Our new cabin was not any better than the one we left at the old plantation in Virginia. In fact, it was worse in one respect. Our cabin in Virginia was at least surrounded by pure air at all times. Here, we were in the midst of cabins clustered together. Since there were no sanitary regulations, the filth around us was unbearable.

Our neighbors were a motley mixture of colored people and some of the poorest and most ignorant white folks. There was drinking, gambling, and shockingly immoral behavior taking place all too often. Everyone who lived there was involved with the salt business in one way or another.