INTRODUCTION. 23 



proved very obstinate and would not work; 

 and was therefore (as was usual) whipped 

 with the cow-hide, in the same way as the 

 negroes. The old man, nevertheless, in 

 spite of this great punishment, still persist- 

 ing in his obstinacy, the gentlemen chose 

 to give him his liberty, and kept the two 

 boys to work out the sum. Now I " only 

 blame the captains of ships for holding out 

 such favourable prospects to the emigrants 

 as a persuasion, which they know at the 

 same time to be false ; for it cannot be 

 supposed those captains can give them 

 passage and provisions without repayment 

 in some way or other : but the fact is that 

 they do this by way of profit, and on the 

 other side the water they get the same sum 

 as from passengers to this. As to the gen- 

 tlemen who bought these three men, I can 



