Slaves: Wages, Rates, and Rights

When a slave was sold, a bill of sale was drawn up between buy and seller, and the transfer was completed with a short ceremony during which the slave drank some water from the buyer’s brass basin, and called out, “I am now your slave forever.” The new master built a hut for his slave, and supplied this wants, but was not liable for debts contracted by the slave without his knowledge.

 A good slave sold for 10 pagodas (about 4 guineas). The value doubled if he had a wife who was formerly free, and two or three children. In 1819, Harris reported the price of a strong young man was between Rs 12 to 20, a strong young woman between Rs 12 to 24, and a child Rs 4. A slave was never paid wages in money, but was fed and clothed by his master. The average daily quantity a man received was 1.1/2 seers coarse rice (three-fourths of the allowance for a hired servant), and optionally, salt, betel-nut and leaf. A woman received one seer, and a child ¾ seer. A man received two pieces of cloth of about 6 cubits length (worth Rs 1.1/2, and Rs 2 in cash), a woman only one cloth of seven cubits, and a child one of 4 cubits.

It was also customary to give some kanji water from the master's house. In addition, after the harvest, a slave sometimes received the produce of a betta land from one to a quarter morah of paddy, and sometimes to take home as much paddy as he could carry to his house at one time. Both received a small allowance of oil, salt, and other seasonings. A small allowance was given to children and old people. On their marriage, or particular ceremonies, they were presented with a small sum.

Slaves had no free days. A slave could retain personal property. A deserving slave was sometimes given a little land to cultivate for his own use, but its ownership remained with the master. The slave never owned any land. Where the slave has planted coconut, or other trees of his own in the master's compound, the master and slave had an equal right to their produce. In some cases, the master's share was rented to him. The slave could either mortgage or sell these trees to others, and when he died, his heirs enjoyed the same right. Where there were no heirs, the right of inheritance of the trees went to the master.

The master could hire out his slaves. He could sell the husband to one person, and the wife to another, though this was infrequent. Slaves could also be mortgaged. The mortgager was not obliged to replace a slave that died. Being attached to the soil of their birth, slaves were seldom sold to distant estates. A slave’s children could be sold, but was seldom done for fear of desertion.

Free men of low caste, if they are in debt or trouble, sometimes sold their sister's children, who were their heirs. They had no authority over their own children, who belonged to their maternal uncles.

A hired servant was little different from a slave. While free to change his service at the end of the year if free from debt, he was seldom free from debt. His master could sell his sister's children to discharge the amount, and his services may be transferred to any other man who chooses to take him and pay his debts to his master. Although his allowance was larger than that of a slave, his master was not obliged to provide for him in sickness or in old age.

Slaves were rarely ill-treated for fear they would desert. For petty offences and trespasses, a slave was abused by his master, and sometimes flogged, but not severely. The trouble and expense of recovering a slave who had deserted could often amount to more than their value.