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miseries they have suffered lead to in the morning, it was done, or how were nothing. They are not only enormous, the servants to get their things done?but unprofitable; having suffered in Supposing you had an order to attend at what is called the happiest part of four o'clock in the morning in the month of December, you sent your boy? I was life, every misery which a human being generally with him, or had a careful folcan suffer, they are then cast out to rob lower with him.-Do you think those early and steal, and given up to the law.

Not the least of their miseries, while their trial endures, is their exposure to cold. It will easily be believed that much money is not expended on the clothes of a poor boy stolen from his parents, or sold by them for a few shillings, and constantly occupied in dirty work. Yet the nature of their occupations renders chimney sweepers peculiarly susceptible of cold. And as chimneys must be swept very early, at four or five o'clock of a winter morning, the poor boys are shivering at the door, and attempting by repeated ringings to rouse the profligate footman; but the more they ring, the more the footman does not come.

"Do they go out in the winter time without stockings? Oh yes.-Always? I never saw one go out with stockings; I have known masters make their boys pull off their leggings, and cut off the feet, to keep their feet warm when they have chilblains. -Are chimney sweepers' boys peculiarly subject to chilblains? Yes; I believe it is owing to the weather: they often go out at two or three in the morning, and their shoes are generally very bad. Do they go out at that hour at Christmas? Yes; a man will have twenty jobs at four, and twenty more at five or six.-Are chimneys generally swept much about Christmas time? Yes; they are in general; it is left to the Christmas week. Do you suppose it is frequent that, in the Christmas week, boys are out from three o'clock in the morning to nine or ten? Yes, further than that; I have known that a boy has been only in and out again directly all day till five o'clock in the evening. Do you consider the journeymen and masters treat those boys generally with greater cruelty than other apprentices in other trades are treated? They do, most horrid and shocking."— (Lords'

Minutes, p. 33.)

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hours beneficial for him? I do: and I have heard that early to bed and early to rise, is the way to be healthy, wealthy, and wise.'-Did they always get in as soon as they knocked? No; it would be pleasant did they wait? Till the servants please to to the profession if they could.-How long rise.-How long might that be? According how heavy they were to sleep. - How long was that? It is impossible to say; ten minutes at one house, and twenty at another.-Perhaps half an hour? We cannot see in the dark how the minutes go.— there twenty minutes at four o'clock in the think it healthy to let them stand morning in the winter time? He has a cloth to wrap himself in like a mantle, and keep himself warm."-(Lords' Minutes, pp. 138, 189.)

Do you

Soot

We must not forget sore eyes. lodges on their eyelids, produces irritability, which requires friction; and the friction of dirty hands of course increases the disease. The greater proportion of chimney sweepers are in consequence blear-eyed. The boys are very small, but they are compelled to carry heavy loads of soot.

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Are you at all lame yourself? No; but I am 'knapped-kneed' with carrying heavy loads when I was an apprentice.-That was the occasion of it? It was.-In general, are persons employed in your trade either stunted or knock-kneed by carrying heavy loads during their childhood? It is owing to their masters a great deal; and when they climb a great deal it makes them weak."-(Commons' Report, p. 58.)

In climbing a chimney, the great hold is by the knees and elbows. A young child of six or seven years old, working with knees and elbows against hard bricks, soon rubs off the skin from these bony projections, and is forced to climb high chimneys with raw and bloody knees and elbows.

"Are the boys' knees and elbows rendered sore when they first begin to learn to climb? Yes, they are, and pieces out of them.-Is that almost generally the case? It is; there is not one out of twenty who is not; and they are sure to take the scars to their grave: I have some now.-Are they usually

compelled to continue climbing while those | journeyman, when the first labour of the scres are open? Yes; the way they use to day on account of the master is finished, to make them hard is that way.-Might not call the streets,' in search of employment this severity be obviated by the use of pads on their own account, with the apprentices, in learning to climb? Yes; but they con- whose labour is thus unreasonably exsider in the business, learning a boy, that tended, and whose limbs are weakened and he is never thoroughly learned until the distorted by the weights which they have boy's knees are hard after being sore; then to carry, and by the distance which they they consider it necessary to put a pad on, have to walk. John Lawless says, 'I have from seeing the boys have bad knees; the known a boy to climb from twenty to thirty children generally walk stiff-kneed. Is it chimneys for his master in the morning; he usual among the chimney sweepers to teach has then been sent out instantly with the their boys to learn by means of pads? No; journeyman, who has kept him out till three they learn them with nearly naked knees.- or four o'clock, till he has accumulated from Is it done in one instance in twenty? No, six to eight bushels of soot.'"-(Lords' ReLor one in fifty."—(Lords' Minutes, p. 32). port, p. 24.) According to the humanity of the master, the soot remains upon the bodies of the children, unwashed off, for any time from a week to a year. "Are the boys generally washed regularly? No, unless they wash themselves.Did not your master take care you were washed? No.-Not once in three months? No, not once a year.-Did not he find you scap? No; I can take my oath on the Bible that he never found me one piece of scap during the time I was apprentice."(Lords' Minutes, p. 41.)

The life of these poor little wretches is so miserable, that they often lie sulking in the flues, unwilling to come

out.

"Did you ever see severity used to boys that were not obstinate and perverse? Yes. -Very often? Yes, very often. The boys are rather obstinate; some of them are; some of them will get half-way up the chimney, and will not go any further, and then the journeymen will swear at them to come down, or go on; but the boys are too frightened to come down; they halloo out, we cannot get up, and they are afraid to come down; sometimes they will send for another boy, and drag them down; sometimes get up to the top of the chimney, and throw down water, and drive them down; then, when they get them down, they will begin to drag, or beat, or kick them about the house; then, when' they get home, the master will beat them all

round the kitchen afterwards, and give them no breakfast perhaps."-(Lords' Minutes, p. 9, 10.)

When a chimney boy has done sufficient work for the master, he must work for the man; and he thus becomes for several hours after his morning's work a perquisite to the journeyman. "It is frequently the perquisite of the

The sight of a little chimney sweeper often excites pity; and they have small presents made to them at the houses where they sweep. These benevolent alms are disposed of in the following manner:

"Do the boys receive little presents of money from people often in your trade? Yes, it is in general the custom.-Are they allowed to keep that for their own use? Not the whole of it,-the journeymen take what they think proper. The journeymen are entitled to half by the master's orders; and whatever a boy may get, if two boys and one journeyman are sent to a large house to sweep a number of chimneys, and after they have done, there should be a Ishilling, or eighteen-pence given to the boys, the journeyman has his full half, and the two boys in general have the other.-Is it usual or customary for the journeyman to play at chuck farthing or other games with the boys? Frequently.-Do they win the money from the boys? Frequently; the children give their money to the journeymen to screen for them.-What do you mean by screening? Such a thing as sifting the soot. The child is tired, and he says, 'Jem, I will give you twopence if you will sift my share of the soot; there is sometimes twenty or thirty bushels to sift.-Do you think the boys retain one quarter of that given them for their own use? No."-(Lords' Minutes, p. 35.)

To this most horrible list of calamities

is to be added the dreadful deaths by which chimney sweepers are often destroyed. Of these we once thought of giving two examples; one from London, the other from our own town of Edinburgh: but we confine ourselves to the latter.

"James Thompson, chimney sweeper.One day in the beginning of June, witness

and panel (that is, the master, the party | ness had been ten minutes in the room, accused), had been sweeping vents together. during which time panel was swearing, and About four o'clock in the afternoon, the asking, 'What's keeping you, you scounpanel proposed to go to Albany Street, drel?' When witness returned with the where the panel's brother was cleaning a boy and ropes, Reid took hold of the rope, vent, with the assistance of Fraser, whom and, having loosed it, gave Alison one end, he had borrowed from the panel for the and directed him to go up the chimney, occasion. When witness and panel got to saying, 'Do not go farther than his feet, the house in Albany Street, they found and when you get there fasten it to his foot.' Fraser, who had gone up the vent, between Panel said nothing all this time. Alison eleven and twelve o'clock, not yet come went up, and having fastened the rope, down. On entering the house they found Reid desired him to come down; Reid took a mason making a hole in the wall. Panel the rope and pulled, but did not bring down said, what was he doing? I suppose he has the boy; the rope broke! Alison was sent taken a lazy fit. The panel called to the up again with the other end of the rope, boy, 'What are you doing? what's keeping which was fastened to the boy's foot. When you?' The boy answered that he could not Reid was pulling the rope, panel said, 'You come. The panel worked a long while, have not the strength of a cat ;' he took the sometimes persuading him, sometimes rope into his own hands, pulling as strong threatening and swearing at the boy, to get as he could. Having pulled about a quarhim down. Panel then said, 'I will go ter of an hour, panel and Reid fastened the to a hardware shop, and get a barrel of rope round a crow bar, which they applied gunpowder, and blow you and the vent to the wall as a lever, and both pulled with to the devil, if you do not come down.' all their strength for about a quarter of Panel then began to slap at the wall-wit-an hour longer, when it broke. During ness then went up a ladder, and spoke to the boy through a small hole in the wall previously made by the mason-but the boy did not answer. Panel's brother told ness to come down, as the boy's master knew best how to manage him. Witness then threw off his jacket, and put a handkerchief about his head, and said to the panel, 'Let me go up the chimney to see what's keeping him.' The panel made no answer, but pushed witness away from the chimney, and continued bullying the boy. At this time the panel was standing on the grate, so that witness could not go up the chimney; witness then said to panel's brother, 'There is no use for me here,' meaning that panel would not permit him to use his services. He prevented the mason making the hole larger, saying, Stop, and I'll bring him down in five minutes' time. Witness then put on his jacket, and continued an hour in the room, during all which time, the panel continued bullying the boy. Panel then desired witness to go to Reid's house to get the loan of his boy Alison. Witness went to Reid's house, and asked Reid to come and speak to panel's brother. Reid asked if panel was there? Witness answered he was; Reid said he would send his boy to the panel, but not to the panel's brother. Witness and Reid went to Albany Street; and when they got into the room, panel took his head out of

this time witness heard the boy cry, and say, 'My God Almighty!' Panel said, 'If I had you here, I would God Almighty you.' wit-Witness thought the cries were in agony. The master of the house brought a new piece of rope, and the panel's brother spliced an eye on it. Reid expressed a wish to have it fastened on both thighs, to have greater purchase. Alison was sent up for this purpose, but came down, and said he could not get it fastened. Panel then began to slap at the wall. After striking a long while at the wall he got out a large stone; he then put in his head and called to Fraser, 'Do you hear, you sir?' but got no answer: he then put in his hands, and drew down deceased's breeches. He then came down from the ladder. At this time the panel was in a state of perspiration: he sat down on a stool, and the master of the house gave him a dram. Witness did not hear panel make any remarks as to the situation of the boy Fraser. Witness thinks, that, from panel's appearance, he knew the boy was dead." (Commons' Report, pp. 136-138.)

the chimney and asked Reid if he would lend him his boy; Reid agreed: witness then returned to Reid's house for his boy, and Reid called after him, 'Fetch down a set of ropes with you.' By this time wit

We have been thus particular in stating the case of the chimney sweepers, and in founding it upon the basis of facts, that we may make an answer to those profligate persons who are always ready to fling an air of ridicule upon the labours of humanity, because they are desirous that what they have not virtue to do themselves, should appear to be foolish and romantic when done

by others. A still higher degree of depravity than this, is to want every sort of compassion for human misery, when it is accompanied by filth, po. verty, and ignorance,- to regulate humanity by the income tax, and to deem the bodily wretchedness and the dirty tears of the poor a fit subject for pleasantry and contempt. We should have been loth to believe, that such deep-seated and disgusting immorality existed in these days; but the notice of it is forced upon us. Nor must we pass over a set of marvellously weak gentlemen, who discover democracy and revolution in every effort to improve the condition of the lower orders, and to take off a little of the load of misery from those points where it presses the hardest. Such are the men into whose heart Mrs. Fry has struck the deepest terror,— who abhor Mr. Bentham and his penitentiary; Mr. Bennet and his bulks: Sir James Mackintosh and his bloodless assizes; Mr. Tooke and his sweeping machines, and every other human being who is great and good enough to sacrifice his quiet to his love for his fellow-creatures. Certainly we admit that humanity is sometimes the veil of ambition or of faction; but we have no doubt that there are a great many excellent persons to whom it is misery to see misery, and pleasure to lessen it; and who, by calling the publie attention to the worst cases, and by giving birth to judicious legislative enactments for their improvement, have made, and are making, the world somewhat happier than they found it. Upon these principles we join hands with the friends of the chimney sweepers, and most heartily wish for the diminution of their numbers, and the limitation of their trade.

met with in the occupation of sweeping chimneys.

After all, we must own that it was quite right to throw out the bill for prohibiting the sweeping of chimneys by boys-because humanity is a modern invention; and there are many chimneys in old houses which cannot possibly be swept in any other manner. But the construction of chimneys should be attended to in some new building act; and the treatment of boys be watched over with the most severe jealousy of the law. Above all, those who have chimneys accessible to machinery, should encourage the use of machines*, and not think it beneath their dignity to take a little trouble, in order to do a great deal of good. We should have been very glad to have seconded the views of the Climbing Society, and to have pleaded for the complete abolition of climbing boys, if we could conscientiously have done so. measure, we are convinced from the evidence, could not be carried into execution without great injury to prorerty, and great increased risk of fire. The Lords have investigated the matter with the greatest patience, humanity, and good sense; and they do not venture, in their Report, to recommend to the House the abolition of climbing boys.

But such a

MISSION TO ASHANTEE.

(E. REVIEW, 1819.)

Mission from Cape Coast Castle to Ashan

tee, with a Statistical Account of that Kingdom, and Geographical Notices of other Parts of the Interior of Africa. By T. Edward Bowdich, Esq. Conductor. London. Murray. 1819.

We are thoroughly convinced there are many respectable master chimney sweepers; though we suspect their numbers have been increased by the alarm which their former tyranny excited, and by the severe laws made for their coercion: but even with good masters the trade is miserable, with bad ones it is not to be endured; and the evidence already quoted shows us The price of a machine is fifteen shilhow many of that character are to be lings.

CAPE COAST CASTLE, or Cape Corso, is a factory of Africa, on the Gold Coast. The Portuguese settled here in 1610, and built the citadel; from which, in a few years afterwards, they were dislodged by the Dutch. In 1661, it was demolished by the English under Admiral Holmes; and by the treaty of Breda, it was made over to our Govern

The

ment. The latitude of Cape Coast | captains performed their Pyrrhic dance, in Castle is 5° 6' north; the longitude 1° the centre of a circle formed by their war51' west. The capital of the kingdom riors; where a confusion of flags, English, of Ashantee is Coomassie, the latitude Dutch, and Danish, were waved and flour. of which is about 6° 30′ 20′′ north, and springing from side to side, with a pasished in all directions; the bearers plunging and the longitude 2° 6' 30" west. sion of enthusiasm only equalled by the mission quitted Cape Coast Castle on captains, who followed them, discharging the 22nd of April, and arrived at Coo- their shining blunderbusses so close, that massie about the 16th of May-halting the flags now and then were in a blaze; and two or three days on the route, and emerging from the smoke with all the ges walking the whole distance, or carried ture and distortion of maniacs. Their fol lowers kept up the firing around us in the by hammock-bearers at a footpace. The distance between the fort and the rear. The dress of the captains was a war cap, with gilded rams' horns projecting in capital is not more than 150 miles, or front, the sides extended beyond all proabout as far as from Durham to Edin- portion by immense plumes of eagles' feaburgh; and yet the kingdom of As- thers, and fastened under the chin with hantee was, before the mission of Mr. bands of cowries. Their vest was of red Bowdich, almost as much unknown to cloth, covered with fetishes and saphies in us as if it had been situated in some gold and silver; and embroidered cases of almost every colour, which flapped against other planet. The country which surther bodies as they moved, intermixed with rounds Cape Coast Castle belongs to small brass bells, the horns and tails of the Fantees; and, about the year 1807, animals, shells, and knives; long leopards' an Ashantee army reached the coast tails hung down their backs, over a small for the first time. They invaded Fan- bow covered with fetishes. They wore loose tee again in 1811, and for the third cotton trowsers, with immense boots of a time, in 1816. To put a stop to the dull red leather, coming half way up the horrible cruelties committed by the thigh, and fastened by small chains to their stronger on the weaker nation; to se-namented with bells, horses' tails, strings cartouch or waist belt; these were also orcure their own safety, endangered by of amulets, and innumerable shreds of leathe Ashantees; and to enlarge our ther; a small quiver of poisoned arrows knowledge of Africa- the Govern- hung from their right wrist, and they held ment of Cape Coast Castle persuaded a long iron chain between their teeth, with the African Committee to send a depu- a scrap of Moorish writing affixed to the tation to the kingdom of Ashantee; end of it. A small spear was in their left and of this embassy, the publication hands, covered with red cloth and silk tassels; their black countenances heightened now before us is the narrative. The the effect of this attire, and completed a embassy walked through a beautiful figure scarcely human. country, laid waste by the recent wars, and arrived in the time we have mentioned, and without meeting with any remarkable accident, at Coomassie the capital. The account of their first reception there we shall lay before our

readers.

"We entered Coomassie at two o'clock, passing under a fetish, or sacrifice of a dead sheep, wrapped up in red silk, and suspended between two lofty poles. Upwards of 5000 people, the greater part warriors, met us with awful bursts of martial music, discordant only in its mixture; for horns, drums, rattles, and gong-gongs, were all exerted with a zeal bordering on frenzy, to subdue us by the first impression. The smoke which encircled us from the incessant discharges of musketry, confined our glimpses to the foreground; and we were halted whilst the

"This exhibition continued about half an hour, when we were allowed to proceed, encircled by the warriors, whose numbers, with the crowds of people, made our movement as gradual as if it had taken place in Cheapside; the several streets branching off to the right presented long vistas crammed with people; and those on the left hand being on an acclivity, innumerable rows of heads rose one above another: the large open porches of the houses, like the fronts of stages in small theatres, were filled with the better sort of females and children, all impatient to behold white men for the first time; their exclamations were drowned in the firing and music, but their gestures were in character with the scene. When we reached the palace, about half a mile from the place where we entered, we were again halted, and an open file was made, through which the bearers were passed, to

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