Warrior

'Not of him, no. Quite the opposite, if one is to take the humane view.' He pulled back the bedclothes and made to get up.

Hervey reached for the discarded Courant.

'See the report regarding 'Treatment of a Female Slave'.'

'I have it.'

'Read it – aloud, if you will.'

Hervey began:

AT a Council of Protection holden this 11th July 1828 in conformity to the 25th clause of the Slave Law now in force, before the Honorable Henry Fairbrother, Custos Rotulorum, and others, Justices and Vestrymen of the parish of Saint Ann, – Kitty Hilton, a Slave belonging to the Rev. G. W. Bridges, was brought forward in pursuance of a written order. The several parties having been duly served, the Council of Protection proceeded to investigate the said Charge.

Kitty Hilton, sworn; stated, – That she belongs to the Rev. Mr. Bridges, Rector of Saint Ann's. On Friday, after breakfast went to her master in the library, and asked, what he would have for dinner, who asked what witness had done with all the turkeys; had the turkey killed about two o'clock, p.m.; when he saw it killed, master was angry; took her into the pantry and nailed witness against the dresser in the pantry, and kicked her with his foot. Witness begged not to be kicked so severely, as she would buy another turkey and have it for the Sunday's dinner. Being asked, if any one was present? – she said, Miss Moreland; – Was kicked for upwards of an hour; master said he wished he could see her a corpse, as he hated her so. Called old Charles to pick up the largest bundle of bamboo switches he could find, which he did. Master followed her and old Charles to the cow-penn, and had her laid down. He was standing over witness, beating her with a stick, and telling the man to cut all the flesh off her.When master had done flogging her, and witness rose up, the blood was running down her heels. He ordered old Charles to run her down to the pond; and went as ordered, washed her skin, and the blood off her clothes. Did your master follow you? – No, he stopped at the cow-penn: That on her return from the pond her master was pelting her up to the house with stones; the pond can be seen from the house; it was about two o'clock in the day; was struck by her master at the cow-penn; on her return from the pond to the house, her master was following her with a stick, but as he could not catch her, he continued pelting her. On her return to the house, the blood gushed out as bad as ever. Her mistress called for a kettle of water, which she went to take up: she met her master, he gave her a kick, and told her to go out and change her clothes. He followed her into the washhouse and beat her there with a stick.

'This is abominable, Fairbrother. Do you know either of the parties?'

'I know the Rector of St Ann's, yes. An odious fellow, his religion distinctly Christless. Read on.'

Hervey took up the paper again.

Dr. Stewart, sworn. States the witness had two black eyes when the woman was sent to the workhouse.Witness examined her, and saw severe marks of punishment. W. T. Harker, sworn. Saw the woman on the morning of Wednesday; had heard a report of a woman being severely flogged; examined her, – her eyes were black, as if she had received a severe blow; her posteriors were very much cut up; on the inner part of her thigh, on each, there were several black marks. The Hon. Henry Fairbrother, sworn. Kitty Hilton came to witness to complain against her master, Mr. Bridges; she was very much injured; saw her bruises, evidently switching from the nape of her neck to her posteriors; her face and thighs dreadfully bruised. Has never seen any thing so severe of this kind; in consequences ordered her before the Council of Protection. Miss Steer, sworn. Was at Mr. Bridges on the 2d of April. The dinner was shamefully cooked, and a part of it was obliged to be sent away; Mr. Bridges told her, he should remember her. On the following day she killed a turkey, saying to Mr. Bridges she had been ordered to do so, and Mrs. Bridges told her, it must have been a mistake. Heard she was to have been punished; switches were sent for; and she was sent to the watchman for punishment. Saw Mr. Bridges on the top of the hill. Question to Mr. Colen, by Mr. Bridges. Had I any other negro than Charles, or any other coloured person about me, to punish the woman? Replied – No. The Justices and Vestry having heard the Evidence on behalf of Kitty Hilton, and the Evidence on behalf of the Reverend Mr. Bridges; on its being put to the vote; whether Mr. Bridges should be prosecuted or not, it was carried, by a majority of thirteen to four against the Prosecution.

'A most objectionable business indeed. I am astonished at the verdict.'

Fairbrother had begun his ablutions with unusual address, working up a vigorous lather on his shaving brush. 'Just so. I have it from my father that as custos he has made protest to the governor.'

'It does him credit,' replied Hervey, sitting back in his chair. He would indeed like to meet him.

'But it will go ill with him. He and the governor are of different minds when it comes to the matter of the Slave Act.'

'Is that what troubles you?'

'Do I appear troubled?' asked Fairbrother, without taking his eyes from the mirror as he applied the soap.

'Shall we say that you are not, as a rule, so active this time of a morning?'

'Let us say that I am roused by that account.'

Hervey smiled at the pun, for all that he too was sickened by the account. 'I perfectly understand it. And I trust your father will see justice done without excessive vexation for himself.'

'I must depend upon it,' said Fairbrother, in a way that told Hervey the affair touched him deeply (and not merely because of the discomfiting of his father). He finished lathering his face and took up the razor.

Hervey in his turn took up the Courant again to see what manner of business occupied this other of the Crown's colonies. He perused the court notices, the shipping and transactions in silence, allowing his friend to shave with due concentration.

When the first soap was scraped from his cheeks, Fairbrother began again. 'There's another piece in the Courant worthy of your attention – under 'Foreign Intelligence'. General Jackson is likely next president of the United States.'

'The hero of New Orleans?' replied Hervey, his tone suggesting neither great surprise nor dismay. 'Do we fear that this will bring some difficulty with that country? And I think we might have read it first in The Times if it were true.'

Fairbrother frowned, before lathering again. 'You mistake matters, Hervey, if you think Jamaica is the last to