Nancy Prince

“ Many leave their homes and come to Jamaica, under the impression that they are to have their passage free, and, on reaching the Island, are to be found until they can provide for themselves. How the mistake originated, I am not able to say, but on arriving here, strangers, poor, and unacclimated, the debt for passage-money is hard and unexpected; it is remarkable that wherever they come from, whether fresh from Africa, from the other Islands, from the South or from New England, they all feel deceived on this point. ”

“ Who has integrity sufficient to hold the balance when these poor people are to be weighed? Yet their present state is blissful compared with slavery. Many of the farmers bring their produce twenty or thirty miles. ”

“ I know two who have left their homes to live with their class-leaders, in order to have her prayers; most of the communicants are so ignorant of the ordinance that they join the church merely to have a decent burial; for if they are not members none will follow them to the grave, no prayers will be said over them; these are borne through the streets by four men, the coffin a rough box; not so if they are church members; as soon as the news spreads that one is dying, all the class with their leader will assemble at the place, and join in singing hymns ”

“ The churches take nothing after they are baptized, they receive a ticket as a passport into the church, paying one mark, a quarter, or more, and some less, but nothing short of tenpence, that is, two English shillings a year. They must attend their class once a week, and pay three pence a week, total twelve English shillings a year, besides the sums they pay once a month at communion, after service in the morning. On those occasions the minister retires, and the deacons examine the people to ascertain if each one has brought a ticket, if not, they cannot commune ”

“ Thank God, ever since that, they give us up, we go pray, and we have it not so bad like as before.” I would recommend this poor woman’s remark to the fair sons and daughters of America, the land of the pilgrims. “Then God spoke very loud.” May these words be engraved on the post of every door; in this land of New England God speaks very loud, and while his judgments are in the earth, may the inhabitants learn righteousness! The mountains that intersect this Island seem composed of rocks thrown up by frequent earthquakes [5] or volcanoes. ”

“ The population of [8] Jamaica is nearly 400,000, that of Kingston, the capital, 40,000. There are many places of worship of various denominations, namely, church of England, and of Scotland, Wesleyan, the Baptists and Roman Catholics, besides a Jewish Synagogue. These all differ from those in New England, and from those I have seen elsewhere. The Baptists hold what they call class-meetings. They have men and women, deacons and deaconesses in these churches; these hold separate class-meetings, some of these can read and some cannot. ”

“ In the plains are found several salt fountains, and in the mountains, not far from Spanish Town, is a hot bath of great medicinal virtues; this gives relief in the complaint called the dry bowels malady, which, excepting the bilious and yellow fevers, is one of the most terrible distempers of Jamaica. The general produce of this Island is sugar, rum, molasses, ginger, cotton, indigo, pimento, cocoa, coffees, several kinds of woods, and medicinal drugs. Fruits are in great plenty, as oranges, lemons, shaddocks, citrons, pomegranates, pine-apples, melons, pompions, guavas, and many others. ”

“ The best houses are generally built low, on account of the hurricanes and earthquakes; and the colored people’s huts made of reeds, will hold only two or three persons. However pleasant the sun may rise, in a moment the scene may be changed, a violent storm will suddenly arise, attended with thunder and lightning, the rain falls in torrents, and the seas and rivers rise with terrible destruction. ”

“ All the children and adults taught in the above named schools, are taxed £1 a year, except the English Church school, this is the most liberal. The Rev. Mr. Horton, a Baptist minister in Kingston, told me he had sent 90 children away from the Baptist school, because they did not bring their money. It is sufficient to say they had it not to bring!
Most of the people of Jamaica are emancipated slaves, many of them are old, worn out, and degraded. Those [10] who are able to work, have yet many obstacles to contend with, and very little to encourage them ”

“ The highest land in the Island is Blue mountain Peak, 7150 feet above the sea. The most extensive plain is 30 miles long and 5 broad. Black river, in the Parish of St. Elizabeth, is the only one navigable; flat-boats bring down produce from plantations about 30 miles up the river. Along the coast, and on the plains the weather is very hot; but in the mountains, the air is pure and wholesome; the longest days in summer are about thirteen hours, and the shortest in winter about eleven. ”

“ Such repeated calamities seemed to mark out this spot as a devoted place; the inhabitants therefore resolved to forsake it forever, and to reside at the opposite bay where they built Kingston, which is now the capital of the Island. In going up to Kingston, we pass over the part of and between Port Royal, leaving the mountains on the left, and a small town on the right. There are many handsome houses built there, one story high, with porticoes, and every convenience for those who are rich enough to live in them. ”

“ These are all regular built markets, and all kept by colored men and women. These are all in one place. Besides, others may be found, as with us, all over the city. Thus it may be hoped, they are not the lying, stupid set of beings they have been called, but are enterprising and quick in their perceptions, determined to possess themselves, and to possess property besides, and quite able to take care of themselves. They wished to know why I was so inquisitive about them, I told them we have heard in America that you are lazy, and that emancipation has been no benefit to you ”

“ It is said, that they are stubborn, and must be ruled with a rod of iron: it must be borne in mind, that their tyrants are themselves the dregs of the English nation, and the refuse of the jails of Europe. In January, 1823, a Society was formed in London, for mitigating and gradually abolishing slavery, throughout the British dominions, called the Anti-Slavery Society. ”

“ The same writer says, the misery and hardships of the slaves were truly moving; the ill treatment which they received so shortened their lives, that there is no natural increase of their numbers; many thousand are annually imported to supply the place of those who pine and die with the hardships which they receive. ”

“ I then left them, and went to the East market, where there are thousands of all kinds and nations. The Jews and Spanish looked at me very black. The colored people gathered around me, I gave them little books and tracts, and told them I hoped to see them again.
There are in this street upwards of a thousand, young women and children, living in sin of every kind. From thence, I went to the gaol, where were 17 men, but no women—in the house of correction were three hundred culprits. They are taken from there to work on plantations. ”

“ An officer who was in the town, at that time, says the earth opened and shut very quick in some places, and he saw several people sink down to the middle, and others appeared with their heads just above ground, and were squeezed to death. ”

“ Madame Mico left this money to ransom the English who were in bondage to the Algerines; if there were any left, it was to be devoted to the instruction of the colored people in the British Islands; at this institution, six adults, men and women, are prepared for teachers. Whole number taught since the commencement 485—there is a day school for children, 29 is the regular number—whole number 2,491—Sabbath Schools 9, whole number taught 6,654—the adults and the Sunday scholars have to pay one Mack a month. ”

“ The rains make the only distinction of seasons in these islands. The trees are green the year round; they have no cold, or frost; our heaviest rains are but dews, comparatively: with them, floods of water are poured from the clouds. About May, the periodical rains from the South may be expected. ”

“ The churches are very large, holding from four to six thousand, many bring wood and other presents to their class-leader as a token of their attachment; where there are so many communicants, these presents, and the money exacted, must greatly enrich these establishments. ”

“ These are the persons who hold the office of judges, and go round and urge the people to come at the class, and after they come in twice or three times they are considered candidates for baptism. Some pay fifty cents, and some more, for being baptized. ”

“ On page 9, line 21, it is said that there are six adults preparing for teachers in the Mico institution; it should have said 15; and that the whole number of teachers so prepared is 485—but the number is not really known. In this institution none are received except they can read and write, and bring good recommendations of their piety. A number have finished, and are teachers in different parts of the Island. ”