About the same time that "negars" landed in the colony, commenced the arrival of starving boys and girls picked up out of the streets of London. The "negars" are described as follows by an early writer of the colony. "The negroes live in small cottages called quarters, in about six in a gang, under the direction or an overseer or baliff; who takes care that they tend such land as the owner allots and orders, upon which they raise Hogs and Cattle, plant Indian Corn (or maize) and Tobacco for the use of their Master; out of which the overseer has a dividend (or share) in proportion to the number of hands including himself; this with several privileges in his salary, and is an ample recompense for his pains, and encouragement of his industrious care, as to the labor, health, and provision of the negroes. The negroes are very numerous, some gentlemen having hundreds of them of all sorts, to whom they bring great profit; for the sake of which they are obliged to keep them well, and not overwork, starve, or famish them, besides other inducements to favor them, which is done in a great degree, to such especially that are laborious, careful, and honest; though indeed some Masters, careless of their own interest and reputation, are too cruel and negligent. "The negroes are not only increased by fresh supplies from Africa and the West India Islands, but also are very prolific among themselves; and they that are born there talk good English, and effect our language, habits, and customs; and tho' they be naturally of a barbarous and cruel temper, yet are they kept under by severe discipline upon occasion, and by good laws are prevented from running away, injuring the English or neglecting their business. Their work (or chimerical hard slavery) is not very laborious; their greatest hardship consisting in that they and their posterity are not at their own liberty or disposal, but are the property of their owners; and when they are free they know not how to provide so well for themselves generally; neither did they live so plentifully nor (many of them) so easily in their own country where they are made slaves to one another, or taken captive by their enemies. Their work is to take care of the stock, and plant Corn, Tobacco, Fruits and which is not harder than thrashing, hedging, or ditching; besides, though they are out in the violent heat, wherein they delight, yet in wet or cold weather there is little occasion for their working in the fields, in which few will let them be abroad, lest by this means they might get sick or die, which would prove a great loss to their owners, a good Negroe being sometimes worth three (nay four) score pounds sterling, if he be a tradesmen; so that upon