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Notebook No.129, 3 January 1846 - 10 January 1846

 Item — Box: Lyell-temp-box 5
Identifier: Coll-203/A1/129

Scope and Contents

Notebook No. 129 was kept by Lyell during his trip to America in 1845-6, mostly written in pencil, after his lecture tour, with visits to Hopeton Plantation, St. Simon's Island, and Georgia. It contains his observations while he visited several plantations worked by enslaved people extracted from undocumented regions of Africa, and bought at auction. Mr. and Mrs. Lyell stayed with James Hamilton Couper at Hopeton plantation for two weeks in January 1846. Couper was a member of the British Royal Geological Society, and Lyell was President at the time. Hopetoun plantation was established by John Couper and James Hamilton, who had immigrated to Savannah, Georgia from Scotland as teenagers. John Couper's son, James Hamilton Couper took over as estate manager, and engaged in the trafficking of 637 people from Africa in 1806 to prepare the fields of their plantation, growing sea island cotton, sugar, and rice. Two important features of the plantation were the plantation canal, for irrigation and transportation, which Lyell took particular interest in, and a portable railroad. In 1833, the plantation was lauded as being the “finest example of crop diversification and efficient slave management” by a prominent southern publisher. When Lyell visited, there was likely 500 enslaved African people working 1,000 planted acres. Hopeton was a destination for many from Europe to witness slave labour, and reportedly “went away very much impressed with the humanity and skill with which James Hamilton Couper managed his slaves.” In 1846, Sir Charles Lyell described Couper as “a benevolent slaveowner” and gained at Hopetoun “an hereditary regard and attachment between master and slave”.
This notebook denotes Lyell's observations of social life and welfare of enslaved people in Georgia, Alabama, and Missisippi. He records details of slave religion, new legislation passed in Georgia against people of colour, and the likelihood of impending war between the states. Interspersed among social observations are descriptions of sightings of native birds and landscapes.

Content warning: Lyell uses his Scientific Notebooks to gather evidence, based on both his own observation, by reviewing other people's works, by correspondence, asking questions and analyses. The language used in this index is historical, can be discriminatory and may cause offence.

Transcripton note: The following table of contents has been copied from Lyell's own "Index" found at the beginning and end of the notebook, supplemented with further observations. Items in quotations are taken directly from the notebook, and are in Lyell's own words. Abbreviations have been expanded where possible, and the extensions are shown between brackets []. The inclusion of a question mark in brackets [?] indicates inference due to illegible writing. The inclusion of [sic] indicates the misspelling of a word is deliberate and taken from the notebook. Common abbreviations: D'o stands for ditto, Att'ies stand for Attornies, Ill'd stands for illustrated.

Lyell's own index

Jan[uar]y 3rd 1845 [sic, should read 1846]
p.1 X Hopeton. [James] H[amilton]. Couper, Negros in hospital. –
p.1 X [Hopeton] negros keep dogs –
p.1 X [Hopeton] work 5 hours by task.
p.1 X [Hopeton] allowance of food & surplus sold.
p.1 X Baptism by B[isho]p Elliott
p.1 ? Epidemics moral & phys[ical] N[orth] a volcano [‘Epidemic moral and physical all come from the Northern states. The North a volcano covered with snow, sugar cone’]
p.2 X Fossil wood in silic[a]l sand above shells
p.2 X Brunswick canal cost 900,000$
p.2 X Geo[ology] section
p.4 X war excitement of British newsp[apers] etc. abuse
p.4 X [war] planters w[oul]d take negros inland.
p.4 X [war] Canada w[oul]d be taken in 3 years.
p.4 X attack on S.S [sic U.S] coast w[oul]d please antislavery party
p.4 X Dr Troup for Polk now against.
p.4 X Geo[logy] quicksand permanent moisture
p.4 X [Geology] Cetaceous remains Brunsw[ic]k canal
p.6 Southern aristocracy why dominant –
p.6 northern men of higher power succumb –
p.6 X Antislavery & free-trade make S. go ag[ainst] N.
p.6 [Antislavery] Southerners do not bribe North
p.7 X Geo[ology] – Cetacea fossil[isation] of Bruns[wick] canal
p.8 X Liquid amber looks like cork.-
p.8 Magnolia Gluca Cricket chirping
p.8 X Land by canal overgrown with bushes
p.8 American civilisation must go on.
p.8 in spite of democracy. – Education
p.8 Ala[bama] was what Texas is etc
Jan[uar]y 3rd
p.9 X Anti-free trade Northerner likes war-
p.9 X [Anti-free] ag[ains]t it on principle, for it by interest.
p.9 X War sensitiveness od U.S to English merit
p.10 X Baptism – women dressed out, absolution.
p.10 X [Baptism] – total immersion – B[isho]p. Elliott.
p.10 X Slaves telling off –worst sold
p.10 X Trial to Planters of owning Slaves
p.10 Slavery, schism in Methodist Ch[urch] about
p10. Fox, has seen Society at Washing[ton] go back
p.10 Western man dominant like South
p.12 ? Methodist split about slavery
p.12 X Malaria- [James] H[amilton] Couper leaves Hope[ton]. May
p.14 X Slaves- white children slapping negros
p.14 X [Slaves] Bibles given to.
p.14 ? Animals in woods
p.16 Boston solidarity of merchant then.
p.16 X Loblolly [error mark] Pines in what soil
p.16 X Gordina fubeseum only in one spot
p.16 Trees. Winter overflow not killing
p.18 X Scenery, now lower country
p.18 X Coolies in W. Ind[ies] proves failure
p.18 X Pontine Marshes no justice of slavery
p.18 X Mulatto mixture of races
p.18 X Slave dealer shunned by planter
p18. X Hybrids with blacks as white as mother
p.20 X mixed breed sent to towns why
p.20 X [mixed breed] more intelligent.
p.20 X yearly artesian well.
p.20 X Eocene & oysters Glynn Co[unty]. G[eorgi]a
p.22 X Cabbage palmetto in sea air
p.22 X Negros worse in Ala[bama] than in G[eorgi]a
p.22 X [Negros] Northerners worst task – masters
p.22 X [Negros] fecundity of depends on work
p.22 X [Negros] suffer more in sugar plants
p.23 X Grand Jury present a plantation
p.23 X Laws ag[ains]t teaching slaves to read
p.23 X Abolitionist movement ag[ains]t negros
p.24 X West India slaves worse off –
p.24 X Runaways. [examples of rewards for return of runaways form newspapers in scrapbook p.58]
p.24 Texas whether slaves will fare worse
p.24 X Slaves federal feudal towards
p.24 X Crackers, poorer white yeomen
p.25 Mrs Couper never saw ripe rice
p.25 Dickens & his secretary
p.25 [Dickens] gangs with their driver
p.25 X African Tom from Timbucktoo [sic Timbuctoo]
p.25 X Planters son spoilt children
p.25 ? Democracy, like were retiring first
p.27 X weather brightness of in G[eorgi]a
p.27 X Negro names January, Febu[ar]y Sunday etc
p.27 X Subsidence, proofs of, Cypress trunks
p.27a X [Subsidence] about 3ft prostrate trunk
Jan[uar]y 5th 1846
p.27a X Stump of Gum tree used for bee-hive
p.27a English connections
p.28a X Submergence on Altamaha, Cypress
p.28a Cypress stands long undecayed
p.28a Altamaha R[iver] like Mississippi.
p.28a L[ake] Bistineau how formed Dunbar
[p.30 Mem]
p.32 Natche[z], James] H[amilton]. Couper on
p.32 [Natchez] rents at of 1812 seen
p.32 X Wood in Altamaha lower near sea –
p.32 X Montgomery trees with balance explained
p.32 X Stump of trees large tho[ugh] near sea –
p.32 Mississippi, slides down of trees
p.32 X Rice brackish water
p.34 & 42 X Stumps near sea Broughton Isl[and] vis
p.34 X Bartram p69 on proof of sinking
p.34 X Alligators, a live-one seen (9ft. long)
p.34 X [Alligators] hold in St Mary’s river
p.34 X Indian Mound shells in, 10 acres.
p.37 X Lemon tree hurt in St Simonds [sic St Simons]
p.37 ? Geol[og]y – succession of modern periods.
p.37 ? Outermost islands, Pelican B[an]k.
p.37 X St Simonds [St Simons] I[sland] under water hurricane
p.38 X Charleston in danger hurricane
p.38 X New Islands Encroachment of sea
p.38 X Upright trees on beach, slide
p.40 X Sand dunes – on outer islands
p.40 X Shale on beach rolled with pebbled
p.40 X Long Isl[an]d parallel dunes of sand
p.40 X [Long Island] shells on beach.
p.40 Upheaval w[oul]d increase islands. West
p.34 & 42 X Bartram on submerged Cypress.
p.42 X Turtle shell on beach Long Isl[and]
p.42 X Alligator bellowing- nest of.
p.42 X Orange tree cut off by first, age 150 [years]
p.44 ? B. Format[io]n period upheaval may have extinguished Megatherium.
p.44 ? Savannah sea board name for prairie
p.44 X Loblolly pines Pinus toda.
p.44 Pines, names of
p.44 Trees names of oaks etc
p.46 – do from Michand -
p.48 X Shells of sea beach on St Simonds [St Simons]
p.50 X Geol[og]y Brunswick canal. Megatherium
p.50 X Frost oranges Killed. Date not.
p.50 X [Frost] olive not injured- will be cultiv[ate]d
p.52 X Shells on sea bead as in Brunsw[ick] Canal
p.52 Hakl[u]yts voyages, references to
p.52 Purches’ Pilgrims see also
p.52 ? Subsidence perhaps successive
p.54 ? Lemon tree saved from frost how
p.54 ? Hurricane intensity
p.54 X Alligators & porpoises in Altamaha
p.56 X Porpoises tossing the alligator
p.56 X oranges high up river most hurt
p.56 Alligators building & guarding nests
p.56 ? Live oaks in St Simonds [St Simons], size of –
p.56 ? Tillandsia in damp ground
p.58 X Subsidence of coast. Advance of sea.
p.58 X Clearing of wood causes waste of soil
p.58 X [Clearing] muddiness of Ochmulgee [sic Ocmulgee] caused by
p.58 Natches [Sic Natchez] ravines owing to clearing.
p.60 X Slave property, widow cannot manage
p.60 Pines not same as northern (Plymouth)
p.60 X Cardinal bird, wild but fed
p.60 Bald eagle – fish hawk (jackd[a]w)
p.60 X Subsidence of 2 ½ ft on coast, will
p.60 trees-sediment w[oul]d cover it slowly
p.62 Book, Ferdd di Soto [sic Hernando de Soto]
p.60 X negress & children given to Mrs B. [Slaves speaking to Lyell on their experience of Slavery]
p.62 X Hurricane at St Simonds [St Simons] etc.
p.62 Freshets of Miss[issipp]i land recommended as having escaped in
p.64 Disunion, W[est] India Empacipat[io]n checked it free trade –
p.64 X Alligators & porpoises
p.64 X [Alligators & porpoises] fearless of man at first
p.64 X Live oak growth of a 42 y[ears]
p.66 Cypress deciduous- growth
p.66 X negro morality – not slavery
p.66 X [negro morality] cause of misery to wives
p.66 X negress boasting of mulatto child
p.66 X [negress] ladies maids one for each daughter
p.66 X negros basking in hot sun face upw[ar]ds
p.67 X Indian mounds, only inland pottery in
p.68 X Geol[og]y Subsidence, proof, cypress
p.69 X Alligators grow slowly: large ones, gone
p.69 ? [Alligators] Couper in St. Mary’s in 1808-1811
p.69 X African Tours printed history
p.71 ? Cardinal bird, caught & set free
p.71 X Slavery. Property ackno[w]l[edg]ed in Engl[and]
p.71 X [Slavery] English anti-slave party
p.71 ? Bunkum N[orth] Ca[rolina]
p.71 X Slave Trade termin[ate]d in 1796 – how late in Florida –
p.72 X Negros great progress in own generat[io]n
p.72 X Slave & white popul[a]t[ion].
p.72 X Negros -few crimes- in 500 popul[a]t[ion].
p.72 X [Negros] Punishments – drivers, whip –
p.74 X Increase & preponderance of blacks
p.74 X Heirs buying in negros, public passive
p.75 X Intermal slave – trade – Missi[ssippi] Botany Bay
p.74 X Sugar Cultivat[e]d need not to serve
p.74 X Heat a luxury to the negro
p.74 X Labour of negro, 8 hours a day
p.74 X Task work of ditched 7ft etc.
p.75 X Internal slave trade
p.75 X Emancipation sudden w[oul]d extirpate blacks
p.75 X Texas annexat[ion] may save – [newspaper cuttings in scrapbook p.56]
p.76 X straight relative of black & white
p.76 X negros worked harder in vall[ey] of missi[ssippi].
p.76 X [negros] proliferate when kindly treated.
p.76 X [negros] less so in rice plantations
p.77 X Slaves involuntary educat[ion] of by whites in Upper & G[eorgi]a
p.77 X No Government etc afford to pay for as much educat[ion]
p.78 X Proportion of white & negros children
p.78 X Negros in high lands healthier
p.78 X Internal slave trade cannot stop
p.78 Texas migrat[ion] to with[ou]t annexation
p.78 X Obloguy suffered by planters expec[ial]ly severer
p.78 X Negros great progress in one generation
p.79 X Sunday schools for blacks
p.79 X New Act of g[eorig]a against – Scrap B[oo]k. [in index of scrapbook p.56 but seems to have been cut/ripped out]
p.79 X Hopeton hospital – sick & lying in ward
p.80 X Murder only one n[ea]r Hopeton
p.80 Progress of K[entuck]y & G[eorgi]a
p.80 X Negro has advantage along the sea-board
p.80 X [Negro] admixture with white will retard race
p.81 Annexation rapidity of aid democracy
p.81 X negros will amalgamate if time allowed
p.82 Democracy cunning of in territor[ia]l aggrandiz[ing]
p.82 ? Danger to S[outh] Ca[riolina] of black missionaries
p.83 X mixed race approximate to white
p.83 X Free blacks in the north, misery of –
p.83 X Annexat[ion] better for negro race not for whites
p.83 X Three million of negros might get rid of
p.84 X West Indies negros will prevail there?
p.84 X [West Indies] St. Domingo negro police.
p.84 X negros prospects in S[outh[ better than N[orth]
p.85 Amalgamation how it will come about.
p.85 X Negros in upper G[eorgi]a associates with white.
p.86 ? Hodgson, notes on N[orth] Africa
p.86 X Emancipat[ion] time required- progress made
p.86 Mississippi uses 60 ft at Natchez
p.86 “Go ahead or burst the boiler” -
p.86 K[entuck]y great advance since 1800s
p.87 X mulattos as fine as perfect pure races
p.87 X – Darwin Queries – intermarriage – Races -
p.88 Slaves have doubled in 25 y[ear]s? Will be 12,000,000
p.88 Natchez bluff & plain – Geol[og]y of.
p.89 X Mixture of races – Negro, Indian etc.
p.90 Natchez view of [James] H[amilton] Couper in 1836.
- p.90 ? Skiddaway bone list of. -
Jan[uary] 8th
p.92 Gen[era]l Jackson victory of North fatal to whips
p.92 X Mr Grant, with [James] H[amilton] Couper plants in woods. -
p.92 X Southerners whips, but for slavery –
p.94 X Bones given by [James] H[amilton] Couper to Philad[elphia] Acad[em]y [of Natural Sciences] -
p.94 ? West Coast, at mouth of Altamaha.
p.94 X Long Island comp[osition] & breadth it –
p.94 Duelling act aga[ain]t L[ousian]a
p.95 Equal divis[io]n of property G[eorgi]a – women most in N[orth]
p.95 X Southerners insulted by northern
p.95 ? Episcopalian to Negros in South
p.96 X Slavery feeling of S[outh] v[ersus] N[orth]. Annexation.
p.96 X White labour exclusively in part of G[eorgi]a
p.96 ? Poor white proprietors with few negros
p.97 X Mulattos women after tempt[ation] to go wrong
p.97 X Amalgamation progress of
p.98 X Texas annex[atio]n prevent sudden abolit[io]n.
p.98 X Act of G[eorgi]a ag[ains]t slaves - - yet progress.
p.98 Slavery Basil Hall on G[eorig]a from [James] H[amilton] Couper
Jan[uar]y 9 1846
p.99 X Slavery black man’s Eden
p 99 X Slavery trade, South was ag[ains]t.
p.99 X Negro houses good
p.99 X [Negro] families work early, up all night
p.99 X Steam Engine managed by 101 etc.
p.99 X “Africanians” looked down upon.
p.99 mixture of races
p.100 X Experiment of [James] H[amilton] Couper with negros failed
p.100 X Coloured women taken for white.
p.100 X Abolit[io]n movement retards negros
p.100 X Sudden Emancipat[io]n
p.101 Rice thrashing machine. Steam.
p.101 X Cracker aguish - negro baptists
p.101 X Act of G[eorgi]a ag[ains]t free slaves
p.102 & 103 Cypress, height of branches above ground
p.103 ? Kingfisher - - red rice – hogs –
p.102 103 X Negro task work. 102 – Mechanics
[p.103 X mechanics]
p.104 ? [James] H[amilton] Cooper [sic Couper] income.
p.104 Malaria heat, water, vegetable matter
p.104 X Nature Artesan well – springs.
p.105 X Annexat[io]n injury caused by to negros
p.106 X Negro Domestic servant more intellig[en]t.
p.106 “Bird mocking mosser”.
jan[uar]y 9[th]
p.107 property of negros
p.107 X Franklinia of Bartram (small range)
p.107 X Plants loblolly [pine] etc. (Darwin on extinction)
p.108 Ramsay’s Hist[ory] of S[outh] Ca[rolina]
p.110 Books to be bought
p.110 Natchez drawing of by [James] H[amilton] C[ouper] - ice

Dates

  • Creation: 3 January 1846 - 10 January 1846

Creator

Extent

119 folios

59 Leaves

1 volume

  • Clifton, James M. “Hopeton, Model Plantation of the Antebellum South.” The Georgia Historical Quarterly, vol. 66, no. 4, 1982, pp. 429–449. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/40580967. Accessed 14 Aug. 2020.
  • Lyell, Charles, Sir, 1797-1875. A Second Visit to the United States of North America. London: J. Murray, 1849, pp. 261-63. Hathi Trust, Accessed 19 August 2020

Repository Details

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