176 SUCCESS WITH SMALL FRUITS. 



some with the basest purposes. Walking continually back 

 and forth through the fields, therefore, are two duly author- 

 ized constables, and their presence only prevents a great 

 deal of crime. Moreover, according to Virginian law, every 

 landholder has the right to arrest thieves and trespassers. 

 Up to the time of our visit, five persons had been arrested, 

 and the fact that they were all white does not speak very well 

 for our color. The lavv^ of the state requires that they shall be 

 punished by so many lashes, according to the gravity of the 

 offence, and by imprisonment. The whipping-post is one of 

 the institutions, and man or woman, white or black, against 

 whom the crime of stealing is proved, is stripped to the 

 waist and lashed upon the bare back. Such ignominious 

 punishment may prevent theft, but it must tend to destroy 

 every vestige of self-respect and pride in criminals, and ren- 

 der them hopelessly reckless. Therefore, it should cease at 

 once. 



It must be admitted, however, that very little lawlessness 

 was apparent. In no instance have I received a i-ude word 

 while travelling in the South, while on the other hand, the 

 courtesy and kindness were almost unstinted. 



The negroes about Norfolk certainly do not wear an in- 

 timidated or '' bull-dozed " air. 



" Git off my row, dar, or I '11 bust yo' head open," shouted 

 a tall, strapping colored girl to a white man, and he got off 

 her row with alacrity. 



Mr. Young says that the negro laborers are easily man- 

 aged, and will endure a great deal of severity if you deal 

 " squarely " with them ; but if you wrong them out of even 

 five cents, they will never forget it. What's more, every 

 citizen of " Blackville " will be informed of the fact, for 

 what one knows they all seem to know very soon. 



We were not long in learning to regard the strawberry 



