Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1889-07-12
SLAYERYS SUNNY SIDE.
A GEORGIA PLANTATION AS SEEN BY
SIR CHARLES LYELL.

A Colorcd Peoples Paradise in the Ante
Tellum Cation Days-OnIy Kind Treat
p,ent from Master and sIistres--A Ride
Up the River in Cypress Canoe.
While delving into the volumes Of the Aston
library, the travels in this country by Sir
Charles Iycil, the eminent English geolosist,
who visited here an the interest Of his favored
pursuit and was amply rewarded, was exam
med, and in it was found description oil
typical southern home, on plantation, in
which he does justice to Fae period now pass
ed into history. The upheaval in the south
has obliterated many of the evidences Of the
prevailing. if NOT universal, refinement and
culture which made many Of the homes Of
those ante-bellum days the rivals of the coun-
try houses of England
Sir Charles Iycl in bis second visit de
srribes one of those plantations in Georgia in
1871 He had arrived at Darien, Ga, and
was there met by Mr.. James Hamilton Cou-
orr. with whom he had coFrcsponded ON geo
logical matters and whom be bad already
mentioned in his previous work as the donor
OF a splendid collection of fossil remains to
the museum at Washington ard of other like
treasures to that Of Philadelphia.
a CANOE or CYPRESS
He says: "Mr. Copper came down the river
to meet us in a large canoe, followed out Of a
trunk of a single cypress, rowed by six ne
groes. who were singing loudly and keeping
time to the stroke of their oars, We then be-
gan to ascend the Altamaha. For many
mile we saw no habitation-the solitude was
profound, but our black oarsmen made the
woods echo to their song. Fifteen mixes above
Darion we came to Hopeton, the residence Of
Mr.. Hamilton Copper, having first passed
from the river into canal which traversed
the low rice fields
"Much has been said in praise Of tho hospi-
tality Of the southern planter, but they alone
who have Travelled in the southern states can
appreciate tho perfect case and politeness
with which a stranger is made to feel himself
at home Horses, carriages, boats, servants,
all are mt his disposal Even his little COM
forts are thought of, and everything is done
as heartily and naturally as if no obligation
was conferred These sacrifices made by the
planter are comparatively small, since his
habitual STYLE of living is so free and liberal
that the expense of few additional inmates
in the family is scarcely felt. Still, there Is
, a warm and generous Opeuness of character
in the sOutherner which mere wealth and a
retinue of servants cannot give; and they
have n dignity OF manner, without stiffness,
which is most agreeable.
zone of the Sea Islands, called st. Simon's,
the summer residence of Mr. Copper, we Wis
tied, and on our way we landed at Buffers
Island, the residence Of Pierce Butler the
husband of Fanny KenIble, whose daugh-
ter, the Hon Miss Leigh, still owns the
! property The grounds are adorned with
| orange trees, loaded with golden fruit. We
| landed on the northeast end of st. Simons
| Island. whore we were gratifed by the sight
of n curious mound Of shells left by the abo-
regimes. Here are no less than ten acres, Gle
waited in some places to ten feet, aud on an
! average over tho whole area five feet above
the general level, composed throughout that
depth of myriads Of castaway oyster shells.
| Mr.. Couper's villa was near the waters edge,
! shaded by verandas and by a sage tree and
many lemon trees, somewhat injured by the
| late frost; but the olives, 'of which there is u
fine grove here, are uninjured; some day they
may be cultivated with profit in the Sea
Islands. We greatly admired some fine date
/ palms which bear fruit. They were brought
/ from Bassora, in Persia, and have not suffered
from the cold.
CONDITION OF THE SLAVES.
/ During a fortnights stay at Hopeton we
! had an opportunity of seeing how the plant
ers live in the south and the condition and
prospects Of the negro On q well managed IS
| tate. The relation Of the slaves to their own
ers resembles nothing in the northern states.
/ There is a hereditary regard and often at
tachment on both sides, more like that for
merly existing between lords and their re-
tainers in the old feudal times of Europe
than anything now found in America The
responsibility of the owner is felt to be great
and to manage a plantation with profit Is nc
easy task. so much Judgment is required and
such mixture of firmncss, forbearance and
kindness
1.-THE evils of the system of slavery are said
TO be exhibited in their worst light when
new settlers come from free states; northern
men who are full of activity, and who strive
to make a rapid fortune, willing to risk their
own lives in an unhealthy climate and who
cannot make allowance Tor the repuGnance tC
continuous labor by the negro race.
There are 500 negroes on the Hopeton es
tate, a great many Of whom are children and
some old and suporannuated. The latter
class, who would be supported in a poor
house in England enjoy here To the end OF
their days the society of their ncighbors anc
kinfoll5s and live in large, separate houses
assigned to them The negroes have a hos
pital assigned to them containing three ward
-one for men, one for women and n third fol
Ning-in women. The latter are always al
lowed a months rest after their confinement
an advantage rarely enjoyed by the hare
working English peasants
"The negro mothers are often so ignoran
or so mdolent that they cannot be trusted t.
keep awake and administer medicine to thei
own children, so the mistress has often to 81
up all night with sick negro child. In sub
hitting to this they are actuated by mike,
motives-a feeling Of kindness and fear o
losing the services Of a slave; but these at
tentions greatly attach the negroes to thei
owners
In general they refuse to take medicn
from any other hands but those of their mas
ter or mistress. The days work consists Of
task, which, when disposed to exert them
selves. they can get through in five hours
and then amuse themselves in fishing, am
sell the fish they take or in making canoe
out of the large cypress trees, and these the.
sell for their own profit
"The most severe punishment requires
within the last forty years for body of 30
negroes at Hopeton was for the theft of on
negro from another. In that period ther
was no criminal act of the highest grade