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CHAP. IV.
Africans, when bought, their general Estimation and Treatment—These become either Plantation or In-and-Out-door Slaves— Labour of the Plantation Slaves in and out of Crop— Their Days of Rest — Food — Clothing — Houses — Property — Situation of the In-and-Out-door Slaves — Ordinary Punishment of the Slaves by the Whip and Cow-skin — Frequency and severity of these Punishments — Extraordinary Punishments of many Kinds— The Concern which the very Women take in these Ordinary and Extraordinary Punishments— The different nominal Offences mentioned in the Evidence, which Occasion them— Capital Offences and Punishments — Slaves turned off to steal, beg, or starve, when incapable of Labour— Slaves have little or no Redress against ill Usage of any sort— Laws lately enacted, but not with an Intention to serve the Slaves, and of little or no Use.
Africans, when bought, their general Estimation and Treatment.
The natives of Africa, when bought by the European Colonists, are generally esteemed, says Dr. Jackson, a species of inferiour beings, whom the right of purchase gives the owner a power of using, at his will. Consistently with this definition we find the evidence asserting with one voice, that they " have no legal protection against their masters," and of course that "their treatment varies according to the disposition of their Masters." If their masters be good men, says the Dean of Middleham, they are well off, but, if not, they suffer.
The
