2 41 
map. n.] West indies. 
would be difficult, perhaps, to say what yoke could 
Well be heavier than the rigorous one imposed by 
the Spaniards on the wretched Indians ; under 
which, as the same Historian elsewhere relates, 
the natives of Hispaniola “were educed, in the 
short space of fifteen years, from at least a million 
to sixty thousand.” But the conduct of Las Casas 
is not fully and fairly stated in the foregoing repre¬ 
sentation 3 for it supposes, that each class of people 
(the negroes and Indians) was found in a similar 
condition and situation of life, whereas it is noh> 
rious, that many of the negroes imported from 
Africa, are born of enslaved parents, are bred up 
as slaves themselves, and as such have been habitu¬ 
ated to labour from their infancy. On this account 
we are told, that one able negro was capable of 
performing the work of four Indians. On the 
other hand, the condition of these last-mentioned 
people was widely removed from a state of slavery. 
“ The inhabitants of these islands,” says a cotem- 
porary writer, “ have been so used to the enjoy¬ 
ment of liberty, in a life of plenty and pastime, 
that the yoke of servitude is insupportable to them 3 
and assuredly, if they would but embrace our holy 
religion, they would be the happiest of human 
beings in the enjoyment of their ancient free¬ 
dom.”* Las Casas therefore contended reasonably 
enough, that men inured to servitude and drudge¬ 
ry, who could experience no alteration of circum¬ 
stances from a change of masters, and who felt not 
* Pet. Martyr, decatl. 
Voi. ir. H h 
