On several of the estates which have wrought, the people have struck once or twice.  We have in this parish ministers of every denomination, and they are all acting very properly; but they do not seem to have as much influence as expected; we must be as considerate and liberal as possible to secure their confidence ourselves.  We are in St. Mary’s paying the highest rate of wages in the island; 1s. 8d. currency per day nett, with allowances, are generally offered; I am giving here, from sheer necessity, 2s. 6d. currency per day, without charging any rent in the mean time.  In the present state of things when so few estates are doing anything at all, I have much satisfaction in saying that the people here, on ——­, a good proportion of them were at work last week, and I have now the mill about making sugar, with every probability, I think of going on satisfactorily; and looking dispassionately at the great change which has so suddenly taken place, our present difficulties are not much to be wondered at.

Sunday night, 8th Sept.—­The foregoing was written, but too late, for the last packet; but as another sails to-morrow, I write you a few lines more.  There is, up to this moment, but little material alteration in the state of affairs generally, certainly none for the worse.  I have made here twenty hogsheads of sugar since the 1st ult.  We are altogether in an uncertain state, but there are more mills about, and more work doing in this district than in any other in the island, which might and ought to be a feather in the cap of Maitter, our late stipe.  I have no time to say more now, excepting that, although I am in great hopes that things will soon generally improve, and am of opinion that our present difficulties are not to be wondered at, yet our situation is still so critical, that I dare not venture to hazard an opinion as to the success of the great experiment, I repeat, however, again, that we have not seen anything to disappoint or surprise us, bad as many things are.”

Extract of a Letter from an Attorney in St. Mary’s, Jamaica, 24th August, 1838

“The services of the stipes are much wanting here; I am paying 10s. a week for first class, 6s. 8d. for second, and 4s. 2d. for third, for five days work; they say they will not work on Fridays.  However, I have got people at ——­ to work today; they are behaving better than most others.  I hope things will now improve; and it is my opinion that good estates will do, and others will fall to the ground.  Old Mr. Tytte is dead, and his son Alexander made stipe for the district.  The Governor’s speech respecting women has done a great deal of harm.  None of the women want to work.  If Lord Glenelg had made such a mistake, he would have heard enough of it.  I wish the Government would take it on themselves to settle the rate of wages, otherwise two-thirds of the estates will be thrown up before next year; of course I can stand this as well as any.  The ——­ people have behaved well:  they did every thing I told them; they are working on piece-work, which is the best plan.”