What a volume of blackness and blood![A]

[Footnote A:  We are here reminded of a fact stated by Mr. C. on another occasion.  He said, that he once attended at the death of a planter who had been noted for his severity to his slaves.  It was the most horrid scene he ever witnessed.  For hours before his death he was in the extremest agony, and the only words which he uttered were, “Africa.  O Africa!” These words he repeated every few minutes, till he died.  And such a ghastly countenance, such distortions of the muscles, such a hellish glare of the eye, and such convulsions of the body—­it made him shudder to think of them.]

When we arose on Monday morning, the daylight has scarcely broken.  On looking out of the window, we saw the mill slowly moving in the wind, and the field gang were going out to their daily work.  Surely, we thought, this does not look much like the laziness and insubordination of freed negroes.  After dressing, we walked down to the mill, to have some conversation with the people.  They all bade us a cordial “good mornin’.”  The tender of the mill was an old man, whose despised locks were gray and thin, and on whose brow the hands of time and sorrow had written many effaceless lines.  He appeared hale and cheerful, and answered our questions in distinct intelligible language.  We asked him how they were all getting along under the new system.  “Very well, massa,” said he, “very well, thank God.  All peaceable and good.”  “Do you like the apprenticeship better then slavery?” “Great deal better, massa; we is doing well now.”  “You like the apprenticeship as well as freedom, don’t you?” “O no me massa, freedom till better.”

“What will you do when you are entirely free?”

“We must work; all have to work when de free come, white and black.”  “You are old, and will not enjoy freedom long; why do you wish for freedom, then?” “Me want to die free, massa—­good ting to die free, and me want to see children free too.”

We continued at Lear’s during Monday, to be in readiness for a tour to the windward of the island, which Mr. C. had projected for us, and on which we were to set out early the next morning.  In the course of the day we had opportunities of seeing the apprentices in almost every situation—­in the field, at the mill, in the boiling-house, moving to and from work, and at rest.  In every aspect in which we viewed them, they appeared cheerful, amiable, and easy of control.  It was admirable to see with what ease and regularity every thing moved.  An estate of nearly seven hundred acres, with extensive agriculture, and a large manufactory and distillery, employing three hundred apprentices, and supporting twenty-five horses, one hundred and thirty head of horned cattle, and hogs, sheep; and poultry in proportion, is manifestly a most complicated machinery.  No wonder it should have been difficult to manage during slavery, when the main spring was absent, and every wheel out of gear.