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natural productions of the plantation, as plantains, yams, potatoes, caflada and 

 greens, which they have in great abundance every where : they are obliged to be ac- 

 tive and vigilant by day, and much expoied to the fun when their ftationis in the field ; 

 but at nights their occupations vary with the employments of the feafon, for in plant- 

 ing and weeding times, they can reft to the dawn of day ; but when the labours of the 

 year are to be collected in a fliort fpace, time becomes more precious, and they, like 

 the induftrious Haves, frequently undrefled, are obliged to watch by fpells every night, 

 and to engage with equal vigour in the toils of the day ; while the planter and the 

 overfeer pafs the mid-night hours in interrupted flumbers, anxious to fccure the re- 

 ward of their annual labours j which, an unfeafonable guft of wind, or heavier rains, 

 would undoubtedly deftroy, or a trifling accident retard : and happy is he, who at 

 this feafon can have fervants, on whofe activity and inclinations he may depend -, or 

 whom health and vigour will allow to attend in perfon. 



The Negroes who conftitute the laft clafs of the inhabitants of this country, are, 

 for the moft part, the property of the Whites ; and bought and fold like every other 

 commodity in the country, being always reckoned a part of their eftates either real 

 or perfonal : they live in huts or fmall thatched cabbins, fuftained by crotchets, whofe 

 interfpaces are laticed, and plaiftered or dawbed with clay ; thefe are difpofed in the 

 form of villages, in proper places 5 and generally divided into two rooms, for the greater 

 conveniency of the inhabitants. They are commonly allowed a few yards of blan- 

 ket, or coarfe linens every year, which ferves to protect them a little from the cold in 

 the more inclement feafons ; and keep them warm, andfecure from the open air, when 

 £ck: they generally provide themfelves with food in the country parts, and for this pur- 

 pofe every planter fupplies his Haves with a rich and convenient piece of ground, where 

 they are obliged to employ the Lord's day, as well as the few other hours (a) allowed 

 them, both to ftock the ground and provide provifions for the following week ; and 

 yet the produce of thefe few hours labour, is not only fufficient to fupply them with 

 plenty in a feafonable year, but affords enough to furnim the neighbouring markets 

 alfo. Every plantation, however, is provided with a plantain-walk, and quantities 

 of yams and corn, to fupply the new, and the infirm ; and to relieve the others in an 

 unfeafonable year, or when their own provifions fail. 



When we confider the inconveniencies under which thefe creatures labour, the 

 toils they are obliged to undergo, the viciffitudes of heat and cold, to which they are 

 expofed, and the grofTnefs of their food in general ; we ought not to be furprized if 

 they had been ftill more flothful and fickly than they are commonly obferved to be ; 

 or if the difeafes to which they are obnoxious, had differed more apparently from 



: thefe are indeed frequently of a peculiar nature, and require a confum- 

 mate knowledge of fymptoms and diforders, to difcover the real fources of them ; 

 yet the owners, whofe intereft depends chiefly on their welfare, will commit them to 

 the care of fome raw youth, or ignorant aflumer, that is hardly {killed enough to 

 breath a vein, or difpenfe a dofe of phyfic : but this proceeds more from ignorance 

 and vanity, than any. real want of humanity j for few of them are judges of phyfic,' and 

 each would be thought to have a doctor of his own ; and thefe have in the courfe of 

 time, introduced fuch methods of practice in thofe colonies, that you may now frequent- 

 ly obferve gentlemen of the firft confequence, to be vomited and bliftered to death in a 

 yellow fever, and the ladies, poifoned with bark in verminous inflammations ; while 



(a) In the country parts of this Ifland, every plantation Negroe is allowed a Saturday afternoon, or 

 fome other afternoon in the week, to ftock and manure his particular patch of ground, which he gene- 

 rally plants in caflada, yams, potatoes, Indian and Guinea corn ; and on Sunday they provide provifions 

 for the enfuing week, and fend fome to market, to fupply themfelves with a little fait beef, pork or fifh, 

 and a little rum, which are the greateft dainties they can come at, unlefs a cat, a rat, or dog fall in their 



It is true, many of them raife a few poultry, and other ftock ; but thefe they generally fell to enable 



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