The garden-ground is allowed to them; and whatever they can make by its produce, or by their pigs and their poultry, is all their own." "But how are they subsisted ?" "By rations, as regularly served out as yours are on board of your vessel, and they have as much as they can consume." "Are they all single men ?" "No, mostly married to slave girls on the estate: their wives live with them, unless they breed, and then they are removed up to the nurseries." "And what work do you exact from them ?" "Eight hours a day--except in crop-time, and then we are very busy; so that they have plenty of leisure to look after their own interests if they choose." "Do they ever lay up much money ?" "Very often enough to purchase their freedom, if they wished it." "If they wished it!" replied Mr Berecroft with surprise.
"Yes; without explanation, that may appear strange to you, and still more strange, the fact, that freedom offered has often been refused.

A man who is a clever workman as a carpenter, or any other trade, will purchase his freedom if he can, because artisans can obtain very high wages here; but a slave who, if I may use the term, is only a common labourer, would hardly support himself, and lay by nothing for his old age.
They are aware of it.

I have offered emancipation to one or two who have grown old, and they have refused it, and now remain as heirlooms on the estate, provided with everything, and doing little or no work, if they please.

You saw that old man sweeping under the portico?
Well, he does that every day; and it is all he has done for these five years.

Now, if you please, we will go through the plantations, and visit the sugar-mills." They passed the slaves, who were at work hoeing between the canes; and certainly, if an estimate of their condition was to be taken by the noise and laughter with which they beguiled their labour, they were far from demanding pity.
"But, I must confess, that there is something in that cart-whip which I do not like," observed Newton.
"I grant it; but custom is not easily broken through; nor do we know any substitute.