396 



Trivial as this fubjeft might appear to ■ 

 fome. It is worthy the ferious confideratlon of 

 Brltlfli mothers, and nurfes. A deformed ne- 

 gro is a very rare objed:,and this may probably 

 be attributed, in great meafure, to the manner 

 of nurfingthemin their infancy; for, befides the 

 better mode of carrying them, they have the 

 further advantage of being allowed to crawl 

 about upon their hands and feet, in perfed: 

 freedom, unreftrained by ligatures, or tight 

 garments. 



Although I have obferved the mode of 

 carrying children upon the hip to be the com- 

 mon method of nurfing among the flaves, yet, 

 when they have to carry them to a great dif- 

 tance, they neither place them upon the hip, 

 nor the arm, but upon the back ; and I have, 

 frequently, been furprized to obferve by w^hat 

 flight fupport they fecure them in this fitua- 

 tion. A mere pocket handkerchief, tied care- 

 lefsly round the mother, often forms all their 

 feat, and all their fafety ! 



A few eveningsago I had the afBiiling op- 

 portunity of witneffinga fcene of cruelty, which 

 ftrongly exemplified the abjedt, and wretched- 



