Step 2 of 5

Sugar cane rollers

Related Images

  • Fig 1: Water-powered mills - JCB Library - [35892](https://jcb.lunaimaging.com/luna/servlet/detail/JCB~1~1~3598~5670007:Moulin-a-Eau-droit?qvq=q:35892-55;lc:JCB~1~1,JCBBOOKS~1~1,JCBMAPS~1~1,JCBMAPS~2~2,JCBMAPS~3~3&mi=0&trs=1)
  • Fig 2: The rollers in an image from the 18th century - JCB Library - [72-196](https://jcb.lunaimaging.com/luna/servlet/detail/JCB~1~1~5106~7990002:Eleva%25C3%25A7a%25C3%25B5-e-Plano-de-hum-Engenho-ref?qvq=q:engenho&mi=3&trs=6)

Indicated with nr. 2 we can see three big rollers with an enslaved male on both sides (indicated by nr. 4) sticking the sugar cane between the rollers to squeeze out the juice. The rollers are powered by two sets of oxen, that are driven by two other men (indicated with nr. 3).

The enslaved man behind the rollers (nr. 4) is picking up new sugar canes from the ground. Inserting the sugar cane into the rollers was a dangerous task which often led to injuries – not in the last place because the enslaved workers worked 18-20 hour days. Not all sugar mills were powered by animals: if natural circumstances were favorable, people also chose to make use of water-powered mills (See figure 1).