Free The Price of Freedom by Donna Every Page A

not only be another source of revenue but will also
be of benefit to our shipping business since we already have contacts in the
islands and in England.”
    "In spite of all the negative
things that are said about us, you’ll find the planters here in Barbados very
hospitable and willing to share information. I’ll introduce you to some of them
while you’re here.  Perhaps you can arrange to supply them with rice when
you start production.”
    “I’d appreciate that.”
    “You should read Richard Ligon’s book on Barbados which is somewhere in there,” he
gestured towards his library. “It will give you a lot of good information on
the island. In fact you may borrow any of the books in my modest library. 
We will certainly do everything possible to make sure you enjoy your stay. In
that regard I want you to know that while you're here you can make use of any
of the house slaves," his uncle invited.
    Richard wanted to be very sure
that he understood what his uncle meant, so for clarity he repeated, "Make
use?"
    "Yes. For
your physical needs. You're a young, virile man. I don't expect you to
suffer while you're here," laughed his uncle.
    Richard's body immediately stirred
in anticipation as he remembered the olive skinned slave who served them the
night before. Deborah, his aunt had called her.
    "Any that is, except Sarah
and Deborah," his uncle amended. "I don't share Sarah," he added
with a slight smile of satisfaction. He offered no explanation about why
Deborah was off limits as well and Richard did not feel it was his place to ask
for one.
    What a shame, he thought to
himself. One of the others would have to do. Perhaps the young brown skinned
one that had cleared the table last night.
     
     

     
     
    Richard and his uncle toured the
plantation on horseback after he had eaten the breakfast that was brought in by
the same slave, who his uncle called Hattie.
    He was sure that it wasn't by
accident that she had brushed against his back as she leaned over to put his
plate on the desk in front of him. The slaves he was familiar with from Carolina
tended not to touch white people so he assumed that it must have been
deliberate. He also knew women well enough to discern that it was a subtle
invitation, one which he intended to take up soon. After all he had been on the
boat for three weeks.
    "We’re about to start
harvesting some of our canes so you've come at a good time."
    "How long does that
take?" Richard asked him.
    "Oh, about
three to four months. Harvesting canes is hard work and producing sugar
is not easy. We've learned the best time to cut the canes so that we can get
the most sugar from them but the earlier planters learned by trial and error.
Henry Drax’s instruction on how to run a sugar
plantation has been of great help to many of us."
    "Do the slaves work well?
I’ve heard that they have more endurance than indentured servants."
    "Generally, but from time to
time they need a bit of coercion. That's why the drivers carry whips."
    "Do any try to escape?"
    "One or two, but they don't
get far. There's nowhere to really hide on the island for any length of time.
We make an example of those as a deterrent for the others and I quickly sell
them off. I don't keep runners."
    They rode in silence for a while
observing some slaves weeding in the cane fields nearest to them. Richard watched
dispassionately as one of the drivers snapped a whip on the back of a slave to
hasten his pace. As the slave arched his back in response to the leather whip
he idly observed that not even his horse was subjected to that kind of harsh
treatment.
    “You'll find that compared to
other plantations, The Acreage is pretty fair. We don't overdo the whip and our
slaves know that they have it a lot better here than on other plantations. On
some plantations the mistress will order even the house slaves to be whipped
for seemingly insignificant things but your aunt is not of that nature. Anyway
she knows that I wouldn't want the house