Six months in the West-Indies, in 1825

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ANTIGUA.

for a moment of family or fortune, besides that there is always at bottom a suspicion lurking in their minds that you are going to entrap them in some snare of which they are ignorant, and from which they shall not afterwards be able to escape. One short Guinea man, an uncommon rogue, with lines and slashes tatooed on his forehead, cheeks, and chin, in token, as he told me, of his being " a jantleman at home," replied to a very energetic discourse of mine in the following words:..." Massa, me tank you for your tongue, but me like stay here; me like Antigger very well; de king he do give me two bitt a day, and me no for go to Tinidad, no not at all." " Who is your king?'' I asked. ' K i ! " retorted my Guinea bird, " my king ! De sam as you, Sare, king George !"...and grinned like one of the last scene devils in Don Giovanni in the spirit of his conquest *. What is further intended with regard to these Africans, I know not, but certainly much ;

* These Africans are very much disliked by the Creole slaves. It is common to hear two of them quarrel bitterly with each other, when all the curses of England and Africa are mutually bought and sold; but your right Creole generally reserves his heaviest shot for the end. After pausing a moment and retiring a few steps, he saith..." You! you!" with the emphasis of a cannon-ball;"who are you, you Willyforce nigger ?" Whereat Congo or Guinea foameth at the mouth, Creole evades rejoicing in the last blow. R2


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