8

The Executive Board appropriated $250 for immediate -
- distribution in this locality, and its Educational Committee re-
moved 8. A. Cadwallader from Camp Rucker to Mason’s Island.
In the latter part of the Seventh month, Louisa J. Roberts
and. George. W. Robins were appointed by the Executive Board to
yisit Mason’s Island and other localities in the vicinity of Wash-
ington, and, upon their return in the Eighth month, a written
report was submitted, from which the following is extracted :

“J found the island more crowded than when I left, a week before.
The measles had broken out among both children and mothers. The
promiscuous herding together of men and women in the barracks had
been forbidden. ‘The doctor had been appointed surgeon of the island,
and the opening of a hospital sanctioned.

« All these things were most encouraging, and though so many were
suffering with measles, other diseases were on the decrease. I do not
think it is too much to say, that the presence of those on the island who.
manifested a desire to benefit the suffering people there, has, in no small
degree, assisted in bringing about this change for the better.

“Going through the barracks the day after my arrival, and inquiring
about the necessities of the people, I found that many would gladly sub-
stitute loaf-bread for the cakes lightened with soda which they were
using. I went over to Georgetown and bought of a baker a quantity of
yeast, which I distributed among them. This led to the inquiry of how
they were to bake it. One old woman said, ‘She had no spider; that
there was nothing of the sort in all the barracks where she stayed.” ‘ Why
aunty, how does thee bake thy bread? I inquired. ‘I rolls it up in de
ashes,’ was the reply; and it was true, In all that barrack, where more
than one hundred: found shelter, there was not a single convenience
for baking their flour into bread. The same I found to be true of the
adjoining one. In each of the others, one or two individuals had spiders
and Dutch ovens, which were kept constantly in use by the owners and
others,—many waiting till far in the night to obtain the use of them. I
thought I could not do a better charity than to purchase several ovens,
to be kept by responsible women for the use of the barracks. I procured
nine, at seven cents per pound, making a total cost of $12 22. Colonel
Green being on the island when they were brought over, I called his at-
~ tention to the extreme destitution of the people, especially in their means
of cooking. He apologized for it by saying that it could not be helped,
that Government will do for them all that is required, but that it takes time.

«These poor colored dependents must wait until the soldiers are served.
“They are dying for the bare necessaries of life, not that there is insuffi-
cient food provided, for there is an abundance even to wastefulness, but
the want of means of cooking it properly causes much suffering,