1830.] Four Years in the West Indies. 317 



easy and contented condition, and to the abundance by which they are 

 surrounded. 



After a residence of two years in St. Vincent, he visited the equally 

 beautiful island of Grenada. He justly attributes the greater part of 

 the deaths among the sailors and soldiers in the West Indies more to the 

 grog shops than to the climate. " If Jack goes on shore, Jack gets 

 drunk ; the consequence is, Jack gets a fever, and Jack dies." It is 

 equally impossible to prevent frequent excess and dangerous exposure 

 amongst the soldiery.* 



Several chapters are dedicated to the subject of slavery. The ques- 

 tion of emancipation is discussed in a sensible and dispassionate manner. 

 " To say that the slaves in general are as happy as the lower class of 

 poor in England would be to fix upon them the stamp of misery : for 

 though there are those who would deceive us, though there are those 

 who would tell us that England is in the midst of her prosperity, and 

 that her poor, while they are breathing the light air of liberty, are eat- 

 ing the sweet bread of joy ; yet, thank Heaven, we have eyes, and we 

 have ears, and while the former are open to the truth, the latter will be 

 closed upon the deception. 



" We have the starving at our doors, and we see the hungry and the 

 houseless in every nook and corner of our great metropolis ; and if to 

 be starving, and hungry, and houseless, be the happiness of our poor, 

 why then, I say, to place this on a level with the slaves, is like compar- 

 ing the bitter and unpleasant taste of wormwood to the sweet and grate- 

 ful flavour of honey." (p. 368.) We recommend the details cf the 

 comforts enjoyed by the labouring population of the colonies to the atten- 

 tive perusal of those who have hitherto formed their opinions upon the 

 mendacious statements of the anti-colonists ! 



The most prevalent ideas of the nature of emancipation entertained 

 by the slaves on estates is, that they will have nothing to do that they 

 will have power over their present masters that they will still be 

 allowed to retain their dwellings, land, and produce, on their masters' 

 property ; and they forget that their usual food, clothing, and the attend- 

 ance of the physician, would be immediately withdrawn. When these 

 things were explained, "they appeared perfectly astonished and con- 

 founded at the information." 



Between slaves on estates, and domestic or town negroes, Mr. Bayley 

 iraws a marked distinction ; the former being in every respect much 

 superior, as a class, to the latter j whilst the emancipated slaves are the 

 most degraded of all. Speaking of their condition, it is said that te the 

 bodies of these unfortunate persons cannot be in a more lean, wasted, 

 and emaciated condition, than their minds are in a state of low, immoral, 

 and uncultivated degradation/' The females, on the other hand, " grow 

 fat upon the bread of prostitution, and draw their finery and their sup- 

 port from the foulest sources of shame, of infamy, and guilt." When 

 decrepit old age, and the curse of poverty comes upon them, many of 

 them implore their ancient masters to receive them back again into 

 servitude. 



* " Sangaree da kill de captain, 



Oh lor, he must die, 

 New rum kill de sailor, 

 Oh lor, he must die," &c. 



