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Show I46 ON THE SLAVERY AND COMI>!ERCC mifery of their fellow-creatures, it begets a turn for wanton cruelty. As a proof of this, we ihall mention one, among the many infiances that occur, where ingenuity has been exerted in contriving modes of torture. " An iron coffin, with holes in it, was kept by a certain colonifi, as an auxiliary to the lalh. In this the poor viCiim of the mafier's refentment was inclofed, and placed futticiently near a fire, to occafion extreme pain, and confequently lhrieks and groans, until the revenge of the mafier was fatiated, without any other inconvenience on his part, than a temporary fufpenfion of the ilave's labour. Had he been flogged to death, or his limbs mutilated, the interefi of the brutal tyrant would have fulfcred a more irreparable lofs. " In mentioning this infiance, we do not mean to infinuate, that it is common. We know that it was reprobated by many. All that we would infer from it is, that where men are habituated to a fyfiem of feverity, they become wantonly crud, and tbat the mere toleration " of OF THE HuMAN SPECIES. 147 of fuch an infirument of torture, in any " country, is a clear indication, that this " •vretched cloft if men do not there enjoy the proteCJion if any laws, that may be " pretended to have been maCled in their "favour.'' Such then is the general fituation of the unfortunate Africans. They are beaten and tortured at difcretion. They are badly clothed. They are miferably fed. Their drudgery is intenfe and inceffant, and their refi lhort. For fcarcely are their heads reclined, fcarcely have their bodies a refpite from the labour of the d,1y, or the cruel hand of the overfeer, but they are fummoned to renew their forrows. In this manner they go on from year to year, in a fiate of the lowell: degrad> tion, without a fingle law to protect them, without the poffibility of redrefs, without a hope that their fituation will be changed, unlefs death ihould terminate the fcene. Having defcribed the general fituation of thefe unfortunate people, we ihall now take notice of the common confeq uences that are found to attend it, and relate them fepa- K 2 rarely, |