enjoying it, when allowed; but their owners find it prudent and necessary to restrain them from it, excepting at Christmas, when they have two or three days allowed them. This and harvesthome may be considered as their two annual festivals. Little do they consider, and less do they care, for the origin and occasion of the former of these festivals; it suffices that Buckera gives them their three days; though the law appoints only two, in consideration of the injury the negroes may sustain by three days and nights of unbounded dissipation, and of the danger, at such a time of unrestrained licentiousness, of riots, disorder, and even insurrection. On this occasion, these poor people appear as it were quite another race. They shew themselves off to the greatest advantage, by fine clothes, and a profusion of trinkets; they affect a genteeler behaviour, and more select and correct mode of speech; they address the whites with greater familiarity; they come into their master's houses, and drink with them-the distance between them appears to be annihilated for the moment, like the familiar footing on which the Roman slaves were with their masters at the feast of the Saturnalia; to which a West India Christmas may be compared ; pleasure animates them, and seems to throw a veil of oblivion over their cares and their condition; in short, they seem as a people recreated and renewed. Many of them, however, give way to excessive

intemperance, drink inordinately of spirituous liquors, which, with their nocturnal dances and debauches, often brings sickness on them, and is the cause of many deaths. Such is the severe exercise they undergo in their violent and athletic dances, such is their fondness for this pastime, such is the heedless manner in which they give themselves up to it during whole nights, even in the open air; such is their inconsiderate dissipation and exposure of themselves in this celebration of Christmas, that the author has often thought, that if this unrestrained indulgence were permitted for two or three weeks together, instead of two or three days, it would sweep off a considerable portion of the negro population of the country. There is not so great a latitude for indulgence at harvest-home as at Christmas, as here the negroes are allowed only one day. After the riotous festivity of Christmas, the negroes experience a degree of languor and lassitude, which for some days incapacitates them from much exertion or labour.

On new year's day it was customary for the negro girls of the towns (who conceive themselves far superior to those on the estates, in point of taste, manners, and fashion) to exhibit themselves in all the pride of gaudy splendor, under the denomination of blues and reds-parties in rivalship and opposition to each other, and distinguished by these colours. These girls were

wont to be decked out with much taste, some times at the expence of their white or brown mistresses, who took a pride in shewing them off to the greatest advantage. Their dress was of the finest muslin, trimmed with gold or silver, and ornamented with blue or red ribbons, according to their party; and gold necklaces, ear-rings, and other expensive trinkets, shone to advantage on their sable wearers. The most comely young negresses were selected, and such as had a fine and tutored voice; they paraded through the streets, two and two, in the most exact order, uniform in their dress, and nearly of the same stature and age. They were accompanied by instrumental music; but they generally sung together different songs which they had learned for the occasion, or those which they had caught up from the whites, in a style far superior to the negresses on the plantations. Their appearance, in short, was splendid, elegant, and tasteful, such as would surprise and delight a stranger. At night they had booths erected, illuminated with variegated lamps, and embellished with transparencies and other devices: here they were flattered by the attendance of the white ladies and gentlemen of the place, who came to see this exhibition, and were regaled by a profusion of wines, liqueurs, and sweet-meats. This spirit of emulation, in these parties, for finery and shew, is, however, less prevalent now than it used to

be. For some years back, no exhibitions have taken place and perhaps it is just as well; for they sometimes gave rise to much riot and uproar, and were indeed a powerful temptation to pilferage and robbery; as every individual of each party must, for the honour of her party, and her own credit sake, obtain, somehow, a suitable dress, and corresponding ornaments. Indeed, it is astonishing how costly some of them appear equipped. The queen, as she is called, of each party, displays, in particular, a richness of dress, and a profusion of ornament, which would not disgrace even a theatrical empress. Some of these dresses would perhaps amount to little less than fifty or sixty pounds. This annual finery cannot on any account be dispensed with; if a negress were to go all the rest of the year in filth and raggedness, still she must have her fine clothes for Christmas.

The negroes of Jamaica have no games nor pastimes, except such as have been described, whatever the Africans may have in their native country. Here, indeed, they have little time, whatever taste, skill, or inclination they might have for such amusements. The negroes in the towns, and indeed the Creole negroes in general, have imbibed from the whites a spirit of gambling; these are mostly such as are, or have at some time acted as, servants to gentlemen. They privately. assemble and play at games of hazard with the

dice, though there is a law against such species of gambling, and such negroes as are found assembled for this purpose, are taken up and imprisoned. At horse-races betting goes on among the negroes who are present, as generally as among the whites. The Creole negroes affect much to copy the manners, language, &c. of the whites; those who have it in their power, have, at times, their convivial parties; when they will endeavour to mimic their masters in their drinking, their songs, and their toasts; and it is curious to see with what an awkward minuteness they aim at such imitations. The author recollects having given an entertainment to a party of negroes, who had resided together, and been in habits of intimacy for twenty years or more. After a variety of curious toasts, and some attempts to entertain each other with European songs, one, who conceived himself more knowing and accomplished than the rest, stood up and very gravely drank, "Here's to our better acquaintance, gentlemen!"

The negroes are astonished at the ingenuity of the Europeans; and there are some articles of their manufacture which appear quite unaccountable to them, as watches, looking-glasses, gunpowder, &c. &c. The author once amused a party of negroes with the deceptions of a imagic. lanthorn. They gazed with the utmost wonder and astonishment at the hideous figures conjured