African Immigrants After Freedom. 81 



possible over the colony, in order that any vicious or superstitious 

 practices to which they may be addicted might not be perpetuated 

 by their being kept together ; 



(4) Twenty he thought a sufficiently large number for any 

 one estate. 



The locations then made were : — 



76 



89 



Total ... 165 



The Governor added : — 



" The labourers will remain unindentured, make their own 



bargains for daily, weekly or monthly work ; and after giving 



the estates above-mentioned a fair trial, if dissatisfied they are 



of course free agents, and may remove themselves to any part 



of the colony in which they think they will be better off." 



But this non-indenture period did not last long. 



It was becoming more and more patent that to one who is not ready 



for it freedom is a fatal gift. It is entrusting a boy with a razor. He becomes 



a danger to the community and most of all to himself. The Abolitionist 



hailed Emancipation Day as solving the Negro Question. Make the 



Negro free, said he, — and " story done." It was not done ; it began. 



The last years of Slavery in this colony did far less damage to the black 



man than the first years of Freedom. The cruelty inflicted was 



thoughtless, but none the less cruel because of that. The Abolitionist 



failed to investigate or face the facts. The unhappy and untutored 



Freedman met them and was hurt by them. And what happened with the 



Freedman of the First of August happened with the African Immigrant. 



" Free to remove himself to any part of the colony in which he 



thought he would be better off," he did so. His stay on the estate was 



too short to benefit either himself or the planter. The Imperial 



Government's idea was : we wish to save you from bound service with 



the planter such as would savour of slavery. From that he escaped, 



