“I am going to take you to see a somewhat singular character,” he said. “Who is he?” “It is a woman.” “Ah!” “And a very strange one, I promise you, my dear Surry.” “Lead on, I’ll follow thee!” “Good! and I declare to you, I think Shakespeare would have examined this human being with attention.” “She is a phenomenon, then?” “Yes.” “A witch?” “No, an epileptic; at least I think so.” “Indeed! And where does she live?” “On the Halifax road, some miles from the Rowanty.” “In the lines of the enemy, then?” “Something like it.” “Humph!” “Don’t disturb yourself about that, Surry. I have sent out a scouting party who are clearing the country. Their pickets are back to Reams’s by this time, and there is little danger.” “At all events, we’ll share any, Mohun. Forward!” And we pushed on to the Halifax bridge, where, as Mohun expected, there was no Federal picket. The bridge--a long rough affair--had been half destroyed by General Hampton; but we forded near it, pushed our horses through the swamp, amid the heavy tree trunks, felled to form an abatis, and gaining the opposite bank of the Rowanty, rode on rapidly in the direction of Petersburg, that is to say, toward the rear of the Federal army. X. AMANDA. Half an hour’s ride through the swampy low grounds rising to gentle uplands, and beneath the festoons of the great vines trailing from tree to tree, brought us in front of a small house, half buried in a clump of bushes, like a hare’s nest amid brambles. “We have arrived!” said Mohun, leading the way to the cabin, which we soon reached. Throwing his bridle over a bough near the low fence, Mohun approached the door on foot, I following, and when close to the door, he gave a low knock. “Come in!” said a cheerful and smiling voice. And Mohun opened the door, through which we passed into a small and very neat apartment containing a table, some chairs, a wide fireplace, in which some sticks were burning, a number of cheap engravings of religious scenes, framed and hanging on the wall, and a low bed, upon which lay a woman fully dressed. She was apparently about thirty-five, and her appearance was exceedingly curious. Her figure was slender and of medium height; her complexion that of a Moorish or oriental woman, rather than that of the quadroon, which she appeared to be; her hair black, waving, and abundant; her eyes as dark and sparkling as burnished ebony; and her teeth of dazzling whiteness. Her dress was neat, and of bright colors. Around her neck she wore a very odd necklace, which seemed made of carved bone; and her slender fingers were decorated with a number of rings.[1]