island, whether of the Church of England, or among the Dissenters, has been formed a friendly society. The laborers subscribe their weekly pittances to these institutions, and draw out comfortable supplies, in case of sickness, old age, burials, and other exigencies. Thus is the negro gradually trained to the habits of prudence and foresight."

"A female proprietor who had become embarrassed, was advised to sell off part of her property, in small lots. The experiment answered her warmest expectations. The laborers in the neighborhood, bought up all the little freeholds with extreme eagerness, made their payments faithfully, and lost no time in settling on the spots which they had purchased. They soon framed their houses, and brought their gardens into useful cultivation with yams, bananas, plantains, pine-apples, and other fruits and vegetables, including plots of sugar cane. In this way Augusta and Liberta sprang up as if by magic. I visited several of the cottages, in company with the Rector of the parish, and was surprised by the excellence of the buildings, as well as by the neat furniture, and cleanly little articles of daily use, which we found within. It was a scene of contentment and happiness; and I may certainly add, of industry: for these little freeholders occupied only their leisure hours, in working on their own grounds. They were also earning wages as laborers on the neighboring estates, or working at English Harbor, as mechanics." p. 49.

rum.

"We were now placed in possession of clear documentary evidence, respecting the staple produce of the island. The average exports of the last five years of slavery, (1829 to 1833 inclusive,) were, sugar 12,189 hogsheads; molasses 3,308 puncheons; and rum 2,468 puncheons. Those of the first five years of freedom, (1834 to 1838 inclusive,) were, sugar 13,545 hogsheads; molasses 8,308 puncheons; and rum 1,109 puncheons: showing an excess of 1,356 hogsheads of sugar, and of 5,000 puncheons of molasses; and a diminution of 1,359 puncheons of This comparison is surely a triumphant one; not only does it demonstrate the advantage derived from free labor during a course of five years, but affords a proof that many of the planters of Antigua have ceased to convert their molasses into rum. It ought to be observed that these five years of freedom included two of drought, one, very calamitous. The statement for 1839, forms an admirable climax to this account. It is as follows: sugar 22,383 hogsheads; (10,000 beyond the last average of slavery,) 13,433 puncheons of molasses; (also 10,000 beyond that average,) and only 582 puncheons of rum! That, in the sixth year of freedom, after the fair trial of five years, the exports of sugar from Antigua, almost doubled the average of the last five years of slavery, is a fact which precludes the necessity of all other evidence. By what hands was this vast crop raised and realized? By the hands of that lazy and impracticable race, (as they have often been describ

ed,) the negroes. And under what stimulus has the work been effected? Solely under that of moderate wages." p. 53.

He next visited Dominica, of which he gives equally favorable accounts; but I hasten to make a few extracts from his notices of Jamaica, the island from which the most unfavorable reports have come, and in which the unwise and unkind measures of the proprietors, particularly in regard to rents, have done much to counteract the good influences of Emancipation.

"We were glad to observe that the day (Sunday,) was remarkably well observed at Kingston—just as it is in many of the cities of your highly favored Union. A wonderful scene we witnessed, that morning, in Samuel Oughton's Baptist Chapel, which we attended, without having communicated to the people any previous notice of our coming. The minister was so obliging as to make way for us on the occasion, and to invite us to hold our meeting with his flock, after the manner of Friends. Such a flock we had not before seen, consisting of nearly three thousand black people, chiefly emancipated slaves, attired after their favorite custom, in neat white raiment, and most respectable and orderly in their demeanor and appearance. They sat in silence with us, in an exemplary manner, and appeared both to understand, and appreciate, the doctrines of divine truth, preached on the occasion. The congregation is greatly in

creased, both in numbers and respectability, since the date of full freedom. They pour in from the country partly on foot, and partly on mules, or horses, of their own. They now entirely support the mission, and are enlarging their chapel at the expense of £1,000 sterling. Their subscriptions to this and other collateral objects, are at once voluntary and very liberal. I have brought my mite for the chapel,' said a black woman, once a slave, to S. Oughton, a day or two before our meeting; I am sorry it is no more;' she then put into his hand, two pieces of gold, amounting to five dollars." p. 74.

"Here it may be well to notice the fact, that the great majority of estates in Jamaica, belong to absentee proprietors, who reside in England. In Jamaica, they are placed under the care of some attorney, or representative of the owner; one attorney often undertaking the care of numerous estates. Under the attorney, is the overseer, on each particular property, on whom the management almost exclusively devolves. This state of things is extremely unfavorable to the welfare of Jamaica. If the proprietors cannot give their personal attention to their estates, it would certainly be a better plan to lease them to eligible tenants on the spot-a practice which has, of late years, been adopted in many instances. It is only surprising that estates never visited by the proprietor, and seldom by the attorney, but left to the care of inexperienced young men, often of immoral character, should prosper at all. Nor would they

prosper, even as they now do, but for two causes; first, the exuberant bounty of nature, and secondly, the orderly, inoffensive conduct, and patient industry, of the negro race.'

p. 85.

"The rapid diffusion of marriage among the negroes, and the increase of it even among the white inhabitants in Jamaica, is one of the happiest results of freedom. We were assured on good authority that four times as many marriages took place, last year in Jamaica, as in an equal population, on an average, in England-a fact which proves not only that numerous new connections are formed, but also that multitudes who were formerly living as a man and wife without the right sanction, are now convinced of the sinfulness of the practice, and are availing themselves, with eagerness, of the marriage covenant. It appears that upwards of 1600 negro couples, were married in the Baptist churches alone, during the year 1839." p. 86.

"In the Parish (or county) of St. Mary, rent and wages have been arranged quite independently of each other, and labor has been suffered to find its market, without obstruction. The consequence is, that there have been no differences, and the people are working well. The quantity of work obtained from a freeman there, is far beyond the old task of the slave. In the laborious occupation of holing, the emancipated negroes perform double the work of the slave, in a day. In road making the day's task under slavery, was to break four barrels of stone.