for vessels of 70 tons burthen. At that city the falls of the river commence; beyond, the navigation is continued for 60 miles, to Vienna, for boats of 30 tons or more, from whence it is contemplated to open the navigation up to Andersonville, at the confluence of Tugoloo and Keowee rivers. These latter are large branches of the Savannah river; the first being upwards of 200 yards wide a considerable way above their confluence; and the latter spreading itself over a greater space. Hence, when the accumulated waters of rain and snow pour down their channels, the adjacent low lands and intervals are overflowed with destructive freshes or inundations. These freshes will sometimes rise from 30 to 40 feet perpendicular above the usual level of the river. In 1701 a very destructive one occurred in part of the country; and in 1796 a similar flood poured down the Savannah river, laying the town of Augusta upwards of two feet

under water, and damaging goods therein to a large amount. It tore away an extensive bridge near 800 feet long, belonging to Mr. Wade Hampton, which had been thrown over that river from South Carolina, and carried destruction and dismay before it quite to the town of Savannah. The height of this fresh was supposed to be from 35 to 40 feet at Augusta above its common level. This inundation also occasioned immense damage in South Carolina, where the waters rose to as great a height as in Georgia. Several bridges were carried away; and many of the negro huts on the islands and swamp plantations near the coast were torn up with the people in them, and carried by the torrent entirely out to sea.

Proceeding up Savannah river we were regaled with a variety of beautiful views. Numerous small islands intersect and divide the river into pretty meandering channels. The shores are mostly lined with large forest trees, and the islands with abundance of small shrubs. A few plantations appear at intervals upon the banks, with now and then a handsome house; but in general we saw only the negro huts. Many of the slaves were at work upon the rice swamps, which are very numerous along the right bank of the river.

As we proceeded up the river we saw a great number of alligators of various sizes; the largest which we met with was about eight feet long, and