Viewing page 195 of 281

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

5
(48 miles) I met on the road 43 freedmen, and 34 of them were armed with guns: when questioned, they state they have them for hunting purposes, and I see no way, or cause, to believe the contrary. 
Matters generally on the Santee River are in very bad condition. There is a great scarcity of labor at the rice plantations, and many of the freedpeople are on their way to Charleston and vicinity, thinking to do better. The class of freedpeople on the rice plantations, are inferior in intellect & character to any I have hitherto met. Nearly all of them believe they were not fairly dealt with last year. The contracts were made by Major Corbin, and seem to be more liberal than the generality of bargain - giving one third of the rice crop, and half of the provisions - the food furnished to be paid for out of their share; this last clause is the one, they most complain of. 
In nearly every instance the freedman was without food, last year, and now he finds his portion of the crop greatly reduced, by reduction for advances during the year: generally speaking, they do not see why this should be so. 
In addition to this cause of discontent, was

Transcription Notes:
Edited: changes and corrections