155 



and some of them not proved, so determined was 

 I to show that I would suffer no white person on 

 the estate who maltreated the negroes, either by- 

 word or deed, that I had determined to make an 

 example of him for the warning of the rest ; and 

 accordingly had dismissed him this morning." 



The man in question (by his own account) had 

 made himself obnoxious to them ; and on hearing of 

 his discharge, they, one and all, sprawled upon the 

 ground in such a rapture of joy and gratitude, that 

 now I may safely say with Sir Andrew Aguecheek, 

 " I was adored once ! " 



The book-keeper had denied positively the 

 charge of striking the negroes, and ascribed it to 

 the revenge of the Eboe Edward, whom he had 

 detected in cutting out part of a boiling-house 

 window, in order that he might pass out stolen 

 sugar unperceived ; for, to do the negroes justice, 

 it is a doubt whether they are the greatest thieves 

 or liars, and the quantity of sugar which they pur- 

 loin during the crop, and dispose of at the Bay for 

 a mere trifle, is enormous. However, whether 

 the charge of striking were true or not, it was 

 sufficiently proved that this book-keeper was a 

 passionate man, and he said himself, " that the 

 negroes had conceived a spite against him," which 

 alone were reasons enough for removing him. In- 

 deed, I had the less scruple from the slight nature 

 of his offence making it easy for him to find another 

 situation \ and I have besides desired him to stay 



