The Continental Monthly, Vol. 2, No. 2, August, 1862: Devoted to Literature and National PolicyVarious
History
The Continental Monthly, Vol. 2, No. 2, August, 1862: Devoted to Literature and National Policy
Various
Literature, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals; United States -- Politics and government -- 19th century -- Periodicals
The corn-cracker's house--a low, unpainted, wooden building--stood near
the little stream, and in the centre of a cleared plot of some ten
acres. This plot was surrounded by a post and rail fence, and in its
front portion was a garden, which grew a sufficient supply of vegetables
to serve a family of twenty persons. In the rear, and at the sides of
the dwelling, were about seven acres, devoted mainly to corn and
potatoes. In one corner of the lot were three tidy-looking negro-houses,
and close beside them I noticed a low shed, near which a large quantity
of the stalks of the tall, white corn, common to that section, was
stacked in the New-England fashion. Browsing on the corn-stalks were
three sleek, well-kept milch-cows and a goat.
About four hundred yards from the farmer's house, and on the bank of the
little run, which there was quite wide and deep, stood a
turpentine-distillery, and around it were scattered a large number of
rosin and turpentine barrels, some filled and some empty. A short
distance higher up, and far enough from the 'still' to be safe in the
event of a fire, was a long, low, wooden shed, covered with rough,
unjointed boards, placed upright, and unbattened. This was the
'spirit-house,' used for the storage of the spirits of turpentine when
barreled for market, and awaiting shipment. In the creek, and filling
nearly one-half of the channel in front of the spirit-shed, was a raft
of pine-timber, on which were laden some two hundred barrels of rosin.
On such rude conveyances the turpentine-maker sent his produce to
Conwayboro. There the timber-raft was sold to my wayside friend, Captain
B--, and its freight shipped on board vessel for New-York.
Two 'prime' negro men, dressed in the usual costume, were 'tending the
still,' and a negro-woman, as stout and strong as the men, and clad in a
short, loose, linsey gown, from beneath which peeped out a pair of
coarse leggins, was adjusting a long wooden trough, which conveyed the
liquid rosin from the 'still' to a deep excavation in the earth, at a
short distance. In the pit was a quantity of rosin sufficient to fill a
thousand barrels.
'Here, Bill,' said Barnes to one of the negro men, as we pulled up at
the distillery, 'put these critters up, and give 'em some oats, and when
they've cooled off a bit, water 'em.'
'Yas, yas, massa,' replied the negro, springing nimbly forward, and
taking the horses by the bridles, 'an' rub 'em down, massa?'
'Yas, rub 'em down right smart,' replied the corn-cracker; then turning
to me, as we dismounted, he said: 'Stranger, thet's th' sort o' niggers
fur ye; all uv mine ar' jess like him, smart and lively as kittens.'
'He does seem to go about his work cheerfully,' I replied.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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