efined　ladies；　who　had　been　educated　in　the　schools　of　Edinburgh；　Scotland；　overseeing　the　negroes　as　they　worked　in　the　yards　of　the　rice…mills。　　The　undaunted　spirit　of　these　southern　ladies；　as　they　worked　in　their　homes　now　so　desolate；　roused　my　admiration。
  A　light；　graceful　figure；　enveloped　in　an　old　shawl；　and　mounted　on　an　old　horse；　flitted　about　one　plantation　like　a　restless　spirit。
  〃That　lady's　father；〃　said　a　gentleman　to　me；　〃owned　three　plantations；　worth　three　millions　of　dollars；　before　the　war。　　There　is　a　rice…mill　on　one　of　the　plantations　which　cost　thirty　　thousand　dollars。　She　now　fights　against　misfortune；　and　will　not　give　up。　　The　Confederate　war　would　not　have　lasted　six　months　if　it　had　not　been　for　our　women。　　They　drove　thousands　of　us　young　men　into　the　fight；　and　now；　having　lost　all；　they　go　bravely　to　work；　even　taking　the　places　of　their　old　servants　in　their　grand　old　homes。　　It's　hard　for　them；　though；　I　assure　you。〃
  On　Tuesday；　January　25th；　I　paddled　down　the　Peedee；　stopping　at　the　plantations　of　Dr。　　Weston　and　Colonel　Benjamin　Allston。　　The　latter　gentleman　was　a　son　of　one　of　the　governors　of　South　Carolina。　　He　kindly　gave　me　a　letter　of　introduction　to　Commodore　Richard　Lowndes；　who　lived　near　the　coast。　　From　the　Peedee　I　passed　through　a　cut　in　the　marshes　into　the　broad　Waccamaw；　and　descended　it　to　Winyah　Bay。
  Georgetown　is　located　between　the　mouths　of　the　Peedee　and　Sampit　rivers。　　Cautiously　　approaching　the　city；　I　landed　at　Mr。　David　　Risley's　steam　saw…mills；　and　that　gentleman　kindly　secreted　my　boat　in　a　back　counting…room；　while　I　went　up　town　to　visit　the　post…office。　　By　some；　to　me；　unaccountable　means；　the　people　had　heard　of　the　arrival　of　the　paper　boat；　and　three　elaborately　dressed　negro　women　accosted　me　with；　〃Please　show　wees　tree　ladies　de　little　paper　boat。〃
  Before　I　had　reached　my　destination；　the　　post…office；　a　body　of　men　met　me；　on　their　way　to　the　steam…mill。　　The　crowd　forced　me　back　to　the　canoe；　and　asked　so　many　questions　that　I　was　sorely　taxed　to　find　answers　for　these　　gentlemen。　　There　were　three　editors　in　the　crowd：　two　were　white　men；　one　a　negro。　　The　young　men；　who　claimed　the　position　of　representatives　of　the　spirit　of　the　place　and　of　the　times；　　published　〃The　Comet；〃　while　the　negro；　as　though　influenced　by　a　spirit　of　sarcasm；　conducted　〃The　Planet。〃　　The　third　newspaper　　represented　at　the　canoe　reception　was　the　〃　Georgetown　Times；〃　which　courteously　noticed　the　little　boat　that　had　come　so　far。　〃The　　Planet〃　prudently　kept　in　the　dark；　and　said　nothing；　but　〃The　Comet；〃　representing　the　culture　of　the　young　men　of　the　city；　published　the　following　notice　of　my　arrival：
  〃Tom　Collins　has　at　last　arrived　in　his　　wonderful　paper　boat。　　He　has　it　hitched　to　Mr。　Risley's　new　saw…mill；　where　every　one　can　have　a　view。　　He　intends　shooting　off　his　　six…pounder　before　weighing　anchor　in　the　morning。　Hurrah　for　Collins。〃
  I　left　Mr。　Risley's　comfortable　home　before　noon　the　next　day；　and　followed　the　shores　of　Winyah　Bay　towards　the　sea。　　Near　Battery　White；　on　the　right　shore；　in　the　pine　forests；　was　the　birth…place　of　Marion；　the　brave　patriot　of　the　American　revolution；　whose　bugle's　call　summoned　the　youth　of　those　days　to　arms。
  When　near　the　　inlet；　the　　rice…plantation　marshes　skirted　the　shore　for　some　distance。　Out　of　these　wet　lands　flowed　a　little　stream；　called　Mosquito　Creek；　which　once　connected　the　North　Santee　River　with　Winyah　Bay；　and　served　as　a　boundary　to　South　Island。　　The　creek　was　very　crooked；　and　the　ebb…tide　strong。　When　more　than　halfway　to　Santee　River　I　was　forced　to　leave　the　stream；　as　it　had　become　closed　by　tidal　deposits　and　rank　vegetation。
  The　ditches　of　rice　plantations　emptied　their　drainage　of　the　lowlands　into　Mosquito　Creek。　Following　a　wide　ditch　to　the　right；　through　fields　of　rich　alluvial　soil；　which　had　been　wrested　by　severe　toil　from　nature；　the　boat　soon　reached　the　rice…mill　of　Commodore　Richard　Lowndes。　A　little　further　on；　and　situated　in　a　noble　grove　of　live…oaks；　which　were　draped　in　the　weird　festoons　of　Spanish　moss；　on　the　upland　arose　the　stately　home　of　the　planter；　who　still　kept　his　plantation　in　cultivation；　though　on　a　scale　of　less　magnitude　than　formerly。　It　was；　indeed；　a　　pleasant　evening　that　I　passed　in　the　company　of　the　refined　members　of　the　old　commodore's　　household；　and　with　a　pang　of　regret　the　next　day　I　paddled　along　the　main　canal　of　the　lowlands；　casting　backward　glances　at　the　old　house；　with　its　grand　old　trees。　　The　canal　ended　at　North　Santee　Bay。
  While　I　was　preparing　to　ascend　the　river　a　tempest　arose；　which　kept　me　a　weary　prisoner　among　the　reeds　of　the　rice　marsh。　　The　hollow　reeds　made　poor　fuel　for　cooking；　and　when　the　dark；　stormy　night　shut　down　upon　me；　the　damp　soil　grew　damper　as　the　tide　arose；　until　it　　threatened　to　overflow　the　land。　　For　hours　I　lay　in　my　narrow　canoe　waiting　for　the　tidal　flood　to　do　its　worst；　but　it　receded；　and　left　me　without　any　means　of　building　a　fire；　as　the　reeds　were　wet　by　the　storm。　　The　next　afternoon；　being　tired　of　this　sort　of　prison…life；　and　cramped　for　lack　of　exercise；　I　launched　the　canoe　into　the　rough　water；　and　crossing　to　Crow　Island　found　a　lee　under　its　shores；　which　permitted　me　to　ascend　the　river　to　the　mouth　of　Atchison　Creek；　through　which　I　passed；　two　miles；　to　the　South　Santee　River。
  All　these　rivers　are　bordered　by　rice　　plantations；　many　of　them　having　been　abandoned　to　the　care　of　the　freedmen。　　I　saw　no　white　men　upon　them。　　Buildings　and　dikes　are　falling　into　ruins；　and　the　river　freshets　frequently　inundate　the　land。　Many　of　the　owners　of　these　once　valuable　estates　are　too　much　reduced　in　wealth　to　attempt　their　proper　cultivation。　　It　is　in　any　case　　difficult　to　get　the　freedmen　to　work　through　an　entire　season；　even　when　well　paid　for　their　　services；　and　they　flock　to　the　towns　whenever　opportunity　permits。
  The　North　and　South　Santee　rivers　empty　into　the　Atlantic；　but　their　entrances　are　so　shallow　that　Georgetown　Entrance　is　the　inlet　through　which　most　of　the　produce　of　the　country　…　pitch；　tar；　turpentine；　rice；　and　lumber　　finds　exit　to　the　sea。　　As　I　left　the　canal；　which；　with　the　creek；　makes　a　complete　thoroughfare　for　lighters　and　small　coasters　from　one　Santee　River　to　the　other；　a　renewal　of　the　tempest　made　me　seek　shelter　in　an　old　cabin　in　a　negro　settlement；　each　house　of　which　was　built　upon　piles　driven　into　the　marshes。　The　old　negro　overseer　of　the　plantation　hinted　to　me　that　his　〃hands　were　berry　spicious　of　ebbry　stranger；〃　and　advised　me　to　row　to　some　other　locality。　　I　told　him　I　was　from　the　north；　and　would　not　hurt　even　one　of　the　fleas　which　in　multitudes　infested　his　negroes'　quarters；　but　the　old　fellow　shook　his　head；　and　would　not　be　responsible　for　me　if　I　staid　there　all　night。　　A　tall　darkey；　who　had　listened　to　the　conversation；　broke　in　with；　〃Now；　uncle；　ye　knows　dat　if　dis　gemmum　is　from　de　norf　he　is　one　of　wees；　and　ye　must　du　fur　him　jis　dis　time。〃　　But　〃Uncle　Overseer〃　kept　repeating；　〃Some　niggers　here　is　mity　spicious。　　Du　not　no　who　white　man　is　anyhow。〃　〃Well；　uncle；〃　replied　the　tall　black；　〃ef　dis　man　is　a　　Yankeemans；　Ise　will　see　him　froo。〃
  Then　he　questioned　me；　while　the　fleas；　　having　telegraphed　to　each　other　that　a　stranger　had　arrived；　made　sad　havoc　of　me　and　my　patience。
  〃My　name's　Jacob　Gilleu；　what's　yourn？〃　I　gave　it。　〃Whar's　your　home？〃　came　next。　〃I　am　a　citizen　of　the　United　States；〃　I　replied。　〃De　'Nited　States　　whar's　dat？　neber　hurd　him　afore；〃　said　Jacob　Gilleu。　　Having　　informed　him　it　was　the　land　which　General　Grant　governed；　he　exclaimed：　〃O；　you's　a　Grant　man；　all　rite　den；　you　is　one　of　wees　　all　de　same　as　wees。　Den　look　a…here；　boss。　I　send　you　to　one　good　place　on　Alligator　Creek；　whar　Seba　　Gillings　libs。　　He　black　man；　but　he　treat　you　jes　like　white　man。〃
  Jacob　helped　me　launch　my　boat　through　the　soft　mud；　which　nearly　stalled　us；　and　following　his　directions　I　paddled　across　the　South　Santee　and　coasted　down　to　Alligator　Creek；　where　　extensive　marshes；　covered　by　tall　reeds；　hid　the　landscape　from　my　view。　　About　half　a　mile　from　the　mouth　of　the　creek；　which　watercourse　was　on　my　direct　route　to　Bull's　Bay；　a　large　tide…gate　was　found　at　the　mouth　of　a　canal。　This　being　wide　open；　I　pushed　up　the　canal　to　a　low　point　of　land　which　rose　like　an　island　out　of　the　rushes。　　Here　was　a　negro　hamlet　of　a　dozen　houses；　or　shanties；　and　the　ruins　of　a　rice…mill。　　The　majority　of　the　negroes　were　absent　working　within　the　diked　enclosures　of　this　large　estate；　which　before　the　war　had　　produced　forty　thousand　bushels　of　rice　annually。　Now　the　place　was　leased　by　a　former　slave；　and　but　little　work　was　accomplished　under　the　present　management。
  Seba　Gillings；　a　powerfully　built　negro；　came　to　the　dike　upon　which　I　had　landed　the　canoe。　I　quickly　told　him　my　story；　and　how　I　had　been　forced　to　leave　the　last　negro　quarters。　　I　used　Jacob　Gilleu's　name　as　authority　for　seeking　shelter　with　him　from　the　damps　of　the　　half…submerged　lands。　　The　dignified　black　man　bade　me　〃fear　nuffing；　stay　here　all　de　night；　long's　you　please；　treat　you　like　white　man。　　I'se　mity