appendix.] WEST INDIES. 
389 
the slaves on such plantation, pen, or other settlement, with the cause 
of such deaths to the best of his knowledge, judgment, and belief, 
under the penalty of one hundred pounds for every neglect: And in 
case it shall appear to the satisfaction of the justices and vestry, from 
the return of the owner, overseer, or manager aforesaid, that there has 
been a natural increase in the number ef slaves on any such planta¬ 
tion, pen, or other settlement, the overseer shall be entitled to receive 
from the owner or proprietor of such plantation, pen, or other settle¬ 
ment, the sum of three pounds for every slave born on such plantation? 
pen, or other settlement, in the time aforesaid, and which shall be then 
living after deducting the decrease ; and the owner or proprietor of 
such plantation, pen, or other settlement, shall have a deduction from 
the first of his or her public taxes that shall become due of the sum so 
paid to the overseer, on producing a certificate of the justices and 
vestry of such increase, and a receipt of the overseer for the sum so 
paid. 
(Further encouragement for the increase of slaves.) 
XXXVI. And, in order that further encouragement may be given to 
the increase and protection of negro infants, Be it further enacted by the 
authority aforesaid, That every female slave who shall have six chil¬ 
dren living, shall be exempted frotn hard labour in the field or otherwise, 
and the owner or possessor of every such female slave shall be exempted 
from all manner of taxes for such female slave, any thing in the act 
commonly called the poll-tax law, or any other of the tax laws of this 
island passed, or annually to be passed, to the contrary notwithstanding ', 
and a deduction shall be made for all such female slaves from the taxes 
of such owner or possessor, by certificate of the justices and vestry, 
at the same time, and in manner as directed in the case of an annual 
increase oj the number of slaves as aforesaid ; Provided nevertheless. 
That proof be given, on oath, to the satisfaction of the said justices and 
vestry, not only that the requisite number of children, together with the 
mother, are living 5 but also that the mother is exemptedfrom all man¬ 
ner oj field or other hard labour, and is provided with the tneans of an 
easy and comfortable maintenance. 
(Penalty on free negroes, &c. granting tickets to slaves.') 
XXXVII. And whereas the more effectually to conceal runaway 
slaves, or prevent their being apprehended, tickets are given by Indi» 
