There was no horse feed at the pineland, so I told Bonaparte to put half a bushel of corn in a sack with the cream jar and a small quantity in one end and the rest of the corn in the other end to balance, I threw it across the back of my horse and tied it securely to the saddle and we started. I heard Rab say, "Root, yu try for roll but yu couldn't mek um," and I saw that one side of the saddle and bridle was muddy. Fortunately she had tried to roll on the right side, so the pommels were not broken. Our homeward journey seemed to me worse than the morning's. Perhaps I was only tired and discouraged at the wide-spread destruction; but we struck a denser growth and did not find the ridge we had followed in the morning. Then we had gone round the two swamps in a wonderful way, now we had to cross both, and the fear of getting caught in those woods by the night made it worse; however, just as the dusk was falling we struck into the road near the village about 300 yards from the point at which we had left it in the morning, and now I was able to trust Ruth to pick her way round and over the trees as we had come that way in the morning.
As I rode up to the house my heart was gladdened by the sight of R. running down the steps to meet me. It was such a relief that I nearly fainted and he had to lift me down from my horse. He had left Gregory with Jim at 7 o'clock this morning in the buckboard much against every one's advice. But he thought by taking axes to cut the trees out of the road there would be no difficulty. They cut, and cut, and took the horse from the buggy which they lifted over many, many trees; but at last they left the buckboard in the woods. R. led Nan and Jim took the big umbrella (which I had just bought) and swung the two valises on that over his shoulder and they climbed home, having just reached the house when I came.
R. said he was just going to start to look for me, he was so shocked to hear that I had gone to the plantation. It was too delightful to have R. with me safe and sound and to have all the dangers and fatigues of the day past, and to know that for the next two weeks I need not cudgel my poor brain as to what should be done, for he has excellent judgment and will direct the work of restoration much better than I could.
Only one thing I must do myself, I must go to Casa Bianca and see the destruction there and hearten Nat up a bit; of course all chance of rice crop is gone there as well as at Cherokee.
Rab had the happiness of carrying around the milk which he had so successfully brought out and telling of the dangers of our trip and of his powers; and he was greatly praised and complimented on his feat.
Chloe had a delicious supper for us which we certainly enjoyed, for neither of us had tasted anything since morning.
September 20.
Drove down to Casa Bianca to find a scene of great desolation in the Negro street or quarters.
Three houses have been blown down but no one was hurt, not even any animal injured. The barn is also down and the trees around the house badly torn, but the dear old house is not hurt in the least, which is a perfect wonder. I love every old board and shingle in that house and I expected to see it knocked flat, with all my dear old furniture crushed, but positively there was not a pane of glass broken or a shingle off, and the great Olea fragrans which grows as tall as the roof was in full bloom, not a branch broken, making the air painfully sweet. It made me very happy and then the childlike faith of the nigs has a soothing, cheering effect. When I asked Nat about the rice, he pointed to the place where the rice-fields should be, which looked like a great lake, no banks being visible. "All gone, Miss; me en Jonas jis done cut de rice and de sto'm come en carry um right out to sea."
When I condoled with him he answered joyfully, "Miss, I too tenkful I see de sun myself, en me chillun, en me wife, fu' fret 'bout rice. Ebrybody stan' same fashun."