* * * * *
L. and I had one day an interesting visit to a plantation about six
miles from ours. The house is beautifully situated in the midst of noble
pine-trees, on the banks of a large creek. The place was owned by a very
wealthy Rebel family, and is one of the pleasantest and healthiest on
the island. The vicinity of the pines makes it quite healthy. There were
a hundred and fifty people on it,--one hundred of whom had come from
Edisto Island at the time of its evacuation by our troops. There were
not houses enough to accommodate them, and they had to take shelter in
barns, out-houses, or any other place they could find. They afterwards
built rude dwellings for themselves, which did not, however, afford them
much protection in bad weather. The superintendent told us that they
were well-behaved and industrious. One old woman interested us greatly.
Her name was Daphne; she was probably more than a hundred years old; had
had fifty grandchildren, sixty-five great-grandchildren, and three
great-great-grandchildren. Entirely blind, she yet seemed very cheerful
and happy. She told us that she was brought with her parents from Africa
at the time of the Revolution. A bright, happy old face was hers, and
she retained her faculties remarkably well.
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