Page:Remarks upon the Situation of Negroes in Jamaica.pdf/39

 anxious to do juſtice to his creditors by an annual, although a ſlow decreaſe of his encumbrance, than by augumenting his loan under the idea of puſhing his crops, and of thereby weakening thoſe powers, which at the laſt muſt fail.

The two methods generally adapted for the ſeaſoning of negroes (and both of which I have repeatedly tried, and in both of which I have failed) are the following: either to quarter them upon old ones, under whom they are to learn to make a ground; or to have one ready planted, full of proviſions, and apportioned to them upon their arrival: of both theſe plans I highly diſapprove, and for the enſuing reaſons. If a new negro attend an old one to the mountain, (as it is the undeviating principle of the colour not to do that for themſelves which others will do for them) it is ten to one but he make the ſtranger do the drudgery, while he claims, in conſideration of the uſe of his hut, and the pitiful ſubſiſtence he may give him, the undiſputed poſſeſſion of all the produce—nay more, he will make him his ſlave upon all occaſions, and if he expreſs by ſullenneſs the leaſt