The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-06-02
SLAyERYS SUNNY SIDE.
A GEORGIA PLANTATION AS SEEN BY
SIR CHARLES LYELL.

A Colored Peoples Paradise In the Ante
Bciium Cotton Da,s-Oniy Kind Ireaf'
m.nt from Master and Nistrcss-A Ride
In the River In q Cypress Canoe.
While deiving into the volumes Of the Astor
library the travels in this country oy Sir
Charles Lvell. the eminent English geoloSist,
who visited here in the interest OF his fayor@i
pursuit and WAS amply rewarded, was exam
jnod. and in il was found n description OF a
typical southern home, on plantation ID
which he does Justice to the period now pass
eli INTO history. The upheayal in the south
has obliteratcd many Of the evidences Of the
prevailing. II 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 LyeN in his second visit de-
scribcs oHe Of those plantations in Georgia IN
1871 He had arrived at Darien, Ga, and
was there met by Mr. James Hamilton Cou-
per. with whom he had corresponded on geo
logical matters and whom he had already
mentioned in bis previous work rs the donor
Of "a splendid collection Of fossil remains to
the museum az Washington and Of other like
/ treasures 10 indt OF lHilhdclphhL
A CANOE OF CYPRESS
He savs: "Mr. Copper c.,me down the river
10 meet rs in large canoe, followed out Of a
trunk Of a single cypress, rOwed 10y six ne
procs. who were singing loudly and keeping
| time 20 the stroke Of their oars We then be-
/ gan 70 ascend the Altamaha For many
mile &c saw no habitation-tho solitude was
profound. but our blacl, oarsnlcn made the
woods echo 10 their song Fifteen miles above
Darion we came % llopcton. tho residence Of
/ Mr. Hamilton Couper, having first passed
/ from the river into n canal which traversed
/ the low rice fields.
much has been said in praise Of the hospi-
tality Of the southern planter, but they alono
who havo Travelled in the southern states can
appreciate the perfect ease and politcncss
with which a stranger is radc go feel himself
no home Horses, carriages, boats. servants,
all are at his disposal. Even his littlo 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
habiiua STYLE OF living is so free and liberal
/ that the expense Of few additional inmates
i'm the family is scarcely felt. Still, there is
"a warm and generous Opcnncss OF character
in the s0u;hcrner which mere wealth and
retnuc Of servants cannot give. and they
have dignity Of manner, without stiffness,
which is most agreeable
zone Of the Sea Islands. called St Ehaons,
the summer residence OF Mr. Coupor, we Wis
tied. and ON our way We landed at Butlcrs
Island. the residence Of Pierce Butler, the
husband Of Fanny Kcmble. whose daugh-
ter, ihe Hon. Miss Leigh still OWLS the
property The grounds are adorned with
orange trees, loaded with golden fruit. We
landed on the northeast end OF St. SimonN
Island, where We were eIaiiiicd by the sight
of curious mound of shells lett by the abo
RHYMES Here are mo less than ten acres, ele
waited in some places % ten feet and on an
average over the whole area five feet above
the general level, composed throughout that
depth Of myriads Of castaway oyster shells.
Mr.. C0uDers villa was near the waters edge
shaded by voraudas and hy sagO tree and
many lemon trees. somewhat injured by the
late frost: but the olives, of which there is
fine grove here, arc uuinjured 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 havenot suffered
from the cold.
CONDITION OF THE SLAVES.
During a fortuights stay at lIopcton we
had am opportunity Of seeing how tho plant
ars live in the south and the condition and
prospects Of the negro on well managed os-
tate The relation of the slaves 90 their own
ers resembles nothing ia the northern states
There is hereditary r,eari and often at
tachment on both sides, more like that for
morly existing between lords and their re-
tanners in tine old feulal times of Europe
than anything low found in America. The
responsibility Of the owner j. felt 10 be great
and 10 manage a plantation with profit is no
easy task, SO much Judgment is required and
such q mixture Of Grmnc,s, forboarance and
kindness
"Thc evlsof the system Of slavery are said
90 be exhibited in their worst light when
new settlers come FROM free states, northern
men whoarc uil of activity. and who strive |
o. mako a rapid fortune, willing to risk th.ir |
own lives iu an unhealthy climate, and who /
cannot make allowance for the repugnancc 10 |
continuous labor 10y th, negro race.
There are 500 negroes ON tie Hopcton cs-
IiIf'. -IftlN many N'i 81 A|ll Nlt iN4ll4fI ana
Some cd and suporannuatod Tho latter |
class, who would be supported in poor |
house in England, enjoy hero % the end Of |
their days tho society of their ncighbors and |
kuioiks and live m large, separate houses |
assigned % them The negroes have hos
pltal assigned them containing three wards /
one for men, one for women and third for /
lyng-in women. The latter are always al |
lowed months rest after their confinement, /
an advantage rarely enjoyed by tho hard |
working English peasants
"Ihe negro mothers are often SO ignorant |
or SD indolout that they cannot Doe trusted 10 /
keep awake and administer medicine 10 their /
own children, 50 tho mistress has often 10 sit /
mp all night with "a sick negro child in sub /
hitting % this they are actuated by mixed |
motivcs-a feeling Of kindness ana a fear Of /
losing the services Of slave; but these at
tentions greatly attach the negroes t. their
owners
I'm general they refuse ~ take medicine
from any other bands but those of their mas
ter or mistress. The day 5 work consists Of a
task, which, when disposed 10 cxort them.
selves thoy can get through in five hours,
and then amuse themselves in fishing. and
sell the fish they take. or IA making canoes
ont Of the large cypress trees, and these they
sell for their OWE profit
'rhe most severe punishment required
within the last forty years for body OF 800
negroes al Nopoton was for the theft Of one
negro from another In that period there
was no criminal act Of the highest grade. -
New Nors Z ssram.
The smallest Couple.
Germany e.l boast OF having produced prob