46 HISTORY OF THE [book iy, 
haps a few of the more industrious, wilt employ an 
hour in their provision grounds. At two o’clock 
they are again summoned to the field, where, ha¬ 
ving been refreshed both by rest and food, they 
now manifest some signs of vigorous and animated 
application; although I can with great truth assert, 
that one English labourer in his own climate would 
perform at least three times the work of any one 
negro in the same period. At sun-set, or very soon 
after, they are released for the night, (the drudge¬ 
ry, so much complained of in some of the islands 
to windward, of picking grass, being happily un¬ 
known in Jamaica), and if the day has been wet, 
or their labour harder than uAial, they are some¬ 
times indulged with an allowance of rum. On the 
whole, as the length of the days in the latitude of 
the West Indies differs very little throughout the 
year, I conceive they are employed daily about ten 
hours, in the- service of their master, Sundays and 
holydays excepted. In the crop season, however, 
the system is different; for at that time, such of 
the negroes as are employed in the mill and boiling 
houses, often work very late, frequently all night; 
but they are divided into watches, which relieve 
each other, according to the practice among sea¬ 
men; and it is remarkable, that at this season the 
negroes enjoy higher health and vigour than at any 
other period of the year; a circumstance undoubt- 
edlv owing- to the free and unrestrained use which 
they are allowed to make of the ripe canes, the 
cane-liquor, and syrup. 
