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do infinite mischief ; the trustee was roused out of 

 his bed ; the drivers blew their shells to summon 

 the negroes to their assistance ; when it appeared, 

 that there was not a single watchman at his post ; 

 the watch-fires had all been suffered to expire; 

 not a single domestic was to be found, nor a horse 

 to be procured ; even the little servant boys, whom 

 the trustee had locked up in his own house, and 

 had left fast asleep when he went to bed, had got 

 up again, and made their escape to pass the night 

 in play and rioting ; and although they were per- 

 fectly aware of the detriment which the cattle 

 were doing to my interests, not a negro could be 

 prevailed upon to rouse himself and help to drive 

 them out, till at length Cubina (who had run 

 down from his own house to mine on the first 

 alarm) with difficulty collected about half a dozen 

 to assist him : but long before this, one of my 

 best cane-pieces was trampled to pieces, and the 

 produce of this year's crop considerably dimi- 

 nished.— And so much for negro gratitude ! How- 

 ever, they still continue their eternal song of 

 " Now massa come, we very well off but their 

 satisfaction evidently begins and ends with them- 

 selves. They rejoice sincerely at being very 

 well off, but think it unnecessary to make the 

 slightest return to massa for making them so. 



