But my melancholy subject is not yet ended; a few more acts remain to be exhibited before the curtain falls. There was some years ago an Antiguan planter who was of such a tyrannical disposition, that he was an object of dread to the whole negro population, until at length he made himself so hated by them, from his cruel punishment, that he fancied his life in danger, and therefore quitted the island, and remained absent for many years. It was customary for many persons at that time to send, or threaten to send, negroes who were refractory or lazy, to Mr. —— for punishment, and so dreaded was his name, that, in most cases, it procured good behaviour and declarations of amendment; for hard, indeed, was the fate of those who fell into his hands. It is said that Mr. —— has been known to order two drivers to stretch a slave, no matter whether male or female, upon the ground, and to flog them until he rode round his estate, (which was one of good extent,) and upon his return, if he did not think the gashes sufficiently open, he would make them continue their demoniac employment for a longer period. The operation of flogging was thus performed:—the unfortunate victims of their barbarity were stretched upon the earth their full-length, four men held them down, while one or more drivers, with their immense cart-whips, lacerated the flesh at every stroke. Sometimes after this violent discipline of the whip, more humane masters, if they can be termed so, have ordered their bleeding backs to be washed with pickle, in order to prevent mortification; but Mr. —— would not allow this to be done; he would not let them have any assistance; but chains have been put upon them, and they have been led back to their dungeon, and maggots have been known to breed in their flesh! This is no tale of fiction, no “Castle of Udolpho,” to horrify the mind with its ideal fancies; no, it is the plain, unvarnished tale of truth, of what our poor negroes once suffered in Christian countries from those who professed themselves Christian masters. I mean not to say that every slave-owner was a man of blood; God forbid they should have been, for then every breeze that blew would have been loaded with groans—every sun that rose would have witnessed mangled bodies. No; there were many, very many, in Antigua who treated their slaves with the utmost kindness, even in slavery’s early days; but more particularly in this generation, when milder principles were inculcated, and milder punishments put into effect.