Page:Annual report of the superintendent of Negro Affairs in North Carolina, 1864.djvu/18

16 who left the District enriched with ill-gotten gains, filched by fraud from the ignorant poor, who became the easy dupes of their knavery. Of the three great scourges of mankind, famine, pestilence, and war, this District has suffered severely from two, the past year. If under these disadvantages the colored people have accomplished anything for themselves, the fact is promising for the days of peace and liberty which are yet to come. During the winter, small pox raged fearfully, and in the autumn, yellow fever swept our city with the besom of destruction. The former disease proved more fatal to the blacks, the latter to the whites. In February, full fifty per week died of small pox, and in October nearly as many per day, of yellow fever. The small pox was not arrested until the hospital for its treatment had been removed across the river Neuse, and the patients separated from all possible intercourse with their friends. It was difficult to make them report new cases. They would frequently conceal those attacked with it under blankets and beds, and hide them in their houses, even after dissolution had taken place, so gregarious are they, as they burrow together in their filthy cabins, so ignorant are they of the value of skilful medical treatment. This is the sum of a negro's ailments—he has a "right smart misery" somewhere; and his materia medica consists of roots, herbs, and castor oil! It became necessary to burn the clothing and many of the houses of the colored people who were attacked with this loathsome disease. Those of them who went to hospital were made comfortable, were skilfully treated, carefully nursed, and furnished, on leaving, with a new suit of clothes throughout; yet they preferred to die in rags at home, rather than go to hospital. But for the timely benefactions at that time received from the "Friends" in Philadelphia, and from the American Missionary Association, hundreds of these convalescents would have been naked and penniless. Of the yellow fever, in September, October, and November, my report need not speak officially, except so far as it reached the colored population, and affected the management of negro affairs. My office, like those of other officers, was despoiled, and depleted. My chief clerk, James G. Gardner, of Boston, was among the earlier victims; my assistant at Beaufort, Mr. Charles