ai6 SUMATRA. 
civi! condition cannot be altered for the wotfe. There is this advantage 
alfo, that when a debtor abfconds, they have recourfe to his relations for 
the amount of his debt, who, if unable to pay k, mufl mengetring in his 
room ; whereas, when a fkve makes his efcape, the law can give ntt 
redrefs, and his value is loft to the owner. Thefe people j moreover, 
are from habit, backward to ftrike, and the ftate of llavery unhappilf 
requires the frequent inftidion of punifhment in that mode, A flavc 
cannot poflefs, independently, any property ; yet it rarely happens that 
a maflcr U found mean and fordid enough, to defpoil them of the fruits of 
their induftry ; and their liberty is generally granted them, when in a con- 
dition to purchafe it, though they cannot demand it of right. It is nothing 
uncommon for thofe belonging to the Europeans, to poiTefs flaves of 
their own^ and to acquire confiderable fabftance. Their^ondition is here, 
for the moft part, Icfs unhappy than that of perfbns in other fxtaations 
of life, I am far from wtlhing to diminifh from the horror that ihould 
ever accompany the general Idea of this ftate, which I am convinced is 
not neceflary among mankind ; but I cannot help remarking, as an e^e- 
traordinary fad^ that if there is one ckfs of people eminently hnppjr 
above all others upon earth, it is the body of Caffrcs^ or negro flaves 
belonging to the India Company at Bencoden, They are well clothed 
and fed, and fupplicd with a proper allowance of liquor ; their work is 
by no means fevere ; the pcrfons appointed as their immediate overfcers, 
are chofen^ for their merit, from amongft theuifclvo 5. th^y have no 
occafion of care or anxiety for the paft or future* and are naturally of 
a Evely and open temper. The contemplation of the effed:s which fuch 
advantages produce, muft afford the highell gratification to a benevo- 
lent mind* They are feen perpetually laughing or fmging, and fmee 
the period they were firft carried thither, from different parts of Africa 
and Madagafcar^ to the prcfent hour, not fo much as the rumor of diftur* 
bancej or difcontent has ever been known to proceed from them. They 
hold the natives of the ifland in contempt, have a degree of antipathy 
towards them, and enjoy any mifchicf they can da them ; and thefe ia 
their turn regard the diffres as devils half humanized* 
The 
