SETTLEMENTS ON THE DEMERARY, &C. 49 



pride : seeing themselves respected and held in estimation 

 would answer much better than the fear of punishment, in 

 keeping them to their regular employments. This hint, if 

 properly attended to, may in the course of time bring the 

 slaves in the West Indies on a level with the English peasantry of 

 this day : their present situation may be compared to that vas- 

 salage in which nobles formerly held the lower order of peo- 

 ple throughout Europe. 



The general hour for retiring to rest in the country, is 

 about eight or nine o'clock, the intermediate time between 

 this and sun set, is occupied by smoaking and drinking gin. 

 Should no neighbour, or traveller, call to spend the evening 

 with the great man, he is sometimes induced to send for the 

 convenient overseer to play cards, or draughts, with him, 

 which is considered as a mark of great favor. I should 

 have observed, that sometimes it is the wish of the proprietor, 

 that the negroes, after leaving work, should come and receive 

 their daily allowance of rum before his door, where he sits in 

 state smoaking his pipe, sullenly receiving the reiterated thanks- 

 of the negroes in broken English and Dutch " Da?ihe Meestej\" 

 The Dutch planters are vain of a large house and a number 

 of servants, which are mostly female; their garden, curricle, 

 and pleasure boat, engage another part of their attention ; tliey 

 are particularly fond of good horses, and certainly deserve' 

 them, from their attention and care for those animals, 



H 



