274 The Natural Historg 



to kill his Master, who used all Means he could to save his 

 Life, but to no purpose, for the Country insisted on having 

 the Law put in execution against him. 



The Negroes that most commonly rebel, are those brought 

 from Guinea, who have been inured to War and Hardship 

 all their lives ; few born here, or in the other Provinces have 

 been guilty of these vile Practices, except over-persuaded by 

 the former, whose Designs they have sometimes discovered to 

 the Christians; some of whom have been rewarded with 

 their Freedom for their good Services ; but the Peader must 

 observe, that they are not allowed to be Witnesses in any 

 Cases whatever, only against one another. 



There are some Christians so charitable as to have the 

 Negroes born in the Country, baptized and instructed in the 

 Christian Faith in their Infancy, which gives them an ab- 

 horance of the Temper and Practice of those who are brought 

 from Guinea, This Freedom does not in the least exempt 

 them from their Master's Servitude, whatever others may 

 imagine to the contrary, who believe them to be at their own 

 Liberty as soon as they have received Baptism. The Plan- 

 ters call these Negroes thus Baptized, by any whimsical 

 Name their Fancy suggests, as Jupiter, Mars, Venus, Diana, 

 Strawberry, Violet, Drunkard, Beaddy Money, Piper, Fid- 

 ler, &c. 



Their Marriages are generally performed amongst them- 

 selves, there being very little ceremony used upon that Head ; 

 for the Man makes the Woman a Present, such as a Brass 

 Bing or some other Toy, which if she accepts of, becomes his 

 Wife; but if ever they part frOm each other, which fre- 

 quently happens, upon any little Disgust, she returns his 

 Present: These kind of Contracts no longer binding them, 

 than the Woman keeps the Pledge given her. It frequently 



happens, 



