Km 



260 



SLAVERY. 



dom by their own exertions, and are subject to 

 the caprice and whims of their superiors ; bur 

 some few are manumitted by the kindness of 

 those whom they have served, and the clothing 

 and food which is afforded to them is generally 

 better than that which the other class obtains. 

 This second class consists of joiners, shoemakers, 

 &e. canoemen, porters, &c. and these men may 

 acquire a sufficient sum of money to purchase 

 their own freedom, if they have the requisite 

 prudence and steadiness to allow their earnings 

 to accumulate ; but too often the inducements 

 to expend them foolishly are sufficiently power- 

 ful to make these people swerve from their pur- 

 pose. They generally earn more each day than 

 the master exacts, and have besides the Sundays 

 and holidays as their own ; and if the slave feeds 

 and clothes himself, to these are added the 

 Saturday of every week. * I think that allowing 

 largely for him to supply every thing requisite 



* Mr. Edwards says, " In Jamaica the negroes are allowed 

 one day in a fortnight, except in time of crop, besides Sun- 

 days and holidays, for cultivating then grounds, and can v- 

 ing their provisions to market." The Protestant church 

 enjoins the observance of three or four holidays, and the 

 Catholic church of above thirty. 



Du Tertre says that the custom of giving a certain portion 

 of time to the slave for the purpose of providing for his own 

 maintenance, was introduced into the Columbian islands by 

 ^ les Holandois chassez du Recif" and he adds that they 

 " gouvcrnent leurs esclavcs a la fa^on du Bresil." ~ Histoid 

 des Antilles, vol. ii. p, 515. 



