chap, iv.] WEST INDIES. 313 
Under such contradictory information, it occurred 
to me, during my residence in Jamaica, to exa¬ 
mine many of the negroes themselves. I mean 
negroes newly arrived from Africa- for from those 
who have resided any length of time in the West 
Indies, it is difficult to obtain, even to inquiries of 
an indifferent nature, such answers as carry with 
them conviction of their truth. It is seldom, for iff 
stance, that any Guinea negro will acknowledge that 
he was in a state of slavery in his native country. 
Observing the respect and pre-eminence allowed 
to wealth and consequence among the whites, and 
the privileges which attach to freedom in the West 
Indies among those of his own colour, who are 
born or rendered free, he is tempted, whether just¬ 
ly or not, to assert his claim to some degree of con¬ 
sideration from his past, if not from his present 
condition ; and it is a natural and excusable propen¬ 
sity. Conceiving therefore that the truth might be 
best obtained from negroes recently imported, I 
inquired of many young people, from different 
parts of Africa, concerning the circumstances of 
their captivity and sale, and, having reduced their 
Information to writing, I interrogated many of 
them again on the same subject, after an interval 
of several months. If the same account was given 
in it, and not one I believe denies, that the African master has the 
power of putting such slaves to death, with impunity, whenevet he 
thinks proper ; and it will presently be shewn from the testimony ot 
some of the negroes themselves, that it is a mistake to suppose the 
master cannot sell them at pleasure, 
Vol. II. 
r r 
