156 EAMBLES AFTEE SPOET. 



putting Massa in a fix. Tlie experiment is being 

 tried of introducing Coolie labour^ to see if the nigger 

 can be stimulated to exertion by emulation^ but I very 

 much doubt it. The soil of Jamaica is so productive, 

 that an acre or two of ground_, the rent of which rarely 

 exceeds 21., is sufficient to support a large family in the 

 necessaries of life. The only reason that induces the 

 nigger to work at all, is his need of clothes and salt fish, 

 large quantities of which latter they consume to correct 

 their excessive vegetable diet; and when they have 

 earned sufficient to find themselves in these two articles, 

 nothing will induce them to work any more. 



In truth, the nigger is a hard nut to crack; it is 

 difficult to say what to do with him. It is aU very well 

 for philanthropists and Exeter Hall enthusiasts at home, 

 who have probably never seen a negro in their lives, 

 except perhaps behind some gentleman's carriage, to 

 inveigh against the terrible evil, the infamous blot, of 

 slavery. No doubt it is a very great evil ; but the 

 thing is, can anything better be devised for the negro ? 

 Most certain it is that he was far better ofi" in every 

 respect when he was a slave. He was far better 

 clothed, fed, and attended to, and, in ninety-nine cases out 

 of a hundred, extremely well treated. As a free member 

 of society he is by far the most objectionable and useless 

 individual I know of. He won't work unless actually 

 compelled to by hunger, and he delights in thwarting 

 you in every way ; and all this is done with an air of 

 mock humility or extreme insolence that is very annoy- 

 ing. The two leading traits in their character struck 

 me as being cruelty to animals and total want of 

 sequence of ideas. In their cruelty to animals and 

 human beings they almost rival the Gauchos, who, it 



