CHAPTER XIX. THE CONSPIRATORS.

ke.Theirconfidentialmeetingswitheachotherhadbeenstolenandsecret.Atthetimeofhisfather'sexecution,Dredwasaladoffourteen.Hecouldnotbeadmittedtohisfather'sprison,buthewasawitnessoftheundauntedaspectwithwhichheandtheotherconspiratorsmettheirdoom.Thememorydroppedintothedepthsofhissoul,asastonedropsintothedesolatedepthsofadarkmountainlake. Soldtoadistantplantation,hebecamenotedforhisdesperate,unsubduabledisposition.Hejoinedinnoneofthesocialrecreationsandamusementsoftheslaves,laboredwithproudandsilentassiduity,but,ontheslightestrebukeorthreat,flashedupwithasavagefierceness,which,supportedbyhisimmensebodilystrength,madehimanobjectofdreadamongoverseers.Hewasoneofthoseofwhomtheygladlyridthemselvesand,likeafractioushorse,wassoldfrommastertomaster.Finally,anoverseer,hardierthantherest,determinedonthetaskofsubduinghim.InthescufflethatensuedDredstruckhimtotheearth,adeadman,madehisescapetotheswamps,andwasneverafterwardsheardofincivilizedlife. Thereaderwhoconsultsthemapwilldiscoverthatthewholeeasternshoreofthesouthernstates,withslightinterruptions,isbeltedbyanimmensechainofswamps,regionsofhopelessdisorder,wheretheabundantgrowthandvegetationofnature,suckingupitsforcesfromthehumidsoil,seemstorejoiceinasavageexuberance,andbiddefiancetoallhumaneffortseithertopenetrateorsubdue.Thesewildregionsarethehomesofthealligator,themoccasin,andtherattle-snake.Evergreentrees,minglingfreelywiththedeciduouschildrenoftheforest,formheredensejungles,verdantalltheyearround,andwhichaffordsheltertonumberlessbirds,withwhosewarblingtheleafydesolationperpetuallyresounds.Climbingvines,andparasiticplants,ofuntoldsplendorandboundlessexuberanceofgrowth,twineandinterlace,andhangfromtheheightsofthehighesttreespennonsofgoldandpurple,—triumphantbanners,whichattestthesolitarymajestyofnature.Aspeciesofparasiticmosswreathsitsabundantdraperiesfromtreetotree,andhangsinpearlyfestoons,throughwhichshinethescarletberryandgreenleavesoftheAmericanholly. WhatthemountainsofSwitzerlandweretothepersecutedVaudois,thisswampybelthasbeentotheAmericanslave.Theconstantefforttorecoverfromthencefugitiveshasledtotheadoption,inthesestates,ofaseparateprofession,unknownatthistimeinanyotherChristianland—hunters,whotrainandkeepdogsforthehuntingofmen,women,andchildren.Andyet,withalltheconvenienceofthisprofession,thereclaimingofthefugitivesfromthesefastnessesofnaturehasbeenaworkofsuchexpenseanddifficulty,thatthenearproximityoftheswamphasalwaysbeenaconsiderablecheckontheotherwiseabsolutepoweroftheoverseer.Dredcarriedwithhimtotheswampbutonesolitarycompanion—theBibleofhisfather.Tohimitwasnotthemessengerofpeaceandgood-will,buttheheraldofwoeandwrath! Asthemind,lookingonthegreatvolumeofnature,seesthereareflectionofitsowninternalpassions,andseizesonthatinitwhichsympathizeswithitself,—asthefierceandsavagesouldelightsintheroaroftorrents,thethunderofavalanches,andthewhirlofocean-storms,—soisitinthegreatansweringvolumeofrevelation.Thereissomethingthereforeveryphaseofman'snatureandhenceitsendlessvitalityandstimulatingforce.Dredhadheardreadinthesecretmeetingsofconspiratorsthewrathfuldenunciationsofancientprophetsagainstoppressionandinjustice.Hehadreadofkingdomsconvulsedbyplaguesoftempest,andpestilence,andlocustsoftheseacleftintwain,thatanarmyofslavesmightpassthrough,andoftheirpursuerswhelmedinthereturningwaters.Hehadheardofprophetsanddeliverers,armedwithsupernaturalpowers,raisedupforoppressedpeoplehadponderedonthenailofJael,thegoadofShamgar,thepitcherandlampofGideonandthrilledwithfiercejoyashereadhowSamson,withhistwostrongarms,pulleddownthepillarsofthefestivetemple,andwhelmedhistriumphantpersecutorsinonegravewithhimself. Inthevastsolitudeswhichhedailytraversed,thesethingsentereddeepintohissoul.Cutofffromallhumancompanionship,oftengoingweekswithoutseeingahumanface,therewasnorecurrenceofevery-dayandprosaicideastocheckthecurrentoftheenthusiasmthuskindled.EveninthesoilofthecoolSaxonhearttheBiblehasthrownoutitsrootswithanall-pervadingenergy,sothatthewholeframe-workofsocietymaybesaidtorestonsoilheldtogetherbyitsfibres.EvenincoldandmistyEngland,armieshavebeenmadedefiantandinvin