y a superb grove of live-oaks,
clear of brush and nicely kept. It is the finest situation that I have
found in the State, but the greater part of the plantations on Ladies
Island are miserably poor, being the property of small proprietors who
had not sufficient capital to make planting profitable. The soil is
poor and the negroes for the most part have not sufficient food on
hand for the coming year. The cotton crop is proportionally small and
poor. No ginning apparatus being found there, I shall have it all
taken to Beaufort for the steam-gins.

Leaving Cuthbert's Point this morning, I rode with Mr. Hull to the
superintendents' meeting at the Episcopal Church, about eighteen
miles, and back here to sleep. We have matured a plan of operations
for the employment of the negroes next year, at these meetings, and it
is to be presented to General Saxton for his approval this week.[83]

I have made some further inquiries of Dr. Brisbane, one of the
tax-commissioners, about the sale of lands, which is to take place on
the first of February next. He tells me it is to be a free sale and
that the Government warrants the title, subject, however, to
redemption by such proprietors as can prove themselves loyal within
one year. I think it highly important that the welfare of these
negroes should not be intrusted to speculators, and have written to
Dr. Russell[84] to see if Boston people can't be interested,
individually or collectively, in buying these lands and employing the
laborers. I am ready to go into it as far as I am able alone, and have
offered my time in Boston to carry out any plan they think best. If I
can't get any cooperation, I mean to buy some of the estates alone, if
they don't go very high, and carry them on by means of such agents as
I can get. I can find several first-rate men among the superintendents
here who would work for me and do well, but I don't think I should
care to stay here next summer, for sanitary reasons if nothing more.
My experience here will enable me to act to good advantage in carrying
on any such undertaking, and I hope to be of use in a permanent way to
these people with whom I have been thrown in contact this year. I have
given [to Dr. Russell] an exact statement, in dollars and cents, of
the expenses and products of my three plantations this year, showing a
profit to the Government of about $2000,[85] besides providing a
year's supply of food to a population of four hundred and fifty
blac