Part 18

Smoking is an universal custom among them. In order to be at all moments provided for this enjoyment, they carry in their breeches pocket a short pipe, about an inch in length from the bowl; or instead of this a leaf of tobacco rolled into a sagar. Very often the pipe is so short, or the sagar so closely smoked away, as to endanger burning the nose, or even the lips. I have frequently seen them smoking with the pipe so short as to hold it in the mouth by pressing with the lips upon the lower part of the bowl. They often kindle their pipes, by putting bowl to bowl and nose to nose, and smoking into each other’s eyes, until the tobacco has taken fire.

The food of the negroes is issued to them weekly, under the inspection of the manager. It is very simple and but little varied; breakfast, dinner, and supper being similar to each other, and the same throughout the year. It consists mostly of Guinea corn, with a small bit of salt meat, or salt fish. Formerly a bunch of plantains was given to each slave as the weekly allowance: but the plantain-walks being mostly worn out, this is become an expensive provision. Rice, maize, yams, eddoes, and sweet potatoes form an occasional change, but the Guinea corn is, commonly, issued as the weekly supply; and in order to obtain some variety of food, they barter this in exchange for other provisions, or sell it for money, and with that buy salt meat or vegetables. We see them occasionally offering the Guinea corn for sale; and on being asked why they sell it, they thus express themselves: “Me no like for have him Guinea corn always! Massa gib me Guinea corn too much. Guinea corn to-day! Guinea corn to-morrow! Guinea corn eb’ry day! Me no like him Guinea corn—him Guinea corn no good for gnhyaam.”

The weekly supply being issued to them on the Sunday, it becomes their own care how to use it so as to have a sufficiency of food until the following Sabbath. Those who are industrious have little additions of their own, either from vegetables grown on the spot of ground allotted to them, or purchased with the money obtained for the pig, the goat, or other stock raised about their huts in the negro-yard.

A mess of pottage, or very hot soup, called pepper-pot, is one of their favorite dishes, which is also much esteemed by the inhabitants, and by strangers. It is prepared by stewing various kinds of vegetables with a bit of salt meat, or salt fish, and seasoning it very highly with the pods of the red pepper. The vegetable, called squashes, is much used in these pepper-pots. Bread is unknown among the slaves of the West Indies: nor, indeed, is it in common use among their masters, but they find very excellent substitutes in the yam, the cassada, and the eddoe.

The usual round of labour of the slaves is from sunrise to sunset, having intervals of rest allowed them, at the times of breakfast, and dinner.

The negroes are generally sad thieves; they appear to know no sense of honesty. Ignorant of all moral principle, they steal without thinking it wrong, and without any apprehension, except that of being detected. The planters are obliged to employ one or two of the most trusty of them in the capacity of watchmen to guard, by close and constant attention, the orchards, plantain-walks, provision-stores, and the like, from the depredations of their own and their neighbours’ slaves. Although they have no remorse in stealing whensoever or wheresoever opportunity offers, still they are peculiarly prone to robbing their masters; and this they do not even consider a theft, as is too evident by an expression very common among them, viz. “_Me no tief him: me take him from Massa_.”

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April 9.

In speaking to you of the exemption of Barbadoes from great and destructive sickness, I remarked that, although it escaped some general ills, it was visited with a malady peculiarly its own. As this forms a characteristic feature of the country, and cannot but attract the notice, and excite the curiosity of strangers, you would not excuse me if I were to neglect offering you a few words upon the subject.

The disease is the _elephantiasis_; called by some the “_glandular disease_,” but, by the many, designated simply the “_Barbadoes disease_.” It commonly appears in the form of an enormous enlargement of one or both legs; but affects occasionally other parts, particularly the scrotum, which becomes increased to a surprising bulk. When once established, it is extremely difficult to remove, and for the most part proves to be incurable. It disturbs the general health less than might be expected, and frequently exists for many years, or, even during the remainder of a long life, without seeming materially to impair the constitution. It is mostly seen among the negroes, but it occurs also among the creole whites, and even suffers not the Europeans to escape. Although so frequent in Barbadoes, as to be held in a great degree peculiar or endemial, it is not wholly confined to this country: some instances of it being found in the neighbouring islands.

It would seem not to have been so prevalent, as it now is, from any very distant period of time; for about the year 1760 died at Barbadoes a man named Francis Briggs, more commonly known by the fictitious appellation of Christopher Columbus, who, from the uncommon and monstrous appearance of his legs, had been represented as the bugbear or object of terror for the purpose of frightening children.

Male and female, young, middle-aged, and old, black, yellow, and white, are now all subject to its attack; and, in walking along the streets, the eye is distressed, at almost every corner, with the appearance of this hideous deformity.

The disease usually begins with an affection of the inguinal glands, from whence a red streak, or line of inflammation extends down the limb, in the direction of the lymphatic vessels; the part becoming tumefied, and taking on a shining and œdematous appearance. The swelling gradually occupies the whole of the leg, increasing until, in many instances, the limb is more than double its ordinary size. The skin assumes a morbid change, grows rough and scaly, or is covered with irregular wart-like risings. In some cases deep belts or indentations appear in various parts of the tumor, as if formed by the pressure of ligatures: in others the swelling bulges out in a number of irregular protrusions: sometimes, from extreme distention, the skin breaks into fissures, and a watery fluid oozes out, which, on exposure to the air, grows gelatinous upon the surface. The foot frequently partakes of the disease: but in many cases the immense tumor of the leg terminates abruptly at the ancle, hanging over the foot in knotty, and scaly excrescences. The deformity is thus diversified; the enormous bulk of leg appearing under a variety of unseemly and disgusting shapes. As the enlargement increases, the whole extremity becomes hard and squamous; and the distended skin, which was at first œdematous, grows thick and corneous, and entirely resists the pressure of the finger.

It has been found on dissection that, from the effused lymph which originally caused the tumor being coagulated and hardened, the substance of the enlarged limb has assumed an appearance not unlike brawn; the morbid skin, and the cellular membrane under it, being thickened into a tough, horny, and almost cartilaginous consistence.

From this unsightly malady being mostly accompanied with fever of an intermittent type, we often hear it termed “the fever and ague.” Indeed from the periodical returns of the paroxysms, and from the tumefaction succeeding to them, the disease has been very generally considered only as an effect resulting from intermittent fever. The practice, said to be successful in its removal, seems also to be founded upon this view of it. Regard being had to the fever as the original affection, the elephantiasis is viewed only as a sequel, and the curative means are directed solely to the extinction of the febrile symptoms: which being effected, by antimony and Peruvian bark, the patient is sent for a time to some other island, by way of change of climate, in order to prevent a relapse. No particular attention is paid to the tumor, which, on the fever being removed, is expected gradually to diminish. But sometimes, instead of receding, it remains stationary, or is increased; or if it subside, is renewed on any future invasion of the fever.

Often a return to Barbadoes brings a return of the intermittent, and a consequent addition to the enlargement of the already thickened extremity; and from the attacks of the disease recurring in frequent repetition, there remains no way of preventing it from being established into an incurable deformity, but by seeking the remedy of a more temperate climate. Frequently the disorder seems to be entirely subdued by a few years residence in England, yet again takes place on the patient returning to Barbadoes.

Some regard the disease in a directly opposite point of view, considering the glandular tumor, with its attendant inflammation of the lymphatics, as the primary affection, and the fever merely as symptomatic: but it is not consistent with my present purpose, to enter into the discussion of this question.

Different opinions have been held respecting the origin of this singular affection. Being most frequent, or first observed among the negroes, many have believed it to be imported with them from the shores of Africa: but this opinion is divested of probability, by the extraordinary prevalence of the disease at Barbadoes. Were it brought by the slaves from Africa, it would be equally common in the other settlements; and, not being infectious, would not be seen among the white creoles, or the Europeans. It is undoubtedly the indigenous offspring of the island, and perhaps is connected with a peculiarly arid state of the atmosphere; for in the colonies shadowed with thick forests and vegetation, it is still unknown, and has only grown common at Barbadoes, in proportion as its woods have been removed, and the surface of the land left unsheltered.

Except on its early attack, or at the periods of acute relapse, the disease is attended with little or no pain, and the enlargement sometimes proceeds so gradually, that the person himself is almost insensible of it. He walks about as usual, and appears to suffer but little inconvenience, either from the additional bulk, or the great increase of weight. Hence it is often less afflicting to the individual, than offensive to others. It is extremely repugnant to the sight; and as the negroes walk in the streets with these diseased limbs exposed to every eye, Europeans, but recently arrived, are exceedingly annoyed by their filthy and monstrous appearance.

Perhaps nature has not formed, nor can the human mind conceive a being at once so disgusting, and so pitiable, as an old half-famished negro woman, of withered frame, hobbling about with her loose and naked skin hanging shrivelled in deep-furrowed wrinkles; and dragging after her one or both legs grown into an immense bulk of hideous disease—her feet only toes, protruding from this huge mass of distempered leg! Yet such are the objects too often seen upon the streets of Bridge-town!

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April 10.

As planter here supersedes the title of farmer, so does plantation that of farm. The land is cultivated in a number of divisions, which in Europe, might receive the common designation of farms, but in Barbadoes, they are termed plantations, or estates. Of these the distinguishing appellation is not derived from the name of the existing possessor; but from some specific title long since assigned to them, or from the name of the original occupant, or of the family to whom they have for many years belonged. Thus a person, going to visit Mr. Hollingsworth or Mr. Waith, would not say he was going to Mr. Waith’s, or Mr. Hollingsworth’s, but to “Colleton’s,” or to “Spendlove;” these being the names by which the estates have long been known.

Besides the great number of hospitable mansions found on the large plantations, in the different parts of the country; many humble dwellings attract the notice of the traveller, and improve the general scenery of the island. They are the cottages of a poorer order of white people,—obscure individuals, remote from the great class of merchants and planters, and who obtain a scanty livelihood by cultivating a small patch of earth, and breeding up poultry, or what they term _stock_ for the markets. They are descended from European settlers, but from misfortune, or misconduct, in some of the race, are reduced to a state not much superior to the condition of free negroes. This numerous class of inhabitants, between the great planters and the people of colour, forms a striking feature, distinguishing Barbadoes from the more recently settled colonies. They have no precise knowledge when their ancestors first arrived: through several generations they have been born, and have lived on the island; and, regarding it as their native and only abode, they do not, like their more wealthy neighbours, look to England as another, and a better home.

Curiosity has led us to visit several of these families.

In the part of the island near the tar-pits, we called at a small hut, or cabin, where we met with a large family of Barbadian cottagers; and, with all the inquisitiveness of strangers, we addressed them in a multitude of interrogatories, to which their replies were highly gratifying. They were living amidst the mountains, apparently shut from the world, and but seldom exposed to the intrusion of visitors. The dame of the house was nearly seventy years of age. We found her occupied in playful attentions with two of her grandchildren—two, of seven, of the offspring of her daughter. Making inquiries respecting the old woman’s history we learned that she could trace back her family in regular lineal descent, as far as her great-grandfather, the successors of whom have never removed from Barbadoes; so that the children we here saw, were, to a certainty, as distant as the sixth generation, and probably much more remote, in direct descent, from parents who had always lived in the torrid zone. One of them was about six, the other eight years old. In fairness of skin, in feature, and in figure, they might have been mistaken for children born in England, or any other temperate climate.

Near Hilloughby hill we met with another cottage family, regularly descended from British parents, of long standing in the island, and having all the features, and general appearance of Europeans. The father of this family was sixty years old, and some of his predecessors had lived to upwards of ninety. We could not trace the pædigree so accurately as in the other family; but this probably was not less ancient, the old man having no knowledge but of his Barbadian predecessors, and not knowing when they first came to the island. The occupation of this family was that of planting a small spot of land with ginger, and raising stock to sell at Bridge-town market. They were poor, like the others, and compelled to labour much in full exposure to the sun. Like the negroes, too, their diet consisted chiefly of vegetables.

At the fort, commanding the entrance of Carlisle Bay, are living a man and his wife, both natives of Barbadoes, whose ancestors for generations, beyond all that tradition has traced to them, have resided constantly in the island: sitting round the mother were five fine children, their offspring, who were in face and form as fair as the fairest Europeans.

These facts stand in direct opposition to the speculative doctrines of those who derive the various colours of the human race from climate or locality of residence, together with the concomitant circumstances of diet, and mode of life.

The three families above mentioned are, undoubtedly, of the fifth or sixth, or, perhaps, a still more distant generation, in direct lineal descent, from parents, originally, English; but whose offspring, through every race, to the present children, have always resided between the tropics. They have, moreover, lived in circumstances of mediocrity, exposed to labour, and to the full influence of climate; or have known only the abode of poverty, and by needy fortune have been compelled to use a diet very similar to that of the Africans. Yet is there not an individual among them, who, either in form, feature, or colour has made the slightest approach to that change, which a constant residence, through so many generations, must have effected, were their descendants, of future ages, to become of negro form, and hue.

Children born in England have not fairer skins, nor features more correctly European. The younger have all the cherub face and form of the lovely smiling babes of a temperate climate. Those more advanced are thinner, and bear about them more of that languor, which universally results from long residence in great and constant heat.

To whatever age the parents may have lived, it is remarkable that, although the face and hands shall have become brown, from immediate exposure to the sun, the other parts of their bodies remain white and unchanged; and not the softest shade, not the slightest tinge of the acquired darkness of hands or face is communicated to their offspring, the children being, invariably, born as perfect whites as those of Europe.

But the strong and incontrovertible fact with respect to the American Indians, militates so decidedly against the doctrine of conversion, that scarcely another argument can be necessary to its refutation. Although living for unknown ages under the same parallel of latitude as the Africans, and exposed to precisely similar habits and occupations, not an individual of them has ever been known to resemble the negro, either in skin or feature. Nor, indeed, would it be less reasonable to expect that the negroes of Africa, or those of the West India islands, should be converted into Indians, than that Indians, or Europeans, should degenerate into Africans!

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April 11.

It is almost incredible that on the 11th day of April the people of Barbadoes should remain ignorant regarding the situation of an immense fleet which sailed for that island, from England, in the month of November preceding! Yet so it is respecting the Portsmouth convoy. Signs of moving are now exhibited, which seem to indicate that the troops already arrived will not be longer detained inactive. Among other marks of approaching service, we have been called upon for a general return of the sick, and it appears in orders that Drs. Henderson and Cave, with a detachment of our staff, are to remain at Barbadoes in charge of the hospitals appropriated to the St. Domingo division. In consequence of many of the ships arriving in a sickly state, the hospitals became crowded as soon as they were erected, notwithstanding our having the further accommodation of converting a part of the barracks into sick wards. But we have, in some measure, relieved the hospitals, by forming a small encampment, and putting the convalescents under canvass.

We expect that you will hear from various quarters, and read in all the newspapers sad histories of disease and death, but let me caution you not to believe that we are all dying. Should it be told you that more than a thousand sick are already in the hospitals, be not deceived into a belief that so many are about to become the victims of climate, and yellow fever.

The hospitals are certainly thronged, from the number of sick, but this cannot be placed to the account of the climate or of endemic disease, for, nearly all the men, now ill, _arrived_ in sickness. They had been detained on Spike Island, or in crowded transports, during many weeks of inhospitable weather, whereby extensive disease was generated among them; and hence it happened that, upon arriving at Barbadoes, the troops in many of the ships, although not actually ill, had approaching disease so strongly marked in their features, that it became necessary to remove every one of them on shore, in order to have the vessels thoroughly fumigated and purified; and from this circumstance it occurred that many slight cases were thrown into the hospitals, which otherwise would not have appeared upon the list. This will in some measure explain to you why the hospitals are crowded, although neither “yellow fever,” nor any other malignant disease reigns amongst us.

While I am upon the subject of sickness I may remark to you that I have had my first opportunity of seeing a case of that destructive malady, which has lately excited such universal alarm, under the term “yellow fever;” but, perhaps, you are not prepared to hear that, after a residence of so many weeks in the West Indies, I have seen only a solitary example of that disease: yet such is the fact—for, amidst all our sickness, and crowded hospitals, only a single instance of “yellow fever” has, hitherto, occurred. I visited this patient with my friend Dr. Jackson, the learned author who has so ably written upon the diseases of Jamaica, and obtained his clinical remarks concerning the leading and more characteristic symptoms of the disease. You will believe that the event has impressed upon my mind a very powerful sense of the subtle malignity of this devouring complaint.

The patient was certainly very ill, but, to those who had not before witnessed the disease, he did not appear to be in extreme danger; yet, alas! on repeating our visit the following morning, we found him a cold and yellow corpse!

LETTER XXXV.

Barbadoes, April 13.

A rumour is strongly prevalent, that a division of the troops, now assembled at Barbadoes, is to be detached on secret service. Should this take place, and the detachment be formed from the St. Domingo armament, it is more than possible that our happy quartette may yet be dispersed before we reach our original destination. Of course our expectations have always led to this: but from having lived on board, together, and in the utmost harmony, during a period of many months, it would be matter of regret, to either of us, to be taken from our congenial mess, at the very eve of sailing for our destined port; particularly as we should be separated under circumstances which would render it probable that we might never meet again.

I do not recollect to have noted to you in any former letter the great fondness which the negroes have for the water, or their singular address and expertness in moving upon that element. In one of our late walks we met with a slave who was amusing himself by exercises of uncommon agility in the sea. Not an otter, nor a beaver, nor scarcely a dolphin could appear more at his case. He was quite at play in the water, and diverting himself in all kinds of antic tricks, and gambols. He dived to the bottom—swam in a variety of ways—walked or paddled along like a dog—concealed himself for a long time under the water—laid himself at rest upon its surface, and appeared as much at home in the ocean, as if he had never breathed a lighter, nor trodden a firmer medium.