Negroes: The assertion that negroes are careless of all
domestic ties confuted by anecdotes--"Shadows" of negro
character--Excuses for them--Conversion to Christianity--Belief
of the Africans that after death they shall return to Africa--
Instance of it--Africans and Creoles--Superstitions--Obeah.
Since writing the preceding chapter, it has been represented to
me, that I have painted slavery in too gloomy colours,
particularly the parting of husband and wife, parent and
children, by sale; that the negroes are an unfeeling race; that
parental or connubial affections are seldom felt by them; or if
experienced at all, it is but very partially. As a proof of this,
it is said that in Africa husbands will sell their wives and
children, brothers their sisters, mothers their daughters, for a
mere trifle. I am aware that such has been the case, particularly
in times of scarcity, when part of a family has been disposed of
to provide food for the rest. The Capuchin friars, in their
mission to Congo, mention, that one day hearing a man making a
great outcry, and saying, "I have no wife, no child, no brother!
Miserable wretch that I am! I once had all these, but I sold
them;" they asked him the reason for his acting so. "To purchase
drink," was the reply; "and if I had them again, I should do the
same." But this is a single circumstance; possibly, such an utter
want of feeling would not be found in the rest of the tribe. Why
_should_ not love pervade the breast of the black as well as the
white? That it does do so, may be proved by many pathetic
instances.
A master of slaves in Kingston, Jamaica, owned a negro who was
the mother of two fine little boys. Being in want of cash, the
master disposed of one. The poor mother, in the agony of maternal
feeling at having her offspring thus turned from her, made a
hideous lamentation; and for this crime, as it was termed, her
owner commanded her to receive a severe flogging. She had still
one, however, left, and she would sit for hours, holding it in
her arms, and pouring upon its unconscious ear her tale of
sorrow. But alas! the spoiler came again: her master wanted more
money, and regardless of the heart-rending cries of the
distracted mother, who begged him not to take her last, her
best-beloved, the child was sold. This utter bereavement "turned
her heart within her," and caused "the light of madness" to
kindle in her eye.
A short time ago, I was speaking to an old woman whom I knew when
she was a slave upon McKinnon's estate; and among other
questions, I asked her, "Juncho," (her name,) "are you happier
now than when you was a slave--are you better off now than you
was then? or would you be satisfied to return to slavery, and
become once more the property of your old master?" "Missis,"
returned the poor old creature, "me no going to tell 'tory, me
'peak de truth; me no better off now den me war den, nor no so
well self; for den me hab house and garden, an me could raise
'tock, (meaning poultry, &c.,) an plant yam, an pittates,
(potatoes,) an green, an ebery ting else; and now me free, me hab
notting." "And where is your house now?" I asked, to hear what
she would say. "Why, wen August com, massa call me, and he say,
Me no want you to lib here no more; you no good to work, you must
go, me want your house to gib to one oder somebody dats 'trong;
no ole like you; and you garden me want. So you know, missis, me
forced to go; so me come to town wid me daughter, and me lib wid
she, for me can do but lilly work now." "Then you would rather be
a slave again?" "Oh, no, missis, me no want to be slabe gen, me
sure. God made me free--God put it in buckra heart to set me
free, an me bless God for it; me no want to be slabe gen." "But I
understood you, that you were better off in the time of slavery--
that you had many comforts then that you cannot obtain now, and
yet you tell me you do not want to be a slave again--tell me the
reason." "Well, missis, it true me better off den dan me am now,
for since me free, me no get much; sometimes me no eat bread all
day, for me daughter hab so many pic'nees (children) she no able
to gib me much; but den me no me free; me no God gib me free, and
slabery is one bad something sometimes." I went on to ask her
what she meant by a "bad something," for I was anxious to know
what the negroes thought of slavery and freedom. "S'pose, den,"
said Juncho, "s'pose you hab one pic'nee, dat pic'nee sick; well,
he put in de sick house; me 'bliged to go field, me want to go
see me sick pic'nee, but me no must go, me hab to work till
ebening 'praps; wen work done, me go see me poor sick pic'nee,
but me must no 'top wid he. Me hab make haste go; den me pic'nee
say, 'Mammy, 'top wid me, no go, mammy:' but me forced to go and
leabe me poor pic'nee. Den 'gen, missis, 'praps me pic'nee do
something bad, something he no ought to do, and massa take he and
tie he two hands up to one tree, else he make two men 'tretch he
upon de ground, an den de driber lick he so, an me cry to see him
lick so, and me pic'nee bawl, but me no dare say, 'Don't do so,
massa; let him go,' but me hab to go way and lebe he dere; so you
see, missis, dat make me say me no lub slabery. Now wen me noung,
me hab to work hard, hab dig cane hole, weed cane, pick grass, do
ebery ting; but now me ole, and no able to work, dey take away me
house, 'cause me no b'longs to dem, but den me no me free, and me
bless God me am free." This was Juncho's tale: it proves negroes
do feel for their relations when in trouble, or suffering from
illness; but with regard to her being turned out of her house
after freedom, I think is not quite correct, for I never heard of
an Antiguan planter doing so. Perhaps all of her children who
could be of any service to the estate, by working upon the
property, quitted it, and the manager might have told her, that
if they did not return, she must leave too.
Another instance, which illustrates the doctrine that negroes do
feel affection towards each other, is related by one who used to
frequent the slave markets. One day, going his rounds, he saw two
fine intelligent-looking youths, with their arms clasped tightly
round each other, and being pleased with their appearance, he
went up, and asked the price of the eldest of the two. After some
talk, the bargain was completed, and the negro became the
property of his new master.
While this business was going on between the buyer and seller,
the youths looked on with the deepest feeling of attention
depicted upon their sable faces. When the younger perceived that
his companion was about to be led away from him, he clung to him
with almost supernatural strength. Suddenly he released his hold,
sprang up, for he had thrown himself down upon his knees,
commenced jumping with all his might, dancing, and putting
himself into a thousand different attitudes, to shew his strength
and the pliancy of his limbs, in hopes the purchaser would take
him also. All, however, was of no avail, and his sorrowing friend
in affliction was about to be led away; when the poor fellow, as
if to try the last resort, flew up to the gentleman, threw his
arms around him, and with the most expressive looks of agony,
seemed to beseech his pity. Nature has not made every one
insensible to the voice of woe; he saw and felt for the boy's
grief, and he lightened the bands of slavery by buying them both.
Another anecdote is related by a resident of Nevis, who had
occasion to purchase some slaves, and accordingly, upon the
arrival of a Guinea ship with a cargo of negroes, he went to
inspect them. As they appeared strong and active, Mr. ---- made a
bargain for a certain number. After the lapse of some months,
finding that he wanted an increase of hands to carry on the work
of the estate, and another cargo having arrived, he visited the
capital, and purchased a further supply of negroes, which were
also conducted to his plantation. Upon their arrival, the former
lot came forward to welcome the new comers; and amongst the
number a young negress, who, when she had looked upon a female of
about the same age as herself, suddenly started, her lips
quivered with emotion, her eyes glistened, and then, as if fully
assured, she started forward, and threw her arms around the neck
of the girl who had attracted her attention, and who had been
similarly affected, and burst into a flood of tears. Tenderly and
fervently did these children of nature embrace each other, long
did their mutual tears flow, until, when they had partly regained
their composure, their master asked if they had known each other
in Africa. In a voice of joy which vibrated upon every heart, the
one who had first arrived, and who had acquired a little English,
replied--"Oh, massa, she me own dear sissy!"
In many instances the character of the negroes is very bad--
sullen, obstinate, and revengeful, given to lying, stealing, and
deceit. Still I do not so much attribute this to their pristine
state, as I do to the way in which they have formerly been
treated. The Africans, torn from their native country and all
their former connexions, made to work beneath a broiling sun
harder than they were ever accustomed to do, beaten for the
slightest fault, and scorned as the meanest reptile, could form,
it is to be supposed, no very favourable opinion of their
masters. Memory would at times transport them home; again, in
fancy, would they roam their native wilds, or with their
well-known companions rouse the tawny lion from his lair, or
chase the fleet-footed antelope. Once more would the song be
heard, once more, in imagination, would they join the festive
dance beneath the spreading branches of some noble mimosa; but in
the midst of this joyous scene, the voice of the overseer would
be heard, or the crack of the driver's whip dissolve their airy
castles, and they would return to despondency and despair.
Ignorant of the God that made them, and of the mild doctrines of
Christianity, no wonder the dark spirit of revenge took
possession of their breasts. The feelings of the parents were
naturally enough inculcated into the minds of their children, and
this, strengthened, perhaps, by harsh treatment from their
owners, has conspired to render the negro character, in great
measure, what I am sorry to say it is.
But we ought now to look for brighter days: a great deal has been
done for the negroes, much even before emancipation; schools have
been erected in all parts of the island, and instruction
proffered, both to young and old. The labours of the Moravian and
Wesleyan missionaries have, without doubt, done a great deal of
good to society at large by teaching the divine truths to the
black population, and striving to make them learn the important
fact that they have something else to look for besides the
gratification of the present moment. As an episcopalian myself, I
feel sorry that the church of England should have been less
forward some years ago in their labour of love. True it is there
has been, from the time these missionaries first came to the
island, up to the present, a great number of churches and
parsons. But of these, few, I am sorry to say, practised the pure
doctrine they pretended to preach; indeed, many openly denied by
their lives what they taught with their lips: their motto was--
"Do as I say, not as I act;" which conduct, although it ought not
to make religion less respected, has, in a great measure, a
tendency to that effect among all classes. "For how," would many
exclaim, "could they enforce the seventh commandment when they
wilfully broke it?--or teach a proper respect to the ordinances
of God, when (as some have been known to do) they have left a
card-table to read the service at church, and then returned to
finish their game?" But those days have passed away: Antigua now
possesses another race of clergymen very different to those
alluded to; men of pious lives, and of ardent desire to further
the cause of Christianity. The rector of St. John's, the Rev. R.
Holberton, is an evangelical preacher, and has proved a great
acquisition to the island. This gentleman is one who does not
preach for the sake of the _loaves and fishes_ alone, but strives
to do his duty as an humble follower of his divine Master. To his
talents as an orator, he adds the more sterling quality of
earnest zeal in his vocation, evinced by the bright example he
sets, of joining practice to precept. His discourses are not in
that flowery style which, working upon the feelings and
imagination, produces but a transitory impression; he rather
strives to speak to the heart than please the ear. Like a skilful
surgeon, he probes the wound he hopes to heal, and then offers
the "balm of Gilead," and binds it up with the essence of love. I
once more beg pardon of my readers for my digressions; but I
could not let the opportunity pass, without noticing the great
difference between the former race of clergymen and those of the
present day; I will now return to my more immediate subject--the
outlines of the negro character.
Before their conversion to Christianity, the Africans firmly
believed that after death they would return to Africa, and there
enjoy uninterrupted felicity. Under this idea, suicide was very
frequent among them, particularly when they fell to the share of
an austere and cruel master. But now this imagination is almost
lost sight of: they are taught so to live, that, after death,
they may inherit a better land than Africa: still I have met with
some of the old people who seemed to entertain the opinion.
A short time previous to emancipation, I remember talking with a
negro who fostered this belief. He was rather a remarkable
personage: when in the prime of manhood, he must have possessed
great strength, if we may judge from height and breadth. His
cheeks, arms, and back of his hands, were deeply tattooed with
different devices; his complexion was of a clear black, and his
countenance very intelligent; nor had he that remarkable flatness
of nose and thickness of lips by which the natives of Guinea are
so particularly distinguished. He told me he had been "long
'nough" in the West Indies, (which phrase I found, by inquiry,
extended to about four and twenty years,) and that he was a
prince in his own country--brother, I think I understood him, to
the King of Benguela, or something he pronounced very much like
it; that, during a war with a neighbouring tribe, he was taken
prisoner, sold to some merchants at Calabar, from whom he was
purchased, with several others, by the captain of a slaver, and
brought to the West Indies. Several persons whom he knew were on
board the same vessel, but that they all died, with the exception
of one woman. I afterwards saw this female, who confirmed him in
the report of being a great man among his countrymen, where, she
said, she could not speak to him, from her inferior station in
life. Poor fellow; aged, (for I suppose he must have been about
seventy,) infirm, and miserable--brought from comparative
affluence to poverty, from governing others, to be himself a
slave;--the tear of pity would not be restrained.
The circumstances under which I became acquainted with him
excited also my sympathy. The estate had been, for a long time,
robbed of its ground provisions, and to discover, if possible,
the offenders, the owner had given orders not to distribute to
the negroes their usual share of salt food, until the guilty
parties confessed their crime. This poor old man came up to the
"great house"[13] one morning to beg the owner's lady to
intercede with "his massa" for him, that he might have some
herrings to eat with his potatoes; "For," said he, "me ole now,
missis--me want something to 'trengthen me; do, missis, beg massa
gib me lilly salt provision." His tremulous voice, as it broke
upon my ear, called my attention to him, and thus caused the
introduction.
Seeing that I pitied him, he continued, "But now me ole, me soon
go hom--me no 'top much longer to trouble me massa!" I asked him
what he meant, and where was his home. "To me own country--to
Africa!" he replied, the "light of other days" beaming, for a
moment, in his eyes.--"What! now you are so _old_? You have less
chance of returning there than you ever had."--"Oh! missis, you
no sabby, (understand.) Me mean me die soon, an' den me go home--
den me happy, den me hab no mo' work, no sick no mo', no hungry
no mo'; me ole bone no ache den, but me get 'trong den an' happy
too!" Poor fellow! before this he must have gone "home;" a better
home than even Africa I hope he may have found it, for
"Though earth has full many a beautiful spot,
As a poet or painter may shew;
Yet more lovely and beautiful, holy and bright,
To the hopes of the heart, and the spirit's delight,
Is the land that no mortal may know."
There are not many Africans now in Antigua who were brought there
as slaves, they having principally died off, but there are a
great many who have been captured in slavers, and brought here by
some of her majesty's ships, who have been made free, after
serving an apprenticeship of some years. These persons are termed
by the Creole negroes _Willeyforce nagers_, (Wilberforce,) and
between them are constant bickerings--the Creole blacks looking
upon themselves as so far superior. Whenever they meet and enter
into conversation, it generally terminates in a quarrel; and at
such times, the actions they make with their hands, and the
clamour of their tongues, would almost lead you to imagine murder
was intended. The African has generally the advantage over the
Creole in garrulity; but when this is perceived by the other
party, he exerts all his energies, "works up each corporal agent
to the terrible feat," elevates his voice to the pitch of a
bagpipe, throws aloft his arms, and, with fire-flashing eyes and
quivering lips, exclaims--"You, _you Willeyforce nager, you!_"
This is decisive; the African is stunned; and, with crest-fallen
brow, goes his way, and leaves the ground to the victor.
I am now about to enter upon my "shadows" of negro character; and
as I have not screened the master, neither can I gloss over the
faults of the servant, or slave. The most predominant trait in
their character is superstition; indeed, there never was a race
so universally inclined to this weakness. What is called _Obeah_,
has existed since the first introduction of negroes into these
islands; it is one of those dark and fearful practices which they
brought with them from Africa, where the devil is still openly
worshipped, and temples built to his honour. Few English people
can have any idea of the dreadful extent to which the practice of
Obeah was carried in the West Indies, in former days. It led the
unhappy followers of it on, from one crime to another, until the
gallows was too often their end. Many, and many a one, has sunk
into a premature grave, from the awful dread of Obeah hanging
over them. These Obeah men and women are supposed to have entered
into a league with the spirit of darkness, and by his aid are
enabled to bring hidden things to light, and do many other
marvellous actions; and to offend one of these person was, they
thought, to seal their doom.
At one time, poisoning was so frequent a crime among these
followers of Obeah, that in the year 1809, it required the strong
arm of the law to subdue it. The old people are acquainted with
many of the wild plants indigenous in the country; and they often
recommend them as specifics in certain diseases. They also appear
equally familiar with those plants which yield poison. When
irritated with denials of what they wished for, or suffering from
jealousy, or any other strong passion, instances have been known
of the negroes applying to these Obeah people, and, for a small
sum, receiving from them one of their deadly draughts, so
prepared as to render death either almost immediate, or, as was
most common, lingering.
I heard of an instance of this nature occurring in Antigua during
my stay there. I cannot take upon myself to vouch for its
authenticity, as it does not appear there were sufficient grounds
of complaint against the suspected parties, to warrant their
apprehension; I will, however, give the report then current in
the island. An English gentleman, a native of Huntingdonshire,
resided upon a property about eight miles from the capital, of
which he was the manager. Upon one occasion, he had the favour
asked him, by a female belonging to the estate, to give her a
bason of milk; which request, from some reason or the other, was
refused. The matter passed off, and no more was thought about it
by the manager. A short time afterwards, he received an anonymous
scrawl, warning him to be careful of what he ate or drank. This
production was treated, as most anonymous ones ought to be, with
contempt. Another note was received, and met with no more
attention than the former. At length, sorrow came within his
door; his son, a boy of about fourteen, strong and full of life
and joy, suddenly fell ill, death claimed his prey, and he was
consigned to an early tomb. This melancholy duty was but just
performed, when his sister, a laughter-loving girl of twelve
years, fell a victim to that all-conquering monster; and but a
few more revolving suns, and the younger sister also departed for
"that bourne from whence no traveller returns." Whether any _post
mortem_ examination of the bodies took place I am unable to say,
but report attributed their deaths to the milk they used being
poisoned.
This terrible crime does not, it is true, rage to the extent it
once did; but even in these days of freedom, Obeah men and women
are still to be met with, and many negroes consult them when they
have lost anything, are suffering from protracted pain, or when
they wish to injure any one they may have quarrelled with. One of
the Antiguan magistrates related to me the following
circumstance, which had recently occurred. A man who had formerly
lived with him as groom, but who for some time past had suffered
severely from an ulcerated leg, brought a complaint before him,
against another of his sex. It appeared the defendant was one who
practised Obeah, to increase his worldly store; and the other
poor fellow, ignorant, and depressed in spirit from the almost
incurable state of his leg, was induced to apply to him for
advice. The Obeah man agreed to cure him, provided he received
ten dollars for his pains. This the infirm man was unable to do,
but said he had a surtout and a pair of black trousers at home,
and if he would take them in place of the money, he would go and
fetch them. The offer was accepted by the conjuror, the surtout
and trousers were put into his hands, and the ceremony commenced.
The diseased man was ordered to seat himself upon the ground,
while Mr. Conjuror took a calabash of some liquid, and poured it
upon his head, rubbed it very hard, and then putting his mouth to
that part called the "crown of the head," sucked it for some
time, and producing a tooth, said he had extracted it by those
means, and that his leg would soon get well. Some weeks having
elapsed, and the limb still continuing in the same state, the man
began to think he had been imposed upon, and consequently brought
the case before the magistrate, in hopes of getting his surtout
and trousers returned.
The negroes, with but few exceptions, firmly believe the Obeah
people can insert different articles, such as pieces of glass
bottles, old rags, nails, stones, &c., into the flesh of those
they dislike, and that the afflicted are obliged to get one of
the same craft to relieve them.
I once heard a servant of mine relating a circumstance to a group
of sable listeners, which illustrates this subject. His wife had
lost a gown for sometime, and could not account for its strange
disappearance. Soon after she experienced very odd sensations,
but was unable to say what was the matter with her. In her
distress she applied to the negro doctress upon the estate, but
could receive no relief from her, until at length one of her
friends advised her to consult an old Obeah woman who resided
near, and to her she accordingly went. As soon as this Obeah
woman saw her, she informed her she had "enemies," and it was
from their machinations all her illness proceeded; but that if
she would come to her again on a certain day, she would consult
"Obeah" about it, and, by his assistance, conjure the evil things
out of her, provided she brought "all the money she could
procure." At the appointed time the woman attended, and after
many mysterious rites had been performed, the necromancer
proceeded apparently to draw out of the sufferer's arms and legs,
pieces of the gown she had lost, various sized pieces of glass,
parts of an old shoe, and many other similar articles. This was
related with the utmost seriousness of countenance, and no doubt
firmly believed in by the reciter. One of the party asked if his
wife derived any benefit. "Why," said John, "she say she do, but
me no no; me no see she look much better; hab to pay plenty money
tho'; Obeah no like it if yo no gib much."
Another practice of these Obeah people is to dig a hole before
the door of a house where the resident is obnoxious to them, and
in it place their favourite commodities--old rags and pieces of
glass bottle. If the person for whose injury these articles are
intended, unconsciously passes over, their health decays, or else
they will never be better off in the world than they were at that
day. This the negroes also firmly believe; and so true is the old
proverb, "Fancy kills and fancy cures," that many, knowing such
charm has been practised upon them, have taken it to heart, and
in a short time died.
It has ever been customary, and in these days of freedom it is
not discontinued, to give the negroes upon the different estates,
a plot of ground to plant provisions in, independent of their
wages. The "negro-ground," as it is called, is frequently
situated at some distance from their houses, and consequently,
when its different productions are ripe, it is extremely liable
to be robbed. To prevent this as far as possible, it is customary
to go to an Obeah person, and, for a certain sum, obtain from
them a bottle, partly filled with some mysterious mixture,[14] or
else a piece of charmed wood, which they hang up in their grounds
over against where their provisions are growing. This generally
has the desired effect, for daring indeed must be that person who
would steal those articles under the protection of Obeah.
------
[13] Proprietor's residence.
[14] I have been lately favoured with the sight of an "Obeah
bottle," which was picked up a few weeks ago by J. Fairclough,
Esq., a gentleman of Antigua, at his residence, the grounds of
which are washed by the sea. The bottle has evidently been
immersed in the water for some period, from the number of
barnacles formed upon it, as also from the appearance of the
cork. Its principal contents are two large nails, a bent pin, a
few minute shells, and a conglomeration of substances of which I
can give no correct statement. It is filled with a dark liquid,
which stains the bottle, and gives the idea of something deadly;
but it may only arise from the action of acids upon the iron
nails.