ETHNOGRAPHY. 



159 



by the sense of association; and the principle of combination 

 for the common weal has been fully sustained wherever they 

 have settled in any numbers ; in fact, the whole Yarraba family 

 in the colony may be said to form a sort of social league for 

 mutual support and protection. 



The emancipated class and their descendants bear the dis- 

 tinctive characteristics of the three European nations with which 

 they were more intimately connected ; and these characteristics 

 are, to a certain extent, borne out by the external appearance 

 and deportment of the three specimens : the French negro 

 resembling in these respects a French European ; the Spanish, a 

 Spaniard ; and the English negro, an Englishman. There are, 

 however, some general traits which may be taken as an index to 

 the distinctive peculiarities in the character of the emancipated 

 class. 



For too many years the recollections of slavery seemed to 

 have acted on their faculties as an incubus, and for many years 

 they remained, in general, averse to predial occupations, and to 

 the hired labour of the cane fields especially. Lately, however, 

 there has been an improvement in this respect : they no more 

 nourish a sort of repugnance to all kinds of agricultural pur- 

 suits, giving preference and precedence to any petty trade and 

 pedling occupation or handicraft. This improvement I mainly 

 attribute to the example set by labourers from the sister colonies, 

 I who come here every year to assist in taking up the crop ; also 

 I by the class of small proprietors, who cultivate their own grounds 

 J and can show their profits. They begin to understand that 

 agricultural occupations are not degrading whilst they can be 

 made profitable. 



Excessively fond of display and of appearing to the best 

 advantage in dress, they mistake vanity for that rational pride 

 j which ought to govern human actions. Singularly improvident, 

 they do not seem to think for a moment of the necessity of 

 I economy, in order to meet and alleviate cases of sickness, acci- 

 dents, or other contingencies of the future. They are indolent, 

 and great amateurs of amusements ; pleasure is apparently their 

 main affair, for which they will neglect more serious occupations ; 

 nd yet it cannot be said that the negro is lazy, as he can and 

 loes work hard at times. He is generally of gay disposition, 

 *)ut highly sensitive, and will raise quarrels for a trifle, especially 



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