Volume 62: Walter Stevenson Davidson papers, 1815-1846: No. 129

[Page 129]

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farthing.  Mr. Jones has been as much a loser as you; I firmly believe that he has always lost money by his sheep and farming in general, but for that he has himself to blame; he ought to see things properly managed in his concerns.  You cannot do so; and, as he will not do so, you suffer along with him.  Things here are conducted in a most scandalous manner, by a scoundrel of an emancipist, who is Overseer on this large Establishment.  Jones (when I say Jones, I mean the Proprietors of the Flocks) is robbed on all hands by that rascal: and the horde of assigned servants there are about the place is terrible; there are above seventy servants in this place; and one half would be too many, if they were made to do their duty.  They are a set of the greatest scoundrels I ever saw in my life; and, while other people manage their assigned men well, and get themselves well served by them, the rascals here do not do half work, and are not kept in the the least order, as the Overseer having been like them one day, they do not care a fig for him, and he leans on them on every occasion.  This fellow has made a fortune for himself, and he is cunning enough to be able to talk Jones over to anything he pleases.

"I cannot express what I felt since I saw clearly the state of your concerns here; and I feel sorry for Mr. Jones, that he will not do any thing even for himself, in this way, for he is as kind hearted and honourable a man as lives; but I would not go shares with him in sheep-farming for the promise of three-fourths of the profits, for I am well aware there will be no profits in that line where he is concerned.  Mr. Jones has a great many cattle here, about 1,400 head, and on one of his Properties down the country as any more.  But all his Properties are alike - all loosing concerns.  But this is the worst of all - it is dreadful - Mr. Jones gives his assigned servants much larger rations than any other person I have met with in the Colony, and instead of doing any good, does a great deal of harm; as, indeed, the conduct of the rascals sufficiently shows, and his overseers indulgences that any other person: they have only to ask for what they want.  What does more than any other thing among the men here is giving the assigned prisoner servants wages; a great many of these fellows have ten, twelve and fourteen pounds per annum: that runs away with money, and it is not only unnecessary, but does much harm.  I have heard of no other person doing such a thing; you may give a well-conducted assigned man a little money now and then, and that does a great deal of good, because you can see when they deserve any indulgence of the kind.  This is the way the ---------------and several others do, and is found to be the best plan.  The men here are kept so little at their work, that I have seen eight or ten of them out in a day shooting and fishing for their amusement, and the rascally Overseer never take any notice of it, but pass it