SOLON ROBINSON, 1850 367 



The average annual sales of the place do not vary 

 materially from $25,000, and the average annual expenses 

 not far from $10,000, of which sum $2,000 is paid the 

 overseer, vi^ho is the only white man upon the place, 

 besides the owner, who is always absent during the sickly 

 months of summer. All the engineers, millers, smiths, 

 carpenters, and sailors are black. A vessel belonging to 

 the island goes twice a week to Charleston, and carries 

 a cargo of 100 casks. The last crop was 1,500 casks — 

 the year before, 1,800, and all provisions and grain re- 

 quired, made upon the place. Last year, there was not 

 more than half a supply of provisions. 



Like nearly all the "lower-country plantations, the diet 

 of the people is principally vegetable. Those who work 

 "task work" receive as rations, half a bushel of sweet 

 potatoes a-week, or 6 quarts of corn meal or rice, with 

 beef or pork, or mutton occasionally, say two or three 

 meals a-week. As all the tasks are very light, affording 

 them nearly one fourth of the time to raise a crop for 

 themselves, they always have an abundance, and sell a 

 good deal for cash. They also raise pigs and poultry, 

 though seldom for their own eating. They catch a great 

 many fish, oysters, crabs, &c. 



The carpenters, millers, &c., who do not have an oppor- 

 tunity of raising a crop for themselves, draw large ra- 

 tions, I think a bushel of corn a week, which gives them 

 a surplus for sale. The children and non-workers are 

 fed on corn bread, hommony, molasses, rice, potatoes, 

 soup, &c. 



The number of negroes upon the place is just about 

 700, occupying 84 double frame houses, each containing 

 two tenements of three rooms to a family, besides the 

 cock loft. Each tenement has its separate door and win- 

 dow and a good brick fireplace, and nearly all have a 

 garden paled in. There are two common hospitals, and 

 a "lying-in hospital," and a very neat, commodious 

 church, which is well filled every Sabbath with an or- 

 derly, pious congregation, and service performed by a 



