5 - Yesterday evening had a severe attack of colic. Was in a great deal of misery for about 4 hours. Father & H & E are all well. The weather is very warm for the season. We have rain every day. I wish it would clear up cool for once. I am now anxious to be on the way towards the plantation. I think to go to work modestly at first is the best way to gain strength, especially if the weather is cool. Hyram got 70 dollars of Shafer's note today. There is still 40 coming. It is promised on Monday & Tuesday we start.
6 - We now expect to start on Monday, one day sooner than we calculated on before. The steamer we shall go on goes direct from here to New Orleans. We are all well.
9 - Left Thibodeaux on steamer, Mary Stevens for New Orleans at 10 A.M. We are all well.
10 - Got to New Orleans at 7 A.M.
13 - Left New Orleans on the steamer Talihage for Red River at 10 A.M.
16 - Landed at New Hope at 11 A.M.
22 - Monday, last week we about half worked. This morning we commenced in earnest. We are all well & hearty. I sent a letter to the office today directed to Janis Brown, Thibodeaux, La. I wrote it & directed it in phonography**.
23 - Received a letter from Uncle John. He states that he got my 5th letter & that he had stopped the Chronicle & continued the Star & Advocate. They was all well at the date of his letter which was the 3rd inst.*** I worked yesterday & today on the stone chimney. Finished the top. Have a little work yet to do on it down low next to the roof on the inside. This morning Hyram borrowed a mule of Mr. Hickman's & started in search of work. He will be gone 3 or 4 days, I expect.
24 - Father & myself have been hanging doors today. It is now 6 P.M. & Hyram has not got back yet.
26 - We finished hanging doors yesterday in high part of the house. I am to work at sash today. It is now 3 1/2 days since Hyram left & he has not got back yet. It is now 8 in the evening & no Hyram yet. I quit smoking & chewing tobacco about the first of July 1848 & from that time til sometime in September last I neither chewed nor smoked one particle of tobacco. Sometime in Sept. I smoked one cigar. About the 4th or 5th inst.*** I put a piece of tobacco in my mouth & chewed it a little & now in the last 3 or 4 days I have smoked a number of cigars. I find that it will be with me like it is with the drunkard. Either to use it constantly or not at all. Yesterday afternoon & today has past & I have had no fit of cursing & no jaw nor quarrel with anybody & I am happier in consequence. I wish I could get along kindly & peaceably, all the time. It would be better for myself & for others around me.
28th - Sunday at 11 A.M. - Hyram has not got home yet. Father & me worked at sash yesterday.
* - My mother's glossary indicated this meant "in the past month". Indeed, I found that it is from the Latin "ultimo" and means "in or of the month preceding the current one".
** - My mother's glossary indicated that phonography was the art of writing according to sound, phonetic spelling. Indeed, I discovered it was a system of phonetic shorthand, like that invented by Sir Isaac Pitman in 1837. The system used by Algernon Hilton in his journal was more of a longhand phonetic writing rather than a shorthand. However, I suppose it is possible that he sent his letter in shorthand.
*** - The glossary indicated this meant "in the present month".
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