THE MILL. 



141 



ertion, innumerable opportunities of displaying 

 his activity. A plantation ought to possess 

 within itself all the tradesmen which are re- 

 quired for the proper furtherance of its con- 

 cerns ; a carpenter, a blacksmith, a mason, a 

 potter, and others which it is needless to name 

 in this place. It is a manufactory as well as a 

 farm, and both these united must act in unison 

 with each other, and with the seasons of the year. 



The mill ought, properly, to commence 

 grinding the cane in September, but few of 

 them begin until the middle of October ; for 

 the planting scarcely allows that they should set 

 to work before the latter period. This is the 

 time of merriment and of willing exertion, and 

 for some weeks the negroes are all life and 

 spirit ; but the continuance of constant work 

 for the whole of the day and part of the night 

 at last fatigues them, and they become heavy 

 and fall asleep wherever they chance to lay 

 their heads. * 



The mills for grinding the canes are formed 

 of three upright rollers, which are made of 

 solid timber, entirely cased or rather hooped 

 in iron, and the hoops are driven on to the 

 wood before they become quite cool, t The 



* " Dorminhoco como negro de Engenho," — As sleepy as 

 the negro of a sugar-mill, is a common proverb. 



f In a few instances, the " upright iron-plated rollers" 

 used in the Columbian islands have been erected. These 



