THE FEEDING AND CLOTHING OF THE SLAVES IN THE PART OF MARYLAND WHERE I
LIVED, &C.

The slaves are generally fed upon salt pork, herrings and Indian corn.

The manner of dealing it out to them is as follows:--Each working man, on
Monday morning, goes to the cellar of the master where the provisions are
kept, and where the overseer takes his stand with some one to assist him,
when he, with a pair of steel-yards, weighs out to every man the amount of
three-and-a-half pounds, to last him till the ensuing Monday--allowing him
just half-a-pound per day. Once in a few weeks there is a change made, by
which, instead of the three-and-a-half pounds of pork, each man receives
twelve herrings, allowing two a-day. The only bread kind the slaves have
is that made of Indian meal. In some of the lower counties, the masters
usually give their slaves the corn in the ear; and they have to grind it
for themselves by night at hand-mills. But my master had a quantity sent
to the grist mill at a time, to be ground into coarse meal, and kept it in
a large chest in his cellar, where the woman who cooked for the boys could
get it daily. This was baked in large loaves, called "steel poun bread."
Sometimes as a change it was made into "Johnny Cake," and then at others
into mush.

The slaves had no butter, coffee, tea, or sugar; occasionally they were
allowed milk, but not statedly; the only exception to this statement was
the "harvest provisions." In harvest, when cutting the grain, which lasted
from two to three weeks in the heat of summer, they were allowed some
fresh meat, rice, sugar, and coffee; and also their allowance of whiskey.

At the beginning of winter, each slave had one pair of coarse shoes and
stockings, one pair of pantaloons, and a jacket.

At the beginning of summer, he had two pair of coarse linen pantaloons and
two shirts.

Once in a number of years, each slave, or each man and his wife, had one
coarse blanket and enough coarse linen for a "bed-tick." He never had any
bedstead or other furniture kind. The men had no hats, waistcoats or
handkerchiefs given them, or the women any bonnets. These they had to
contrive for themselves. Each labouring man had a small "patch" of ground
allowed him; from this he was expected to furnish himself and his boys
hats, &c. These patches they had to work by night; from these, also, they
had to raise their own provisions, as no potatoes, cabbage, &c., were
allowed them from the plantat