112 THE BRAZILS. 
gieat humaiiitj, in sacriikiiig a few for the safety of tlie 
whole ; and the Dutch admired the prudent step he had 
taken to secure the greater part of so valuable a property. 
Every body applauded the conduct of the Frenchman, but 
none seemed to pity the fate of the poor blacks. 
♦ 
Whatever the pretensions of other nations may be, in re- 
gard to the good treatment of their slaves, I am inclined to 
think that the method pursued by the Portugueze planters of 
the Brazils is far from being the worst. The master expects 
from the slave a certain quantity of labour in the week, which 
is calculated to be sufficient to employ four days of moderate 
application : the other two are for himself ; but out of the pro- 
ceeds of the labour of these two days he must clothe and 
feed himself for the whole week. By such a system the lash 
of the whip is unnecessary ; the master is at no expence be- 
yond the first cost, which is about twenty pounds ; and the 
slave, by the surplus produce of the labour bestowed on his 
own account, is frequently enabled to lay by a sufficient sum 
to purchase his freedom. Those' who are doomed to work at 
the mines experience worse treatment than such as are em- 
ployed in domestic purposes, or in agriculture. The tempta- 
tion to secrete small diamonds has sometimes induced the 
slaves to swallow them. Whenever the labour of the 
day has not been usually productive, 6r any other cause of 
suspicion arises- that such may have been the case, they are 
put for a certain time in close confinement, and a strong dose 
of ipecacuanha is administered. If this should not produce 
the desired effect, the next step is to ply them, like the pearl 
