76 



sentator himself; and it is usual for the master of 

 the estate to give them a couple of guineas apiece. 

 This Nicholas, whom I mentioned, is a very in- 

 teresting person, both from his good looks and 

 gentle manners, and from his story. He is the 

 son of a white man, who on his death-bed charged 

 his nephew and heir to purchase the freedom of 

 this natural child. The nephew had promised to 

 do so; I had consented ; nothing was necessary 

 but to find the substitute (which now is no easy 

 matter) ; when about six months ago the nephew 

 broke his neck, and the property went to a distant 

 relation. Application in behalf of poor Nicholas 

 has been made to the heir, and I heartily hope 

 that he will enable me to release him. I felt 

 strongly tempted to set him at liberty at once ; 

 but if I were to begin in that way, there would 

 be no stopping ; and it would be doing a kindness 

 to an individual at the expense of all my other 

 negroes — others would expect the same; and then 

 I must either contrive to cultivate my estate 

 with fewer hands — or must cease to cultivate 

 it altogether — and, from inability to maintain 

 them, send my negroes to seek bread for them- 

 selves — which, as two thirds of them have been 

 born upon the estate, and many of them are 

 lame, dropsical, and of a great age, would, of all 

 misfortunes that could happen to them, be the most 

 cruel. Even when Nicholas was speaking to me 

 about his liberty, he said, " It is not that I wish to 



