

CAMASARI. 



373 



We reached the sugar-plantation of Camasari, 

 belonging to the Carmelite friars ; it is in high 

 order, that is, the slaves and cattle are in good 

 condition, and every thing upon it appeared 

 cheerful ; but it does not yield so much produce 

 as it might, if the strength of the labourers was 

 pushed to the utmost. I looked into the mill, 

 which is turned by water, and saw some hand- 

 some mulatto girls feeding the mill with cane ; 

 they were dressed in petticoats of printed cotton, 

 and smocks of cambric muslin, and they wore 

 upon their necks and in their ears gold orna- 

 ments; they were singing in parts very tolerably. 

 The difference between the plantations which 

 belong to convents, and those which are pos- 

 sessed by individuals who reside upon them, and 

 have a direct interest in every trifling increase or 

 decrease of the gains, is very striking. The 

 estates of friars are worked almost exclusively by 

 negroes who have been born upon them ; every 

 thing goes on easily and regularly. If much is 

 made, the better satisfied is the chief for the 

 time being ; but if, on the contrary, little is ob- 

 tained, still the affairs of the community go on. 



vol. ii. p. 108. There is now a plantation called Tabocas, 

 which is owned by one of the chiefs of the Cavalcante 

 family ; but as I was acquainted with him and several other 

 persons of the same description, I think the circumstance 

 would have been mentioned, if this had been the place. 



BB 3 





