486 INDIANA HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS 

 A Mississippi Plantation. 



[Albany Cidtivator, n. s. 3:31-32; Jan., 1846] 



[March 6, 1845] 



From the last number of our traveling correspondent's 

 "Notes in the Southwest," we give the following account 

 of his visit to Col. J. Dunbar, 1 who has one of the best 

 plantations in that state, situate in Jefferson county, 16 

 miles east of Natchez. Mr. Robinson says : 



He is a very fine hearty man, 61 years old, and was 

 born near Natchez, and came upon the place where he 

 lives now, when the whole country was covered so thick 

 with cane that it was almost impossible to get through it, 

 and commenced with his own hands to clear away a little 

 spot upon which to build his cabin. He was then pos- 

 sessed of a good strong pair of hands, and a wife willing 

 and able to assist him. He has both yet; and he also has 

 upon the "home plantation," 600 acres in cultivation, and 

 works 50 field-hands, and 40 horses and mules, and ten 

 yoke of oxen. He also has two blacksmiths constantly 

 at work, as well as carpenters, wagon and plowmakers, 

 shoemakers, &c. 



The whole number of negroes upon the plantation ex- 

 ceeds 150, having several supernumerary, old and young, 

 from another plantation that he owns. 2 



He has about an hundred head of horses and mules, 

 among which are some very fine blooded animals, partic- 

 ularly three breeding mares. He has also a noble jack, 

 14 hands high, and heavy built. His cattle are not only 

 uncounted, but unaccountable fine — having among them, 



1 Joseph Dunbar, probably the son of William Dunbar who in 

 partnership with one John Ross established a plantation nine miles 

 south of Natchez and four miles from the Mississippi in 1792. 

 William Dunbar first suggested cotton-seed oil and invented a cot- 

 ton press to make square bales. His plantation "The Forest" was 

 devoted to scientific investigation. See sketch of William Dunbar 

 in Dictionary of American Biogra.phy, 5:507-8. 



2 The negro quarters are described in Robinson's article, "Negro 

 Slavery at the South," in De Bow's Review, 7:381 (November, 

 1849). This will appear in volume 2. 



