SETTLEMENTS ON THE DEMERARY, &C. 127 



gard to the progeny of vassals, partus seqidtur ventrem; by 

 reversing which, he would have provided for a more rapid 

 growth of free people of color. 



The abolitionists have pretended, that under the West In- 

 dian system of vassalage, the number of labourers is continu 

 ally on the decrease. They infer tlils from the perpetual im- 

 portation of fresh negroes ; and suppose that ill-usage must oc- 

 casion such an unnatural decay of populousness. I disbeheve 

 the assertion. From all the fully settled islands, there is an- 

 nually an obvious overflow of people. From Barbadoes and 

 Antigua, free people of color have come in shoals to setde 

 about Stabroek. From several islands, which, since being 

 cleared of wood to excess, are dried up, and have declined in 

 fertility, proprietors have detached to our continent, batches 

 of Creole slaves, and have occupied fresh estates with the re- 

 dundance of their vassalry. Colony-craft again is provided 

 with crews of various hues, obtained from the superfluous po- 

 pulation of the West India islands ; the petty shipping, which 

 wanders about the American archipelago, and is thus manned, 

 is innumerable. The number of negroes may apparently de- 

 crease, and yet the collective population may be on the in- 

 crease ; for many negro girls cohabit with white overseers, 

 and spend the years of child-bearing in producing a mulatto 

 progeny ; and some negro men marry mulatto women. 

 Where there are many mixt marriages, the posterity may in- 



