missionary, was laboring among them, and would disburse clothing sent
to that point.

After spending over a week on this beautiful island, on my way to the
steamer, I was hailed by a female voice calling out, "Missus, missus,
don't pass by dis yere way." Turning in the direction of the call, I
saw a very old woman sitting on a log, clad in a man's coat, hat, and
shoes, with an old patched negro cotton skirt. On approaching her I
remarked, as I took the bony hand, "You are very old."

"Can't tell how ole I is, only I knows I's been here great while. You
see dat white house over de river dar? Dat's been my home great many
year, but massa drove me off, he say, 'case I's no 'count, gwine
round wheezin' like an ole hoss, an' snap a gun at me an' say he
shoot my brain out if I didn't go to de Yankees. An' missus come out
an' say she set fire to my cabin some night an' burn me up in it. 'Go
'long to de Yankees; da wants niggers, an' you ain't no 'count no
how.' An' I tole 'em, 'Wa'n't I 'count good many years ago?' But da
say, 'Clar out wid you.' An' I seed some boys fishing' on de bank,
an' da fetch me over."

Looking down at her stockingless feet she said, "Missus, I ain't had a
suit o' clo'es in seven years." I told her if there was a woman's
garment left she should have it. And I would tell the good people
about her, and they would send her a suit of clothes.

"Tank you, missus; God bless you!"

And I left the giant-like old woman, whose head was bleached by the
fronts of eighty or ninety Winters. While waiting on the gunboat for