ning 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.

The Children belong to the Master of the Woman that bears them; and such
as are born of a _Negroe_ and an _European_ are called _Molattoes_; but
such as are born of an _Indian_ and _Negroe_ are called _Mustees_.

Their Work is to take Care of the _Stock_, and plant _Corn_, _Tobacco_,
_Fruits_, &c. which is not harder than _Thrashing_, _Hedging_, or
_Ditching_; besides, tho' 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 Tradesman; so that upon this (if upon
no other Account) they are obliged not to overwork them, but to cloath
and feed them sufficiently, and take Care of their Health.

Several of them are taught to be _Sawyers_, _Carpenters_, _Smiths_,
_Coopers_, &c. and though for the most Part they be none of the aptest
or nicest; yet they are by Nature cut out for hard Labour and Fatigue,
and will perform tolerably well; though they fall much short of an
_Indian_, that has learn'd and seen the same Things; and _those Negroes_
make the best Servants, that have been _Slaves_ in their _own Country_;
for they that have been _Kings_ and _great Men_ there are generally
lazy, haughty, and obstinate; whereas the others are sharper, better
humoured, and more laborious.

The _Languages_ of the _new Negroes_ are various harsh _Jargons_, and
their _Religions_ and _Customs_ such as are best described by Mr.
_Bosman_ in his Book intitled (I think) _A Description of the Coasts of_
Africa.

The _Virginia_ Planters readily learn to become good _Mechanicks_ in
Building, wherein most are capable of directing their Servants and
Slaves.

As for Timber they abound with excellent good; having about ei