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Show 66 ANTiGUA. . 1 k'ng the estate at present," said of conductmg am wor 1 . . . ". I s than that of the mere j eedwg the n1anagcr, IS cs , B t of all the mortgages on the pro-of the slaves. es ' ' . . 1 . 'I off. and our fr1end, once half a perty are most Y P•lll ' ' . slave h u. nse If, .IS enlerging into comfort, case, a•n d . W took a wedding party. Both bnde hberty. e over and bn·( 1 e groom. w e r e common laborers on the estate. The ,u_ ri' d egroom w,a s attired in a blue coat, handsome · 'tl a brooch white pantaloons, and W el- watstcoat, wt 1 ' . . h·n ooton b oots-tl1 e bride' in a vast pm. k s1lk b. onnet, I ac"e cap, an d w1 11·te muslin gown w1th faslu. onable s1 e eves.I W e 'a fterwca rds called on Dr. Dan1el, the respected President of the Council, and a large attor-ney. He freely assured us that the ~ahorers, on the proper t1. es u nde1· his care' were work.m g well, ancl at a much cheal)er rate than in the tunes of slave.r y. Here also, the result of the experiment was a savmg of expense, and of course, therefore, an increase of profit, and a rise in the value of property. . Another week had now elapsed ; and, on the Fmt day evening, notwithstanding indisposition, a third meeting was held in the Methodist chapel. It was promiscuously attended, as was supposed, by two thousand five hundred people. The appearance of the congregation, and the deep interest they evinced on the occasion, reminded us of the prophecies in the book of Isaiah, respecting the great moral change to be effected by the gospel of Christ, in a world of VICC and sorrow. "The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rosr." ANTIGUA. 67 I was now laid by, under the care of a p11ys' · I Clan, for two days; but on the next morning, (First month, 27t~) .was allowed to unite with my friends, in visiting the .Jail and house of correction, which we found in a state of cleanliness and order. There was little of which to complain, but the stowage of lunatics in the jail-a practice not unusual in the British West Indian Colonies. I have since heard from the Governor General that a separate place is now allotted to them; he also informs me that the tread-wheel which we were happy to find disused, is on the poin; of being finally demolished. The Chief Judge Nan ton -who accompanied us to the prisons, and attended the meetings which we held with their affiicted inmates, fully confirmed the statements which we had previously received of the diminution o.t: crime. He also gave a cllCPring accouut of the behaviour and industry of the negroes on his own property. We were now placed in possession of clear documentary evidence, respecting the staple produce of the Island. The average exports of the last five years of slavery (1829 to 18:~3 inclusive) were, sugar, 12,189 hogsheads; molasses, 3,308 puncheons ; and rum 2,468 puncheons. Those of the first five years of freedom (1834 to 1838 inclusive) were, sugar, 13,545 hogsheads ; molasses, 8,308 puncheons; and rum, I, 109 puncheons ; showing an excess of 1,356 hogsheads of sugar, and of 5,000 puncheons of molasses ; and a diminution of 1,359 puncheons of rum. This :omparison is surely a triumphant one; not only does It d~monstratc the advantage derived from free labor dunng a co\~rsc• o f f1i ve years, but affords a proof. that F2 |