their leave.  They had to bear this, for it was useless to complain—­they could get no justice; there was no law in Manchioneal.  The special magistrate would only hear the master, and would not allow the apprentices to say any thing for themselves[A].  The magistrate would do just as the busha (master) said.  If he say flog him, he flog him; if he say, send him to Morant Bay, (to the treadmill,) de magistrate send him.  If we happen to laugh before de busha, he complain to de magistrate, and we get licked.  If we go to a friend’s house, when we hungry, to get something to eat, and happen to get lost in de woods between, we are called runaways, and are punished severely.  Our half Friday is taken away from us; we must give that time to busha for a little salt-fish, which was always allowed us during slavery.  If we lay in bed after six o’clock, they take away our Saturday too.  If we lose a little time from work, they make us pay a great deal more time.  They stated, and so did several of the missionaries, that the loss of the half Friday was very serious to them; as it often rendered it impossible for them to get to meeting on Sunday.  The whole work of cultivating their grounds, preparing their produce for sale, carrying it to the distant market, (Morant Bay, and sometimes further,) and returning, all this was, by the loss of the Friday afternoon, crowded into Saturday, and it was often impossible for them to get back from market before Sabbath morning; then they had to dress and go six or ten miles further to chapel, or stay away altogether, which, from weariness and worldly cares, they would be strongly tempted to do.  This they represented as being a grievous thing to them.  Said one of the men; in a peculiarly solemn and earnest manner, while the tears stood in his eyes, “I declare to you, massa, if de Lord spare we to be free, we be much more ’ligiours—­we be wise to many more tings; we be better Christians; because den we have all de Sunday for go to meeting.  But now de holy time taken up in work for we food.”  These words were deeply impressed upon us by the intense earnestness with which they were spoken.  They revealed “the heart’s own bitterness.”  There was also a lighting up of joy and hope in the countenance of that child of God, as he looked forward to the time when he might become wise to many more tings.

[Footnote A:  We would observe, that they did not refer to Mr. Chamberlain, but to another magistrate, whose name they mentioned.]

They gave a heart-sickening account of the cruelties of the treadmill.  They spoke of the apprentices having their wrists tied to the handboard, and said it was very common for them to fall and hang against the wheel.  Some who had been sent to the treadmill, had actually died from the injuries they there received.  They were often obliged to see their wives dragged off to Morant Bay, and tied to the treadmill, even when they were in a state of pregnancy.  They suffered a great deal of misery from that; but they could not help it.