voyage of the paper canoe-第45章
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ssels drawing eight and a half feet of water can pass on full tides from Charleston over the course I was following to the North Edisto River。
Leaving Wadmelaw Sound； a deep bend of the river was entered； when the bluffs of Enterprise Landing； with its store and the ruins of a burnt saw…mill； came into view on the left。 Having rowed more than thirty miles from the Ashley； and finding that the proprietor of Enterprise； a Connecticut gentleman； had made preparations to entertain me； this day of pleasant journeying ended。
The Cardinal…bird was carolling his mating song when the members of this little New England colony watched my departure down the Wadmelaw the next morning。 The course was for the most part over the submerged phosphate beds of South Carolina； where the remains of extinct species were now excavated； furnishing food for the worn…out soils of America and Europe； and interesting studies and speculations for men of science。 The Dahoo River was reached soon after leaving Enterprise。 Here the North Edisto； a broad river； passes the mouth of the Dahoo； in its descent to the sea； which is about ten miles distant。
For two miles along the Dahoo the porpoises gave me strong proof of their knowledge of the presence of the paper canoe by their rough gambols； but being now in quiet inland waters； I could laugh at these strange creatures as they broke from the water around the boat。 At four o'clock P。 M。 the extensive marshes of Jehossee Island were reached； and I approached the village of the plantation through a short canal。 Out of the rice…fields of rich； black alluvium rose an area of higher land； upon which were situated the mansion and village of Governor Aiken； where he； in 1830； commenced his duties as rice…planter。 A hedge of bright green casino surrounded the well…kept garden； within which magnolias and live…oaks enveloped the solid old house； screening it with their heavy foliage from the strong winds of the ocean； while flowering shrubs of all descriptions added their bright and vivid coloring to the picturesque beauty of the scene。
The governor had arrived at Jehossee before me； and Saturday being pay…day； the faces of the negroes were wreathed in smiles。 Here； in his quiet island home； I remained until Monday with this most excellent man and patriot； whose soul had been tried as by fire during the disturbances caused by the war。
As we sat together in that room where； in years gone by； Governor Aiken had entertained his northern guests； with Englishmen of noble blood； a room full of reminiscences both pleasant and painful； my kind host freely told me the story of his busy life； which sounded like a tale of romance。 He had tried to stay the wild storm of secession when the war…cloud hung gloomily over his state。 It broke； and his unheeded warnings were drowned in the thunders of the political tempest that swept over the fair South。 Before the war he owned one thousand slaves。 He organized schools to teach his negroes to read and write。 The improvement of their moral condition was his great study。
The life he had entered upon； though at first distasteful； had been forced upon him； and he met his peculiar responsibilities with a true Christian desire to benefit all within his reach。 When a young man； having returned from the tour of Europe； his father presented him with Jehossee Island； an estate of five thousand acres； around which it required four stout negro oarsmen to row him in a day。 〃Here；〃 said the father to the future governor of South Carolina； as he presented the domain to his son； 〃here are the means； now go to work and develop them。〃
William Aiken applied himself industriously to the task of improving the talents given him。 His well…directed efforts bore good fruit； as year after year Jehossee Island； from a half submerged； sedgy； boggy waste； grew into one of the finest rice…plantations in the south。 The new lord of the manor ditched the marshes； and walled in his new rice…fields with dikes； to keep out the freshets from the upland and the tides from the ocean； perfecting a complete system of drainage and irrigation。 He built comfortable quarters for his slaves； and erected a church and schoolhouse for their use。 From the original two hundred and eighty acres of cultivated rice land； the new proprietor developed the wild morass into sixteen hundred acres of rice…fields； and six hundred acres of vegetable； corn； and provender producing land。
For several seasons prior to the war； Jehossee yielded a rice crop which sold for seventy thousand dollars； and netted annually fifty thousand dollars income to the owner。 At that time Governor Aiken had eight hundred and seventy three Slaves on the island； and about one hundred working as mechanics； &c。； in Charleston。 The eight hundred and seventy…three Jehossee slaves； men； women； and children； furnished a working force of three hundred for the rice…fields。
Mr。 Aiken would not tolerate the loose matrimonial ways of negro life； but compelled his slaves to accept the marriage ceremony； and herein lay one of his chief difficulties； for； to whatever cause we attribute it； the fact remains the same； namely； that the ordinary negro has no sense of morality。 After all the attempts made on this plantation to improve the moral nature of these men and women； Governor Aiken； during a yellow…fever season in Savannah after the war； while visiting the poor sufferers； intent upon charitable works； found in the lowest quarter of the city； sunk in the most abject depths of vice； men and women who had once been good servants on his plantations。
In old times Jehossee was a happy place for master and for slave。 The governor rarely locked the door of his mansion。 The family plate； valued at fifteen thousand dollars； was stored in a chest in a room on the ground…floor of the house； which had for its occupants； during four months of the year； two or three negro servants。 Though all the negroes at the quarters； which were only a quarter of a mile from the mansion； knew the valuable contents of the chest； it was never disturbed。 They stole small things； but seemed incapable of committing a burglary。
When the Union army marched through another part of South Carolina； where Governor Aiken had buried these old family heirlooms and had added to the original plate thirty thousand dollars' worth of his own purchasing； the soldiers dug up this treasure…trove； and forty…five thousand dollars' worth of fine silver went to enrich the spoils of the Union army。 Soon after； three thousand eight hundred bottles of fine old wines； worth from eight to nine dollars a bottle； were dug up and destroyed by a Confederate officer's order； to prevent the Union army from capturing them。 Thus was plundered an old and revered governor of South Carolina one who was a kind neighbor； a true patriot； and a Christian gentleman。
The persecutions of the owner of Jehossee did not； however； terminate with the war； for when the struggle was virtually ended； and the fair mansion of the rice…plantation retained its heirlooms and its furniture； Beaufort； of South Carolina； was still under the influence of the Freedman's Bureau； and when it was whispered that Aiken's house was full of nice old furniture； and that a few faithful servants of the good old master were its only guards； covetous thoughts at once stirred the evil minds of those who were the representatives of law and order。 This house was left almost without protection。 The war was over。 South Carolina had bent her proud head in agony over her burned plantations and desolate homes。 The victorious army was now proclaiming peace； and generous treatment to a fallen foe。 Then to what an almost unimaginable state of demoralization must some of the freedmen's protectors have fallen； when they sent a gunboat to Jehossee Island； and rifled the old house of all its treasures！
To…day； the governor's favorite sideboard stands in the house of a citizen of Boston； as a relic of the war。 O； people of the north； hold no longer to your relics of the war； stolen from the firesides of the south！ Restore them to their owners； or else bury them out of the sight of your children； that they may not be led to b
