196 



with me ate a whole steak, and pronounced the 

 dish to be a very good one. The eggs are said to 

 be very palatable ; nor have the negroes who live 

 near morasses, the same objection with those of 

 Cornwall to eating the flesh \ it is, however, true 

 that the gall of the alligator, if not extracted care- 

 fully, will render the whole animal unfit for food ; 

 and when this gall is reduced to powder, it forms a 

 poison of the most dangerous nature, as the negroes 

 know but too well. 



February 26. 



I had given the most positive orders that no 

 person whatever should presume to strike a negro, 

 or give him abusive language, or, however great 

 the offence might be, should inflict any punishment, 

 except by the sole direction of the trustee himself. 

 Yet, although I had already discharged one book- 

 keeper on this account, this evening another of 

 them had a dispute in the boiling-house with an 

 African named Frank, because a pool of water was 

 not removed fast enough ; upon which he called him 

 a rascal, sluiced him with the dirty water, and 

 finally knocked him down with the broom. The 

 African came to me instantly ; four eye-witnesses, 

 who were examined separately, proved the truth of 

 his ill-usage ; and I immediately discharged the 

 book-keeper, who had contented himself with 

 simply denying the blow having been given by 

 him : but I told him that I could not possibly allow 



