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" because they wish to do any thing to oblige 

 massa." 



March 25. 



The negroes certainly are perverse beings. They 

 had been praying for a sight of their master year 

 after year ; they were in raptures at my arrival \ I 

 have suffered no one to be punished, and shown 

 them every possible indulgence during my resi- 

 dence amongst them \ and one and all they declare 

 themselves perfectly happy and well treated. Yet, 

 previous to my arrival, they made thirty-three 

 hogsheads a week; in a fortnight after my landing, 

 their product dwindled to twenty-three ; during 

 this last week they have managed to make but 

 thirteen. Still they are not ungrateful ; they are 

 only selfish : they love me very well, but they love 

 themselves a great deal better ; and, to do them 

 justice, I verily believe that every negro on the 

 estate is extremely anxious that all should do their 

 full duty, except himself. My censure, although 

 accompanied with the certainty of their not being 

 punished, is by no means a matter of indifference. 

 If I express myself to be displeased, the whole pro- 

 perty is in an uproar ; every body is rinding fault 

 with every body ; nobody that does not" represent 

 the shame of neglecting my work, and the ingrati- 

 tude of vexing me by their ill-conduct ; and then 

 each individual — having said so much, and said it so 

 strongly, that he is convinced of its having its fuL 

 effect in making the others do their duty — thinks 



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