Diary of Algernon Hilton, November 1849

1st - No Hyram yet.  He may be here yet today tho as this is the surnoon* that I am writing.  Day before yesterday evening Father & myself went to town in a skiff.  Yesterday we went to a sugar house & got some syrup & molasses.  5 gallons of molasses & one of syrup, for which we paid the cash out of our own pocket.  Now I had asked Mr. Hickman 10 days before to get some syrup & molasses but none come, so we went & got it ourselves.  2 or 3 days ago there was a barrel of flour landed for the use of the overseer's house.  When it first came it was put in the Madame's storeroom.  This morning she sent us a barrel she had been using out of & kept ours.  It is now 7 P.M. & Hyram has not come yet.  Father & myself is to work at sash.  Yesterday I got some tobacco & pipes & have took to smoking again, after quitting for 16 months.  Well, I can quit again if I choose.

3rd - It is now Sat evening & Hyram has not got back yet.  I cannot imagine what keeps him.  Whether he is sick or what, I don't know.  Father & myself worked at sash yesterday & today.  We have had beautiful clear weather ever since we landed here this time.

6th - Hyram got home yesterday, about 1 P.M.  He has been sick some but not very much.  He has been to work.  Made 8 1/2 days at 2 dollars per day.  He thinks we can get plenty of work out on Bayou Beouf.  Yesterday I went to town.  Today Father & myself worked at sash.

10th - Father & myself worked at sash all the week.  Hyram has been sick some.  He has only made 1/2 a day since he got home.  Edgar has had a fever every night now for about two weeks.  I gave him a dose of Lobelia tonight.  I think he ought to take the Lobelia tomorrow night again if his fever returns on him.  We expect to finish our job here about the last of Dec. & I expect we will go out on Bayou Beouf.  This place is not a pleasant place to live.

13th - Hyram started again this morning to look for jobs.  We expect him back in about a week.  Father & myself worked at sash yesterday & today.  Edgar has a fever tonight again.

25th - Hyram got back on the 17th.  He engaged no work positively, but he has strong hopes of several large jobs.  On Monday the 19th, he went to town & bought a large American horse.  He paid $170 for him.  The horse is very large & fine looking, paces well, so that he was cheap enough I expect.  On the 17th Father & me finished the sash & this last week we have all of us worked on doors for the perjeri**.  We have them nearly done.  Hyram will go out on Bayou Beouf again in a few days.

28 - Hyram started on the 26th night again.  It is 2 1/2 days now since he left.  Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day.  I expect I shall work.  Father & me finished the perjeri** doors on the 27th.  We are now to work at fitting in sashes in the windows, etc.


* - No glossary entry, but I found myself trying to determine the meaning of the word, and my best guess is "afternoon", as "sur" is a prefix usually meaning "over" or "above".

** -  According to my mother's glossary, this word was written as spelled phonetically, but neither she nor I could find the correct spelling or meaning.

Back to October 1849

Diary of Algernon Hilton, December 1849