Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1855-09-28

mex, allowance day.-Flocks of little
children, from five to ten years old,
might be seen on Col. Lloyd's plan
tation, as destitute Of clothing as any
lillle heather on the west coast OF
Africa and this, not merely during
the summer months, but during the
frosty weather of March. The little
girls were no better off than the
boys; all were nearly in state of
nudity.
AS to beds to sleep on, they were
known 10 none of the field hands /;
nothing bu, a coarse blauket--not so
good as those used in the North 10
cover hotses-was given them and
this only to men and women. The
children stuck themselves in holes
aud corners, about the quarters
often in the corner OF the huge chm-
ueys, with their feet ia the ashes TO
keep them warm. The wants of
beds, however, was not considered a
very great privation. Time to sleep
was of far greater importance, for,
when the days work is done, most
Of the slaves have their washing,
mendlng and cooking TO do; and,
/ having few or none OF the ordinary
facilities for doing such things, very
many of their sleeping hours are con-
sumed ia necessary preparations tor
the duties Of the coming day.
The sleeping aparimcnts-if they
may be called such-haye little re-
gard to comfort or decency. Old
and young, male and female, married
and single, drop down upon The com
mon clay floor, each covering up
with his or her blankct-the only
protection they have from cold or cx-
posure The night, however, Is
shortened at both ends The slaves
work often as long as they can see,
aud are late IN cooking and uendng
for The co nIng day aud at the hrst
gray streak OF morning, they are SUM-
moned to The field by the drivers
morn.
More slaves are whipped for over
sleeping than for any other fault.
Neither age nor sex fluids any favor.
The ovefseer stands at a quarter door,
armed with suck and cowskin, ready
to whip one who may bc few mia
uics behind time. When the horn
is blown, there Is a rush tor the door,
aud The hludernost one is sure 10
get blow from the oyerseer. Young
mothers who worked in the field,
were allowed an hour about ten o.
clock in the morning, TO 90 home TO
nurse their children. Sometimes
taey were compelled to take their
chilcren with them, and 10 leave
them ~ the corner oi the fences, TO
prevent loss OF lime IN nursing them.
The oversecr generally rides about
80 tho neiu Oh norsuUuUh. n cow
skin aud a hickory sick are his con-
slant companions. The cowSkin Is
a KIND of whip seldom seen in the
northern States. Ii is made entirely
of untanhed but dred OK hide, and
is about as hard as piece OF we'll
seasoned live oak. 1t IS made of va
rious sizes, but the usual length is a
bout three feet, The part held in
the hand is nearly an inch IN thick
ness; and from the extreme end of
The butt or handle, Tie cOwskln iapers
lis whole length to polnt. Tins
makes it quite elastic aud sprlngy.
A blow with it, on the hardest back,
will cash the flesh and make the
blood start. Cowsklns are painted
red, blue and green, and are the ia
vorlle slave whip. J mink Tins whip
worse than the CATO -nlne tails. 1t
condenses the whole strength Of The
arm to a single point, aud comes with
a spring that makes tue air whistle.
Ii is IA terrible instrument, and is SO
handy that the oserseer can always
have 1t on his person, aud ready Tor
use. The temptation 10 use 1t Is
ever strong and an oyefseer can, If
disposed, always have cause Tor using
il. With him. II is literally ii word
aud a blow, aud III most cases, the
ow comes first.
As general rule, slaves do not
come to the quarters Tor cilhe' break
fast or dinner, but take their ash
cake with them, aud eat IN the held.
Tins was SO on the home plantation;
probably because the distance from
The quarter TO the field was sometimes
two and even three miles.
The dinner OF the slaves consisted
Of a huge piece OF ash cake, and a
small piece of pork, or two salt her
rings Nnt having ovens. nor coy
suitable cooking utensils. the slaves
NIX their meal with liile water, to
such thickness that spoon would
stand erect in II 4; aud after tn wood
had burned away 10 Goals and ashes,
they would place the dough between
oak leaves, aud lay it carefully IN the
ashes, completely covering II; hence,
the bread Is called ash cake. The
surface of thus peculiar bread is COW
cred with ashes TO the depth of SIX
leenlh part of an inch, and the ashes
certainly do not make IT very CRATE
fu 10 The teeth, nor render IL palaIa-
bic. The bran, or coarse part of the
meal,l is baked with the fine, aud bright
scales run through the bread. This
bread, with IT'S ashes aud bran, would
disgust and choke northern man,
but II is quite liked by the slaves
They eat ii with ayIdiy, and are more