Negroes: Their introduction into the New World--Bartholomew Las
Casas--His intercessions in favour of the Indians--Cardinal
Ximenes--Origin of the slave trade--Its adoption by the English
government--Character of slavery--Mental degeneracy--Instances
of superior faculties among the Negro race--Juan Parega--
Phillis Wheatley--Ignatius Sancho--His letter to the Rev. L.
Sterne--Slavery in its early days--Punishment of the negroes in
1736.
In furtherance of my plan, of commencing from the earliest period
the history of this small but important colony, it also devolves
upon me to give some account of the first introduction of negroes
into this quarter of the globe, particularly as they form so
large a bulk of the population of Antigua.
The negroes, as perhaps many of my readers may be aware, were
first introduced generally into the West Indies, as labourers, in
1515, although some few had been sent there a short time before.
Bartholomew Las Casas, an eminent Spanish divine, was one of
those who proposed this measure, and spent both time and money in
its completion. Las Casas was born at Seville, in the year 1474;
and at the age of nineteen, accompanied his father to the West
Indies.
At this period, Rodrigo Albuquerque, the confidential minister of
Ferdinand V. of Spain, had succeeded Don Diego, the son of
Christopher Columbus, in the government of Hispaniola, which the
Spaniards still considered as their principal colony. Albuquerque
was a man of violent passions, and rapacious in the acquisition
of wealth; and under his government the poor Indians led but a
miserable life; and with hard labour and ill-treatment they were
almost exterminated. The cruel and arbitrary proceedings adopted
towards them excited compassion in the minds of all who had the
least particle of commiseration in their natures. The
missionaries had early expressed their abhorrence of the system
of parting the Indians among the settlers, by which means they
became the slaves of their conquerors. The Dominicans, in
particular, had strongly protested against the "_repartimientos_"
(or sharing) as it was termed; and not content with remonstrating
in private, made the pulpit the theatre of action, and denounced
curses upon the heads of those who followed that plan.
Bartholomew Las Casas early became a convert to their opinions
upon this head. He not only gave up all the Indians which had
fallen to his share, but tried all means in his power to persuade
his countrymen to do so likewise. He remonstrated with
Albuquerque upon the unlawfulness of his conduct; but he found
that tyrant too much engrossed with the sordid love of acquiring
gold for his remonstrances to be of any effect. When Las Casas
found this to be the case, he determined to depart for Spain, and
lay his complaint at the feet of Ferdinand.
After a protracted voyage of many weeks, Las Casas arrived safe
at Cadiz, and quickly obtained an interview with his sovereign,
whom he found to be in a very languishing state of health.
Ferdinand listened with deep attention to Las Casas'
representation of the sufferings endured by the unfortunate
natives of the West Indies; and expressed deep compunction for
his guilt in having authorized this measure of sharing, which had
brought destruction upon so many innocent people; and finally, he
promised to take into consideration the means of redressing the
grievances he had occasioned. Death, however, put an end to all
his resolves; and Charles V. of Germany, who succeeded him, being
then in Austria, appointed the celebrated Cardinal Ximenes his
regent.
Las Casas was not wearied with his undertaking, or disheartened
with his disappointment; he obtained an interview with the
regent, and argued his cause with so much feeling and eloquence,
that Ximenes appointed a commission of monks from St. Jerome to
go to the West Indies and make every inquiry into the situation
of the wretched inhabitants, directing Las Casas to accompany
them, with the title of "Protector of the Indians." Upon their
arrival, the monks proceeded with caution to investigate the
matter; and after some time spent in this way, gave it as their
opinion, that the Spaniards must either give up their American
conquests, or be satisfied with very little gain, unless the
system of slavery was tolerated; at the same time, expressing
their determination to try all endeavours in their power to
secure to the Indians a milder and a better treatment.
All but Las Casas were satisfied with these proceedings, but he
argued for total exemption; and so strenuously did he urge his
plea, that the planters' anger was aroused, and he was obliged to
retire into a convent to preserve his life. But Las Casas was not
the man to give up a favourite project for a trifle. Finding how
ill he succeeded in the New World, he determined once more to
sail for Spain, and employ every means and exert every energy to
accomplish his plans, and never to give up his labours until
death or the accomplishment of his wishes ended them.
By the time he arrived at home, the Cardinal Ximenes had resigned
the regency, and Charles had assumed the reins of government, and
to this monarch Las Casas carried his complaints. The emperor
listened to him, and appointed another commission of monks to
inquire into the business; but Las Casas knew the opposition this
measure would meet with, and the little good it would effect; he
therefore set his wits to work to find out some other expedient,
and at last thought of introducing other labourers into the West
Indies in lieu of the Indians.
The use the Portuguese made of their African discoveries was to
ensnare the inhabitants and sell them as slaves; and Las Casas
thought that if these wretched people could be transported in
numbers to America, they would, from their stronger constitutions
and hardy frames, answer better than the natives themselves. This
plan was laid before the council in Spain, and although strongly
resisted by Cardinal Ximenes, who saw the impropriety of
condemning an innocent nation to perpetual slavery to save
another, the measure was carried by a majority of voices, and
Charles granted to a favourite courtier a patent, empowering him
to purchase slaves in Africa, and ship them to the West Indies.
This patent was purchased by some Genoese merchants, who
immediately put it into execution, and thus that detestable
traffic, the "slave trade," was introduced by men calling
themselves _Christians_, and professing to follow the doctrines
of their divine Master, while they deliberately set at nought his
great precept--"Do unto others as you would have others do unto
you." It is not within the plan of the present work to inquire
how much the situation of the Indians was improved by this
arrangement, but will merely observe, that while Las Casas spent
his time, his money, and his health, in trying to benefit his
favourite people, he forgot all other classes, and completely
shut the door of mercy upon the unoffending Africans; and for no
other cause than it had pleased their Creator to bestow upon them
greater strength than upon the natives of the West, they were
torn from their country, their friends, and home, and, to
"increase a stranger's treasures," consigned to hopeless misery.
To the Portuguese and Genoese the slave-trade exclusively
belonged for many years; at length, the Dutch, seeing the
gainfulness of it, engaged in it; and in 1564, during the reign
of Queen Elizabeth, Sir John, then Mr. Hawkins, introduced this
bloodstained commerce (for so it may justly be termed) into the
English trade, and thus tarnished the bright name he had acquired
by his many naval victories.
Oh, that England, so famous for her spirit of liberty, should
have ever imbrued her hands in this inhuman traffic!--that she,
the "empress of the waves," should have lent her power to crush
these unfortunate beings!--that that nation by whom the sweets of
domestic ties are so peculiarly felt and appreciated, should have
been among the first to rend husband from wife, the babe from its
mother, the daughter from her old parent, and condemn them to
"Plough the winter's wave, and reap despair!"
that Britons, free-born Britons, such advocates for liberty!
should have acted thus for so many years, even when the dark
clouds of ignorance had been dispersed, and "knowledge to their
eyes" had unfolded "her ample page," is almost beyond credence.
But, alas! it proves how much "the clink of Mammon's box" charms
the ear and deadens the nobler feelings of the soul. In 1592, two
years before he died, Sir John Hawkins was so impressed with
horror at what he had done in introducing the slave-trade to the
notice of his countrymen, who had eagerly pursued it, that he
built a hospital at Rochester, to atone, in some measure, for his
violation of the laws of humanity.
Draco's laws were said to be written with a pen of iron, in
letters of blood; and surely, so also have the annals of slavery
been described. "Disguise thyself as thou wilt," says Sterne,
"still, slavery--still thou art a bitter draught!" And, bitter as
it is, our poor West Indian slaves have, in former years, drained
the cup to the very dregs. But, thank God, the cry--"Am I not a
man and a brother!" has been heard and acknowledged. The names of
Sharpe, Wilberforce, and Fox, with many others, are engraved deep
in the hearts of all true lovers of humanity, for their strenuous
endeavours, year after year, in procuring the abolition of this
infernal traffic; and universal gratitude is due to Buxton,
Lushington, and their right worthy fellow-labourers of the
present day, for their share in effecting the final measure of
emancipation. And in this place, I must beg to proffer my thanks
to the many kind hearts which beat in Antigua, _slave-owners_ as
they were, for their joint exertions with our English
philanthropists in bringing this glorious freedom about; and for
their cheerful acquiescence, when accomplished, in giving their
slaves immediate freedom. They asked for no apprenticeship--they
would not even accept it; but they trusted to their negroes, and
set them free at once. Yet England did not behave to the
Antiguans as she ought to have done. Instead of rewarding them
for their disinterested conduct, by allotting to them a larger
share of the compensation-money, their portion was _smaller_ than
that of any of the other islands. The excuse for this was, that
slaves were _less_ valued in Antigua. But what caused them to be
less valuable? Did our English government ask that question? Do
our friends "at home" know the answer? The Antiguans had become
sensible of the inhumanity of dealing in human flesh; and
although they were obliged to employ their slaves to till their
fields, it was very few persons who thought of purchasing
negroes. This was the reason, and not because her slaves were
worse than those of other islands, or less competent for
labour.[3]
Slavery is not only revolting for the cruelties it has
occasioned, but it is debasing to the mind. How few, _very few
slaves_, have we heard of, who have shewn any intellectual
qualifications, or made any improvements in machinery or
agriculture! Nor need we be surprised at this; for had a slave
proposed anything of the kind, his master would have probably
considered it as a suggestion of indolence, or a desire to save
himself from toil at the expense of others.
Some authors have asserted, that negroes are an unimprovable
race, incapable of receiving instruction, or having sufficient
reason to discern right from wrong. But I am not at all inclined
to assent to such a doctrine, but attribute the fact, that
greater talents have not been shewn by them, as before remarked,
to the degradation of slavery. Indeed, we have had some few
instances of _considerable_ display of abilities among this sable
people; one or two instances of which it may not be amiss to
introduce.
One of these _clever negroes_ was a slave, named Juan de Parega,
who was sent from the West Indies as a present to Diego
Valasquez, the celebrated Spanish painter, about the year 1600.
Juan was very fond of painting, and his own natural talents
enabled him to study it with great effect. This he did, however,
secretly, for fear of giving offence to his master, who, he
thought, might be angry with a slave for disgracing the art.
Philip the Fourth of Spain was a great admirer of the fine arts,
and a frequent visitor at Valasquez's study, where, if he met any
pictures with their faces to the wall,[4] he was sure to request
they might be turned. One day, when the monarch came to the
house, during the absence of Valasquez, and before he proceeded
to the study, Juan took one of his own pictures, hung it up in a
prominent situation, with the painted side turned to the wall,
and with trembling heart awaited the result. Philip's step was
heard upon the stair--his finger was upon the lock--poor Juan's
emotion almost stifled him!--the door opened, and his majesty
entered. His quick eye immediately alighted upon the new picture,
which he ordered Juan to turn. This was done; and after examining
it for some time, Philip pronounced it beautiful! The gratified
slave, his eyes beaming with delight, while he trembled at the
thoughts of his audacity, fell upon his knees before his
sovereign, acknowledged it to be his work, and prayed him to
intercede with his master for him, that his presumption might be
pardoned. Philip raised him from his knees, commended his
talents, and; upon seeing Valasquez, told him he ought to free
such a man. This was done; but Juan would never quit his kind
master: he remained with him, studying and improving under his
tuition, until eventually he became one of the first
portrait-painters of his day.
Another instance we have in Phillis Wheatley; she was purchased
by Mrs. F. Wheatley in Boston slave-market, (America,) when she
was about seven or eight years old. Shewing great natural
talents, her mistress had her taught reading, writing, &c. As she
grew up to womanhood, she attracted the notice of many literary
characters, who supplied her with books and directed her studies.
When about fourteen years of age, she attempted compositions both
in prose and verse; and between that and nineteen, all her works
were published.[5]
While upon this subject, we must not forget Ignatius Sancho.
Ignatius was born on board a slave-ship a few days after it had
left Guinea, in 1729. The severities his mother met with put an
end to her existence a short time after her arrival in the West
Indies; and his father took it so much to heart that he committed
suicide. This plainly proves that negroes are not so utterly
devoid of natural affections as some would have us believe--
"Skins may differ, but affection
Dwells in black and white the same."
But to return to our hero. After some years, he was brought to
England, through the kindness of the Duke of Montague, and
obtained means of instruction. He wrote a great many letters,
which were deemed worthy of being published; and a large
subscription was raised. They were reckoned very well written;
one of them, upon slavery, may not prove uninteresting to many of
my readers. It was addressed to the Rev. L. Sterne, 1776.
"Rev. Sir,--It would be an insult to your humanity (or perhaps
look like it) to apologize for the liberty I am taking. The first
part of my life was rather unlucky, as I was placed in a family
who judged ignorance to be the best and only security for
obedience; a little reading and writing I got by unwearied
application. The latter part of my life has been, through God's
blessing, truly fortunate, having spent it in the service of one
of the best and greatest families in the kingdom: My chief
pleasure has been books--philanthropy I adore. How much, very
much, good sir, am I (among millions) indebted to you for the
character of your amiable Uncle Toby. I declare I would walk ten
miles in the dog-days to shake hands with the honest Corporal.
Your sermons have touched me to the heart, and, I hope, have
amended it, which brings me to the point.
"In your tenth discourse is this very affecting passage:--
'Consider how great a part of our species, in all ages down to
this, have been trod under the feet of cruel and capricious
tyrants, who would neither hear their cries nor pity their
distress. Consider slavery, what it is--how bitter a draught, and
how many millions are made to drink of it!'
"Of all my favourite authors, not one has drawn a tear in favour
of my miserable black brethren excepting yourself and the humane
author of 'Sir George Ellison.' I think you will forgive me--I am
sure you will applaud me--for beseeching you to give one
half-hour to slavery as at this day practised in our West Indian
colonies. That subject handled in your striking manner, would
ease the yoke perhaps of many; but if only one--gracious God!
what a feast to a benevolent heart. And I am sure you are an
Epicurean in acts of charity; you, who are universally read, and
as universally admired, you cannot fail.
"Dear Sir, think in me you behold the uplifted hands of thousands
of my brethren Moors. Grief, you pathetically observe, is
eloquent. Figure to yourself their attitudes; hear their
supplicating addresses; alas! you cannot refuse--humanity must
comply. In which hope I beg permission to subscribe myself,
"Rev. Sir, &c. &c."
This is the letter; all must know Sterne's beautiful piece on
"Slavery," which it produced. At one time, Ignatius Sancho had an
idea of going upon the stage, and actually offered himself to Mr.
Garrick, to perform the character of Othello and Oronooko; but an
irreparable defect in his articulation prevented him from putting
his designs into execution. Ignatius died from a complication of
disorders in the year 1780, aged fifty-one; he was much esteemed
by his friends in England.
These examples before us, and others which might be added, prove
that the negroes are not always the unintelligent beings they
have been supposed; and I do hope, that now so much has been done
for them, they will alter their character, and strive to suppress
those vices which their life of servitude has produced among
them. They are no longer treated as beasts of burden, but taught
to consider themselves as men; they make it a constant boast, "Me
free, me no b'longs to you!" I hope they may shew they deserve
their freedom by their good conduct; then we may hope for better
days; we may see virtues springing up among them; emanations of
genius may arise and surprise the whole world.
I wish them well--I feel interested about them--I desire their
good--and I am sorry, _very sorry_, that in the course of these
remarks I may have so much to say about them. But when I have to
touch upon the dark part of their character, for "lights and
shadows" _must_ be depicted, I beseech you, my kind readers, to
remember how short has been their life of freedom; how few have
been their advantages, comparatively speaking; and above all,
remember evil is not to be returned for evil, but rather good.
There are many worthy industrious characters among this class of
persons in Antigua; not famous, it is true, for any great display
of abilities, or of superior talents, like Juan Parega, or our
friend Sancho, but men of sound mind, well-behaved, and clever in
producing little articles of native manufacture. A fancy sale was
held in this island in January, 1837, and among the contributions
was a miniature sugar-mill, with all its vanes &c. complete,
capable of grinding the canes when peeled. This pretty little
article was the work and gift of one who, in 1834, was a slave
belonging to the Hon. Bertie E. Jarvis. It was purchased by two
American gentlemen, friends of liberty, who were residing for a
short time in Antigua, to see how the free system worked, and who
carried it with them to America, to shew what a free negro could
do. Had slavery still existed, that man would never have exerted
his talents with such success, for either he would not have had
the time allowed, or he would not have had the spirit.
In this remark, I mean no disrespect to his late owner; far from
it, for I have ever heard that the Hon. B. E. Jarvis ranked among
those worthy characters, many, very many of whom I glory to say
were to be found in Antigua, who, while they knew their slaves
were their goods, their _chattels_, scorned to use unnecessary
punishments, but treated them kindly, listened to their wants,
and protected them when in need.
Truly grateful ought we to be that, in British colonies at least,
slavery is no more; for it was a dark spot in the fair character
of Britain, which no reasoning, however subtle, could hide.
Interested persons might boast of the legal regulations for the
protection of slaves; but in truth, those laws were either
insufficient or not rigidly enforced; some way or the other, the
laws which were made for the protection of the slave, generally
turned out to the benefit of the master.
At the trial of a planter for the murder of his slave, one of the
persons summoned as a juror begged to be excused from acting,
giving as his reason "that he thought such a trial would be
hurtful to the West Indian Islands, as it would make the slaves
saucy!" What! then a man was to lacerate, to _kill_ his poor
slave, under circumstances of the most barbarous cruelty, and yet
not to be brought to justice, not to be punished as he justly
deserved--and for why? Oh! blush to hear it, my readers--_because
it would make the slaves saucy!_ Happy am I to state, that this
_conscientious_ juryman lived not in Antigua--that this horrible
murder was not committed there.
I mean not to insinuate that this was the general opinion of
residents in the West Indies; far from it; this was a solitary
case. Murder is a crime generally detested; man must become an
incarnate demon, or one from whom all reason has fled, before he
can perpetrate such an act: and whoever may be the victim, all
classes are anxious to bring the murderer to justice. But, and I
feel confident I am not going beyond the truth, in many
instances, crimes of less magnitude, where loss of life and limb
has not ensued, have been passed over, or if noticed, and the
form of trial complied with, Astræa has not equally balanced her
scales, and the negro has not been righted _because he was only a
negro_.
Oh! I have heard and read of deeds of blood which would chill the
very soul--deeds which in other days have been practised in
Antigua, noted as she was for the mildness of her slave laws.
Those infernal instruments of torture have been used, even
invented, by man in his most debased state--"the detestable,
ever-to-be-detested cart-whip," the heavy chain, the dark
loathsome dungeon, the thumb-screw, and the barbarous
"mouth-piece," as it was termed, which was a plate of iron
pressing upon the tongue, while bars of iron enclosed the head,
and a padlock, fastened behind the victim's neck, prevented their
agonizing cries from reaching mortal ears. But the Infinite from
his bright throne saw and pitied these poor wretched sons of Ham,
and sent men of milder mood--men whose hearts were touched with
their miseries, whose ears were open to their cries--to labour
and exert themselves in their behalf, and at last obtain their
liberty.
Sometimes iron rings were fastened round their legs, which their
kind and humane masters jocularly termed, "negro-boots;" at other
times massy iron collars were fixed round their necks, to which
was attached galling chains; and fearful these might give _too
little pain_, or occasion _too little inconvenience_,
half-hundred weights were hung to them. It used to be a method of
punishment, it is said, in former times, when owners did not mind
losing the value of a negro or two, to take an empty hogshead,
and after driving plenty of nails into it, making the points to
protrude in the inside, to put a slave or two into it, and
heading it up, roll them down a steep hill; and thus leave them
to expire. Some masters, when their slaves were _very ill_, or
_very old_, and could be of no further service, used to bury them
alive; and it is said, that upon being put into their graves,
they have been heard to say, "Pray, massa, no bury me, me no dead
yet; do, massa, let dem take me out;" and the master, with a
curse upon his lips, has replied that he had plenty of money to
buy more; he did not want an old, half-dead negro.
Gibbeting alive was another mode of punishment formerly in use;
and when adopted, the sufferers have been known to live more than
a week. That any one could deliberately condemn a fellow-creature
to such intolerable anguish seems almost impossible; yet that
such has been the case in Antigua, is remembered by some alive; I
have heard of one instance in which a white man was the sufferer.
I should not have noticed it in this place, was it not that it
proves how much cruelty was practised even in those days. All
will allow, or at least ought to do, that when a criminal suffers
the extreme penalty of the law, it is done for the sake of
example, not revenge; and consequently, the mildest and quickest
kind of death should be practised. The circumstance alluded to,
was as follows. A white man, known as Captain White, the owner of
a small vessel, had for some length of time committed piracy upon
the high seas; but at last was taken, and brought into Antigua.
He was condemned to die, and that death to be by gibbeting. A
gibbet was accordingly prepared; the wretched man was carried to
a bay, near where St. James's Fort is now erected, and there, in
the face of heaven, _he was hung up in chains, alive!_ with a
loaf of bread and a calabash of water almost within his reach;
but which, like the waters of Tartarus to him of old, only mocked
him with their approach, as the wind blew them backwards and
forwards. The man lived nine days in this situation; and in the
extremity of his hunger, actually ate the flesh from off his
shoulders. The place where he was executed is well known to many
in Antigua as White's Bay, and a few years ago, the remains of
the gibbet was to be met with. How ought we to bless God, that we
lived not in those days; that our feelings are now not outraged
by any of those dreadful exhibitions: certainly, his crime
(piracy) was a dreadful one, but who cannot but feel for his
after-sufferings?
The following letter from a white inhabitant throws a further
light upon the insurrection of the negroes, in 1736, which we
have noticed in the "Legend of the Ravine;" and points out the
particular punishment awarded to many of the actors in that
tragedy:--
Antigua, Jan. 15th, 1736.
"Dear Friend,
"We are in a great deal of trouble in this island; the burning of
negroes, hanging them up on gibbets alive, racking them upon the
wheel, &c., takes up all our time; that from the 20th of October
to this day, there have been destroyed _sixty-one_ intelligent
negroes, most of them tradesmen, as carpenters, coopers, and
masons.
"I am almost dead with watching and working, as are many more.
They were going to destroy all the white inhabitants of the
island. 'Count,' the king of the negroes, 'Tomboy,' his general,
and 'Hercules,' his lieutenant-general, who were all racked upon
the wheel, died with obstinacy. Mr. Archibald Hamilton's 'Harry,'
after he was condemned, stuck himself with a knife, in eighteen
different places, four of which were mortal. Colonel Martin's
'Jemmy,' who was hung up alive from noon to eleven o'clock at
night, was then taken down to give information. Colonel Morgan's
'Ned,' after he had been hung up seven days and seven nights,
that his hands grew too small for his hand-cuffs, he got them out
and raised himself, and fell down from a gibbet fifteen feet
high; he was revived with cordials and broths, in hopes to bring
him to confess, but he would not, and was hung up again, and in a
day and a night expired. Mr. Yeaman's 'Quashy Coonah' jumped out
of the fire half burnt, but was thrown in again; and Mr. Lyon's
'Fine,' jumped out of the fire, and promised to confess all, but
it took no effect. In short, our island is in a poor, miserable
condition, and I wish I could get any employment in England to
do."
I mean not to sicken my readers by too minute details of what
slavery was in its dark and fearful days; but it is proper that a
few instances should be given, that the young in particular may
rejoice they live in a day when "liberty, that thrice-sweet and
gracious goddess," has so ample a domain; and while they delight
in the freedom of British negroes, drop a tear of pity to the
fate of those unfortunates who are torn every year from all the
endearing ties of country, friends, and home, that they may
obtain for their unfeeling masters a little more of the "honey of
Hybla," which is so sweet, that even peace of mind is too often
sacrificed for it.
The examples which I have already given may be said to have
happened many years ago; but still, for long after that, the life
of a slave was looked upon as of very little value, provided the
master was reimbursed for the cash they cost. If brought before a
magistrate one day, they were, perhaps, condemned and executed
the day after; and should a condemned criminal accost a passer-by
in these words--"Ah! buddy you no no me now; but p'raps you
will," and such salutation be heard by the sentinel, that person,
if even a stranger, and guiltless, perhaps, of all offence, was
taken up on suspicion of having some dealing with the captive,
and in some instances suffered death with him. The intrigues
which were carried on between negroes in those days, rendered it,
it is said, expedient to adopt these harsh measures.
I have heard it asserted, that the reason slaves first came to be
tried by jury, in 1785, was this:--A black man was brought up
before two magistrates, on suspicion of having committed some
heinous crime; and after hearing the case, the culprit was
condemned and executed. A week or two elapsed, and something
transpired to lead to a suspicion that he was not the guilty
party. Through the exertion of a Mr. Gunthorpe, the case was
tried again; and the result was, that the man was pronounced
innocent. After that it was ordained, that no slave should be
condemned to _death_, without being first brought before a jury,
consisting of six persons.
For the particulars of this case, I am indebted to an old man
well known in Antigua. He bears the burthen of eighty-six years,
and is still as active and strong as many a one only half that
age. I heard him speak very highly of our late gracious majesty
William IV., who, when he was in the navy, visited Antigua for
some time. "Prince Henry was a good young gentleman, God bless
his memory!" cried the old man. "I used to wait upon him, and
have often heard him speak of what good he would do, should he
ever come to the throne. He has spared many a black person a good
flogging. And when we all heard he was king, every one said--God
bless him!" Old Mascall, for that is his name, can tell many a
tale of other days, and no doubt has seen many shocking sights in
the course of his long life. I heard him tell of another
gentleman, who used to treat his slaves in a most barbarous
manner, giving them commonly fifty lashes at one time, and then
calling for a lighted candle, drop melted sealing-wax upon the
gashes. His cook used to be chained to a "fifty -six," (a weight
of fifty-six pounds,) with a chain long enough to enable him to
walk from the kitchen to the house; and his washer used also to
be chained in like manner to her wash-tub, in which situation, my
informant told me, one woman dropped down dead, with her chains
around her.[6] With regard to this piece of cruelty, all that I
can say, but which on no account do I offer as an excuse, is,
that the negroes are very stubborn, and given to prevarication.
They have so often represented themselves ill, when such has not
been the case, that they might avoid their day's labour, that
when really suffering from sickness, they have seldom met with
any sympathy.
------
[3] Although the slave-trade had been abolished, yet it was still
customary for the island slaves to change owners as a horse
would; but the Antiguans becoming sensible of such inhuman
practice, few purchasers could be found, consequently negroes
were of less value in the way of traffic. As regards their
labour, however, they were of equal value to their masters in
Antigua, as the slaves of other colonies.
[4] A sign that they were new subjects.
[5] See Chambers' Edinburgh Journal.
[6] Old Mascall's information may be doubted by some, but it
certainly agrees with the authenticated cruelties which were
practised in former years, the details of which have been omitted
from want of space.