BOOK II. CHAP. XIII. 267 



nerally drank here diluted with water; and in this ftate it may be 

 regarded as a very powerful antifeptic. They arc exceflxvely fond 

 of chocolate, which fome drink morning and afternoon in pre- 

 ference to tea. Formerly the men ufed to indulge in 2^ Jicjlo in 

 their hammocks every day after dinner. They drefled in waiftcoats 

 and caps ; never wearing coats nor wigs, except at church, or on 

 public occafions. Thefe modes, copied from the Spaniards, have 

 long been difufed ; and at prefent they follow the Englifti fafhions, 

 only fludyingcoolnefs andeafe. They indulge in the fruits of the 

 country, particularly fuch as are mod nutritious; and fwallow 

 pepper without moderation, which is alfo the principal ingredient 

 m their oHos or pepper-pots, a compofition highly efteemed here 

 even by the Europeans. 



The planters of this ifland have been very unjuftly ftigmatized ^ 

 with an accufiition of treating their Negroes with barbarity. Some 

 alledge, that thefe Have-holders (as they are pleafed to call them, 

 in contempt) are lawlefs bafhaws, Weft-India tyrants, inhuman 

 oppreflbrs, bloody inquifitors, and a long, &c, of fuch pretty names. 

 The planter, in reply to thefe bitter inveftives, will think it fuffi- 

 cientto urge, in the firit place, that ^^ did not make them flaves, 

 but fucceeded to the inheritance of their fervices in the fame man- 

 ner as an Englifli Yquire fucceeds to the eftate of his anceftors ; and 

 that, as to his Africans, he buys their fervices from thofe who have 

 all along pretended a very good right to fell; that it cannot be for 

 his intereft to treat his Negroes in the maimer reprefented ; but that 

 it isfo to ufe them well, and preierve their vigour and exigence as 

 long as he is able. The antagonifts, though willing to allow that 

 he is felf-interefted in all he does, can hardly admit this plea; 

 although it is evident, that the more mercenary a planter's dilpofi- 

 tion is, the ftronger muft the obligation grow upon him to treat 

 his labourers well, fince his own profit, which he is fuppoied. 

 alone to confult, muft neceftkrily prompt him to it. In proving him 

 therefore to be fuch a mercenary wretch, they eftedually confute 

 the charge of cruel ufage; fince the one is utterly incompatible with 

 the other [r]. " But," lays Mr. Sharpe, brandiftiing his two- 

 edged 



[r] Elquemeling, who was himfelf an indented fetvant to the French Weft-India company 

 about the year 1664, has defcrlbed very feelingly the diffsreuce between the condition ot a Ne- 



M in 2 groe- 



