DESSALINES' HOUR
tions, and the great lungs expanded in the rhythmic function of supplying oxygen to the furnaces of this great human machine. Predominant among African traits is a sense of rhythm; an accurate perception of tempo, and this perfect periodicity of applied energy is one of the most difficult influences for even the high mentality to resist. There is a saying in dynamics that a dog trotting across an iron trestle will break it down; so Virginia, watching Dessalines as he swung to the paddle with strokes which seemed to lift the buoyant craft almost from the water, and listening to the rhythm of his respiration, all in perfect time, found herself moving, thinking, feeling in accord. They soon passed Giles, laboring up stream with strong, awkward strokes; next overtook Sir Henry who had been the first to start; then they passed Lady Maltby and Leyden, and the next bend of the river found them out of sight of the others.
Dessalines' strokes swept on with unabated power. His gaze, resting on Virginia, became to her insupportable.
"You will tire yourself out," she said with an effort.
The Haytian laughed, low, rich, gurgling. "It is very rarely that I tire; you know my race is famed for its physical endurance."
Virginia was surprised, for in common with most people she had always felt that a negro would be embarrassed at a reference to his race; she had observed several times, and with pleasure, that Dessalines seemed proud of it.
"Are Haytians then so enduring, Count Dessalines?"
"Haytians?" He laughed again. "Oh, no! I was not referring to them, but to the negro race. You know,
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