Older slave boys, and less frequently the girls, willingly contributed to them welfare of their family by hunting and fishing with their fathers during the evening hours. Exemption from field labor at night gave fathers and their children an opportunity to augment their diet by trapping small game and catching fish in nearby streams. They realized a much needed feeling of self-worth by adding delicacies to the family table. Often precluded by their masters from contributing to their families material welfare, slaves relished the chance to hunt and angle for food. Maybe most importantly, slave men found these two activities particularly satisfying because it allowed them the opportunity to teach their children the intricacies involved in hunting