Nov. 5 The past week has been pleasent-- the first part some what cool
one night a white frost
[p.2]
it is now qite warm but some what cloudy-- we expect rain shortly-- it
is much needed-- I have enjoyed myself very well through the week-- but
feel the want of religious society no meeting with in reach but I have
free access to a great veriety of book-- I have been at work the whole
week-- for Judge Randal-- making cuts [?] Mr Clifard [?] and Mr Turney
finished the Judge's screw press yester day it works pretty well but slow--
Mr Clifard
[p.3]
charged 100 dollars for the puting it up-- and the timber was heved [?]
and brought to the spot and hands furnished for lifting &c. and board
fur- nished-- I think that an industrous man would make about 10 dollars
per day at such work-- I intend to put up a press upon my own plan which
I think-- will do much better then those now used-- if I have my health
I calcu- late making my fortune in a little time
[p.4]
I hope I shall have grace and wisdom to make a right use of it-- Mechanics
in this country are scarce and those few who are hear and mostly inclined
to disapation and as a natural consequence idleness-- may the Lord save
me from both the evils-- I have enjoyed peice of mind since I left Maryland--
it is true I some times have some apprehensions of danger from the hostile
Indians they have from time to time commited
[p.5]
with in a few miles of this place most shocking cruelties upon indi- vidual
families murder- ing the most barberous manner men women and children
but (thank the Lord) we have a prospect for hostilities speedily to come
to a close There is a great scarcity of mills here water [?] courses are
apt to get dry in the summer and fall-- I think a [illegible] mills might
do well-- Judge Randal said I may get as much timber on his
[p.6]
place as I chuse free of expense------ Sunday evening it has rained most
of the day some times very hard Judge Randall came home on Friday evening
and left home again this morning for Tallahassee where court begins on
to morrow-- almost every things grows abundantly in Florida except wheat--
corn is one dollar per bu. sweet potatoes 50 cents beaf about 5 dollars
per hun.
[p.7]
flour-- about 15 dollars per bar. most of provi- sions are as cheap as
in the north and labour about twice as hight plenty of good land at 1,25
per acre timber standing for little or nothing-- horses are high mules
are mostly used for plan- tation work-- oxen are also used-- Judge Randall
milked this summer 22 cows-- sheep do well goats and hogs are raised in
abundance with out feeding
[p.8]
the labour of coloured people is high-- say from 300 to 600 dollars per
year Judge Randall has about 1500 acres of land in one body about 300
under cultivation-- and clearing more every year-- makes from 100 to 150
bales of cotton worth now from 4000 to 6000 dollars-- it is prefered in
clearing land to cut and burn the under brush and deden the large trees
it is said that leaving the large trees standing prevents
[p.9]
the sun from burning the vegetation-- great veriety of timber aare found
hear-- I will name some of the most usefull viz live oak white--past [?]--and
red oak-- which aare good for cart [?] work-- red bay good for mules [?]--
ash-hickory in aboun- dance. some popolay and siprus and abundance of
yellow and pitch pine mulbery and locus-- and the pride of china thrives
well wild chery also grow spontanious-- there are
[p.10]
some other thing of timber the names of which I have as yet learnt the
soil of Judge Randalls land appears to be mostly a mixture of red clay
and sans-- the low ground is of a darker coulor and much richer-- but
the high lands are thought to be more healthy so it is hard to find a
place where all advan- tages concentrate of two ever [?] chuse the least--
health of the first consideration may the Lord direct
[p.11]
in my choice of a loca tion-- health content ment and competency are the
three grand constituents to human happiness-- but religion is the one
thing needfull a little after dark a detachment of soldiers stopt here
for the night-- they are on their way from St. Marks to Dedmans bay they
number about 20 under command of Lieutinant Todd-- I talked with some
of them they say they have seen tuff [?] times
[p.12]
for 18 months past in pursuing the indians there is a considerable force
collecting at Dedmans bay intending to build a block house and to cut
2 roads, one to st Marks and one to intersect the Augustine road so that
provisions can more readly be conveyed through the country-- it is said
that about Dedmans bay it is very unhealthy.
