Page:Slave trade.pdf/18

( 18 ) over board, or in each other's faces when they quarrel.

They are commonly fed twice a day: about eight o'clock in the morning and four in the afternoon. In moſt ſhips they are only fed with their own food once a day. Their food is ſerved up to them in tubs about the ſize of a ſmall water bucket. They are placed round theſe tubs in companies of ten to each tub, out of which they feed themſelves with wooden ſpoons. Theſe they ſoon loſe, and when they are not allowed others, they feed themſelves with their hands. In favourable weather they are fed upon deck, but in bad weather their food is given them below. Numberleſs quarrels take place among them during their meals more eſpecially when they are put upon ſhort allowance, which frequently happens if the paſſage from the coaſt of Guinea to the Weſt India iſlands, proves of unuſual length. In that caſe, the weak are obliged to be content with a very ſcanty portion. Their allowance of water is about half a pint each at every meal. It is handed round in a bucket, and given to each negroe in a pannekin; a ſmall utenſil with a ſtrait handle, ſomewhat ſimilar to a ſauce-boat. However, when the ſhips approach the iſlands with a favourable breeze; they are no longer reſtricted.