Charleston, South Carolina, Jan. 1, 1809.
Our most esteemed Friends:
We have now been in the City a week. We find that Eliza has gained a
little strength since she arrived, and that her cough is not quite so
distressing as before we left New York. She complains of no pain, but
her fever and night sweats continue to trouble her every other day and
night, as was the case before. She can walk about her room with ease;
and she rides when the weather is fine, which she is much pleased
with, and no doubt it is of great service to her. The streets are
entirely of sand, as smooth as possible, no pavements, not a stone to
be seen, which renders it very easy riding for her. It is as warm as
our first of May, (if not the middle,) and when the weather is fair,
the air is clear, very mild and refreshing. The change is so great
between this and New York that I cannot help thinking it must have a
great and good effect on Eliza. I find as to myself that my cough is
done away entirely, and I had a little of it most all the time at home
in winter. Octavia has certainly grown fat, and our little Frederic is
very well indeed. Eliza eats hominy, rice and milk, eggs and oysters
cooked in various ways, vegetables too, which we find in great
perfection here; fruit is plenty of almost every description. The
oranges raised here are not sweet but are very large. Their olives,
grapes, and figs are excellent. Their meats and fish are not so good
as ours. Their Poultry is fine; a great plenty of Venison, wild ducks,
and small sea-fowl; green peas we shall have in about a month; so
that, beside the change of climate, we have many of the luxuries of a
Northern summer. Uncle King gave us letters to Gen. C. C. Pinckney and
his brother Major Thomas Pinckney,—both of them being out of town at
their plantation; their sister, Mrs. Hovey, received the letters and
has been very attentive and kind to us all. She is a widow, about 55 I
should judge, of the first respectability, and appears a very
pleasant, amiable and cheerful old lady. She sends some nice things to
Eliza almost every day. Her daughters, Mrs. Rutledge, two Miss
Pinckneys (daughters of the General), Mrs. Gilchrist and daughter, Mr.
and Mrs. Mannigault, Mrs. Middleton, Mr. and Mrs. Izard,[96] Mr. and
Mrs. Dessault and Mr. Heyward make an extensive acquaintance for us.
They all seem very kind and hospitable to us, plain and open in their
manners, and yet the most genteel and easy. Eliza has seen only Mrs.
Hovey, Mrs. Rutledge, and the two Miss Pinckneys, but she thinks in a
few days to be able to receive short visits from a few of her friends,
and even thinks it may be of consequence to enliven her. She rides
whenever the weather is fine, and is very much pleased with the
appearance of everything growing in the gardens here so like our June.
We have had one visit from a Physician only; he thinks taking a little
blood from her would be of service, but she has not yet consented. He
approved of her diet and of the Iceland Moss tea which was recommended
at New York, and which is said here to have had a great effect in
removing complaints of the cough. Mrs. Mannigault told us yesterday
she found immediate relief from it after she had been sick a long
time. We expect Mr. Bowne in the course of a fortnight, and then I
expect to return toward Scarborough immediately. We hope to hear from
you in a few days; not a word have we yet from New York since we
arrived. Our darling boy we think we see every day playing about us,
without thinking who admires him at the distance of 1100 miles.
Our best wishes attend you always.
Affectionately, W. BROWNE.
To Mr. and Mrs. Southgate.
Charleston, Jan. 28, 1809.
Dear Caroline, I send by Capt. Crowel a little pair of shoes for Mary,
a little Cuckoo toy for Walter, and a tumbler of Orange Marmalade for
Mother. I have had only one letter from New York since I have been
here, and that from Mary Perkins, not one line from my husband. I can
tell you nothing flattering of my health: I am very miserable; at
present I have a kind of intermittent Fever; this afternoon I shall
take an emetic, and hope a good effect. How are my dear little ones?—I
hope not too troublesome. Octavia is in fine health and grows quite
fat for her. Frederic has been unusually troublesome. My dear little
Walter!—I hardly trust myself to think of them,—precious children—how
they bind me to life! Adieu. I have a bad headache and low-spirited
to-day.