A sort of semi-civilized native, wearing a peculiar homespun dress; with a native dialect strongly resembling many of the Yorkshire phrases. They are generally found located in the poorer parishes and districts, where their primitive-looking cabins are easily designated from that of the more enterprising agriculturist. But few of them can read or write,—and preferring the coarsest mode of life, their habits are extremely dissolute. Now and then one may be found owning a negro or two,—but a negro would rather be sold to the torments of hell, or a Louisiana sugar-planter, than to a Georgia cracker. You will see them approaching the city on market-days, with their travelling-cart, which is a curiosity in itself. It is a two-wheeled vehicle of the most primitive description, with long, rough poles for shafts or thills. Sometimes it is covered with a blanket, and sometimes with a white rag, under which are a few things for market, and the good wife, with sometimes one or two wee-yans; for the liege lord never fails to bring his wife to market, that she may see the things of the city. The dejected-looking frame of some scrub-breed horse or a half-starved mule is tied (for we can't call it harnessed) between the thills, with a few pieces of rope and withes; and, provided with a piece of wool-tanned sheep-skin, the lord of the family, with peculiar dress, a drab slouched hat over his eyes, and a big whip in his hand, mounts on the back of the poor animal, and placing his feet upon the thills to keep them down, tortures it through a heavy, sandy road. The horses are loaded so much beyond their strength, that they will stop to blow, every ten or fifteen minutes, while the man will sit upon their backs with perfect unconcern. Remonstrate with them in regard to the sufficient draught added to the insupportable weight upon their backs, and they will immediately commence demonstrating how he can draw easier when there is an immense weight upon his back. The husband generally exchanges his things for whiskey, rice, and tobacco, while the wife buys calico and knick-knacks. Sometimes they get “a right smart chance o' things” together, and have a “party at home,” which means a blow-out among themselves. Sometimes they have a shucking, which is a great affair, even among the little farmers in Upper Georgia, where, only, corn-shuckings are kept up with all the spice of old custom, and invitations are extended to those at a distance of ten or fifteen miles, who repay the compliment with their presence, and join in the revelry. There are two classes of the cracker in Georgia, according to our observation, differing somewhat in their dialect, but not in their habits. One is the upper, and the other the low country, or rather what some call the “co-u-n-try-b-o-r-n” cracker. The up-country cracker gives more attention to farming, inhabits what's known as the Cherokee country and its vicinity, and is designated by the sobriquet of “wire-grass man.” would be of Greek. Like his predecessors in confinement, he fell into the hands of the veritable Dunn, without the assistance of his friend Duse, as he called him; but had it not been for the timely appearance of a clerk in the French consul's office, who explained the nature of the arrest, in his native tongue, Mr. Dunn would have found some trouble in making the arrest. Already had the officers and crew of the bark gathered around him, making grimaces, and gibbering away like a flock of blackbirds surrounding a hawk, and just ready to pounce. “Don't I'se be tellin' yees what I wants wid 'im, and the divil a bit ye'll understand me. Why don't yees spake so a body can understand what yees be blatherin' about. Sure, here's the paper, an' yees won't read the English of it. The divil o' such a fix I was ever in before wid yer John o' crapue's an' yer chatter. Ye say we-we-we; sure it's but one I wants. Ah! whist now, captain, and don't ye be makin' a bother over it. Shure, did ye niver hear o' South Carolina in the wide world? An' ye bees travellin' all over it, and herself's such a great State, wid so many great gintlemen in it,” said Dunn, talking his green-island Greek to the Frenchman.
“We, we! mon Dieu, ah!” said the Frenchman.
“Ah, shure there ye are again. What would I be doin' wid de 'hole o' yees? It's the nager I want. Don't ye know that South Carolina don't allow the likes o' him to be comin ashore and playing the divil wid her slaves,” continued Dunn, stretching himself up on his lame leg.
The clerk stepped up at this moment. “It's 'imself'll be telling yes all about it, for yer like a parcel of geese makin' a fuss about a goslin.” Mr. Dunn had got his Corkonian blood up; and although the matter was explained, he saw the means at hand, and fixed his feelings for a stiff compensation. The clerk, after explaining to the captain, turned to John Paul and addressed him. As soon as he was done, John commenced to pack up his dunnage and get money from the captain, as if he was bound on an Arctic Expedition. Dunn's eyes glistened as he saw the money passing into Paul's hand; but he was not to be troubled with the dunnage, and after hurrying him a few times, marched him off. He went through the regular system of grog-shop sponging; but his suavity and willingness to acquiesce in all Mr. Dunn's demands, saved him some rough usage. There was this difference between John Paul and Manuel, that the former, not understanding the English language, mistook Dunn's deception for friendship, and moved by that extreme French politeness and warmth of feeling, which he thought doing the gentleman par excellence; while the latter, with a quicker perception of right and wrong, and understanding our language, saw the motive and disdained its nefarious object. For when Paul arrived at the jail he was minus a five-dollar gold-piece, which his very amiable official companion took particular care of, lest something should befall it. Poor John Paul! He was as harmless as South Carolina's secession and chivalry-two of the most harmless things in the world, not excepting Congressional duelling.
As soon as he entered the jail and found that the jailer could speak French, he broke out in a perfect tornado of enthusiasm. “Je serai charme de lier connaissance avec un si amiable compagnon,” said he, and continued in a strain so swift and unabated that it would have been impossible for an Englishman to have traced the inflections.
The jailer called Daley, and telling him to take his blanket, the State's allotment, ordered him shown to his cell. Daley took the blanket under his arm and the keys in his hand, and Paul soon followed him upstairs to be introduced to his cell. “There, that's the place for yees. We takes the shine off all ye dandy niggers whin we gets ye here. Do ye see the pair of eyes in the head o' me?” said Daley, pointing to his blackened eyes; “an' he that done that same is in the divil's own place above. Now, if ye have ever a drap of whiskey, don't be keepin' it shy, an' it'll be tellin' ye a good many favors.”
“Ah! mon Dieu! Cela fait dresser les cheveux la tete,” said Paul, shrugging his shoulders.
“Bad luck to the word of that I'd be understandin' at all, at all. Can't ye spake so a body'd understand what ye'd mane?”
“C'est ma grande consolation d'avoir. * * * Les Etats-Unis est une modele de perfection republicaine,” said he, taking the blanket from Daley and throwing it upon the floor. He was but a poor companion for his fellow-prisoners, being deprived of the means to exercise his social qualities. He went through the same course of suffering that Manuel did; but, whether from inclination or necessity, bore it with more Christian fortitude, chanting vespers every morning, and reading the Latin service every evening. The lesson which Manuel taught Daley proved of great service to Paul, who gave Daley the jail-ration which it was impossible for him to eat, and was saved from his pilfering propensities. Thus, after John Paul had suffered thirty-five days' imprisonment, in mute confinement, to satisfy the majesty of South Carolina, he was released upon the following conditions, and taken to his vessel at early daylight, lest he should see the city or leave something to contaminate the slaves. “Contrary to law.” State vs. “Contrary to law.” French bark “Senegal,” Capt.—For John Paul, Colored Seaman. To Sheriff Charleston Dist.
July 18, 1852. To Arrest, $2; Registry, $2, $4.00” “Recog. $1.31; Constable, $1, 2.31” “Commitment and discharge, 1.00” “35 Days' Maintenace of John Paul, at 30 cents per day, 10.50