ffin's plantation then, about fifteen miles east of
Beaufort, on St. Helena Island, coast of St. Helena Sound. This
plantation is one of the most secure from any interference from the
rebels, so I don't feel the slightest uneasiness on that score, for
the whole circumference of the island is picketed, and our forces also
occupy the opposite or northeasterly coast of the sound.

Now as to outfit. Not over $5 each in money, _silver_, for you are
supplied with transportation and food by Government and there's
nothing here to buy. Bed-sacks and pillow ditto. Three umbrellas with
light covers, fly-paper, tin cups, bowls, and tea-pot, set of wooden
boxes for rice, sugar, and other stores furnished by army rations.
Spring-balance that will weigh about twenty pounds, knife, fork, and
spoons for each of you, _plated_, thermometer, three pounds of tea in
one of the boxes. We now have plenty of rice, sugar, molasses,
vinegar, hominy, potatoes, coffee, and beans, from army stores, and on
plantations can get fresh lamb, mutton, chickens, eggs, milk; so we
shall fare better than I thought.

_Beaufort, March 17._ I don't think they would let you take a servant;
it's difficult enough to get you here alone, and there are plenty of
servants here which you are supposed to teach not only to read
but--what is more immediately important--to be _clean_ and
industrious. If you feel any hesitation about coming in contact with
them you shouldn't come, for they are sharp enough to detect apathy or
lurking repugnance, which would render any amount of theoretical
sympathy about worthless. Tell your father their nature and
disposition is nothing new to me. I was with them in Egypt long enough
to get pretty well acquainted, and though these sons of Western Africa
are not exactly of the same stock as the Nubians, they are certainly
no more degraded or lazy. In fact, from what I have already seen here
I am agreeably disappointed. Think of their having reorganized and
gone deliberately to work here some weeks ago, without a white man
near them, preparing hundreds of acres for the new crop! The Irish
wouldn't have done as much in the same position.

This comparison of the negroes with the Irish is made by the
letter-writers, as will be seen, more than once,--almost
always to the disadvantage of the Irish. Forty years ago the
Irish were still merely immigrants, and, further, they were
practically the only people in this country who