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Show 36 ST. CHRISTOPltER's. . ll Tortoln. especially large hedges in St. Christopher's, as we as bl ~ductions of the island is f tl most valua e pr . of aloes. One o 1 · "e so called f roi n the notion that It blossoms the "Tous-les-roOis, . I I t resemblincr the Canna · benutifu P an ° every month. It IS a . . d a substance extremely . ts ·oot IS obtame . Indica, and from I I d taste to arrow-root ; equally nutn-similar, in appearance an a' ,. , te stomach. This substance . t d to a e Ica tious, and better sui : 'Ul im lOitant article of export. As to is crradually becomm, ' I r d the island in a condttiOn o . I f suO'ar we .oun d the staple artie e o o ' d I t the crop on the groun ' I suppose t m of prosperity. t was d luxuriant, would produce at which to us appeared he~"'; ~~0 hogsheads; and no difliculty least the usual avewge o .' l. . . t We accompamed h d d Ill rea Jsmg I . whatever was appre en e . llinanagcd SUO'ar estate, be- Ottley's -a we ' o our friend Burt to , w· l of· Tortolu -where we . If d Judge Ig ey , . Jongincr to hnnse an . I . ng and agam saw b . ess of SUO'at-n1a n ' again examined the pwc "h day which they usually the negroes diligently at work, on t e ' reserve for their own busmess. d . from 7d. to 9d. sterling ' in this Jslan ' me The days wages, . .1 . but the negroes have no per day, besides the usual p;~v\:g~:: sterling per day by job difficulty in earnmg from . . l I they perform a far work. Under this syste.m, particun at:;~ than could be ob- . f vork m a give , . greater quantity 0 ' " 'rhey will do an infimty . d f them under slavery. , tame r,o m ·a ne of my m. .ro .r man ts , "<01• wages. J' . of work, sru. o . . anied by a vast increase 111 This state of thmgs IS accomCp d . the Methodist minis-m£ rts Our fnend a mm, their own co h. 0 t · tw. n d urm. g s 1.,w ei·y , in the year 1826. He ter, was on t IS s a ' f d " 'l'he chancre for the has now returned to it under ree om. and ~velfare of d " · th dress demeanor, better," he observe·., . m" eTh ·m' ports are vastly increased. the peop l e, I·S P' ·odt b< notts · e 1 · 837 1838 thm1 in 1 ; The duti.e s on them wei.e '£ 1 ,0 00 more. m. 1'5 0 This sur-and in 1839, double those of 1838, wtthm h£ .t of the free Prising increase I.S owm· g t 0 the demm1d on t e pm . 1 of dress. laborers, for I. mporte d goo d s, especially f.o r. art·ine eths e town, in The difficulty experienced by the gentry hvmg I S'l'. CHlUSTOPHER's. procuring fowls, eggs, &c., from the negroes, is considerably increased. The reason is well known,-the laborers make use of them for home consumption. Marriage is now become frequent amongst them, and a profusion of eggs is expended on their wedding cakes ! Doubtless they will soon learn to exchange these freaks of luxury, for the gradual acquisition of wealth . We had much pleasure in calling on the Moravian establishment at Cayon, under the care ·of Brother Miinzer. It seemed to be admirably conducted: he has three hundred children iu his school. Another of their establishments, at Basse-terre, is equally prosperous. We visited the school there, and examined the children. Their answers to our questions, were lively and correct. Crime, and petty olli:mces, are greatly diminished, since the date of full fi·eedom. Education in useful knowledge, and religious instruction are rapidly advancing. There are nine churches on the island, under the Establishment; six Methodist chapels, and three Moravian institutions. The Moravians have J,llOO members by birth and othenvise ; the Methodists 2,899 in church communion, besides attenders. These numbers include a vast proportion of the population, which is calculated at 20,000. To the favorable account of this island, which our own observation bas thus enabled ns to give, I will now add the testimony of the Lieut. Governor, received in a letter, after the lapse of three months from the date of our visit. "I have," says he, "just received the rcpo11s of the stipendiary magistrates, as to the general state of their respective districts on this island. I run thankful to say that they arc, without exception, most cheering and satisfactory. These reports will he transmitted home, and if similar reports arc forwarded from the rest of the West Indies, the friends of the negro must feel proud and grate[ ul. I do not mean to say that individual proprietors and laborers do not occasionally complain of each other; but certainly in the mass, the proprietors of this island evince a willingness to adopt conciliatory measmes, and pay a fair re- 4 |