the means of increasing the native negroes as cultivators of the colonial
ground. The planters know, by experience, how much better a
creole-negro is than one brought from- the' coast of Africa. The
creole shews more attachment to his master, and he has learnt
from his earliest days the custom Of the country, and the true method
of labouring in the fields. It is evidently then the planter’s best
interest, and most conducive to his present profit, to encourage matrimony
among his negroes, to which, indeed,, due attention is paid
in the principal estates. A negro receives for each child, even if
it is not an year old, the same provision as he does for himself,
which, to a family of four or five children, is a very considerable
advantage, especially as in this climate they are at no expense for
cloathing. A female negro, when she becomes advanced in her
pregnancy, has an indulgence in working less, and when she is delivered
is allowed to stay a fortnight at home ; after which she presents
her child to the master, and requests him to give it a name. —•
But those owners of plantations who reside in town have found
that the female negroes, during their absence, often miscarry, either
from the little care they take of themselves, or from their not having
been sufficiently indulged in the article of labour; on which account
many of these planters, when their negroes become advanced
in pregnancy, 'order them to town, and they remain under proper
care, in their houses, till their delivery. By this means abortion has
often been prevented ; and I have seen, on several plantations, a set
of fine thriving negro children, who often come to the houses of their
masters, and attach themselves to the family; and frequent instances
have occurred, when some of them have received their emancipation,
by the death of their masters, that they have refused to accept
it, expressing their desire to serve the son of their former master,
knowing that they should experience from him the same kind1 treatment
which they had reeeeved before. It is to be observed, however,
that none of the planters here, by all their endeavours, have yet
been able-to rear up as many negror children as the management
of their. plantations rtecessarily requires.
When the begrdes on the plantationibegin toffee far adAlan|«d in
age they !afrë ööfeÉgëlr obliged to work in theJfieldsj but^are employed
in fishing, watching the ground, or in gardening,: till they, become
stillefdfer, rest, i
' An aged negress is employed in feeding fowls, or serving in die
ki tdhen | and,rtf she is of a good disposition, the care of the nreele-
negro children -is entrusted ,to her.
Both ië^eê|%lïen'theylgfOW ;n>ld, particularly whehi they have; had
many children* are highly respected by all. the other megroes om the
plantations, and are also esteemed by theifi masters* 1 have seen
myself, on different plantations, some of these veteran negjsoe^ who
appear very contented and even cheerful. All these»things'.being
considered, I confess, that-the result of iny observations has greatly
diminished *thO prejudice which I brought with me from Eiiröpé,
in respeet to the situation of the negroes ihfhèitólomesi It must,
indeed, be acknowledged* - that the fate ofi the .megrpvd®pends ene«
tirely on the temper and- disposition of the-master; for while 1 bavd
found the negroes happy on some plantations, I have at' times;
in my rural walks, seen, and still heard more of, the severe correc-*
tion of others. Though instances of such cruelties as Capt; Slkriman
has mentioned, and of which he has evemgiyen some drawings, are
no longer known, yet in Our times, when a great desire is. shewn to
see die laws of all the colonies amended, it were to be wished that a
man of capacity and independence, like the late Mr. Howard, were
engaged on a voyage to visit the principal settlements, belonging to
the different European nations, with a view of making the strictest
investigation, what effect the different decrees had there when they
were first introduced, what means have been employed to see them
properly executed, and what, in the course of many years, may have
been the consequence of them; and at the same time, he should