INDIAN AND OTHER 



procession, in which the smallest intrusive obje6l profanes the 

 dignity of the sacred acl, and dissipates the devotion of the 

 attendants. May our posterity look to the reform of this and 

 other abuses, the eradication of which is so earnestly to be de- 

 sired ! The supreme authority has already, for wise and pru- 

 dential reasons, prevented the negroes from carrying and dis- 

 charging fire-arms in the course of the procession, as has 

 been hitherto their pra6tice. 



All the assemblages which have been pointed out have reli- 

 gion for their pretext, but lead to others in which amusement 

 is simply consulted. The negroes who are the object of this 

 relation, have, in different streets of the city, quarters or spit- 

 tals, denominated by them brotherhoods, which form the 

 centre of their meetings on days of festivity. Each tribe has 

 the separate enjoyment of one of these places for its meetings ; 

 and those which are numerous are in possession of two or three 

 of them. These establishments are sixteen in number ; by the 

 voluntary offerings of the contributors, the site is purchased 

 on which they are built ; and they are holden by a small fine 

 or quit-rent. 



The corporal of each nation is the president of the assem- 

 blies, in which the stri<Slest etiquette is observed, relatively to 

 the precedence of the seats : they are invariably occupied ac- 

 cording to the seniority of the members. These negroes, sup- 

 porting with the utmost patience their hard agricultural la- 

 bours ; in a manner indifferent about good or bad fare ; little 

 sensible to the severity of chastisement ; and intrepid in the 

 discharge of all the duties to which they are called; — these 

 very negroes cannot endure an injustice, or a negle6l in the 

 line of preferences. To occupy a hand*s-breadth of ground 



higher 



