WCP1262

Montpelier¹ Georgia

Novem^r 16^th 1844

dear John²

I have at last received some letters³ from Mamma⁴ and Alfred which I had long been expecting[.] I had been here six weeks and had never heard from any one, in the spring the mails come in once a fortnight. Now I intend giving you a few of my observations on the Country and the people around us, here every one is kind to me and considerate to us both at present there is plenty to do, as the vacation draws nigh & the Bishop⁵ expected soon for the examination, I am going only to Macon⁶ this winter but in May the summer vacation I am going to join some Ladies who are going into the north of Georgia[.] I shall hope to have Alfred with us, we are going to ^shall visit several families, they are quite pleased to have the English to visit them & will do anything in the world for you if you please them which we should be sure to do for we would take care not to rundown anything American and then we are sure to get on. In looking over my notes on my voyage I find a few curious observations which will make you laugh, in the first place our Capt[ain]⁷ in the Quebec⁸ was a very extraordinary man, he was made Captain for the unhealthy season which is commonly done here[.] [2] The master⁹ of the vessel does not like to risk his life by leaving New York in the hot weather to go to the south, so makes his 1^st mate take his place, Thus our Capt was at first a common sailor and by perseverance & industry arrived at the Post of 3^rd mate which he thought great things, and by taking at different times the step higher, as his fellow mates have been raised, he has at last himself been made Captain, he could neither read or write (or very little indeed), he had never been to school, but he knew more of Navigation than many fine Seamen who leave all to their old sailors. I had many a chat with him, he had been to London, Paris, Madrid and many other fine cities, and all he could tell me was about the pretty women, his admiration of them was a principal trait in his character, he said many a time he had walked for an hour up & down the grand promenades (in his Sailor’s Cloth) to look at the sweet creatures for that was all he dare do, He was as polite as he could be to all of us, for he said it behoved him to be so as he had the care of so many Ladies, but strange to say He was a most awkward [3] shy man extremely ugly with hair face & whiskers the color [sic] of dark carrots and very tall, he used to tell the Gentlemen to be polite to us and help us up & down the steps to go upon deck which upon this vessel was above the Cabin, one day we were descending & Monsieur was beauing¹⁰ us, he had a Cigar in his mouth which he took out and held in his left hand while he gave the right to Miss Sinclair^{11 who} somehow or other made a miss step and fell to the bottom of the ladder, he just caught her to prevent her knocking herself and putting his arms around her supported her into the Cabin & went up again upon deck. I said as she came in what smoke are you bringing with you? She did not understand what I meant, but I soon found out she was on fire, her dress was much burnt but I put it out before it before it blazed — the story soon spread that the frenchman had set a Lady on fire with his Cigar, he came down to make a thousand apologies and promised her a new dress if she would go to his City Augusta,¹² & he would have the old dress to make a dressing Gown and keep it for her sake. It caused a good laugh which we wanted for we missed our merry Cap^t[ain] Hubbard¹³ [4] and our nice companions on board the Quebec; I do not feel so much distressed as I expected at seeing the poor Slaves around us, They are I think a happy people altogether, for they do not feel their own misery as we do for them as long as they have kind masters they consider themselves well off, and our old Lucy¹⁴ say’s [sic] They have a better one in M^r Fay¹⁵ than some of them deserve — I believe there are very few of them faithful and trustworthy, but surely this is the fault of their education or training, for they are kept in perfect ignorance and scarcely anything is taught them & they have more bad examples before them when children at home in the huts with bad negroes & they consequently grow up badly disposed & shy — I pity the poor things who are domestics in the house & I suppose it is pretty much the same with those under the overseer out of doors, they never get a kind look or smile of approval from their employers, I am always civil & kind spoken to them and they seem always pleased to do anything for me and they smile and say "good morning" if I meet them in the grounds, These people have a great love of dress and a great notion of gentility, the men & women walk with such grace on Sunday when they are dressed [5] well and good[,] shoes and stockings on, the white pocket handkerchief in the hand of the black Ladies and in the pocket (hanging out) of the Gents is indespensible and the little cane in the hand, three or four come to church with the white overseer on Sunday, I always feel an inclination to smile, They call the old or grown up negresses "Mam Lucy" or "Mam Ellen". We have had delightful weather this Autumn, much such as we often have in England, the trees now are almost bare so the Winter will not be long as the leaves begin to come out again in March & sometimes in Feb^y you may tell all my anxious friends that the American expedition has succeeded very well at present. God bless you all and grant we may all meet again is the earnest desire of your │affectionate sister | Fanny¹⁶

NB | Mamma will I hope when she writes give my kind love & regards to all Enquiring friends[.] I think it probable I shall be sending to England for a Governess to take the English department I have thought of Miss M¹⁷ if Mamma will make the enquiry.