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vating their provision-grounds, they are allowed 

 every Saturday ; but on the occasion of my arrival, 

 they obtained permission to have the Saturday to 

 themselves, and to fetch their week's provisions 

 from the mountains on the following Monday. All 

 the slaves maintain themselves in this manner by 

 their own labour; even the domestic attendants 

 are not exempted, but are expected to feed them- 

 selves, except stated allowances of salt fish, salt 

 pork, &c. 



January 8. 



I really believe that the negresses can produce 

 children at pleasure ; and where they are barren, it 

 is just as hens will frequently not lay eggs on ship- 

 board, because they do not like their situation. 

 Cubina's wife is in a family way, and I told him 

 that if the child should live, I would christen it 

 for him, if he wished it. " Tank you, kind massa, 

 me like it very much : much oblige if massa do 

 that for me, too." So I promised to baptize the 

 father and the baby on the same day, and said that 

 I would be godfather to any children that might be 

 born on the estate during my residence in Jamaica. 

 This was soon spread about, and although I have 

 not yet been here a week, two women are in the 

 straw already, Jug Betty and Minerva : the first is 

 wife to my head driver, the Duke of Sully ; but 

 my sense of propriety was much gratified at find- 

 ing that Minerva's husband was called Captain. 



