Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1839-06-12

see. When they have tasks. assigned,
which is often the case, a few of the
strongest and most expert, sometimes fin
lsh them before sunset; others will be
obliged to work till eight or nine o'clock
IN the evening. All must finish their
tasks, or take fogging. The whip and
gun, Or pistol, are companions of the ov-
erseer; the former'he uses very frequent
ly upon the negroes. during their hours
OF labor, without regard to age or sex
Scarcely a day passed while was on the
plantation, In which some of the slaves
were not whipped; do not mean that
they were struck q feao blotcs merely, but
had set fOgging. The same labor is
commonly assigned to men and women,
such as digging bitches in the rice
marshes, clearing up land, chopping cord
wood, threshing, Sc. [ have known the
women 60 into the barn as soon as they
could see in the morning, and work as
late as they could see at night, threshing
rice with the fail they now have a
threshing machine, and when they could
see to thresh no longer, they had to gath
er up the rice, carry it up stairs, and de-
post it in the granary.
The allowance Of clothing on this plant
alton to each slave, was given out at
Christmas for the year, and consisted of
one pair of coarse shoes, and enough
coarse cloth to make jacket and trow-
sers. % If the man has wife, she makes
| it up; if not, it is made up in the house
The slaves this plantation, being near
Wilmington, procured themselves extra
clothing by working Sundays and moon
! light nights, cutting cord-wood in the
swamps which they had to back about. a
quarter of mile to the river; they would
then get permit from their master, and
taking the wood in their canoes, carry it
to Wilmington, and sell it to the vessels,
and dispose of it as they best could, and
with the money buy an old jacket of the
sailors, some coarse cloth for shirt, &c
They sometimes gather the moss from
the trees, which they cleanse and take tc
market The women receive the allow.
ance of the same kind of cloth that the
men have. This they make into frock
if they have any under garments, thes
mast procure them for themselves Whel
the slaves get permit to leave the plant.
!. alton, they sDmetimes make all ring
again by singing the following significant
ditty, which shows that after all there is {
flow of spirits in the human breast which
for awhile, at least, enables them to forge
their wretchedness.
Hurra, for good old Massa,
--S He Civ me de pass to 90 TO de civ
4 Hurra for good old Missis, Ii
She bile de pot, and Civ me de Ticker.
Hurra, Pm going to de city.
] Every Saturday night the slaves re
lceive-their allowance of provisions, which
must last them till the next SATURDAY
night. Potatee time as it is called, be
gins about the middle of july. TIL
| slave may. measure for himself, the over
seer being present, half bushel of swee
potatoes, and heap the measure as long a
tthey will lie on; l have, however, seer
the overseer, if he thinks the negro i
getting too many, kick the measure; an
If any fall off, tell him he has got hi
measure. No salt is furnished them t
| leat with their potatoes. When rice O
/ corn is given, they give them little salt
sometimes half pint of molasses is g;v
: en-, but not often. The quantity of rice
| which is of the small, broken, unsaleabI
kind, is one peck. When corn is give
, them, their allowance is the same, and
4 they get it ground, (Mr. Swan had mi
5 on his plantation.) they must give on
quart for grinding, thus reducing the
: weekly allowance to seven quarts
$ When fish, (mnllet) were plenty, the
4 were allowed, in addition, one fish. A
t to meat, they seldom had any. l do N
n think they had an allowance of meat O
3 tener than once in two or three month
V and then the quantity was very SMALL
!. When they went into the field to worl
b they took some Of the meal or rice, and
o pot with them the pots were given to a
d old woman, who placed two orthree pol
e parallel, set the pots on them, and kindle
(, fire underneath for cooking; she toe
It salt with her and seasoned the messes
n she thought proper. When their breal
is fast was ready, which was general
il about ten or eleven o'clock, they we
e. called from labor, ale, and returned
n work /; in the afternoon, dinner was Or
n pared in the same way. They had b.
* two meals day while in the field :.
i'd they wanted more, they cooked for ther
ID selves after they returned to their quartz
% at night. At the time of killing hogs
a. the plantation, the pluck, entrails, al
1t, blood were given to the slaves.
% When / FIRST went upon Mr.. Swar
$ plantation, | saw slave in shackles
Mt letters. which were fastened around ga
er ancle and firmly riveted. connected /
k. gether by chain. To the middle of II
en- chain he had fastened string, so as
n manner TO suspend them and keep the
d from nallinn his anclas This sln,