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it his duty to come over and show himself to 

 me, and tell me that he was well, and contented, 

 and behaving properly ; for that " to be sure, if 

 massa no speak that good word for me to trustee, 

 me no livee now ; me good, massa ! " Gratitude 

 made him absolutely eloquent : his whole manner, 

 and the strong expression of his countenance, put 

 his sincerity out of all doubt, and I never saw a 

 man seem to feel more truly thankful. All ne- 

 groes, therefore, are not absolutely without some 

 remembrance of kindness shown them ; and indeed 

 I ought not in justice to my own people to allow 

 myself to forget, that when I sent a reward to 

 those who had roused themselves to drive the 

 cattle out of my canes the other night, there 

 was considerable difficulty in persuading them to 

 accept the money : they sent me word, " that as 

 they were all well treated on the estate, it was 

 their business to take care that no mischief was 

 done to it, and that they did not deserve to be 

 rewarded for having merely done their duty by 

 me." Nor was it till after they had received re- 

 peated orders from me, that their delicacy could 

 be overcome, and themselves persuaded to pocket 

 the affront and the maccaroni. 



February 2. 

 One of the deadliest poisons used by the negroes 

 (and a great variety is perfectly well known to most 

 of them) is prepared from the root of the cassava. 



