219 



man in the mountains ; and that Cudjoe hired her 

 from her master, at the rate of thirty pounds a year ! 



I hope this fact will convince the African Re- 

 porter, that it is possible for some of this " op- 

 pressed race of human beings" — "of these our 

 most unfortunate fellow-creatures, 5 ' — to enjoy at 

 least some of the luxuries of civilised society ; and 

 I doubt, whether even Mr. Wilberforce himself, 

 with all his benevolence, would not allow a negro 

 to be quite rich enough, who can afford to pay 

 thirty pounds a year for the hire of a kept mistress. 



March 14. 



Poor Nato's stock of goodness is quite exhausted; 

 and the day before yesterday lie returned to the 

 hospital with most piteous complaints of pains and 

 aches, whose existence he could persuade no per- 

 son to credit. His pulse was regular, his skin 

 cool, his tongue red and moist, and the doctor 

 declared nothing whatever to be the matter with 

 him. However, on my arrival, he began to moan, 

 and groan, and grunt, and all so lamentably, that 

 every soul in the hospital, sick or well, burst into 

 a fit of laughter. For my part, I told him that I 

 really believed him to be very bad; and that, as he 

 met with no sympathy in the hospital, I should 

 remove him from such unfeeling companions. Ac- 

 cordingly I had a comfortable bed made for him 

 in a separate house. Here he was plentifully sup- 

 plied with provisions : but, in order that he might 



