JAMAICA.
359
to the health of his- slaves, who subsisted as they do still, chiefly on farinaceous roots, cultivated by their own hands. With regard also to the four hours and a half, allowed for the cultivation of the provision grounds, it cannot be for a moment believed, that that amount of time is sufiicieht for the negros to provide the means of a week's subsistence. In this point also, the planters stand self-convicted of fraud, for on most sugar estates, the half Friday ostensibly granted, as adequate to pro vide food for an entire week, is taken back for a trifling weekly allowance of five or six herrings, the least con siderable part of his necessary support. In those parts of the island, where the eight hour system of labor is adopted, a system which is usually a mere pretext for defrauding the apprentices of time ; the four hours and a half are so distributed over several days, as to render it impossible, that he should employ the time for the purposes assigned. The provision grounds of the ap prentices, are from one to fifteen miles distant from their houses ; but in no case, is any allowance of time made, on account of their distance, for going and re turning. The watchmen have in numerous instances been taken away, and the provision grounds conse quently ruined by plunder, or the trespass of cattle, for which injuries, though reduced to starvation, the apprentices have no redress. In some cases, they have suffered to such an extent from these causes, as to be compelled to throw up their grounds, and to depend for subsistence on the most casual and insuflicient re sources. On many estates, the negros have been de prived of their field cooks, and thus compelled to labor throughout the day without food. The domestic ap prentices, who were, and still are supported in the same manner as the agricultural slaves, by cultivating