of the IfldndofBaYhsidoQS. 



I they had ihifted themfclves^ they might put on tho(e Gowns, and lye 

 down and reft them in their Hamocks ; For the Hamocks being but 

 thin, and they having nothing on but Shirts and Drawers, when they 

 awak'd but of their fleeps, they found themlelves very cold, and d 

 cold takerrthcre, isharder toberecovered, than in f/^gA/W^ by how 

 much the body is infetbled by the great toyl,, and the Sun's heat , 

 which cannot but very much exhauftthe fpii its of bodies unaccufto- 

 med to it. But this care and charity of Collonel Walrond\ loft him 

 nothing in the conclufion 3 for, he got fuch love of his lervants, as 

 they thought all too httle they could do for him 3 and the love of the 

 fervants there, is of much concernment to the Mafters , not only in 

 their diligent and painful labour, but in fore-feeing and preventing 

 mifchiefs that often happen by the carelellhels and flothfulnefs of 

 i-etchlef. fervants 3 fometimes by laying fire lb negligently , as whole 

 lands ofCancs andHoufes too, are burnt down and conllimed, to the 

 utter ruine and undoing of their Ma ftei"s : For , the materials there 

 being all combuftible, and apt to take fire, a little overfight, as the fire 

 of a Tobacco-pipe, beingknockt out agdinfta dry ftump of a tree, 

 has fet it on fire, and the vi/ind fanning that fire , if a land of Canes be 

 but near, and they once take fire, all that are down the wind will 

 be burnt up. Water there is none to quench it, or if it were, a hun- 

 dred Negroes with buckets were ndt ablp to do it , (b violent and Iprea- 

 dinga fire thisis, and fuch a noife itmakes, as if two Armies, witha 

 thoufand (hot of either fide, were continually giving fire, every knot 

 of every Cane, giving as great a report as a Piftol. So that there is no 

 way toftop the going on of this flame, but by cutting down and re- 

 moving all the Canes that grow before it, for the breadth of twenty 

 or thirty foot down the wind, and there the Negroes toftandand beat 

 out the fire, as it creeps upon the ground, where the Canes are cut 

 down. And I have fecn foms Negroes fo earneft to ftop this fire, as with 

 their naked feet to tread, and with their naked bodies to tumble, and 

 roll upon it 3 lb little they regard their own fmartor (afety , in refped 

 of their Mafters benefit. The are before I came away , there were 



jtv/o eminent Planters in the Ifland, that with fuch an accident as this, 

 loftatleaft 10000 1. fterling, in the value of the Canes that were 

 burnt 3 the one, Mr. 'ja;;;es Holdnppe^ the other, Mr. Conftant'we Sil- 

 vtjicr : And t he latter had not only his Canes,but his hdufe burnt down 

 to the gioun J. This, and much more mifchief has been done, by the 

 negligence and v^ilfulnels of fervants. And yet fome cruel Mafters 

 will provoke their Servants fo, by extream ill ufige , and often and 

 cruel beating them, as they grow dcfpenlte, and fb joyn together to 

 revenge themfelves upon them. 



A little before I came from thence, there was fuch a combination 

 amongftthem, as the like was never fecn there before. Their fuffe- 

 rings being grown to a great height,and their daily complainings to one 

 another (of the intolerable burdens they labour'd under) being 

 fpread throughout the liland^ at the laft, fbmeamongft them, whofe 

 fpirits were not able to endure fuch flavery, refolved to break through 

 it, or dye in the act 3 and fo confpired with (bme others of their ac- 

 quaintance, whofe ftifterings were equal , if not above theirs 3 and 



N their 



