a sight of their master year after year; they were in raptures at my
arrival; I have suffered no one to be punished, and shown them every
possible indulgence during my residence amongst them; and one and all
they declare themselves perfectly happy and well treated. Yet, previous
to my arrival, they made thirty-three hogsheads a week; in a fortnight
after my landing, their product dwindled to twenty-three; daring this
last week they have managed to make but thirteen. Still they are not
ungrateful; they are only selfish: they love me very well, but they
love themselves a great deal better; and, to do them justice, I verily
believe that every negro on the estate is extremely anxious that
all should do their full duty, except himself. My censure, although
accompanied with the certainty of their not being punished, is by no
means a matter of indifference. If I express myself to be displeased,
the whole property is in an uproar; every body is finding fault with
every body; nobody that does not represent the shame of neglecting my
work, and the ingratitude of vexing me by their ill-conduct; and then
each individual--having said so much, and said it so strongly, that he
is convinced of its having its full effect in making the others do their
duty--thinks himself quite safe and snug in skulking away from his own.
MARCH 26.
Young Hill was told at the Bay this morning, that I make a part of the
Eboe King’s song! According to this report, “good King George and
good Mr. Wilberforce” are stated to have “given me a paper” to set the
negroes free (i. e. an order), but that the white people of Jamaica will
not suffer me to show the paper, and I am now going home to say so, and
“to resume my chair, which I have left during my absence to be filled by
the Regent.”
Since I heard the report of a rebellious song issuing from Cornwall, I
have listened more attentively to the negro chaunts; but they seem,
as far as I can make out, to relate entirely to their own private
situation, and to have nothing to do with the negro state in general.
Their favourite, “We varry well off,” is still screamed about the estate
by the children; but among the grown people its nose has been put out of
joint by the following stanzas, which were explained to me this morning.
For several days past they had been dinned into my ears so incessantly,
that at length I became quite curious to know their import, which I
learned from Phillis, who is the family minstrel. It will be evident
from this specimen, that the Cornwall bards are greatly inferior to
those of Black River, who have actually advanced so far as to make an
attempt at rhyme and metre.
NEGRO SONG AT CORNWALL.
Hey-ho-day! me no care a dammee! (i. e. a damn,)
Me acquire a house, (i. e. I have a solid foundation to
build on,)
Since massa come see we--oh!
Hey-ho-day! neger now quite eerie, (i. e. hearty,)
For once me see massa--hey-ho-day!
When massa go, me no care a dammee,
For how them usy we--hey-ho-day!
An Alligator, crossing the morass at Bellisle, an estate but a few miles
distant from Cornwall, fell into a water-trench, from which he struggled
in vain to extricate himself, and was taken alive; so that, according to
the vulgar expression, he may literally be said to “have put his foot
in it.” Fontenelle says, that when Copernicus published his system, he
foresaw the contradictions which he should have to undergo--“Et il se
tira d’affaire très-habilement. Le jour qu’on lui présentoit le premier
exemplaire, scavez-vous ce qu’il fit? Il mourut;” which was precisely
the resource resorted to by the alligator. He died on the second morning
of his captivity, and his proprietor, Mr. Storer, was obliging enough to
order the skin to be stuffed, and to make me a present of him. Neptune
was despatched to bring him (or rather her, for nineteen eggs were found
within her) over to Cornwall; and at dinner to-day we were alarmed with
a general hubbub. It proved to be occasioned by Neptune’s arrival (if
Thames or Achelous had been despatched on this errand, it would have
been more appropriate) with the alligator on his head. In a few minutes
every thing on the estate that was alive, without feathers, and with
only two legs, flocked into the room, and requested to take a bird’s-eye
view of the monster; for as to coming near her, _that_ they were much
too cowardly to venture. It was in vain that I represented to them, that
being dead it was utterly impossible that the animal could hurt them:
they allowed the impossibility, but still kept at a respectful distance;
and when at length I succeeded in persuading them to approach it, upon
some one accidentally moving the alligator’s tail, they all, with one
accord, set up a loud scream, and men, women, and children tumbled out
of the room over one another, to the irreparable ruin of some of
my glasses and decanters, and the extreme trepidation of the whole
side-board.
*****
The negro-husband, who stabbed his rival in a fit of jealousy, has been
tried at Montego Bay, and acquitted. On the other hand, the King of the
Eboes has been hung at Black Hiver, and died, declaring that he left
enough of his countrymen to prosecute the design in hand, and revenge
his death upon the whites. Such threats of a rescue were held out,
that it was judged advisable to put the militia under arms, till the
execution should have taken place; and also to remove the King’s Captain
to the gaol at Savannah la Mar, till means can be found for transporting
him from the island.
MARCH 27.
The Eboe Captain has effected his escape by burning down the prison
door. It is supposed that he has fled towards the fastnesses in the
interior of the mountains, where I am assured that many settlements of
run-away slaves have been formed, and with which the inhabited part of
the island has no communication. However, the chief of the Accompong
Maroons, Captain Roe, is gone in pursuit of him, and has promised
to bring him in, alive or dead. The latter is the only reasonable
expectation, as the fugitive is represented as a complete desperado.
*****
The negroes have at least given me one proof of their not being entirely
selfish. When they heard that the boat was come to convey my baggage to
the ship at Black River, they collected all their poultry, and brought
it to my agent, desiring him to add it to my sea-stores. Of course
I refused to let them be received, and they were evidently much
disappointed, till I consented to accept the fowls and ducks, and then
gave them back to them again, telling them to consider them as a present
from my own hen-house, and to distinguish them by the name of “massa’s
poultry.”
MARCH 28.
I have been positively assured, that an attempt was made to persuade the
grand jury at Montego Bay, to present me for over-indulgence to my own
negroes! It is a great pity that so reasonable an attempt should not
have succeeded.--The rebel captain who broke out of prison, has been
found concealed in the hut of a notorious Obeah-man, and has been lodged
a second time in the gaol of Savannah la Mar.
MARCH 29.
About two months ago, a runaway cooper, belonging to Shrewsbury estate,
by name Edward, applied to me to intercede for his not being punished on
his return home. As soon as he got the paper requested, he gave up
all idea of returning to the estate, and instead of it went about the
country stealing every thing upon which he could lay his hands; and
whenever his proceedings were enquired into by the magistrates, he
stated himself to be on the road to his trustee, and produced my letter
as a proof of it. At length some one had the curiosity to open the
letter, and found that it had been written two months before.
MARCH 30.
This was the day appointed for the first “Royal play-day,” when I bade
farewell to my negroes. I expected to be besieged with petitions and
complaints, as they must either make them on this occasion or not at
all. I was, therefore, most agreeably surprised to find, that although
they had opportunities of addressing me from nine in the morning till
twelve at night, the only favours asked me were by a poor old man, who
wanted an iron cooking pot, and by Adam, who begged me to order a little
daughter of his to be instructed in needle-work: and as to complaints,
not a murmur of such a thing was heard; they all expressed themselves to
be quite satisfied, and seemed to think that they could never say
enough to mark their gratitude for my kindness, and their anxiety for
my getting safe to England. We began our festival by the head driver’s
drinking the health of H. R. H. the Duchess of York, whom the negroes
cheered with such a shout as might have “rent hell’s concave.”
Then we had a christening of such persons as had been absent on the
former occasion, one of whom was Adam, the reputed Obeah-man. In the
number was a new-born child, whom we called Shakspeare, and whom Afra,
the Eboe mother, had very earnestly begged me to make a Christian, as
well as a daughter of hers, about four or five years old; at the same
time that she declined being christened herself! In the same manner
Cubina’s wife, although her father and husband were both baptised on the
former occasion, objected to going through the ceremony herself; and the
reason which she gave was, that “she did not like being christened while
she was with child, as she did not know what change it might not produce
upon herself and the infant.”
After the christening there was a general distribution of salt-fish by
the trustee; and I also gave every man and woman half a dollar each, and
every child a maccarony (fifteen pence) as a parting present, to
show them that I parted with them in good-humour. While the money was
distributing, young Hill arrived, and finding the house completely
crowded, he enquired what was the matter. “Oh, massa,” said an old
woman, “it is only _my son_, who is giving the negroes all something.”
I also read to them a new code of laws, which I had ordered to be put in
force at Cornwall, for the better security of the negroes. The principal
were, that “a new hospital for the lying-in women, and for those who
might be seriously ill, should be built, and made as comfortable as
possible; while the present one should be reserved for those whom the
physicians might declare to be very slightly indisposed, or not ill at
all; the doors being kept constantly locked, and the sexes placed in
separate chambers, to prevent its being made a place of amusement by
the lazy and lying, as is the case at present.”--“A book register of
punishments to be kept, in which the name, offence, and nature and
quantity of punishment inflicted must be carefully put down; and also
a note of the same given to the negro, in order that if he should think
himself unjustly, or too severely punished, he may show his note to my
other attorney on his next visit, or to myself on my return to Jamaica,
and thus get redress if he has been wronged.”--“No negro is to be
struck, or punished in any way, without the trustee’s express orders:
the black driver so offending to be immediately degraded, and sent to
work in the field; and the white person, for such a breach of my orders,
to be discharged upon the spot.”--“No negro is to be punished till
twenty-four hours shall have elapsed between his committing the fault
and suffering for it, in order that nothing should be done in the heat
of passion, but that the trustee should have time to consider the matter
coolly. But to prevent a guilty person from avoiding punishment by
running away, he is to pass those twenty-four hours in such confinement
as the trustee may think most fitting.”--“Any white person, who can be
proved to have had an improper connection with a woman known publicly
to be living as the wife of one of my negroes, is to be discharged
immediately upon complaint being made.” I also gave the head driver
a complete list of the allowances of clothing, food, &c. to which the
negroes were entitled, in order that they might apply to it if
they should have any doubts as to their having received their full
proportion; and my new rules seemed to add greatly to the satisfaction
of the negroes, who were profuse in their expressions of gratitude.
The festival concluded with a grander ball than usual, as I sent for
music from Savanna la Mar to play country dances to them; and at twelve
o’clock at night they left me apparently much pleased, only I heard some
of them saying to each other, “When shall we have such a day of pleasure
again, since massa goes to-morrow?”
MARCH 31. (Sunday.)
With their usual levity, the negroes were laughing and talking as gaily
as ever till the very moment of my departure; but when they saw my
curricle actually at the door to convey me away, then their faces grew
very long indeed. In particular, the women called me by every endearing
name they could think of. “My son! my love! my husband! my father!”
“You no my massa, you my tata!” said one old woman (upon which another
wishing to go a step beyond her, added, “Iss, massa, iss! It was
you”);----------and when I came down the steps to depart, they crowded
about me, kissing my feet, and clasping my knees, so that it was with
difficulty that I could get into the carriage. And this was done with
such marks of truth and feeling, that I cannot believe the whole to be
mere acting and mummery.
I dined with Mr. Allwood at Shaftstone, his pen near Blue-fields, and at
half past seven found myself once more on board the Sir Godfrey Webster.
To fill up my list of Jamaica delicacies, I must not forget to mention,
that I did my best to procure a Cane-piece Cat roasted in the true
African fashion. The Creole negroes, however, greatly disapproved of
my venturing upon this dish, which they positively denied having tasted
themselves; and when, at length, the Cat was procured, last Saturday,
instead of plainly boiling it with negro-pepper and salt, they made into
a high seasoned stew, which rendered it impossible to judge of its real
flavour. However, I tasted it, as did also several other people, and we
were unanimous in opinion, that it might have been mistaken for a very
good game-soup, and that, when properly dressed, a Cane-piece Cat must
be excellent food.
One of the best vegetable productions of the island is esteemed to be
the Avogada pear, sometimes called “the vegetable marrow.” It was not
the proper season for them, and with great difficulty I procured a
couple, which were said to be by no means in a state of perfection. Such
as they were, I could find no great merit in them; they were to be eaten
cold with pepper and salt, and seemed to be an insipid kind of melon,
with no other resemblance to marrow than their softness.
APRIL 1. (Monday.)
At eight this morning we weighed anchor on our return to England.
YARRA.
Poor Yarra comes to bid farewell,
But Yarra’s lips can never say it!
Her swimming eyes--her bosom’s swell--
The debt she owes you, these must pay it.
She ne’er can speak, though tears can start,
Her grief, that fate so soon removes you;
But One there is, who reads the heart,
And well He knows how Yarra loves you!
See, massa, see this sable boy!
When chill disease had nipp’d his flower,
You came and spoke the word of joy,
And poured the juice of healing power.
To visit far Jamaica’s shore
Had no kind angel deign’d to move you,
These laughing eyes had laugh’d no more,
Nor Yarra lived to thank and love you,
Then grieve not, massa, that to view
Our isle you left your British pleasures:
One tear, which falls in grateful dew,
Is worth the best of Britain’s treasures.
And sure, the thought will bring relief,
What e’er your fate, wherever rove you,
Your wealth’s not given by pain and grief,
But hands that know, and hearts that love you.
May He, who bade you cross the wave,
Through care for Afric’s sons and daughters;
When round your bark the billows rave,
In safety guide you through the waters!
By all you love with smiles be met;
Through life each good man’s tongue approve you:
And though far distant, don’t forget,
While Yarra lives, she’ll live to love you!
APRIL 3.
The trade-winds which facilitate the passage to Jamaica, effectually
prevent the return of vessels by the same road. The common passage is
through the Gulf of Florida, but there is another between Cuba and
St. Domingo, which is at least 1000 miles nearer. The first, however,
affords almost a certainty of reaching Europe in a given time; while you
may keep tacking in the attempt to make the windward passage (as it is
called) for months together. Last night the wind was so favourable for
this attempt, that the captain determined upon risking it. Accordingly
he altered his course; and had not done so for more than a few hours,
when the wind changed, and became as direct for the Gulf, as till then
it had been contrary. The consequence was, that the Gulf passage was
fixed once for all, and we are now steering towards it with all our
might and main. Besides the distance saved, there was another reason
for preferring the windward passage, if it could have been effected. The
Gulf of Florida has for some time past been infested by a pirate called
Captain Mitchell, who, by all accounts, seems to be of the very worst
description. It is not long ago, since, in company with another vessel
of his own stamp, he landed on the small settlement of St. Andrews,
plundered it completely, and on his departure carried off the governor,
whom he kept on board for more than fourteen days, and then hung him at
the yard-arm out of mere wanton devilry; and indeed he is said to show
no more mercy to any of his prisoners than he did to the poor governor.
His companion has been captured and brought into Kingston, and the
conquering vessel is gone in search of Captain Mitchell. If it does
not fall in with him, and _we_ do, I fear that we shall stand but a bad
chance; for he has one hundred men on board according to report, while
we have not above thirty. However, the captain has harangued them,
represented the necessity of their fighting if attacked, as Captain
Mitchell is known to spare no one, high or low, and has engaged to give
every man five guineas apiece, if a gun should be fired. The sailors
promise bravery; whether their promises will prove to be pie-crust,
we must leave to be decided by time and Captain Mitchell. In the mean
while, every sail that appears on the horizon is concluded to be this
terrible pirate, and every thing is immediately put in readiness for
action.
This day we passed the Caymana islands; but owing to our having always
either a contrary wind, or no wind at all, it was not till the 12th that
Cuba was visible, nor till the 14th that we reached Cape Florida.
APRIL 15.
At noon this day we found ourselves once more sailing on the Atlantic,
and bade farewell to the Gulf of Florida without having heard any news
of the dreaded Commodore Mitchell. The narrow and dangerous part of
this Gulf is about two hundred miles in length, and fifty in breadth,
bordered on one side by the coast of Florida, and on the other, first
by Cuba, and then by the Bahama Islands, of which the Manilla reef forms
the extremity, and which reef also terminates the Gulf. But on both
sides of these two hundred miles, at the distance of about four or
five miles from the main land, there extends a reef which renders the
navigation extremely dangerous. The reef is broken at intervals by large
inlets; and the sudden and violent squalls of wind to which the Gulf is
subject, so frequently drive vessels into these perilous openings, that
it is worth the while of many of the poorer inhabitants of Florida to
establish their habitations within the reef, and devote themselves and
their small vessels entirely to the occupation of assisting vessels
in distress. They are known by the general name of “wreckers,” and are
allowed a certain salvage upon such ships as they may rescue. As a proof
of the violence of the gales which are occasionally experienced in this
Gulf, our captain, about nine years ago, saw the wind suddenly take a
vessel (which had unwisely suffered her canvass to stand, while the
rest of the ships under convoy had taken theirs down,) and turn her
completely over, the sails in the water and the keel uppermost. It
happened about four o’clock in the afternoon: the captain and the
passengers were at dinner in the cabin; but as she went over very
leisurely, they and the crew had time allowed them to escape out of the
windows and port-holes, and sustain themselves upon the rigging, till
boats from the ships near them could arrive to take them off. As
she filled, she gradually sunk, and in a quarter of an hour she had
disappeared totally.
APRIL 17.
THE FLYING FISH.
Bright ocean-bird, alike who sharing
Both elements, could sport the air in,
Or swim the sea, your winged fins wearing
The rainbow’s hues,
Your fate this day full long shall bear in
Her mind the muse,
In vain for you had nature blended
Two regions, and your powers extended;
Now high you rose, now low descended;
But folly marred
Those gifts, the bounteous dame intended
To prove your guard.
A flying fish, could bounds include her?
She winged the deep, if birds pursued her;
She swam the sky, if dolphins viewed her;
But now what wish
Tempts you to watch yon bright deluder,
Unthinking fish?
Alas!--a fly above you viewing,
Gay tints his gilded wings imbuing,
You mount; and ah! too far pursuing
At fancy’s call,
Heedless you strike the sails, where ruin
Awaits your fall.
Your fins, too dry, no longer play you,
And soon those fins no more upstay you;
You drop; and now on deck survey you
Jack, Tom, and Bill,
Who up may take, and down may lay you,
As suits their will.
Oh! list my tale, fair maids of Britain!
This subject fain I’d try my wit on,
And show the rock you’re apt to split on:
Then cry not--“Pish!”--
You’re all (I’m glad the thought I hit on)
Just flying fish!
Beauty, does nature’s hand bestow it?
It swells your pride, and plain you show it;
Though wealthy cit, and airy poet
Your charms pursue,
Church--physic--law--you he fair, you know it,
You’ll none, not you! .
Age looks too dry, and youth too blooming:
The scholar’s face there’s too much gloom in;
This man’s too dull, that too presuming;
His mouth’s too wide!--
For mending, Lord! you think there’s room in
The best, when tried.
In each you find some fault to snarl at,
And wilful seek the sun by starlight;
Till some gay glittering rogue in scarlet,
Who lures the eye,
Dazzles poor miss, and then the varlet
Pretends to fly.
His flight has piqued, his glitter caught her;
And soon her mammy’s darling daughter,
Whose eyes have made such mighty slaughter,
Charm’d by a fop,
Is fairly hit ’twixt wind and water,
And, miss! you drop!
Then certain fate of fallen lasses,
When short-lived bliss more frail than glass is,
To eyes of all degrees and classes
Exposed you stand,
And soon your beauty circling passes
From hand to hand.
In vain your flattering charms display you;
From home and parents far away, you
See former friends with scorn survey you;
While fools and brutes
May take you up, or down may lay you,
As humour suits.
Oh! mark, dear girls, the moral story
Of one, who breathes but to adore ye!
Let no rash action mar your glory;
But when you wish
To catch some coxcomb, place before ye
The flying fish.
APRIL 20.
Two or three years ago, our captain, while his vessel was lying in Black
River Bay, for the purpose of loading, was informed by his sailors,
that their beef and other provisions frequently disappeared in a very
unaccountable manner. However, by setting a strict watch during the
night, he soon managed to clear up the mystery: and a negro, who had
made his escape from the workhouse, and concealed himself on board among
the bags of cotton, was found to be the thief. He was sent back to the
workhouse, of which the chain was still about his neck. But another
negro had better luck in a similar attempt on board of a different
vessel. He contrived to secrete himself in the lower part of it, where
the sugar hogsheads are stored, unknown to any one. As soon as the cargo
was completed, the planks above it were caulked down, and raised no more
till their ship reached Liverpool; when, to the universal astonishment,
upon opening the hold, out walked Mungo, in a wretched condition to be
sure, but still at least alive, and a freeman in Great Britain. During
his painful voyage, he had subsisted entirely upon sugar, of which he
had consumed nearly an hogshead; how he managed for water I could not
learn, nor can imagine.
APRIL 23.
The old steward, this morning, told one of the sailors, who complained
of being ill, that he would get well as soon as he should reach England,
and could have plenty of vegetables; “for,” he said, “the man had only
got a _stomachick_ complaint; nothing but just scurvy!”
APRIL 24.