WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA. 175 



The court of justice, where, in times of old, the bandage 

 was easily removed from the eyes of the goddess, and her 

 scales thrown out of equilibrium, now rises in dignity under 

 the iirmness, talents, and urbanity of Mr. President Eough. 



The plantations have an appearance of high cultivation ; 

 a tolerable idea may be formed of their value when you 

 know that last year Demerara numbered seventy-two 

 thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine slaves. They 

 made above forty-four million pounds of sugar, near two 

 million gallons of rum, above eleven million pounds of 

 coffee, and three million eight hundred and nineteen 

 thousand five hundred and twelve pounds of cotton ; the 

 receipt into the public chest was five hundred and fifty- 

 three thousand nine hundred and fifty- six guilders ; the 

 public expenditure, four himdred and fifty-one thousand 

 six hundred and three guilders. 



Slavery can never be defended; he whose heart is not 

 of iron can never wish to be able to defend it : while he 

 heaves a sigh for the poor negro in captivity, he wishes 

 from his soul that the traffic had been stifled in its birth ; 

 but, unfortunately, the governments of Europe nourished 

 it, and now that they are exerting themselves to do away 

 the evil, and ensure liberty to the sons of Africa, the situa- 

 tion of the plantation slaves is depicted as truly deplorable, 

 and their condition wretched. It is not so. A Briton's 

 heart, proverbially kind and generous, is not changed 

 by climate, or its streams of compassion dried up by the 

 scorching heat of a Demerara sun ; he cheers his negroes 

 in labour, comforts them in sickness, is kind to them in old 

 age, and never forgets that they are his fellow-creatures. 



Instances of cruelty and depravity certainly occur here as 

 well as all the world over ; but the edicts of the colonial 

 government are well calculated to prevent them ; and the 

 British planter, except here and there one, feels for the 



