Note 76 — Chapter XLIX · Plantation Negroes—Incidents and Characteristics.

In Charleston harbor, the spring previous, Admiral Dahlgren showed our party the plantation book of a heavy coast planter. He was a devout man, paying tithes and giving God thanks for the good things of this life. At the end of a successful year’s operations he humbly returned thanks to a bountiful Providence, (as it was duly written down by himself,) for having been blessed to the extent of a net profit of thirty thousand dollars. Thereupon, in token of his gratitude, he ordered a distribution of money to every slave he had—six and a fourth cents cash to each and everyone!

He had forbidden the slaves wandering about to other plantations; but they wanted to sell their garden vegetables, and so he established a domestic market. Everything was to be sold at the house, at the fixed rates which he established. Eggs were to be bought at one cent per dozen. Chickens were six and one-fourth cents per dozen, except in the case of a favorite old man, who was to be paid double price for all he had to sell.