horrors of African savagery, even to cannibalism.
England followed, and generously paid the British planters of Jamaica
for all their slaves, giving the latter unconditional freedom. Of
course this ruined the island commercially, but it was strict justice,
nevertheless. Extreme measures are open to objection even in behalf of
justice. It was hoped that the freed negroes of Jamaica would become
thrifty and industrious, earning fair wages, and that crops would
still be remunerative, but it was not so. The negro of the tropics
will only work when he is compelled, and in the West Indies he has
scarcely more to do, as it regards sustaining life, than to pluck of
the wild fruits and to eat. The sugar plantations of Jamaica have
simply ceased to exist.

Every reasonable Cuban has long realized that the freedom of the
blacks was but a question of time, and that it must soon be brought
about, but how this could be accomplished without rendering them
liable to the terrible consequences which befell St. Domingo was a
serious problem. The commercial wreck of Jamaica had less terror for
them as an example, since of late their own condition could in that
respect hardly be worse. Therefore, the manumitting of one slave in
every four annually, so organized that all shall be free on January 1,
1888, is considered with great favor by the people generally, except
the most radical of old Spaniards. All are thus prepared for the
change, which is so gradually brought about as to cause no great
shock. It is not unreasonable to believe that the instantaneous
freeing of all the slaves would have led to mutual destruction of
whites and blacks all over the island.

CHAPTER XV.

Slave Trade with Africa. -- Where the Slavers made their
Landing. -- An Early Morning Ride. -- Slaves marching to
Daily Labor. -- Fragrance of the Early Day. -- Mist upon the
Waters. -- A Slave Ship. -- A Beautiful but Guilty
Brigantine. -- A French Cruiser. -- Cunning Seamanship. -- A
Wild Goose Chase. -- A Cuban Posada. -- Visit to a Coffee
Estate. -- Landing a Slave Cargo. -- A Sight to challenge
Sympathy and Indignation. -- Half-Starved Victims. --
Destruction of the Slave Ship.

The author's first visit to the island of Cuba was during the year
1845, at a period when the slave traffic was vigorously, though
surreptitiously carried on between Africa and the island. The trade
was continued s