254
JAMAICA.
be cat, (flogged.) There are four men put down to get cat. We don't know what we do. Busha, where I working, he come there, and why the reason make him sure he get me cat ; I work three Saturdays, and no pay and no day. I went up to him, and tell him I want a day. He says, devil a day you get. I said, I must have a day, I lose too much day ; you take away three day from me, and this is four. He says, you were at the boiling-house, stealing sugar. I says, me Sir; I would not do that, because I know the property that I live upon, and would not make fool of myself. When he tell me he won't give me the day, I go away and take one day. He would not pay me, and I was in need. He told me, you went and took day yesterday ; I said, yes Sir. He said, now you may be sure, so help me God, that you'll get cat. The magistrate has not yet been on the property; but whenever he does come, the day he comes, I get i t ; he does whatever busha tell him. They give more flogging now than when we were slave. Before, when they had the power of we, they overlook little thing ; not now. After crop we are continually obliged to watch (at night, by j turn,) and get no pay. Only those that watch get; their six herrings every Monday; and those that won't watch get nothing. We don't get any pay for,^ our half Fridays. The busha makes us work on ; Saturday when he likes by taking us before the magis- | trate. Sometimes we get every other Saturday. When j we have worked out four or five Saturdays according ; to the magistrate's order, he send for the magistrate | again, and say, we don't turn out soon, though we turn \ out at daylight. Since the law came in we have had 1 only about half our Saturdays. We turn out to work '<, at daylight, and are allowed half an hour for breakfast; j