rags, cut out the lining of the top of the
buggy, showering me with sand thereby. The buggy and horses were
legacies from Mr. S., the cotton-agent, who departed yesterday.

There have been seven babies born on the three plantations since we
came, and thirteen since Mr. Philbrick came, for which we have been
able to supply but little and that only on this place. The Master
always provided for the new babies two of each garment and half a
dozen diapers.

I found that they had a most heart-rending time [at Mr. Eustis'
plantation] on Monday. The two companies of soldiers coming over
Sunday night had frightened them, and they kept watch all along the
creek through the night of their own accord, for fear of Secesh. The
thing was not judiciously done the next morning, and seems to have
made a great deal of suffering which was avoided here.

_May 15._ After lunch I walked down to the quarters and stopped at all
the cabins. Found two of the men had already come back from Hilton
Head and had eased the minds of all the mothers and wives by the
reports which they brought back of comfortable quarters, good food and
clothing, confirming all our statements. I think here a greater degree
of confidence than ever will be established by this painful episode.
Mr. Philbrick says they have not behaved so well at Coffin's Point as
to-day since he came. We walked down to the field to see them hoeing
corn in their own "nigger field"--what is raised for the plantation,
not their own private patches, but that out of which their weekly peck
comes, and which therefore they will work on out of hours. Their
task[35] is done, often, by eleven o'clock.

Went to see Binah. She is always very glad to see us, and to-day
reached to a little shelf at the foot of the bed, off which she took a
small tin pail and gave us three eggs--her last. I remonstrated, but
she said, "You gib me ting, I say tank 'ee," so I picked them up and
thanked her.

Mr. Philbrick sent for the people to make the final payment for
cotton-planting, which is now finished, and we stood at the window to
watch them as they came up, and help give out the money. One woman,
who had not done so much work, was disturbed at not getting as much
money as the others, and Mr. Philbrick could not make her understand.
Flora came to H. afterwards and said, "You must excuse we niggers, we
no sense, and Mr. Philbrick _so_ patient; all Secesh on these islands
couldn't make so much as he has with we