BOOK III. CHAP. II. 389 



parents confider their own offspring, as creatures wholly in their 

 power, to be difpofed of jufi: as they think proper. The children 

 uniformly follow the condition of their mother: if (lie is a Have, 

 they continue fuch, though the father be free. All their work is 

 performed by their women and flaves, and the latter are in place of 

 beads of burthen. Hence the chief riches among all the Negroe 

 dates confid in the number of their (laves. If they treat them at 

 any time with particular indulgence, it appears to arife folely from 

 the advantages derived from their fervice, and the fear of their 

 elopement; but the third offence of this fort is punillied by death,. 

 or fale to the traders, at the pleafure of their owner; their care of 

 the children of their flaves is founded upon the fame interefled 

 motive; for thefe are their wealth: and many breed flaves, like 

 cattle, to make profit by the fale of them, either to the more opu- 

 lent natives, or to the Black or White traders. Before the Euro- 

 peans traded to this coaft, their flaves, as well as prifoners of war,- 

 ufed to be facrificed' to their divinities ; flaughtered or buried alive 

 at the funerals of their princes and chief men, and at all great 

 feafts. Slaves and prifoners were indifcriminately devoured; and 

 in fome provinces were regular markets, at which the aged and 

 infirm were publicly fold for thefe ufes. There is even fome reafon 

 to believe, that in the interior countries thefe cufloms ftill prevail 

 in a degree, though much fewer are butchered than former! 3^ 

 Indeed, the profits by felling in trade all thofe whom formerly they 

 ufed to put to death, in fo m.)ny various modes, and for various 

 caufes, either from revenge or fuperflition, for food or amufement, 

 are io great, that it is probable but very few of their flaves, prifoners, 

 and criminals, are now put to death. As they confider their flaves 

 merely as their neceffary beaR-s during life, fo they treat theii: bodies 

 with no mark of humanity after their deceafe. In moft of the 

 provinces they do not beflow even interment upon them, but throw 

 their carcaffes in any open place, and leave them a prey to wild 

 animals; in a few. places only they cover them with earth, but 

 without any ceremony. 



The emoluments they draw from their flaves, in one way or 

 other, operate as a perpetual incentive to tiieir encouraging popula- 

 tion. 



