1830.] United Stales of America, and British Went Indies. 531 



fall in a line. This is done about the 17th of March. By means of flood- 

 gates, the water is then permitted to flow over the fields, and to remain 

 on the ground five days at the depth of several inches. The object of 

 this drenching is to sprout the seeds, as it is technically called. The 

 water is next drawn off, and the ground allowed to dry until the rice 

 has risen to what is termed four leaves high, or between three and four 

 inches. This requires about a month. The fields are then again over- 

 flowed, and they remain submerged for upwards of a fortnight to destroy 

 the grass and weeds. These processes bring matters to the J 7th of May, 

 after which the ground is allowed to remain dry till the 15th of July, 

 during which interval it is repeatedly hoed, to remove such weeds as 

 have not been effectually drowned, and also to loosen the soil. The 

 water is then, for the last time, introduced, in order that the rice may be 

 brought to maturity, and it actually ripens while standing in the water. 

 The harvest commences about the end of August, and extends into Octo- 

 ber. It is all cut by the male slaves, who use a sickle, while the women 

 make it up into bundles. As it seems that no ingenuity has yet been 

 able to overcome the difficulty of thrashing the grains out by machinery 

 without breaking them, the whole of this part of the process is done with 

 hand-flails in a court-yard. 



" The grains of this plant grow on separate pedicles^ or little fruit-stalks, 

 springing from the main stalk. The whole head forms what a botanist 

 would call a spiked panicle ; that is, something between a spike like 

 wheat, and a panicle like oats. After being thrashed, the next process 

 is to detach the outer husk by passing the rice between a pair of mill- 

 stones removed to a considerable distance from each other. The inner 

 pellicle, or film, which envelops the grain, is removed by trituration in 

 mortars under heavy pestles." 



It is then thoroughly winnowed, and being packed in casks, is ready 

 for sale.* 



" The cultivation of rice was described to me as by far the most un- 

 healthy work in which the slaves were employed; and, in spite of every 

 care, that they sank under it in great numbers. The causes of this dread- 

 ful mortality are the constant moisture and heat of the atmosphere, to- 

 gether with the alternate floodings and dryings of the fields on which 

 the negroes are at work, often ancle-deep in the mud, with their bare 

 heads exposed to the fierce rays of the sun. At such seasons every white 

 man leaves the spot as a matter of course, and proceeds inland to the 

 high grounds,f or some other healthy station." 



Ingenious tradesmen were among the slaves attached to this, as is 

 universally the case in extensive West India estates, although in the 

 latter colonies the unhealthy cultivation of rice is, happily, not amongst 

 the list of grievances. 



The domestic habits of the slaves on this and other estates in Carolina, 

 according to Capt. Hall's information, are not interfered with, except in 

 matters of police. " We don't care what they do when their tasks are over. 

 Their morals and manners are in their own keeping. The men may 

 have, for instance, as many wives as they please, so long as they do not 

 quarrel about such matters." 



Preachers are not allowed to interfere with the duties of the slaves 

 towards their master. "Can any of them read and write ?" asked Capt. 



* Hall's Travels, vol. iii. pp. 163. 186. t Hall's Travels, vol. iii. p. 188. 



3Y2 



