/wallow their tongue, which, choaks them upon the fpot,
when they drop- dead in the prefence o f their matters.
But when negroes are fenfible o f having’deferved'correction,
no people can be'more humble, or bear their un-
■ happy fate! with greater refigriation. The fwallowing o f
•the tongue, which they,■ only pradfife during the moments
o f fevere difcipline^ has of latebeCn prevented in Surinam
by the humane method o f holding a fire-brand to
the vidtim’s mouth, which anfwers the double purpofe Of
burning his face, and diverting his attention from the execution
Of his fatal determination. Some have a practice
o f eating common earthy. by* whirih the ftomach- is prevented
from performing its ordinary! fundtionss,' arid thifs
difpatch themfelves without .any. immediate pain, but
'linger .perhaps for a twelvemonth in the moft debilitated
and fhocking condition.: Againft thefe - ground-eatefis
the fevereft punifhments are decreed by the lawsr but
without much effedt, as they are feldöm Setèdted- in this
adt o f defperation.
After thefe general remarks upon the mental and bo’>-
dily faculties of the African negroes, we fhall next proceed
to view them in a ftate of bondage, mndet all t-hfe
oppreffion they are .expofed to from the rod of barbarotfe
tyranny; then, refeuing them, from this horrid' feene, we
will next confider them as protected by impartial juftice,
and frittered by the mild hand of tendernefs and humanity.
The reader may remember that I havé already intro-
a duced
duced the flav^s as landing from on board the Guinea c h a p .
fhtos, ancl generally Ihockirig1 inftanqeSf o f debility and XXVI*
mifery:—■
*c. Thefr vifageis (blacker than a co&I, they are not known in
'* thp^fti'éets,,their fkin pkaveth to their bones, it is withered, it is
‘[become like a ftick."
I have alio obférVèd, that under the care o f fomer old negroes^
appointed for that purpofe, they - fooh becomé fat
!and fleek, and learn the.language o f ’the colqny: they
then arc font to work in the xttrads, to which they chear-
fully fubmit; though I have feral fomè inftahees o f
n’ewly^ imported negroes refilling to work, nor could
projmifbs, threats,p re wards,'nor even blows prevail ; but
thefe had been princes Of people, of the firft rank in their
native country, who by the cafualties of war had the mis-
| fortune to become flaves,! and whofe heroic fentiménts
ftill preferred inftant death to the baferièfs arid miferies
'of fefvitudë.- Upon- thefe oöcafions I have feen the other
flayes fall upon their kririeS, and intreat the matter to
permit them to do the work required, in addition to their
own talks; which being fometimes granted, they conti-
nüed to lhew the fame refpedt; for the captive prince
that he had been acquftomed to receive in his own. country.
I remember once to have had a remarkable ^good-
looking new negro to attend me, whofe ancles and. wrifts
being much galled by chains, I enquired the caufe. “ My
“ father,” faid he, “ was a king, and treacheroufly muriC
dered