The West indies in 1837

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ST. LUCIA.

are entirely dependent for support on their labor in their provision grounds. One woman, on his offering her wages for her Saturday, ashed him if he did not go to church on the Sunday ; observing, that if she worked on the estate on Saturday, she must cultivate her ground on the Sunday ; reasoning which admitted no reply. D R . ROBINSON observed, that he did not think the condition of the negros in any respect improved under the new system, except that they work one hour per day less ; and that unless different measures are adopted by the Government, they will be in no better state of preparation for freedom in 1840, than they were in 1834. The mortality among the free children has been very great, both from the want of attention to them on the part of the proprietors, and from the ignorance of mothers, who were however, by no means deficient in affection for their children. The number of females considerably preponderates in this, as in the other islands, which we have visited. D R . ROBINSON mentions the only probable explanation we have yet heard of this anomaly. He believes that an inspection of the registry of slaves, from 1815 to 1834, would shew that half the males died before attaining the age of twenty, while not a third of tbe females died within the same period ; a disparity which he accounts for, by supposing, that the severe labor to which both sexes are subjected at the same age, is less destructive to the female constitution, in consequence of its being more early matured. The population of the island, has how­ ever increased within the last few years. 25th.—CHRISTMAS D A Y . — A military band paraded the town early this morning, and serenaded the pub­ lic functionaries in honor of the day. Among other tunes, they played one composed by the negros, and


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