Col.  B. alluded to the expensiveness of slavery, remarking that after all that was expended in purchasing the slaves, it cost the proprietor as much to maintain them, as it would to hire free men.  He spoke of the habit of exercising arbitrary power, which being in continual play up to the time of abolition, had become so strong that managers even yet gave way to it, and frequently punished their apprentices, in spite of all penalties.  The fines inflicted throughout the island in 1836, upon planters, overseers, and others, for punishing apprentices, amounted to one thousand two hundred dollars.  Col.  B. said that he found the legal penalty so inadequate, that in his own practice he was obliged to resort to other means to deter his book-keepers and overseers from violence; hence he discharged every man under his control who was known to strike an apprentice.  He does not think that the apprenticeship will be a means of preparing the negroes for freedom, nor does he believe that they need any preparation.  He should have apprehended no danger, had emancipation taken place in 1834.

At nine o’clock we sat down to breakfast.  Our places were assigned at opposite sides of the table, between Col.  B. and Mr. C. To an American eye, we presented a singular spectacle.  A wealthy planter, a member of the legislative council, sitting at the breakfast table with a colored man, whose mother was a negress of the most unmitigated hue, and who himself showed a head of hair as curly as his mother’s!  But this colored guest was treated with all that courtesy and attention to which his intelligence, worth and accomplished manners so justly entitle him.

About noon, we left Edgecome, and drove two miles farther, to Horton—­an estate owned by Foster Clarke, Esq., an attorney for twenty-two estates, who is now temporarily residing in England.  The intelligent manager of Horton received us and our colored companion, with characteristic hospitality.  Like every one else, he told us that the apprenticeship was far better than slavery, though he was looking forward to the still better system, entire freedom.

After we had taken a lunch, Mr. Cummins invited our host to take a seat, with us in his carriage, and we drove across the country to Drax Hall.  Drax Hall is the largest estate in the island—­consisting of eight hundred acres.  The manager of this estate confirmed the testimony of the Barbadian planters in every important particular.

From Drax Hall we returned to Bridgetown, accompanied by our friend Cummins.

CHAPTER II.

TESTIMONY OF SPECIAL MAGISTRATES, POLICE OFFICERS, CLERGYMEN, AND MISSIONARIES.

Next in weight to the testimony of the planters is that of the special magistrates.  Being officially connected with the administration of the apprenticeship system, and tire adjudicators in all difficulties between master and servant, their views of the system and of the conduct of the different parties are entitled to special consideration.  Our interviews with this class of men were frequent during our stay in the island.  We found them uniformly ready to communicate information, and free to express their sentiments.