A drove of slaves on a southern steamboat, bound for the cotton or sugar regions, is an occurrence so common, that no one, not even the passengers, appear to notice it, though they clank their chains at every step.

There was, however, one in this gang that attracted the attention of the passengers and crew.

It was a beautiful girl, apparently about twenty years of age, perfectly white, with straight light hair and blue eyes.

But it was not the whiteness of her skin that created such a sensation among those who gazed upon her--it was her almost unparalleled beauty.

She had been on the boat but a short time, before the attention of all the passengers, including the ladies, had been called to her, and the common topic of conversation was about the beautiful slave-girl.