F. H. to C. P. W.
Coffin’s, Dec. 26. I expect my sojourn at Coffin’s Point is nearly closed. The attractions of the place or the people are not sufficient to keep me here another year. The climate is bad enough, the general “shiftlessness” of the people is disgusting enough; but when I see that the disposition to steal the crop is very general, that the people have done and can do it with impunity, I am discouraged about cotton-raising here. I believe they have not taken any of ours since it has been packed, but large quantities of it before. And as they all raised cotton on McTureous196 for themselves, they could mix and secrete it very successfully.
Mr. Soule has this moment learned that his cotton-house has been entered and cotton stolen, but to what extent has not been determined.
I think Mr. Soule will be glad to get away from this “Sodom.” He is too good a man to be worn out by the barbarians of this latitude.