U .J A M A I C A. 



iiiduftry and labour of fo many ufcful h.,nd3, transferred by this 

 fraudulent mode, of conveyance to a foreign ftate, are more than a 

 lo's to tl.cir owners ; they are a lofs to the whole Britilh commu- 

 nity. The governors of Jamaica have not been wanting to lend 

 every affirtance in their power towards recovery of thefe fugitives, 

 or rather ftolcn goods, by fending requifitorial letters to the Spanilh 

 commanders ; but with fo little effe6l, that feme Britifh frigates, 

 'jvhich lince the late peace were fent with thefe difpatches to the 

 Havannah and other Spanifh ports, were fhot at from their forts, 

 and ordered to depart without coming to an anchor. Our flag was 

 infulted, but no redrefs given. Expoftulations on this head have 

 been made, as I have heard, to as little purpofe in Europe. The 

 alcaldes here, like thofe of America, are equally bigots wlien 

 the cant of religious fophiflry is required to fanttify bafe atlions. 



A Negroe, flying from our colony to Cuba, or kidnapped thither, 

 becomes the property of the Spanilh crown, that is, of a Spanifh 

 alcalde. The ftupid, illiterate wretch is prefently admitted into 

 the bofom of holy mother-church, and flraight becomes a l>uef2o 

 cathoUco, and a Spanifh fubje£l. He continues, however, in a ftate 

 of fervitude, and earns a weekly fum for his raafter, who muft 

 pay a. certain proportion of it into the royal coffers, or give him up 

 to labour on the fortifications, until the confederate gang of Ne- 

 groes there can make up a purfe for him. He then goes before 

 another of thefe officers, and intimates that he has wherewithal to 

 purchafe his freedom. The owner is fummoned ; and, the fum 

 being fixed at a certain moderate rate, his mafter is obliged to take 

 the money, and grant a manumiffion. By this cafy method, thefe 

 deferters foon acquire their freedom, and with very little pains are 

 able, by cultivating tobacco, breeding poultry and hogs, making 

 chip-hats, fegars, and other trifling articles, to earn a comfortable 

 livelihood among fuch a fet of haughty and indolent beings, who 

 fcorn to fully their noble hands with vulgar occupations. Such 

 being the encouragements held out to our Negroes, and the 

 pafliage fo eafily made, it is only aftoniihing that the defedion is 

 not greater. It may be urged, that our Negroes, having once 

 tafted the fweets of lb eafy a life, and fraught with the moll: per- 

 nicious fuperftitions [5'], would be ufelcfs, if not dangerous, if they 



[7] For cxftm^ le, " t!i u it is meritorious to kill heretics." 



were 



