Meltiah Green letter to William E. Green, 1801 November 10

Dublin Core

Title

Meltiah Green letter to William E. Green, 1801 November 10

Subject

Green, Meltiah, 1779-1809 -- Correspondence
Green, William E. -- Correspondence
Plantation life -- United States Virgin Islands -- Saint Thomas
Slave trade -- United States
Slave trade -- United States Virgin Islands -- Saint Thomas
Slavery -- United States Virgin Island -- Saint Thomas
Muslims -- United States Virgin Islands -- Saint Thomas
Slaves -- Medical care -- United States Virgin Islands -- Saint Thomas
Saint Thomas (United States Virgin Islands) -- Description and travel
African Americans -- Education -- Pennsylvania -- Bethlehem

Description

Letter from Meltiah Green, St. Thomas, November 10, 1801 to his brother William E. Green, Worcester, Massachusetts. Green describes St. Thomas giving particular attention to the trees and Black Beard's Castle. He discusses the treatment of slaves including their medical care and the religious practice of an enslaved Muslim who refused to be Christianized. Green explains how Americans in St. Thomas circumvent American laws against the slave trade by having foreigners register their ships and flying them under the Danish flag. Green also relates to his brother how slave women are sexually exploited by their white masters. He writes about the case of one such woman who "was four years at the famus school at Bethleham in Pensylvania ..." While Green deplored the treatment of slaves by their masters, he wasn't moved to action. About consuming the products of slave labor Green wrote "I am sure was it not that I should be thought singular I would never taist sugar or rum more as it is the very Blood of the Africans ..."

Creator

Green, Meltiah, 1779-1809

Publisher

Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller Jr. Library, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

Date

1801

Rights

This material is protected by copyright law (Title 17, U.S. Code). For reproduction queries: Rights and reproductions

Format

jpeg

Language

eng

Type

Text

Identifier

MS 2010.11

Document Item Type Metadata

Original Format

Ink on paper

Text

Page 1


St. Thomas Novr. 10th 1801

Wm. E. Green Esqr.

You may be supprised [sic] to find
a letter dated from this place but more so on seeing
from whome it comes. I am now in that part of
the world which was thot to be totally uninhabited
by the ancients and not only so but under the
tropicks it was thot impossible for man to subsist.
I assure you I cannot express my fealings on first
landing in this Island every face bore such horid
looks compared with what had ever come under
my observation before that had I not the strong-
est nerves in the world I shold have been in an-
other world for fear of being there. I shall take the
liberty to give you a short description of the Isla-
nd: at least that part of it which I have seen.
St. Thomas is a small Island in the Carabian Sea
about Thirty miles in length from E. to W. it
contains Six thousand inhabitants of all Cullers
the situation of the only Town or City is peculiarly
unhealthy at all seasons it Contains Three


Page 2


Three thousand dweling houses and Stores it is surround
ed with high mountains except at the mouth of
the harbour or inlett [sic] which is quite narrow. I
cannot give you a better idea than what you
may have from this simile. Picture to yourself
the lower part of Providence towards India point
and a small harbour before it and on the
back side mountains whose tops are almost always
hid in Clouds you will then have a faint Idea
of this place. The houses are small without any
Glass or Chimneys and principally built of wood
not any of them more than two story high with-
out paint and of a dirty appearance. The inhabit-
ants are from every Country in the world not except
-ing New England and the country that produces
most scoundrels is that which furnishes the most
Colonists to the Danes. You may here find a hundred
men which will for the paltry sum of five Joes
swear any oath that should be required of them.
The reason I mention five Joes as the sum is be-
cause this is the extent of their demand in such
cases and when I tell you that our American


Page 3


Citizens are the principal employers of those wretches
you will hardly believe me. The principal trade is
carryed on by Americans under Danish Cullers as
by the Laws of the U. States the slave trade is probhib-
ited which is the only trade from this place except
to the Spanish Main. The Americans come to this
Island and take out a set of Papers by means of
those poor wretches who I have before mentioned
who go forward to the Customhouse and clear
out the Vessel as Danish property he who does
the business gits a small fee and is obliged
to live on that until another opportunity offers
to purger himself again, in this manner is
avoided that humane act of the U. States to prevent
the enslaving of the poor unfortunate Africans
In this place there is Six (perhaps ten) Blacks to
one White yet through the ignorance and fatal
stupor in which the poor wretches are cept they
are not a bit remooved from the Broot creation in
point of treatment by the Whites in America
at least as far South as N. York the Blacks are
princes compared with them here. I have often


Page 4


Heard of the manner in which they were treated
but must say the cruelty which is exercised to-
wards them is more than I had any conception
it was possable that a human being could bear

I am every day visiting the most celebrated
places of resort in the Country and making
my observations on every Tree & Plant which strikes
my eye with novelty but fearing to be thought
inquisitive, a thing which I hate in an other, I
am not able to make all those inquireys [sic] which
are necessary to give you any propper discription
of them. I am situated in the most pleasant
part of the town and enjoy the best air which
can be had yet the perspiration is constantly poor
-ing from me and having nuthing but Cistern
or rain water to drink I find myself rather loos-
ing flesh and was it not for my good sperits I
should have been sick once or twice already
but this is a digression. The Trees most common
in this place are the Cocoa nut the Tamarind
and the Guava. The Cocoa Nut Tree is most
beautifull it grows about forty to fifty feet


Page 5


high perfectly strait within about ten feet of the
top the leaves or lims put out when the tree
is small or untill the nuts begin to grow which
is about ten years the lims or leaves fall as the
tree grows in height until it arrives to perfection
the Bark is nearly of the culler of the Birch-
thorn. The leave or lims as I cannot [1 word illegible]them
are truly eligent they grow from the tree in
Circles horizontally and from the trunk to the
end they are ten or twelve feet and grow like
locust leaves not in shape but order the leaves
are shaped like flags tapering from the center
to the points. The fruit or nuts grow from the trunk
in large Bunches beginning where the first
sets on and tapering one bunch after an-
other to the top you will laugh at my being
so particular but when I tell you that after
this discription you cannot scarcely conceive of
the beauty of this Tropical Tree. The Tamarind
Tree is large and eligent and had it any small
thorns I should say no more than that it must
be a species of Locust the leaf exactly resembles


Page 6


that tree and the pod is not the least different
in shape and size from the honey Locust.
The size of the trees in this country is smaller
than in America. The Guava Tree is small
the trunk in form resembles the stock of a
Cabbage they never grow more than Twenty
feet high and about six inches over, the leaf
is like the Coffee Bean from this tree is taken
allmost all the fruit which is sent preserved
to America they are very prolific and like
man but short lived. I shall send home some
of the gelly which you will be supprised to
taist. it is as far before any thing of this kind
we have in America as that country is
before this. The Fruit although a great luxury
to the natives is very insipid to Foreigners
The low lands as we call them but savannahs
as thay are called by us West Indians are all
covered with the sensative plant and it is
impossible for them to ever eradicate it as
the least fibre left in the earth will spring
up and soon cover a large Feald.


Page 7


I suppose I have grown tedious in dweling on
subjects so opposite to your profession but I
have long since finished my business at this
Island and only wait a passage to Mar-
tinico where I shall find trash sufficient
to spoil a few sheats more. I can do nothing
but stair and write and the former I am
sure you are well convinced I have done
enough of and the latter I am not yet done
with. I will now discribe a plantation
to you as near as three days acquaintance
with an old Planter will enable me with
the knowledge I have gain’d from [1 word illegible]
demonstration in the same time. This plan-
tation is worked by Ninety Blacks it pro-
duces Cane which produces sugar & Rum
There is now under cultivation one hundred
acres of cane which is planted about half as
far apart as we generally plant corn
instead of hills it is in ditches or drains
where all the water can settle (for want
of which planters are often beggard) and


Page 8


the plants stand much thicker than we let
Corn, in this plantation they make two
Crops Annually from the same ground.
The planters whose dependance is on his crop
and should one fail he is obliged to pinch
his poor Negroes from a Mackrel a day
to half of one and a sea bisket. You have
no Idea of the manner these poor mis-
erable creatures work early and late to
support an idle drunken master who
neather has pity for their misery nor
thanks for their services. The Cane will
on this Plantation make seven hun-
dred Hhds. of Sugar and half as many pun-
cheons of rum. I am sure was it not
that I should be thought singular I
would never taist sugar or rum more
as it is the very Blood of the Africans
in the strictest sense of the word. On
every plantation they have small huts built
of small sticks and stuck together with clay in
which every insect which is disagreeable is sure to


Page 9


conceal it self and in the knight sally out upon

the poor weary labourer. When one of the negroes
becomes sick he is immediately sent into quarters
to receive the advice of the Doctor as he is call’d but
he generally speaking is a man who knows nothing
about Physic more than simples. This man generally
is a relation of the Planter and will do every kind
of drudgery to curry favor having common-
ly his earnings to himself he then looks into the
Billiard room and often leaves it by drawing an
order for a large amot. on his planter. You may
think the sick is well attended but to the contrary
This man visits sick quarters every day and leaves
some medicine but the ignorence of the poor
unfortunate African will not allow him to know
what is necessary and not having any one to
administer relief to them they linger out a
most miserable existance through ignorence on
their part and unpardonable neglect on the
part of these breakers of Mankind. The Negroes
have cause to commit sueside every day but to
the want of despiration add the hope which


Page 10


they have of returning to the East again. I have
seen more solemnity in this place in worship
than I ever saw and I really think the thing
is worth relating. I observed to my old instructer
the Planter that one of the blacks had a coun-
tinance above his condition at the same time
pointing out poor, June, yes replyed the old
fellow he is the damdest heritick I ever saw
and he is the only man on my works which will
not be Baptised he will have his times of worship
and the lash will not beat out of his head the
worship of Allah, I asked the old man where he
proformed his worship, he on his return to the
house stop’d at the place. You may judge my
astonishment at seeing the place of worship
of an old monarch of the East only covered
with some thatch and the inside made of
stones laid in a singular manner. The door
was arched and a regular assent for three
feet was made by plaising small stones in
the form of pavements until it reached the
back part which was seven feet there was


Page 11


placed a square stone facing the East on which
was cut some carrectors which appeared to be ar-
rabick at the foot of the stone was several pie-
ces of old dark parchment covered with letters
in the same language. Here every day at the
riseing and going down of the sun this old
June came to worship. His face had something
in it which spoke better times than slavery
and could he have spoke my language I would
have had a conversation with him and used
my exertions to have made him more happy. At
eavening I attended at his place of service and
he soon arrived on his going into the place
he fell on his face and remained in that
poster for some moments he then steped for-
ward to his altar or table of commandments
and there red aloud in a singular tone of
voice with his finger following from place
to place on the stone as I supposed all that
was wrote on it. he then took up one piece
of the parchment after an other and red
making singular jestures. I observed he never


Page 12


once turned his face from the East during all
the time of reading. His beard appeared to have
never been cut but lay smooth on his face. he
wept constantly from the time of falling
down and seeing the poor wretch so affected
I could not refrain from joining in simpathy
(although my fealings are hard of movement)
The old Planter said he should soon sell him
as he could not be trobled with his d----d odd
way. But he said the man was too knowing
for a slave and that at the Havanna they
would make him a Cristion immediately
where he ment to send him. The planter prom-
ised to give me some of his writing which he
said he had in the house but by some means
had got mislaid. I am well aware of my
unhappy way of expressing my ideas in dis-
criptive writing but know you will pardon
me where bad expressions crept in on any
occasion. I shall now give you a short dis -
cription of two old castles which have
been here for more than one hundred years


Page 13


they were built By Blackbeard the most famous
pirot the British nation had produced in those times
you certainly have red of the Buckanneers who was
the terror of all the Spanish Colonies in America
They were not only in a manner governed by Black
beard but generally led on by him to action. They twice
took the City of Carthagena and not only plundered it but
Luguira they almost distroyed. They then retired to
this Island where they were determined to share
the plunder and defend themselves by fortifying
the high mountains at the foot of the Harbour
The Building which I examined was about
sixty feet high of a circular form the walls, four
feet thick of a very strong kind of stone scemented
together by a marine substance five different stories
high and covered with an arch, in each
story is fiftein portholes large enough to admit a
swivel. Although these buildings have stood as appears
by some old Books found in them more than one
hundred & fifty four years yet they are quite
strong and the wood (which is of a kind not
known in America called Iron wood) is as


Page 14


perfectly sound as when first put in. The only
enterance is about Ten feet from the ground.
The walls being covered with a smooth plaster
renders it difficult to explore it. How happy would
it be for the good Citizens of the United States
to have all the pirots in these Islands confined
within these walls. The Laws of this island
will not allow the Whites to mary into any family
of culler however there is more molattoes bred
than either whites or Blacks. The only thing I
can attibet it to is the great influx of for
eigners from Europe. this being a free port in
times of peace & war. There is but few men
who do not keep a woman for the time they
remain in the place. I am sorry to see so great
a difference cept up between the blacks & molats
as soon the time will arrive when all these
Islands must be in the possession of the people
of culler. I have living in the next room to me
a woman who has received an education far
superior to any of the white Ladies who I
have been introduced to. She was four years


Page 15


at the famus school at Bethleham in Pensylvania
where she made every improvement which adorns
the human heart but being doom’d to live under
laws which in every eye must appear unjust &
unnatural and having the Common passions
of nature she has become the mistress of an English
Gentn. of fortune and is subject to the unpleasing
calumny of strangers who are not acquainted with
the cause from whence the eavil springs.
She is truly beautiful when compared with the
women which I have seen here and was it not for
the difference of culler which is hardly to be per-
ceived she would eclipse your unripened beauties
of the North. The pleasure with which I converce
with hir is heightened when I considder hir pres-
ent situation was not of hir own choosing but
put upon hir by a mother who although rich
has a heart as cold as the brest which contains
it. I am led to believe she is as strictly virtuous
as any marryed lady in the place. But she is
still subject to the caprice of the man who is
hir keeper for want of that solemn tye which


Page 16


unstable man requires to keep him within due
bounds. I hope soon to have the pleasure
of seeing you as I beforementioned my having
compleated my mission in this Island and
only wait the want of a passage to Martinieo
where I shall be detained for some time. I
never felt the unpleasing want of Friends
more than in this place. I being a stranger
do not know who to confide in and of course
am obliged to be extreamly on my gard or
git into bad company. Every day I have
numberless invitations to the Biliard Tables
& Card partys but not being much acquainted
with either of those professions I chuse a walk to
the cuntry rather than the former. I have dined
out almost every day since my arrival but
have not fell in with the custom of the place
entirely which is to take more wine than is
necessary for the support of perspiration
You may expect to hear further from me when
I arrive at Martinieo until which I remain
your Brother
Meltiah Green

Citation

Green, Meltiah, 1779-1809, “Meltiah Green letter to William E. Green, 1801 November 10,” John D. Rockefeller Jr. Library, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, accessed March 28, 2024, https://rocklib.omeka.net/items/show/441.