

A RELIGIOUS CEREMONY. 



395 



proceed to his destined labour, and if any acci- 

 dent happened it would be ascribed to the wrath 

 of heaven, for this breach of religious observ- 

 ance. The priest arrived and said mass, after 

 which we breakfasted and then proceeded to the 

 mill. The manager and several other freemen 

 and the negroes stood around the works ; a 

 quantity of cane was placed ready to be thrust 

 in between the rollers, and the four negroes 

 whose part it was to feed the mill stood at their 

 posts. Two lighted candles were placed close 

 to the rollers, upon the platform which sustain:* 

 the cane, and a small image of our Saviour upon 

 the cross stood between them ; the priest took 

 his breviary and read several prayers, and at 

 9tated places, with a small bunch of weeds pre- 

 pared for the occasion, which he dipped in a jug 

 of holy water, he sprinkled the mill and the per- 

 sons present. Some of the negroes sprang for- 

 wards to receive a good quantum of this sancti- 

 fied water ; and then the master of the sugar boil- 

 ing-house led the way to the portion of the works 

 of which he had the direction ; and here there 

 was another sprinkling. When we returned to 

 the part of the mill in which the rollers stood, 

 the priest took a large cane, and I did the same; 

 then the signal being given, the flood-gate was 

 opened, and the works were soon in motion, and 

 according to rule the two canes which the priest 

 and I held in our hands were the first to be 





