Many of the witnesses had heard them talk of it in terms of the
strongest affection. Acts of suicide too were frequent in the islands,
under the notion that these afforded them the readiest means of getting
home. Conformably with this, Captain Wilson had maintained, that the
funerals, which in Africa were accompanied with lamentations and cries of
sorrow, were attended, in the West Indies, with every mark of joy.
He had now, he said, made good his first proposition, That in the condition
of the slaves there were causes, which should lead us to expect, that there
would be a considerable decrease among them. This decrease in the island of
Jamaica was but trifling, or, rather, it had ceased some years ago; and if
there was a decrease, it was only on the imported slaves. It appeared from
the privy council report, that from 1698 to 1730 the decrease was three and
a half per cent.; from 1730 to 1755 it was two and a half per cent.; from
1755 to 1768 it was lessened to one and three quarters; and from 1768 to
1788 it was not more than one per cent.: this last decrease was not greater
than could be accounted for from hurricanes and consequent famines, and
from the number of imported Africans who perished in the seasoning.
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