with their social dinner. By an unanimous vote, they commissioned me to present a message of their affectionate regards, to Thomas Clarkson, and Thomas Fowell Buxton, the two men to whom, of all others perhaps, they were the most indebted for their present enjoyment.

In the course of this delightful ride, I observed several beautiful birds entirely new to me-the woodpecker of Jamaica, finely varied with red, black, and green; the bright green toady, of the size of a small wren, with scarlet throat; a larger bird in shape like a robin, green and purple; and the smallest of the "fowls of the air"-if fowl it may be called-the bee hummingbird, just about the size of a humble bee, and much resembling it, in manner and appearance. Our friend Richard Hill is an ornithologist and artist, and has made an admirable set of drawings of the birds of this island, which I trust, in due season, will be presented to the public.

The following day was the First of the week, and brought with it, at Spanishtown, a repetition of the scenes which had so much interested us, the preceding week at, Kingston-a vast meeting of negro laborers, at the Baptist Meeting House in the morning; and at the Methodist Chapel in the evening, a promiscuous assembly of all classes and colors—both meetings held, of course, after the manner of the Society of Friends. The principles upheld to view on these occasions, were not of a sectarian nature; but were calculated, we trust, to cement all sound christians, in "the unity of the spirit, and in the bond of peace." In reference to the meeting held in the morn

ing, one of our company observes, "I watched the people as they sat before us, shoulder to shoulder-I witnessed the tears starting to their eyes, and saw their significant tokens of response-I heard “ yes massa,” faintly and involuntarily escaping the lips of some of them. In short, here was before me a people only a few years ago, under the grinding iron hand of bondage; ignorant, degraded, and desponding-now free, feeling, and intelligent."

I am, &c. &c.

MY DEAR FRIend,

I will now continue my diary.

Third month (March) 9th. At an early hour this morning, my friend Mahlon Day and myself, drove out ten miles on the high road to Old Harbor, to Bravo Penn, a handsome villa, the seat of Alexander Bravo. He is a member of the Council, Custos of the parish of Clarendon, a large land owner, and once the holder of a thousand slaves. Great as his stake was in the old system, he was even then the firm friend of freedom, in the efficacy of which he felt great confidence; and afterwards when all around him were talking of ruin, he set his apprentices to work to build the capital mansion in which he now resides. He is a married man, the father of a large young family. At his house we were met by our friends, Palmer, late of Surrey, and Ramsay, Custos of St. Catharine's.

That confidence in the safety of freedom, which A. Bravo displayed by building his mansion during the apprenticeship, has been farther manifested since eman

cipation, by his hiring two large properties belonging to the Marquess of Sligo. These he is now conducting, for his own benefit, in addition to several sugar and coffee estates of which he is the owner; and I find he is yet further extending his sugar cultivation, by forming a new plantation for the purpose, on a farm hitherto in grass. These proceedings involve a practical testimony of the highest value, in favor of the present system. They are, as I understand, connected with the fact, that the payment of wages to a comparatively small number of free laborers, produces a far less formidable debit in account, than the support of a thousand slaves, with all its collateral pecuniary burdens.

Our friend Bravo has had the good sense to separate the two points of rent and wages. He charges the people a fair rent on their cottages and provision grounds, according to the money-value of their occupation; at the same time, he pays them good wages, and leaves them at perfect liberty to take their labor to a better market, if they can find one. The consequence is that they are in general happy and contented, and work on his estates willingly and vigorously. The result of his own experience, and of his extensive knowledge of the island, is just this-that the emancipated negroes, are working well, on the properties of their former holders, wherever they are fairly, kindly, and wisely treated. These adverbs are severally intended to have their distinct force. All infractions of pure justice-all new fangled attempts to compel labor— all oppressive, inequitable modes of management→ must in the first place be renounced. Harsh, unkind

treatment, profane swearing, and all hard language, must in the second place, be avoided. And lastly, there must be discretion and firmness. Where fair→ ness and kindness are practised, there will still be little probability of success, if unwise sacrifices are made of the rights of the master-if, for instance, the laborers are allowed to take any quantity of wild land that they please, for their provision grounds, for little or no rent, and so to render themselves independent of wages. Again, the occasional caprices to which they are prone, and which are apt to irritate the tempers of overseers, require to be met by a calm and steady resistance. On one of A. Bravo's estates, the people had, shortly before, struck work for the renewal of an extravagant rate of wages, which had been allowed them, under peculiar circumstances, the year before. Our friend knew that the demand was unreasonable, and quietly yet firmly resisted it. The consequence was that in a very few days, they were all at work again as heartily as before. He is further of the judgment, that like other laborers, all the world over, they require a careful superintendence. In the nature of things, their service will be more or less eye-service, until they come to be fully impressed with their moral and religious obligations, as cultivators of the soil.

After breakfast we drove to Kelly's, one of Lord Sligo's properties. Here all is prospering, under A. Bravo's care; and the proprietor has given directions for the building of one hundred comfortable cottages on the estate, which are to be leased to the laborers, with one-acre plots of ground, so as to render them inde