78 
TRAVELS IN 
to think ; with a mind difengaged from every fort of care and 
reflexion, indulging to exceis in the gratification of every fen- 
fual appetite, the African peafant grows to an unweildy fize, 
and is carried off the ftage by the firft inflammatory difeafe 
that attacks him. 
How different is the lot of the laboring poor of England, 
who for fix days in the week are doomed to toil for twelve 
hours in every day, in order to gain a morfel of bread for their 
family, and the luxury of a little animal food for the feventh 
day ! 
The cultivators of the ground, who inhabit the nearer dif- 
trids to the town, though fomething better than the breeders 
of cattle, live but in a very uncomfortable manner in the midft 
of profufion. They have little or no fociety with each other, 
and every one feems to live folely for himfelf. Though re- 
moved from each other to the difl:ance of feveral miles, and 
enjoying the benefit of many thoufand acres of land under the 
rate of a farthing an acre, it is yet a fmgular fa£t, that fcarcely 
any two neighbours are found to be on good terms with each 
other, but are embroiled perpetually in quarrels and difputes 
about the extent of their farms, or the privilege of a fpring or 
a water-courfe. One great caufe of their endlefs difputes is the 
abfurd manner of efl:imating difl;ance by time. The quantity 
of land in a government farm, according to the eftablifhed cuf- 
tom of the colony, muft be one hour's walk acrofs it. If one 
farmer is fuppofed to have put down his baaken, or ftake, or 
land-mark, a little too near to that of his neighbour, the Feld- 
moagt- 
