He was very enthusiastic over this scheme, claiming that he would make far more money by it than he was then receiving from hiring out his slaves.  He told me that he would remain in Mobile two or three days and would go to Panola to spend the holidays, after which he intended to bring all the family to Mobile, and remain there until the island was in readiness to be occupied.  There was to be a general break up of the old home, and the beginning of a new manner of life.  I stayed in his room at the hotel all the forenoon, listening to his plans; then I went back where my wife was stopping.  As I left his room, he said:  “Lou,” as he always called me, “I will see you and Matilda at the boat this evening.”  We went to the boat at the appointed time and saw the Boss, but he did not come near us.  As the boat was about to put off, I looked and saw him walking up and down the levee, apparently much excited, running his hands nervously through his hair—­a habit common to him when he was worried.  He seemed greatly distressed.  The military situation troubled him, for the Union army had conquered nearly everything; and the fact now stared him in the face that he would soon lose his slaves.  He never dreamed in the beginning of the war that the Unionists would conquer, and that the slaves would be freed; but now he saw that not only all his wealth in the bodies and souls of men was slipping away from him, but that much, if not all of the gain which these chattels had brought him was likely to “take wings and fly away.”

* * * * *

M’GEE’S death.

We returned to the salt works the morning after leaving Mobile.  Boss remained two days in Mobile, and then started for Panola, the home of his father-in-law; but, on his way, he was taken sick, having contracted a heavy cold which ran into pneumonia, and he lasted only a short time, dying on New Year’s day.  He had taken cold in bringing the slaves from Bolivar over the river on barges.  The river was overflowed about fifty miles out, and the only way he could get the slaves across was by using large barges made of logs.  They were several days floating down in this way, before he could get out to the railroad at Jackson, Miss., where he transferred them to the cars.  This was too much of an exposure and it killed him.

After Boss died all the plans were changed.  Col.  Hunting, son-in-law of old Master Jack, came down to the salt works and hired us all out there for another year.  This was the beginning of the year 1865.  Of master’s plans concerning the island and his proposed salt works the family knew little, for they questioned me close as to what he told me of the matter.  What he spent on the island in lumber, brick, etc., was lost, as they knew nothing of the particulars of the expenditure.  The madam remained at her fathers, and the slaves at the works.

* * * * *

I make some money.