An instance deserves to be recorded of another planter, with whom I have the honour to be acquainted; which proves there were slave-masters whose hearts were not of adamant; who could be kind to the poor creatures so entirely under their control; and that some marks of gratitude and affection could be shewn by a slave. In 1831, the island was in a very unsettled state, from abolishing the Sunday markets, and not appointing another day for the negroes to bring their provisions into town to sell. Constant fires occurred on different estates; no sooner was one extinguished, than another was discovered. The militia was on duty night and day; and serious alarm was abroad for the safety of the island.
The gentleman alluded to was attorney for several estates; the one he resided upon was a very large property, belonging to Sir George Thomas, and possessed a gang of about 250 negroes. His militia duty called him to a distance, and he was obliged to leave his wife and children, surrounded by all the slaves: how far the spirit of mutiny and disaffection had crept in among them, he was unable to say.
Whilst these thoughts were passing in his mind, and of course rendering him very uneasy, a few of the head slaves upon the plantation waited upon him. I cannot give the precise words they made use of, but they were to this effect: “Master, you have always been very kind to us, to our wives, and to our children; you have never given us harsh language, or cruel beatings; and while we did our work orderly and quietly, you have been most indulgent to us. Master, we thank you for it, we feel grateful, very grateful; and we here solemnly pledge ourselves to guard with our lives your wife, your children, and your property, as you have guarded us and ours.” The attorney trusted the negroes; he left the estate; and he found them act as they had promised. Oh, if anything can gild the dark picture of slavery, such instances as these will; and in these days of freedom, such men can lay their heads upon their pillows with ease, and bless God, that in the day of power, they were kept from exercising undue severity upon their defenceless slaves.
[[7]] The office of the Anti-slavery Society.
[[8]] By the Mosaic law, criminals were not to receive more than forty stripes at one time, and for one offence; but that there might be no fear of breaking the commandment, the Jews were in the habit of giving one less than the allowed number. Their whips were made with three thongs, or tails, and with this instrument the criminals received thirteen stripes, making the number of blows thirty-nine. Now the implement used for whipping negroes was a cat, with nine tails; and as thirty-nine lashes were given with it, the poor slaves received altogether 351 stripes at one time—a humane punishment, it must be allowed!
[[9]] See [Chapter XLIII.]
[[10]] From Anti-slavery Reports.
[[11]] It was customary in those days to bury negroes upon the estate to which they belonged, the burying-ground being generally near their houses.
[[12]] Dry leaves of the sugar-cane.