Five Years in Trinidad and St. Vincent: A View of the Social Condition of the White, Coloured, and Negro Population of the West Indies, Volume 1 |
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Five Years in Trinidad and St. Vincent: A View of the Social Condition of ... Carmichael (a C ) No preview available - 2020 |
Common terms and phrases
Africa allowance appearance asked attend better boiled Britain called cane cause CHAPTER character child civilization classes clothing colonies coloured comfort common conduct consider cook course creole dance dinner domestic dress employed England English exception fact feel female field fish frequently fruit give given ground habits hand head heard India instruction keep kind known labour less live look manager manner massa master means Misses months morning mother necessary negro never observed once party plantain population possible present produce proprietor punishment receive recollect resident respect salt season seen sell servants sick slave society soon soup speak sugar tell thing told town truth Vincent West Indies whole wife young
Popular passages
Page 130 - They have all beautiful handkerchiefs upon their necks ; some are of British manufacture, but many are costly silk ones from Martinique, — while others wear them of India muslin. The real value of their jewellery is considerable ; it consists of massy gold ear-rings, and rings upon their fingers. Coral necklaces, and handsome gold chains, lockets, and other ornaments of this description.
Page 2 - Indies in the iSzo's was told by an ancient resident that in his young days "the only distinction of ranks consisted in white, coloured and negro persons. Tradesmen of every description, if white, were admitted and invited to the best society." But, adds the writer reassuringly, "it is needless to add that these days are long gone by, and that there is a sufficient number of a secondary rank among the white people, to form a society of themselves."2 Mrs.
Page 236 - I do not doubt, that even if they did remember it, they might have denied it ; because native Africans do not at all like it to be supposed that they retain the customs of their country; and consider themselves wonderfully civilized by their being transplanted from Africa to the West Indies. Creole negroes invariably consider themselves superior people, and lord it over the native Africans.
Page 80 - ... it is evident therefore that no sugar could ever be made were there a fixed hour for stopping the boiling; of if the planter had not the uncontrolled command of the negro's labour." (2) Vol. II pp. 260-1. This, despite an earlier observation that "they (the slaves) are so perfectly aware that you must give them all the necessaries of life, that if they determine not to work, or at least to do little, how are you to proceed in order to make them do more? for even if punishment, corporal punishment,...
Page 113 - Negroes of character and rank, being more civilized, have ' bedsteads with mosquito curtains, their bedding being for the ' most part a bag filled with the dried plantain-leaf. This I have ' myself slept upon, and used in my own family, and have found ' it a very comfortable bed indeed. They have also a bolster ' and pillows of the same materials ; blankets, (one Witney ' blanket is given every year by the master,) a good sheet, and
Page 145 - EvERY field negro has two pounds of excellent salt fish served out weekly, and head people have four pounds. A pound and a half is allowed for every child, from the day of its birth until twelve years of age, when full allowance is given. This is the most...
Page 19 - floating island," which they always succeed in admirably. 1 had heard so much at home of the luxury of the West Indies, and how clever black servants were, that I looked for something, not only good, but neat and even tasteful; but I was astonished to see the dishes put down without the least apparent reference to regularity, and I felt a constant inclination to put those even that were placed awry. Many of the guests brought their servants with them, and there was therefore an immense concourse...
Page 237 - The Obeah of the negro is nothing more or less than a belief in witchcraft; and this operates upon them to such a degree, as not unfrequently to produce death. There is not perhaps a single West Indian estate, upon which there is not one or more Obeah men or women ; the negroes know who they are, but it is very difficult for white people to find them out.
Page 44 - the common necessaries of life are also expensive living costs three or four times as much as it does in England; besides, in the West Indies you lose a great deal from theft; the negroes plunder little by little, but still the annual loss is no trifle; neither can a man control his expenditures in that country, as he can do in England where there are retail shops for every article.
Page 18 - ... gentlemen greatly predominating; there was very little general conversation during dinner, and, so far as I could see, not much even between those who sat next each other. Every thing looked brilliant, however, from the numerous lights (for it was already dusk), and the handsome shades, which are a great ornament to the candlesticks. The windows and doors all thrown open, displayed one of the most picturesque scenes imaginable ; it was fine moonlight, and the beauty of a moonlight view in these...
Bibliographic information
| Title | Five Years in Trinidad and St. Vincent: A View of the Social Condition of the White, Coloured, and Negro Population of the West Indies, Volume 1 Five Years in Trinidad and St. Vincent: A View of the Social Condition of the White, Coloured, and Negro Population of the West Indies, Mrs. Carmichael (A. C.) |
| Author | Mrs. Carmichael (A. C.) |
| Publisher | Whittaker, 1834 |
| Original from | Harvard University |
| Digitized | Dec 13, 2005 |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |