"
"Ain't they all right black and ugly in Africa, Captain?"
"The world has not the equals of Senegambia for beauty," said Van Dorn.
"The Fullah beauties are often almost white, and the black admixture is
no more than varnish on the maple-tree. And even here, my lad, where
civilization builds a wall of social fire around the slave, you often
mark the idolatry of the white head to captive Africa."
"Did you make money?"
"For some years I did, plenty of it; but degradation in the midst of
pleasure weighed down my spirits. The thing called honor had flown from
over me like the heavenly dove, and in its place a hundred painted birds
flocked joyfully, the dazzling creatures of that thoughtless world. Oh,
that I could have been born there or never have seen it! At last I
started home, but the world had adopted a new commandment, 'Thou shalt
not trade in man.' They took my ship and all its black cargo, and I came
home naked. Then my heart was broke, and I turned kidnapper."
"Home is the best place," said Levin; "I 'spect it is, even if folks is
pore. When Jimmy Phoebus give me a boat I thought I was rich as a
Jew."
"What is that name?" asked Van Dorn.
"James Phoebus: he's mother's sweetheart."
"_Ce ce ce!_" the Captain mused; "your mother lives, then?"
"Yes, sir. She's pore, but Jimmy loves her, and the ghost of father
feeds her."
"_Quedo!_ a ghost? what kind of thing is that? Aunt Patty sees them: I
never do.
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