The national Republican., 1861-11-18
The Contrabands Mt Bea ufort.

Tne SOntrabunus Mt Beaufort.
Ths Buening Post, in the letter Of Its CORE |
spondent on the Great Naval Expedition, has
the following account of the behavior Of the
negroes about Beaufort:
Early in the morning after the vio-
tory, the plantation negroes began to come in
10 camp, and with the genuine African instinct
for trade, each had provided himself with a
turkey, Q shoulder Of bacon, or two shoulders
and brace Of hams In the shape OF q strug
Cling porker, which he bore, kicking and
squesling, under bis arm. 1t was amusing to
see the pertinacity with which the fellows
would cling to their prize, even while waiting
10 be questioned under guard Of file OF sol
diers. The instant one was spoken to, the bit
q wide awake or the rimless crown of straw
which did duty as q hat would be jerked of
with characteristic obsequiousuess, the negro
stand scraping and bowing, answering, mean
while, his catechsm as well as he could with
the noisy and struggling beast distracting his
attention.
Several who came In brought wagons load
Cd with knapsacks and other accoutrements,
which they had picked up on the way. All
seemed ready to work, and those who were
fortunate to have possessed themselves of
some stray horse or pair Of plantation
mules found abundant occupation.
making good their position to attend to any
thing else, and the quartermasters bad already
more upon their hands than they could attend
10, the negroes who appeared were not en-
oouraged to remain, bat at once sent back,
and on one pretence and another to take care
of themselves. But by the morning Of the
second day ffty were already gathered at
headquarters, and signs of much greater in
auI were abundant.
Those who remained were put under the
charge Of Capt. Goodrich, the quartermaster
Of Gen. Wright's brigade, who saw that their
wants were we'll attended to, giving up an old
building to their accommodation.
Our troops were accompanied In their first
recCnnoissanca into the island by DR.. J. J
Craven, the efficient surgeon of the third
brigade, who reports the negroes on the plan
htions further inland as almost wild with de
light at the advent of our troops, and the hasty
flight Of their masters, which they described
With the utmost gusto.
40 Lord massa," said one, we're 20 glad
70 see you. We'se prayed and prayed the
good Lord that he would send yer Yankees, and
We knowed you's coming.
"How could you know that" asked DR.
Craven. "You can't read the paper, how die
you get the newsi"
"No, massa, we'se can't read but we'se cal
listen. Massa and missus used to read, ant
sometimes they's would read loud, and thel
we would listen so," making an expressly
gesture indicative Of close attention at a key
hole, "When I see get chance Use woul
nstn, and Jim him would listn, and we put tn
bitan together, and we knew'd the Yankee
were coming. Bless the Lord massa."
Another stout fellow asserted that the goo
Lord had appeared to him in the shape of
~Yankee," who assured him that his hour 0
dsliveranoe was at hand.
The poor, trusting creatures never seeme
70 question that war which they had hear'
vas all about them must mean their deliver
ance from bondage with which they do no
seem 70 have been sufficiently in love to follow
the fortunes Of their fleeing masters.
A drivers whip which was picked up, an
which the correspondent of the EUening PO,
now has In his possession, was shown one {
them, and he was asked II he knew what
was.
"Golly, massa ~ said the negro, with sui
picious, sldelong look at the familiar whip h
aw raised aloft, "Guess dis Niger knows wha
dat dere IT," and he proceeded TO explain tn
1se TO which 1t was applied.
When some doubt was expressed as to th
negro statements in regard to numbers, one {
them answered:
1--WE can't read. but we can count"
How did you learn to count"
picking cotton, massa. We'ss all got
count when We pick cotton, massa."
There seems to be abundant work for the
DO in picking cotton on Hilton Head ISLAM
which our troops have occupied, and II
hoped that their services will be, in soma wa
turned to account for this purpose.
Acres Of 1t, already white for the barves
we're found within less than . mile of Fo
walker, and will Be lost, unless speedily g
tended to.
Several buildings filed with unginned cc
ton were also found further back toward Sku
Oreek, and on the islands beyond that .treaI
similar deposits could be seen. hea,
smoke, which was seen at di'tsnce, The 1
groes reported to come from lot OF cote
which had been fred by the retreating rebe