35B - N A R R AT I V E O F A N 



CHAP, fubmitting to the reader a few confiderations, by an at- 

 i^^^^ tentioii to which I cannot help thinking that not only- 

 Surinam, but the Weft India colonies in general, might 

 accumujate wealth to themfelves, and promote the per- 

 manent happinefs of the flaves that are under their fub- 

 je6tion, without having recourfe to the Coq/l of Guinea to 

 fuppiy the aimoft hourly confumption of that unfortu- 

 nate people. But before I proceed, it will be neceffary 

 to ftate the manner in which the negro flaves are diftri- 

 buted and treated, by the cuftoms of this fettle.ment 

 only, without adverting to the diftribution or govern- 

 ment of them in other colonies ; from which, how^ever; 

 thofe may equally derive fome profit ; — and then I fliall 

 endeavour to point out how, in my opinion, they ought 

 to be diftributed and treated, according to the laws, not 

 only of humanity but of common fenfe. 



I have before obferved that in Surinam there are fup- 

 pofed to be on an average about 75>ooo negro flaves of all 

 denominations, which (allowing them, for the fake, of a 

 round number, to amount to 80,000) are here diftri- 

 buted in the following extraordinary manner, viz. The 

 plantations, being about 800 in number, though fome 

 have but 24 negroes, and others 400, we will fuppole 

 them to poflTefs 100 flaves each, which complement is 

 cxa6lly the above number of 80,000 people. Thefe are 

 employed in this fettlement as follows ; the firft column 

 of figures alluding to one eftate, the fecond ditto to eight 

 hundred. 



• EMPLOY- 



