It certainly softens some part of the horrid idea of slavery, to see
that slaves possess, notwithstanding their humiliated condition, a
mind which allows them to enjoy happiness whenever it may fall
within their reach; or whenever their masters are fortunately of so
humane and just a disposition as to look upon them as fellow-
creatures, and to consider them as entitled to some reasonable share
of the comforts of life. It would be unjust no.t to add, that this
disposition in their masters is very common, especially m Cape
Town. And though, probably, their humanity may often be attributable
to self-interest, which bids them take every care of so valuable
a part of their property, yet it is not for us to make a nice
distinction in- the motives, so long as the benefit which the poor
slave enjoys from it, is equal in.both cases.
T h e m o s t valuable slaves are.the. Malays; especially such as have
been born at Cape Town. These are instructed in all the common
mechanical arts, and in every useful employment for which they
may be found to have suitable capacities. The males are taught to
be carpenters, cabinet-makers, masons, shoemakers, tailors, cooks,
coachmen, valets, or handicraftsmen of any kind: while the females
fill the stations of mantua-maker, cook, nurse, or of various other
domestic servants. In dexterity these coachmen excel all our
boasted and most accomplished “ whips,” even of the first ra te ;
for it is a common sight in Cape Town, to see a Malay standing
long paardewagen, driving six horses at full trot, and turning, the
c o r n e r s o f the streets with the greatest facility.
The Malays consider themselves, superior to all other slaves;
and look , down on the Hottentots as a very inferior race, who, they
say, are descended from orang-outangs. They pride themselves not
a little on their fine, long, glossy, black hair ; and, notwithstanding
their swarthy complexion, their countenances are often handsome.
Some of them, whose fathers during several generations have been
whites, are quite as fair as any European. They are clever, good,
and generally faithful servants; but very sensible of insult, and
mindful and revengeful of past injuries.
The value of a Malay slave varies according to his known
character and qualifications; the price is sometimes as high as
5000 rix dollars, and 'appeared to me (in 1815), to be still on the
increase; a circumstance which may be attributed both to the.
abolition of that disgusting trade, and to the increasing demand for
servants. For a valet, whom I wished to have hired during my
stay in Cape Town, I was to have paid to his owner thirty rix
dollars per month; and to have clothed and fed him. And this was
considered so reasonable a sum, that another person quickly accepted
the bargain before me. Speaking generally; it may be said
that no white man is hired as a menial servant; he would consider
it a degradation to do, as they term it, the work of a slave:
and I believe that whites, in all slave-countries, entertain similar
sentiments.
The number of free Malays, the descendants of those who have
received manumission, is considerable; and by keeping petty shops,
and applying their industry in various ways, either as mechanics or as
dealers, they often accumulate property; a thing which the improvident
Hottentot, though born free, is scarcely ever known to do.
The Mozambique and Madagascar slaves are at once distinguished
from the Malays by their black colour, woolly hair, and
negro countenance. These are faithful, patient, and good servants:
they are put to various employments; but principally to. those
which are the most laborious. Slaves of this.race are still occasionally
brought into the colony, by means of those captured ships
which are too often found trading contrary to the Abolition Act,
and are condemned here as legal prizes. These vessels have contained
each, on an average, about 250 slaves : these are assigned by
Government to different masters, for the term of fourteen years, as
apprentice-slaves; but it is to be hoped that this source of importation
will soon cease altogether. Nothing that the most able and
ingenious advocates for slavery have advanced, can stand against that
powerful objection, that it is a practice morally wrong, and directly
contrary to the best and dearest feelings of human nature.
The ceremony of marriage is seldom or never used among the