c hap. lofs of the limb, of even of<life itfelf^iis frequently the
XXVIv t fatal confequence.puSome are infefted with feven or
eight of thefewtófm&ai & frnahgi
Bcfides^ thefe dreadful calamities* pécülikr to thèm-
fèlves, the hègroes are fubjeét tó: every complaint- coha-
mon to thé Europeans; who, in their* turnj‘are hot exempt
in Guiana from the affli&ing =and dangerous difr
tempers I have juft defcribed.
It is therefore not to be wonfe^frlat j f . many of the
plantations are crouded with mifcrable objedts,! left udder
the care of the dreffymegH orblackfurgeon only, wh'oifii
Whole ikill con-fifts in adminiftering -a dofe? o f faksp-or
fpreading- a plaifter. As to the numbers. Wh© are- elco--
riatdd- frohl their neeltdo-their heel,-by eohftant whip^
ping, they may^eure ihéi^e^fesfof^do-thfeir-W^rk- with-
out a fkin, if they think proper.* '
Thus-from accumulated miferiesp feme naturally fti#.
ceeding from the dimate add their poor (Hét, •b'iit nièfe
front the inordinate efi^ftyöf managefs/-\f-müft follow
that numerous Haves become unfit for wbrky manyfrom
weaknefr and depfceffion of fpirits, and Othefs frotrf extreme
labour becoming old before their timei*' But for all
thefe evils, this plantation cfefpot finds an infallible re-
medy, which is no other than to put- them to tleath at
once : the lofs does hot affed hini -but his matter, and- hé
is proud of Ihewing only:hich negroes; as are able to dó
their talk, alluring the owner that they* moftly died by
the
the venereal difeafe; and the word o f the human carcafe-
butcher is quite fufiicient, as no negro is allowed to give
evidence in any cafe whatever.
f* Diftio tcftijnonii non eft fcrvo hominl.”'
Yet fhould fome’ fair* European by accident prove the
murder, the délinquent efcapes, ‘as I have^obferved, by
paying'h fine o f £. 50 and the value of the Have, i f the
owner requirës-it; and! for this price o f blood he may
fiaughtër the poor wretches-whenever a temporary paf-
fion' or a habit h f .cruelty, which dsf tod .jCommonly gene-*
ratted iridifis fituatioh, prompts!Hi's hagfe'Vf f
They-havé rrioféovër mfanfy ftratagems to;evade th e
penalty, fhould évëh- the magiftrateS' be iprefent. 1 have
kno\yn it happen when ode of thefe fco urges of rthe hup
man race became tired of a negroe that he has taken him
out with him a friooting f and ordering him to dafcover
the game, the firft bird that ftarted he has fliot the* poor,
man dead upon the fpot. This'was catted! an accident^
and no farther enquiry was- made concerfiiiig it. Others
have been difpatched by the following method t—A ftake
being fattened in the middle o f aii opeh plain, the flavè
is chained to it, and expofed to the burning fun, where
onè Jill of water and a fingle plantain is brought him
daily, until he pines to death.' But this- is not called
ftarving, as his matter declares that he neither wanted
viétuals nor drink until he expired— thus he is honourably
acquitted. |
Another