9a« JAMAICA, 



of it, the ether end of the flick, having a noofe made oTftrono; twine, 

 is bent fo as almofl to touch the trap; the noofe is conduced to the 

 infide, and the twine hitched by means of a fmall peg lo difpoled, 

 that, in approaching the bait, the rat is forced to difplace it ; the ftick 

 i> then fet at liberty to recoil, and the rat, being caught in the noofe, 

 is inftantly fqueezed to death. This trade is very profitable ; for, over 

 and above a dated reward of rum for a certain number of tails, the 

 bjdies are fold among the other Negroes : fome of thefe rat-catchers 

 are fo Ikilful as to take a thoufand per week, fo that the Turkifli 

 bafhas of ten tails make no figure, when compared with thefe fable 

 baflias of ten hundred. Nor is this their fole advantage ; the emolu- 

 ments they earn are of luch importance, as to recommend them ftrongly 

 to the favourable opinion of the black ladies, who emulate each other 

 in their careilci', with a view to participate either of the capture, or 

 the profits arifing from it. 



The terriers, particularly thofe of Scotland, would be found very 

 iifeful here, in tracking and digging out the firfl-mentioned fpecies, or 

 water-rat; and, by deflroying the females, their numbers might in 

 time be leifened; though it is now impofiible to extirpate them en- 

 tirely by any method ; even when they are well cleared by poifoning 

 from one plantation, new colonies very foon arrive from the neighbour- 

 ing woods and efiates to fupply their place, and generate a new flock 

 of free- hooters. 



The firfl: and fccond fpecies, which are beft diftinguifhed by the 

 name of domeftic rats, are certain prognoflicators of i-ainy or blowing 

 weather, when they are more than ordinarily noify and adive about 

 dwelling-houfes. They haften thitlier for fhelter about twenty-four 

 hours before the change happens, and leave them again after the wea- 

 ther grows fair. 



C H A P. 



