It was entirely out of the question; that a good deal depended upon the state the fields are in--that his people, for instance, could, with much ease, if they chose, clean 170 trees by half-past three o'clock.
Mr.MASON, of St.George's, said he was willing to pay his people 1s.
8d.

per day, if they would but work; but the fact was that they refused to do so, on account of the stories that had been told them by Special Justice Fishbourne; willingly too would I have given them their houses and grounds for three months, free of charge, had they shown a desire to labor; but what was the lamentable fact?
the people would not work, because Mr.Fishbourne had influenced them not to do so, and he (Mr.
Mason) had been a loser of one thousand pounds in consequence.

He had been compelled in self-defence to issue summonses against two of his people.

He had purchased his property--it was his all--he had sacrificed twenty of the best years of his life as a planter, he had a wife and family to support, and what was the prospect before him and them?
He admitted having served notices on his people to quit their houses--in truth he did not now care whether they were or were not located on the property--he was willing to pay fair, nay, high wages, but the demand was exorbitant.

He had a servant, a trustworthy white man, who laboured from day-dawn to sunset for 2s.1d.per day, and he was quite satisfied.
All the mischief in his district had been owing to the poisonous stories poured into the ears of the people by Special Justice Fishbourne.