At the time of new _Moon_, we finde both her Corners equally high,

when the Sun is neer us; but when it is at the distance of 37 Degrees

to the Southward, we finde some difference; for then it hangs not

so equall, but one end is higher then the other, by reason of the

position we are in.

[Sidenote: _Temperature of the ayre._]

Eight months of the year, the weather is very hot, yet not so

scalding, but that servants, both Christians, and slaves, labour and

travell tenne hours in a day.

As the Sunne rises, there arises with him coole breezes of wind, and

the higher and hotter the sunne shines, the stronger and cooler the

breezes are, and blow alwaies from the Nore East, and by East, except

in the time of the _Turnado_: And then it sometimes chops about into

the South, for an hour or two, and then returnes againe to the same

poynt where it was. The other foure months it is not so hot, but is

neer the temper of the aire in England, in the middle of May, and

though in the hot seasons we sweat much, yet we doe not finde that

faintnesse, that we finde here, in the end of July, or beginning of

August. With this great heat, there is such a moysture, as must of

necessity cause the ayer to be very unwholsome.

We are seldome drye or thirsty, unlesse we overheat our bodyes with

extraordinary labour, or drinking strong drinks; as of our English

spirits, which we carry over, of french Brandy, or the drinke of the

Iland, which is made of the skimmings of the Coppers, that boyle

the Sugar, which they call kill-Divell. And though some of these be

needfull if they be used with temper; yet the immoderate use of them,

over-heats the body, which causes Costivenesse, and Tortions in the

bowels; which is a disease very frequent there; and hardly cur’d,

and of which many have dyed, but certainely, strong drinks are very

requisit, where so much heat is; for the spirits being exhausted with

much sweating, the inner parts are left cold and faint, and shall

need comforting, and reviving. Besides, our bodyes having bin used to

colder Clymates, finde a debility, and a great fayling in the vigour,

and sprightliness we have in colder Climats; our blood too, is

thinner and paler than in our own Countreys. Nor is the meat so well

relisht as in England; but flat and insipid, the hogges flesh onely

excepted, which is indeed the best of that kinde that I thinke is in

the world.

Our Horses and Cattle seldome drinke, and when they do, it is in very

small quantities; except such as have their bodies over heated with

working.

This moysture of the ayre, causes all our knives, etweese, keyes,

needles, swords, and ammunition, to rust; and that in an instant for

take your knife to the grindstone, and grind away all the rust; which

done, wipe it dry, and put it up into your sheath, and so into your

pocket, and in a very little time, draw it out; and you shall find

it beginning to rust all over; which in more time, will eate deep

into the steele, and spoyle the blade. Our locks too, that are not

often made use of, will rust in the wards, and so become uselesse

and Clocks, and Watches will seldome or never go true; and all this

occasion’d by the moystnesse of the Ayre. And this we found at sea:

for before we came neere this Iland, we perceiv’d a kind of weather,

which is neither raine nor mist, and continued with us sometimes four

or five dayes together, which the seamen call a Heysey weather, and

rises to such a height, as though the sunne shine out bright, yet

we cannot see his body, till nine a clock in the morning, nor after

three in the afternoone. And we see the skie over our heads cleare: a

close and very unhealthfull weather, and no pleasure at all in it.

This great heat and moysture together, is certainely the occasion

that the trees and plants grow to such vast height, and largenesse as

they are.

[Sidenote: _How watered._]

There is nothing in this Iland so much wanting, as Springs and

Rivers of water; there being but very few, and those very smal &

inconsiderable. I know but only one River, and that may rather be

term’d a Lake, then a River; The Springs that runne into it, are

never able to fill it, they are so small; outfall to Sea it has none;

but at spring tides, the Sea comes in and fills it; and at Nepe

tides, it cannot runne out againe, the sea-banks being higher than

it. But some of it issues out through the Sands, and leaves behind

it a mixt water, of fresh and salt: at the time the tide comes in,

it brings with it some fishes, which are content to remaine there;

being better pleased to live in this mixt water, then in the Salt.

Colonel _Humphrey Walrond_, who is owner of the land of both sides,

and therefore of it; has told me, that he has taken fishes there, as

bigge as Salmons, which have been overgrown with fat, as you have

seen Porpisces; but extreamely sweet and firme.

But it has not been often, that such fish, or any other, have bin

taken in that place, by reason the whole Lake is filled with trees

and roots.

So that no Net can be drawn, nor any Hook laid; for they will wind

the lines about the roots, and so get away; or the lines break in

pulling up, being fastned to the roots.

This River, or Lake, reaches not within the Land above twelve score

yards, or a flight shot at most; and there is no part of it so broad,

but you may cast a Coyte over it.

The spring tides there, seldome rise above four or five foot upright:

there come from the sea into these small bibling rivolets, little

Lobsters, but wanting the great clawes afore, which are the sweetest

and fullest of fish, that I have seen; _Chicester_ Lobsters are not

to be compared to them.

But the water which the people of this Iland most relye upon, is

raine water; which they keep in ponds, that have descents of ground

to them, so that what falls on other ground, may runne thither. And

the place in which the Pond is set, must be low, and claye in the

bottome: or if it be not naturally of Clay, it must be made so.

For if it finde any Leake to the rocky part, it gets between those

clifts, and sinks in an instant. About the end of _December_, these

ponds are fill’d; and with the help it hath by the weekly showrs that

fall, they continue so, yet sometimes they feele a want. This pond

water, they use upon all occasions, and to all purposes; to boyle

their meat, to make their drink, to wash their linnen, for it will

beare soape. But one thing seem’d to me a little loathsome, and that

was the _Negroes_ washing themselves in the Ponds, in hot weather;

whose bodies have none of the sweetest savours. But the planters are

pleased to say, that the Sunne with his virtuall heat, drawes up all

noysome vapours, and so the waters become rarified, and pure againe.

But it was a great satisfaction to me, that a little Rivulet was

neere us, from whence we fetcht dayly, as much as served us, both for

meat, and drink.

In these ponds, I have never seen any small fish, fry, or any thing

that lives or moves in it, except some flies that fall intoit; but

the water is clear and well tasted. And because their Cattle shall

not be in danger of miring or drowning, the best Husbands raile in

a part of the Pond, where it is of a competent depth, for the water

to stand, and pave that in the bottom with stone; and so the Cattle

neither raise the mud, nor sink in with their feet; and so the water

comes clear to them.

Water they save likewise from their houses, by gutters at the eves,

which carrie it down to cisterns. And the water which is kept there,

being within the limits of their houses, many of which are built in

manner of Fortifications, and have Lines, Bulwarks, and Bastians to

defend themselves, in case there should be any uproar or commotion in

the Iland, either by the Christian servants, or Negre slaves; serves

them for drink whilst they are besieged; as also, to throw down upon

the naked bodies of the Negres, scalding hot; which is as good a

defence against their underminings, as any other weapons.

If any tumult or disorder be in the Iland, the next neighbour to it,

discharges a Musket, which gives the Alarum to the whole Iland; for,

upon the report of that, the next shoots, and so the next, and next,

till it go through the Iland: Upon which warning, they make ready.

[Sidenote: _Meat and Drink for supportation of life._]

Bread, which is accounted the staffe, or main supporter of mans

life, has not here that full taste it has in _England_; but yet they

account it nourishing and strengthening. It is made of the root of a

small tree or shrub, which they call _Cassavie_; the manner of his

grouth I will let alone, till I come to speak of Trees and Plants in

generall.

His root only, which we are now to consider, (because our bread is

made of it) is large and round, like the body of a small Still or

retort; and as we gather it, we cut sticks that grow neerest to

it, of the same tree, which we put into the ground, and they grow.

And as we gather, we plant. This root, before it come to be eaten,

suffers a strange conversion; for, being an absolute poyson when ’tis

gathered, by good ordering, comes to be wholsome and nourishing; and

the manner of doing it, is this: They wash the outside of the root

clean, and lean it against a Wheel, whose sole is about a foot broad,

and covered with Latine, made rough like a large Grater. The Wheel

to be turned about with a foot, as a Cutler turnes his Wheel. And as

it grates the root, it falls down in a large Trough, which is the

receiver appointed for that purpose. This root thus grated, is as

rank poyson, as can be made by the art of an Apothecary, of the most

venomous simples he can put together: but being put into a strong

piece of double Canvas, or Sackcloth, and prest hard, that all the

juice be squeezed out, and then opened upon a cloath, and dried in

the Sun, ’tis ready to make bread. And thus ’tis done.

They have a piece of Iron, which I guesse is cast round, the diameter

of which, is about twenty inches, a little hollowed in the middle,

not unlike the mould that the Spectacle makers grinde their glasses

on, but not so much concave as that; about halfe an inch thick at the

brim or verge, but thicker towards the middle, with three feet like

a pot, about six inches high, that fire may be underneath. To such

a temper they heat this Pone, (as they call it) as to bake, but not

burn. When ’tis made thus hot, the _Indians_, whom we trust to make

it, because they are best acquainted with it, cast the meal upon the

Pone, the whole breadth of it, and put it down with their hands,

and it will presently stick together: And when they think that side

almost enough, with a thing like a Battle-dore, they turn the other;

and so turn and re-turn it so often, till it be enough, which is

presently done. So they lay this Cake upon a flat board, and make

another, and so another, till they have made enough for the whole

Family. This bread they made, when we came first there, as thick as a

pancake; but after that, they grew to a higher degree of curiosity,

and made it as thin as a wafer, and yet purely white and crispe, as a

new made wafer. Salt they never use in it, which I wonder at; for the

bread being tastlesse of it selfe, they should give it some little

seasoning. There is no way it eats so well, as in milk, and there it

tasts like Almonds. They offer to make Pie-crust, but very few attain

to the skill of that; for, as you work it up with your hand, or roll

it out with a roller, it will alwaies crackle and chop, so that it

will not be raised to hold any liquor, neither with, nor without,

butter or eggs.

But after many tryalls, and as often failings, at last, I learnt the

secret of an _Indian_ woman, who shew’d me the right way of it, and

that was, by searsing it very fine, (and it will fall out as fine, as

the finest wheat-flower in _England_) if not finer. Yet, this is not

all the secret, for all this will not cure the cracking. But this is

the main skill of the businesse: Set water on the fire in a skillet,

and put to it as much of this fine flower, as will temper it to the

thicknesse of starch or pap; and let it boyl a little, keeping it

stirring with a slice; and mix this with the masse of flower you mean

to make into pye-crust, which being very well mingled, and wrought

together, you may add what cost you will of butter and eggs, and it

will rise and stand nere as well as our past in _England_.

But those that have not Cows, & cannot make butter upon the place,

but must make use of such as is brought from _England_ or _Holland_,

were better leave it out, & be content to eat their pie-crust drie.

Yet I make a main difference, between butter that is brought from

either of those places, in respect of the times it is brought. For,

if a ship set out from _England_ in _November_, and that ship arive

at the _Barbadoes_ at the middle, or neer the end of _December_, when

the Sun is at the farthest distance, the butter may come thither in

very good condition; and being set in cool places, may retain the

taste for a while: But, if the ship set out in Spring or Summer, that

brings this butter, it is not then to be endured, it is so restie and

loathsome. Nor can Cheese be brought from thence without spoyle, at

that time of the year, except you put it in oyle. Neither are Candles

to be brought, for the whole barrell will stick together in one

lump, and stinck so profoundly, as neither Rats nor mice will come

neer them, much lesse eat of them. For which reason, the Planters,

who are much troubled with this annoyance, as also, for that these

candles cannot be taken out of the barrell whole, nor will stand in

the candlestick without drooping, and hanging down; they burn for the

most part wax lights, which they make themselves, of wax they fetch

from _Africa_, and have it at a reasonable rate, there being no Bees

in the _Barbadoes_.

But I am too apt to flie out in extravagant digressions; for, the

thing I went to speak of, was bread only, and the severall kinds of

it; and having said as much of the bread of _Cassavie_ as I know, I

will give you one word of another kinde of bread they make, which

is a mixt sort of bread, and is made of the flower of _Mayes_ and

_Cassavie_ mixt together; for the _Maies_ it selfe will make no

bread, it is so extream heavy and lumpish: But these two being mixt,

they make it into large Cakes, two inches thick; and that, in my

opinion, tasts the likest to English bread of any.

But the Negres use the _Mayes_ another way, which is, toasting the

ears of it at the fire, and so eating it warm off the eare. And we

have a way, to feed our Christian servants with this _Maies_, which

is, by pounding it in a large Morter, and boyling it in water, to the

thicknesse of Frumentie; and so put in a Tray such a quantity, as wil

serve a messe of seven or eight people; give it them cold, and scarce

afford them salt with it. This we call _Lob-lollie_. But the Negres,

when they come to be fed with this, are much discontented, and crie

out, _O! O! no more Lob-lob_.

The third sort of bread we use, is only Potatoes, which are chosen

out of the dryest and largest they can chose: And at the time we

first came, there was little else used, at many good Planters Tables

in the Iland. And these are all the sorts of bread that I know

growing upon the place.

[Sidenote: _Drink of_ Mobbie.]

The next thing that comes in order, is Drink, which being made of

severall materialls, afford more variety in the description. The

first, and that which is most used in the Iland, is _Mobbie_, a drink

made of Potatoes, and thus done. Put the Potatoes into a tub of

water, and, with a broom, stir them up and down, till they are washt

clean; then take them out, and put them into a large iron or brasse

pot, such as you boyl beefe in, in _England_; and put to them as

much water, as will only cover a quarter part of them; and cover the

top of the pot with a piece of thick canvas doubled, or such cloth

as sacks are made with, covering it close, that the steam go not

out. Then make a little fire underneath, as much only as will cause

these roots to stew, and when they are soft; take them out, and with

your hands, squeeze, break, and mash them very small, in fair water,

letting them stay there, till the water has drawn and suckt out all

the spirit of the roots, which will be done in an houre or two. Then

put the liquor and roots into a large wollen bag, like a jelly-bag,

poynted at the bottom; and let it run through that, into a Jar, and

within two hours it will begin to work. Cover it, and let it stand

till the next day, and then ’tis fit to be drunk. And as you will

have it stronger or smaller, put in greater or lesser quantities of

roots; some make it so strong, as to be drunk with small quantities.

But the drink it selfe, being temperately made, does not at all flie

up into the head, but is a sprightly thirst-quenching drink. If it be

put up in small casks, as Rundlets, or Firkins, it will last foure or

five daies good, and drink much more sprightly then out of the Jar. I

cannot liken it to any thing so neer, as _Rhenish-wine_ in the Must;

but it is short of it in the strength of the spirit, and finenesse of

the tast.

There are two severall layers, in which these roots grow; one makes

the skins of the Potatoes white, the other red: And where the red

roots grow, the _Mobbie_ will be red like _Claret-wine_, the other

white.

Though this be the drink most generally used in the Iland, yet I

cannot commend the wholsomnesse of it; for, the most part of the

roots have a moyst quality in them, and are the cause of Hydropicke

humours. Mr. _Phillip Bell_, then the Governour of the Iland told me

that when he was Governour of the Ile of _Providence_, that there

chanc’d some Spaniards to land there, and tasting of this drinke,

wondred that any of those that continually drinke it were alive; so

unwholsome and Hydropicke he conceived this drinke to be.

[Sidenote: _Perino._]

Another drinke they have which is accounted much wholesomer, though

not altogether so pleasant, and that is _Perino_; a drink which the

Indians make for their own drinking, and is made of the _Cassavy_

root, which I told you is a strong poyson; and this they cause their

old wives, who have a small remainder of teeth to chaw and spit out

into water, (for the better breaking and macerating of the root).

This juyce in three or four hours will worke, and purge it selfe of

the poysonous quality.

Having shewed, you in the making of Bread, that the moysture being

prest out, which is accounted the poysonous quality that root has, by

drying and baking, it is made usefull and wholsome, and now having

the juyce and root both used, and both these put into water, which

is moyst, I know not which way to reconcile these direct contraryes,

but this; that the poyson of the old womens breath and teeth having

been tainted with many severall poxes, (a disease common amongst

them, though they have many and the best cures for it,) are such

opposites to the poyson of the _Cassavie_, as they bend their forces

so vehemently one against another, as they both spend their poysonous

qualities in that conflict; and so the relict of them both, becomes

lesse unwholsome; and the water, which is in it selfe pure, casts

out the remainder of the ill qualities they leave behind: which is

manifested by the extraordinary working, which is farre beyond that

of Beere, Wine, or Sider with us in _Europe_. This drink will keep a

month or two, being put into barrels, and tasts the likest to English

beere of any drink we have there.

[Sidenote: _Grippo._]

_Grippo_ is a third sort of drinke, but few make it well; it was

never my chance to taste it, which made me the lesse curious to

enquire after it.

[Sidenote: _Punch._]

_Punch_ is a fourth sort, & of that I have drunke; it is made of

water & sugar put together, which in tenne dayes standing will be

very strong, and fit for labourers.

[Sidenote: _Plum-drinke._]

A fifth, is made of wilde Plumbs, which grow here in great abundance,

upon very large trees, which being prest, and strayned, give a very

sharpe, and poynant flaver; but there is not much of it made, because

of the trouble of making it, and they are not there very indulgent to

their palats.

[Sidenote: _Plantine-drinke._]

But the drinke of the Plantine, is farre beyond all these; gathering

them full ripe, and in the height of their sweetnesse, we pill off

the skin, and mash them in water well boyl’d; and after we have let

them stay there a night, we straine it, and bottle it up, and in a

week drink it; and it is very strong and pleasant drinke, but it is

to be drunk but sparingly, for it is much stronger then Sack, and is

apt to mount up into the head.

The seaventh sort of drink is that we make of the skimming of sugar,

which is infinitely strong, but not very pleasant in taste; it is

common, and therefore the lesse esteem’d; the value of it is halfe a

Crown a gallon, the people drink much of it, indeed too much; for it

often layes them asleep on the ground, and that is accounted a very

unwholsome lodging.

[Sidenote: _Beveridge._]

The eighth sort of drink is Beveridge, made of spring water, white

sugar, and juyce of Orenges, and this is not onely pleasant but

wholsome.

[Sidenote: _Wine of Pines._]

The last and best sort of drinke that this Iland or the world

affords, is the incomparable wine of Pines; And is certainly the

Nectar which the Gods drunke; for on earth there is none like it;

and that is made of the pure juyce of the fruit it selfe, without

commixture of water, or any other creature, having in it selfe, a

naturall compound of all tastes excellent, that the world can yield.

This drink is too pure to keep long; in three or four dayes it will

be fine; ’tis made by pressing the fruite and strayning the liquor,

and it is kept in bottles.

Having given you a taste of the Bread, and Drinke this Iland affords,

which will serve any mans palate, that is not over curious; I could

tell you what we have of both sorts that is brought to us from other

parts of the world; as Biskets, both fine and coorse, Barrels of

meale close put up; which comes to us very sweet from _England_, and

_Holland_; of which we make Bread, Pye-crust, and Puddings. And for

drink good English Beer, French and Spanish Wines, with others, some

from the _Maderas_, some from Fiall, one of the Ilands of _Asores_;

So we cannot justly complaine of want, either of bread or drink,

and, from England, spirits, some of Anniseeds, some of Mint, some of

Wormwood, &c. And from _France_, _Brandy_, which is extreame strong,

but accounted very wholsome.

[Sidenote: _Meat of all kinds._]

Having given you a just account, as neere as my memory will serve of

the bread and drinke of this Iland: The next thing is the severall

sortes of meat we have there; and because Hogges flesh is the most

generall meat, and indeed the best the Iland affords, I will begin

with that, which is (without question) as good, as any can be of

that kind: for their feeding being as good, as can grow any where,

the flesh must needs be answerable; fruit, the nuts of Locust,

Pompians of a rare kind, almost as sweet as Milons, the bodies of the

Plantines, and Bonanoes, Sugar-canes, and Mayes, being their dayly

food.

When we came first upon the Iland, I perceiv’d the sties they made to

hold them, were trees, with the ends lying crosse upon one another,

and the inclosure they made, was not large enough to hold the numbers

of Hogges were in them, with convenient distance to play and stirre

themselves for their health, and pleasure; so that they were in a

manner pesterd, and choakt up, with their own stinke, which is sure

the most noysome of any other beast, and by reason of the Suns heat

much worse; I have smelt the stinke of one of those sties downe

the wind, neer a mile, through all the wood: and the crouding and

thrusting them so close together, was certainly the cause of their

want of health, which much hindred their growth; So that they were

neither so large, nor their flesh so sweet, as when they were wild,

and at their own liberty, and choyce of feeding.

For I have heard Major _Hilliard_ say: that at their first comming

there, they found Hogges, that one of them weighed (the intrals

being taken out, and the head off) 400 weight. And now at the time

of my being there, the most sort of those, that were in ours and

our neighbours styes, were hardly so big as the ordinary swine in

_England_. So finding this decay in their grouth, by stowing them too

close together, I advised Collonell _Modiford_ to make a larger stye,

and to wall it about with stone; which he did, and made it a mile

about, so that it was rather a Park than a Stye; and set it on the

side of a drie Hill, the greatest part Rock, with a competent Pond of

water in the bottom; and plac’d it between his two Plantations, that

from either, food might be brought, and cast over to them, with great

convenience: And made several divisions in the Park, for the Sowes

with Pigg, with little houses standing shelving, that their foulnesse

by gutters might fall away, and they lie drie; Other divisions for

the Barrow-Hoggs, and some for Boars.

This good ordering caused them to grow so large and fat, as they

wanted very little of their largnesse when they were wilde. They

are the sweetest flesh of that kinde, that ever I tasted, and the

lovliest to look on in a dish, either boyl’d, roasted, or bak’d:

With a little help of art. I will deceive a very good palate, with a

shoulder of it for Mutton, or a leg for Veal, taking off the skin,

with which they were wont to make minc’t Pies, seasoning it with

salt, cloves, and mace, and some sweet herbs minc’t. And being bak’d,

and taken out of the Oven, opening the lid, put in a dramme-cup of

_kill-devill_; and being stirr’d together, set it on the Table; and

that they call’d a _Calvesfoot pie_; and, till I knew what it was

made of, I thought it very good meat. When I came first upon the

Iland, I found the Pork drest the plain waies of boyling, roasting,

and sometimes baking: But I gave them some tastes of my Cookery, in

hashing, and fricaseing this flesh; and they all were much taken

with it; and in a week, every one was practising the art of Cookery.

And indeed, no flesh tasts so well in Collops, Hashes, or Fricases,

as this, And when I bak’d it, I alwaies laid a Side of a young Goat

underneath, and a side of a Shot (which is a young Hog of a quarter

old) a top. And this, well seasoned, and well bak’d, is as good meat,

as the best Pasty of Fallow-Deer, that ever I tasted.

In the coolest time of the year, I have made an essay to powder it,

and hang it up for Bacon: But there is such losse in’t, as ’tis very

ill husbandry to practise it; for, it must be cut through in so many

places, to let the salt in, as when ’tis to be drest, much goes to

waste. And therefore I made no more attempts that way. But a little

corning with salt, makes this flesh very savoury, either boyled or

roasted.

About _Christmas_, we kill a Boar, and of the sides of it, make three

or four collers of Brawne; for then the weather is so cool, as, with

some art, it may be kept sweet a week: and to make the souc’t drink

give it the speedier and quicker seasoning, we make it of _Mobbie_,

with store of Salt, Limons, and Lymes, sliced in it, with some

Nutmeg, which gives it an excellent flaver.

Beef, we have very seldome any, that feeds upon the soyle of this

place, except it be of Gods killing, (as they tearme it); for very

few are kill’d there by mens hands; it were too ill husbandry, for

they cost too dear, and they cannot be spared from their work, which

they must advance by all the means they can. Such a Planter as

Collonell _James Drax_ (who lives like a Prince) may kill now and

then one; but very few in the Iland did so when I was there.

The next to Swines-flesh in goodnesse, are Turkies, large, fat, and

full of gravie. Next to them, Pullen or Dunghill-foule: and last of

all, Muscovia-Ducks, which being larded with the fat of this Porke,

(being seasoned with pepper and salt) are an excellent bak’d-meat.

All these, with their Eggs and Chickens, we eat.

Turtle-Doves they have of two sorts, and both very good meat; but

there is a sort of Pidgeons, which come from the leeward Ilands

at one time of the year, and it is in _September_; and stay till

_Christmas_ be past, and then return again: But very many of them

nere make returnes, to tell newes of the good fruit they found there:

For, they are so fat, and of such excellent tastes, as many foulers

kill them with guns, upon the trees; and some of them are so fat, as

their weight with the fall, causes them to burst in pieces. They are

good roasted, boyl’d, or bak’d, but best cut in halves, and stewed;

to which Cookery, there needs no liquor, for their own gravie will

abundantly serve to stew them.

Rabbets we have, but tame ones, and they have but faint tastes, more

like a Chicken then a Rabbet.

And though they have divers other Birds, which I will not forget

to recount in their due times, and place; yet, none for food for

the Table, which is the businesse I tend at this present. Other

flesh-meat, I do not remember.

Now for fish, though the Iland stands as all Ilands do, invironed

with the Sea, (and therefore is not like to be unfurnish’t of that

provision) yet, the Planters are so good husbands, and tend their

profits so much, as they will not spare a Negres absence so long, as

to go to the _Bridge_ and fetch it. And the Fishermen seeing their

fish lie upon their hands, and stink, (which it will do in lesse then

six hours) forbear to go to Sea to take it; only so much as they can

have present vent for, at the Taverns at the _Bridge_; and thither

the Planters come, when they have a minde to feast themselves with

fish, to Mr. _Jobsons_, or _Joan Fullers_, where they have it well

drest; for they were both my Pupills. Butter they seldome have, that

will beat thick; but in stead of that, we are fain to use vinegar

and spice, and much of it fryed in oyle, and eaten hot; and some

marinated, and souc’t in pickle, and eaten cold. Collonell _Humphrey

Walrond_ has the advantage of all the Planters in the Iland; for,

having a Plantation neer the Sea, he hath of his own a Saine to catch

fish withall, which his own servants and slaves put out to Sea, and,

twice or thrice a week, bring home all sorts of such small and great

fishes, as are neer the shoar; amongst which, some are very large,

and excellently well tasted. For, he being a Gentleman, that had

been bred with much freedome, liberty, and plenty, in _England_,

could not set his mind so earnestly upon his profit, as to forget

his accustomed lawfull pleasures, but would have his Table well

furnish’d, with all sorts of good meat the Land and Sea afforded;

and as freely bid his friends welcome to it. And I, as the poorest

of his friends, in a lingring sicknesse, and neer death, found such

a charity with him, as I shall never forget to pay my thanks for,

to the last hour of my life; and I shall account it as a a great

happinesse, (if ever it fall in the compasse of my power) to be

servicable to him or his, as any thing that can befall me in the

world.

Amongst other fishes that were taken by his Saine, (as the Snappers,

red and grey, Cavallos, Maquerells, Mullets, Cony-fish, with divers

others, firme and excellent sweet fish) he took four, that were

about a yard long at the least, all at one draught, and, to that

length, bigger grown then Salmonds, of the rarest colour that ever

I beheld; from the back-finne, which is the middle of the fish, to

the end of the tail, the purest grasse-green that ever I saw, and as

shining as Satine: but the finns and tail dapled or spotted with as

pure a hair-colour, and from the back finn to the head, pure hair

colour dapled with green; the scales as big for the most part, as a

halfe-crown piece of silver. This fish is no fish of prey, but lives

by what he finds in the bottom of the Sea, as I perceived by what

was in his maw. An excellent sweet fish; I dressed them severall

waies, and all proved excellent. There is one fish wanting to this

Iland, whose kindes are very frequent upon most of the _Charibby_

and _Lucaick_ Ilands; and that is the green _Turtle_, which is the

best food the Sea affords, and the greatest store of them; but I have

seen very few of that kind in the _Barbadoes_, and those neither fat

nor kindly; and the reason is, there are no shelves nor sands to

lay their eggs, or to ayre themselves on: For, these fishes delight

to be on the sands, and can remain there twelve hours, all the time

the Tyde is out; and then suffer themselves to be carried away by

the return of the next Tide. They take infinite numbers of them, by

turning them on their backs with staves, where they lie till they are

fetcht away. A large _Turtle_ will have in her bodie halfe a bushell

of eggs, which she laies in the sand, and that being warm, they are

hatcht in the heat.

When you are to kill one of these fishes, the manner is, to lay him

on his back on a table, and when he sees you come with a knife in

your hand to kill him, he vapours out the grievousest sighes, that

ever you heard any creature make, and sheds as large tears as a Stag,

that has a far greater body, and larger eyes. He has a joynt or

crevis, about an inch within the utmost edge of his shell, which goes

round about his body, from his head to his tail, on his belly-side;

into which joynt or crevis, you put your knife, beginning at the

head, and so rip up that side, and then do as much to the other;

then lifting up his belly, which we call his _Calipee_, we lay open

all his bowells, and taking them out, come next to his heart, which

has three distinct poynts, but all meet above where the fat is; and

if you take it out, and lay it in a dish, it will stir and pant ten

hours after the fish is dead. Sure, there is no creature on the

Earth, nor in the Seas, that enjoyes life with so much sweetnesse and

delight, as this poor fish the _Turtle_; nor none more delicate in

taste, and more nourishing, then he.

Next to the flesh and fish this Iland affords, ’tis fit to consider

what _Quelquechoses_ there are to be found, that may serve to furnish

out a Table of such Viands, as are there to be had; which are eggs

severall waies, _viz._ pocht, and laid upon sippits of bread, soakt

in butter and juice of limes, and sugar, with plumpt currens strewed

upon them, and cloves, mace, and cinamon beaten, strewed on that,

with a little salt. Eggs boyl’d and roasted, fryed with Collops, of

the fat of Pork well powdered. Buttered eggs, an Amulet of eggs,

with the juice of Limes and sugar, a Froize, and a Tansey; Custards,

as good as any at my Lord Mayors Table; Chees-cakes, Puffes, second

Porrage, which is creame boyl’d to a height, with yelke of egges,

and season’d with sugar, and spice, Jelly which we make of the flesh

of young piggs, calves feet, and a cocke, and is excellent good,

but must presently be eaten for it will not last. Creame alone, and

some done severall wayes, of which there is great varietie, having

Lymons, Lymes, and Oranges readie at hand; and some wherein we put

Plantines, Guavers and Bonanoes, stew’d, or preserv’d with sugar,

and the same fruits also preserv’d and put in dishes by themselves,

without Creame; and for a whetstone, to pull on a cup of wine, we

have dryed Neats tongues; brought from new and old England; and from

_Holland_, _Westfalia_ bacon, and Caviare; as also pickl’d Herring,

and Maquerell, which we have from new _England_, and from _Virginie

Botargo_, of which sort I have eaten the best at Colonel _Draxes_

that ever I tasted.

The fruits that this Iland affords, I have already named, and

therefore it will be needlesse to name them twice; you may take your

choyce, whether you will have them set on the Table before or after

meat; they use as they doe in _Italie_, to eate them before meat.

The victualls brought from forraine parts are these, Beef which

we have from _Holland_, from Old & New _England_, _Virginie_, and

some from _Russia_; and yet comes to us sweet. Porke from all these

places, with the most sorts of salt fish; as Ling, Haberdine, Cod,

poor-John, pickled Marquerels, pickled Herrings, all very good.

Sturgeon from New _England_, but so ill Cookt, as ’tis hardly to

be eaten; for they want the skill both of boyling & seasoning it;

they first overboyle it, & next over salt it, & so the fish being

over tender by boyling, the salt frets and eats upon it all the way;

for when we come to open it, being carried farre from the Bridge,

& shaken in the carriage: there is scarce a whole peece, but the

Sturgeon and pickle all in a mash, & so vehemently salt, as I could

never eate any of it, but at Colonel _Walrond_ plantation it is lesse

broken.

Pickled Turtle, we have from the Leeward Ilands, but so uncleanly

ordered, as we could hardly finde in our hearts to eate it; for they

gather the Salt and Sand together, for haste, upon the Iland where it

is taken up, as; though we wash it never so wel, yet the grit cracks

in our teeth; it has a taste being salted, almost as ill as puffins,

which we have from the Iles of _Silly_, but this kind of food, is

onely for servants; sometimes the _Negroes_ get a little, but seldome

the one or the other did eate any bone meat, at our first comming

thither.

But now at my comming away from thence, it was much better’d, for

by the care and good Husbandry of the Planters, there was greater

plenty, both of the victuals they were wont to eate, as Potatoes,

Bonavist, Loblolly, as also of the bone meat, _viz._ Porke, salt

Fish, and powder’d beefe, which came thither by sea, from forraine

parts, in so much as the _Negroes_ were allowed each man two

Maquerels a weeke and every woman one; which were given out to

them on Saturday in the evening, after they had their allowance of

Plantines, which was every one a large bunch, or two little ones,

to serve them for a weeks provision; and if any cattle dyed by

mischance, or by any disease: the servants eat the bodies, and the

_Negroes_ the skinnes, head, and intrails which was divided amongst

them by the overseers; or if any horse, then the whole bodies of

them were distributed amongst the _Negroes_, and that they thought

a high feast, with which, never poor soules were more contented;

and the drinke to the servants with this dyet, nothing but Mobbie,

and sometimes a little Beveridge; but the _Negroes_ nothing but

faire water. And now I think, I have given you a just account of the

victuals that feeds the Masters, the servants, and the slaves of this

Iland: and now you see the provision the Iland affords, give me leave

to shew you what feasts they can (when they will) make for their

friends, upon their Plantations, which that I may the better doe, I

will make two bills of fare; the one for an Inland Plantation, the

other for a Plantation neer the sea, of such meat and such plenty of

that, as I have seen and eaten of, at either of those Plantations;

And for the Inland Plantation, I will make choyce of Colonel _James

Draxes_, at whose Table I have found well drest, these following

meates; for the first Course whereof there hath been two messes of

meat and both equally good, and this feast is alwayes when he kils

a beef, which he feeds extreamely fat, giving him a dozen acres of

Bonavist to go loose in, and due times of watering.

First then (because beefe being the greatest rarity in the Iland,

especially such as this is) I will begin with it, and of that sort

there are these dishes at either messe, a Rompe boyl’d, a Chine

roasted, a large piece of the brest roasted, the Cheeks bak’d, of

which is a dish to either messe, the tongue and part of the tripes

minc’t for Pyes, season’d with sweet Herbs finely minc’t, suet,

Spice and Currans; the legges, pallets and other ingredients for an

Olio Podrido to either messe, a dish of Marrow bones, so here are

14 dishes at the Table and all of beef: and this he intends as the

great Regalio, to which he invites his fellow planters; who having

well eaten of it, the dishes are taken away, and another Course

brought in, which is a Potato pudding, a dish of Scots Collips of a

legge of Porke, as good as any in the world, a fricacy of the same,

a dish of boyl’d Chickens, a shoulder of a young Goate drest with

his bloud and tyme, a Kid with a pudding in his belly, a sucking

pig, which is there the fattest whitest & sweetest in the world,

with the poynant sauce of the brains, salt, sage, and Nutmeg done

with Claret wine, a shoulder of mutton which is there a rare dish,

a Pasty of the side of a young Goate, and a side of a fat young

Shot upon it, well season’d with Pepper and salt, and with some

Nutmeg, a loyne of Veale, to which there wants no sauce being so

well furnisht with Oranges, Lymons, and Lymes, three young Turkies

in a dish, two Capons, of which sort I have seen some extreame

large and very fat, two henns with egges in a dish, four Ducklings,

eight Turtle doves, and three Rabbets; and for cold bak’t meats,

two Muscovie Ducks larded, and season’d well with pepper and salt:

and these being taken off the Table, another course is set on, and

that is of _Westphalia_ or Spanish bacon, dried Neats Tongues,

Botargo, pickled Oysters, Caviare, Anchoves, Olives, and (intermixt

with these) Custards, Creams, some alone, some with preserves of

Plantines, Bonano, Guavers, put in, and those preserv’d alone by

themselves, Cheese-cakes, Puffes, which are to be made with English

flower, and bread; for the Cassavie will not serve for this kind of

Cookerie; sometimes Tansies, sometimes Froizes, or Amulets, and for

fruite, Plantines, Bonanoes, Guavers, Milons, prickled Peare, Anchove

Peare, prickled Apple, Custard Apple, water Milons, and Pines worth

all that went before. To this meat you seldome faile of this drink,

Mobbie, Beveridge, Brandy, kill-Divell, Drink of the Plantine, Claret

wine, White wine, and Renish wine, Sherry, Canary, Red sack, wine

of _Fiall_, with all Spirits that come from _England_; and with all

this, you shall finde as cheerfull a look, and as hearty a welcome,

as any man can give to his best friends. And so much for a Feast of

an inland Plantation.

Now for a Plantation neer the Sea, which shall be Collonell

_Walrond’s_, he being the best seated for a Feast, of any I know: I

must say this, that though he be wanting in the first Course, which

is Beefe; yet, it will be plentifully supplyed in the last, which

is Fish; and that the other wants. And though Collonell _Walrond_,

have not that infinite store of the provisions Collonell _Drax_

abounds in; yet, he is not wanting in all the kinds he has, unlesse

it be Sheep, Goats, and Beefe, and so for all the sorts of meats,

that are in my Bill of Fare, in Collonell _Drax_ his Feast, you

shall finde the same in Collonell _Walrond_, except these three,

and these are supplied with all these sorts of fish I shall name,

to wit, _Mullets_, _Maquerells_, _Parrat fish_, _Snappers_, red and

gray, _Cavallos_, _Terbums_, _Crabs_, _Lobsters_, and _Cony fish_,

with divers sorts more, for which we have no names. And having these

rare kinds of fishes, ’twere a vain superfluity, to make use of

all those dishes I have named before, but only such as shall serve

to fill up the Table; and when he has the ordering it, you must

expect to have it excellent; his fancy and contrivance of a Feast,

being as far beyond any mans there, as the place where he dwells

is better scituate, for such a purpose. And his Land touching the

Sea, his House being not halfe a quarter of a mile from it, and not

interposed by any unlevell ground, all rarities that are brought

to the Iland, from any part of the world, are taken up, brought

to him, and stowed in his Cellars, in two hours time, and that in

the night; as, Wine, of all kinds, Oyl, Olives, Capers, Sturgeon,

Neats tongues, Anchoves, Caviare, Botargo, with all sorts of salted

meats, both flesh and fish for his Family; as, Beefe, Pork, English

Pease, Ling, Haberdine, Cod, poor John, and Jerkin Beef, which is

husled, and slasht through, hung up and dryed in the Sun; no salt

at all put to it. And thus ordered in _Hispaniola_, as hot a place

as _Barbadoes_, and yet it will keep longer then powdred Beefe, and

is as drie as Stock-fish; and just such meat for flesh, as that is

for fish, and as little nourishment in it; but it fills the belly,

and serves the turne, where no other meat is. Though some of these

may be brought to the inland Plantations well conditioned; yet,

the Wines cannot possibly come good; for the wayes are such, as no

Carts can passe; and to bring up a But of Sack, or a Hogshead of any

other Wine, upon Negres backs, will very hardly be done in a night,

so long a time it requires, to hand it up and down the Gullies; and

if it be carried in the day-time, the Sun will heat and taint it,

so as it will lose much of his spirit and pure taste; and if it be

drawn out in bottles at the _Bridge_, the spirits flie away in the

drawing, and you shall finde a very great difference in the taste and

quicknesse of it. Oyle will endure the carriage better then Wine,

but over much heat will abate something of the purity, and excellent

taste it has naturally. And for Olives, ’tis well known, that jogging

in the carriage causes them to bruise one another; and some of them

being bruised, will grow rotten, and infect the rest. So that Wine,

Oyle, and Olives, cannot possibly be brought to such Plantations,

as are eight or ten miles from the _Bridge_; and from thence, the

most part of these commodities are to be fetch’d. So that you may

imagine, what advantage Collonell _Walrond_ has, of any inland

Plantation, having these materialls, which are the main Regalia’s in

a Feast, and his own contrivance to boot, besides all I have formerly

nam’d, concerning raw and preserv’d fruits, with all the other

Quelquechoses. And thus much I thought good to say for the honour

of the Iland, which is no more then truth; because I have heard it

sleighted by some, that seem’d to know much of it.

[Sidenote: _Commodities Exported._]

About a hundred sail of Ships yearly visit this Iland, and receive,

during the time of their stay in the Harbours, for their sustenance,

the native Victualls growing in the Iland, such as I have already

named; besides what they carry away, and what is carried away by

Planters of the Ile, that visit other parts of the world. The

commodities this Iland trades in, are _Indico_, _Cotten-wool_,

_Tobacco_, _Suger_, _Ginger_, and _Fustick-wood_.

[Sidenote: _Commodities Imported._]

The Commodities these Ships bring to this Iland, are, _Servants_

and _Slaves_, both men and women; _Horses_, _Cattle_, _Assinigoes_,

_Camells_, _Utensills_ for boyling Sugar, as, _Coppers_, _Taches_,

_Goudges_, and _Sockets_; all manner of working tooles for

Trades-men, as, _Carpenters_, _Joyners_, _Smiths_, _Masons_,

_Mill-wrights_, _Wheel-wrights_, _Tinkers_, _Coopers_, &c. _Iron_,

_Steel_, _Lead_, _Brasse_, _Pewter_, _Cloth_ of all kinds, both

_Linnen_ and _Wollen_; _Stuffs_, _Hatts_, _Hose_, _Shoos_, _Gloves_,

_Swords_, _knives_, _Locks_, _Keys_, &c. _Victualls_ of all kinds,

that will endure the Sea, in so long a voyage. _Olives_, _Capers_,

_Anchoves_, _salted Flesh_ and _Fish_, _pickled Maquerells_ and

_Herrings_, _Wine_ of all sorts, and the boon Beer, _d’Angleterre_.

[Sidenote: _What Buildings we found at our first comming upon the

Iland._]

I had it in my thought before I came there, what kinde of Buildings

would be fit for a Country, that was so much troubled with heat,

as I have heard this was; & did expect to find thick walls, high

roofes, and deep cellers; but found neither the one nor the other,

but clean contrary; timber houses, with low roofes, so low, as for

the most part of them, I could hardly stand upright with my hat on,

and no cellars at all; besides, another course they took, which was

more wonder to me than all that; which was, stopping, or barring out

the winde, which should give them the greatest comfort, when they

were neer stifled with heat. For, the winde blowing alwaies one way,

which was Eastwardly, they should have made all the openings they

could to the East, thereby to let in the cool breezes, to refresh

them when the heat of the day came. But they, clean contrary, closed

up all their houses to the East, and opened all to the West; so that

in the afternoones, when the Sun came to the West, those little low

roofed rooms were like Stoves, or heated Ovens. And truly, in a very

hot day, it might raise a doubt, whether so much heat without, and

so much tobacco and _kill-devill_ within, might not set the house a

fire; for these three ingredients are strong motives to provoke it,

and they were ever there.

But at last I found by them, the reasons of this strange preposterous

manner of building, which was grounded upon the weakest and silliest

foundation that could be: For they alledged, that at the times of

rain, which was very often, the wind drave the rain in at their

windowes so fast, as the houses within were much annoyed with it; for

having no glasse to keep it out, they could seldome sit or lie drie;

and so being constrained to keep out the ayer on that side, for fear

of letting in the water, would open the West ends of their houses so

wide, (as was beyond the proportion of windows to repair that want)

and so let in the fire; not considering at all, that there was such

a thing as shutters for windowes, to keep out the rain that hurt

them, and let in the winde to refresh them, and do them good at their

pleasure. But this was a consideration laid aside by all, or the most

part of the meaner sort of Planters. But at last I found the true

reason, was their poverty and indigence, which wanted the means to

make such conveniences; and so, being compelled by that, had rather

suffer painfully, and patiently abide this inconvenience, than sell

or part with any of their goods, to prevent so great a mischiefe:

So loath poor people are to part with that, which is their next

immediate help, to support them in their great want of sustenance.

For, at that lock they often were, and some good Planters too, that

far’d very hard, when we came first into the Iland. So that hard

labour, and want of victualls, had so much deprest their spirits, as

they were come to a declining and yielding condition. Nor can this

be called slothfulnesse or sluggishnesse in them, as some will have

it, but a decay of their spirits, by long and tedious hard labour,

sleight feeding, and ill lodging, which is able to wear out and quell

the best spirit of the world.

[Sidenote: _What materialls grow in the Iland fit to build with,

which may be call’d the Elements of Architecture. And first, for

Timber._]

The _Locust_ is a tree of such a growth, both for length and

bignesse, as may serve for beams in a very large room: I have seen

many of them, whose straight bodies are above fifty foot high, the

diameter of the stem or body, three foot and halfe. The timber of

this tree is a hard close substance, heavie, but firme, and not apt

to bend, somewhat hard for tooles to cut; brittle, but lasting.

_Mastik_, not altogether so large as he, but of a tougher substance,

and not accounted so brittle. The _Bully-tree_ wants something of the

largnesse of these, but in his other qualities goes beyond either;

for, he is full out as lasting, and as strong, but not so heavie, nor

so hard for tooles to work. The _Redwood_ and _prickled yellow wood_,

good for posts or beams, and are lighter then the _Locust_; both

are accounted very lasting, and good for building. The _Cedar_ is,

without controul, the best of all, but by reason it works smoth, and

looks beautifull, we use it most in Wainscot, Tables, and Stooles.

Other timber we have, as the _Iron-wood_, and another sort, which are

excellent good to endure wet and drie; and of those we make Shingles,

which being such a kinde of wood, as will not warpe nor rive, are the

best coverings for a house that can be, full out as good as Tiles,

and lie lighter upon the Rafters.

[Sidenote: _Stone fit for Building._]

We have two sorts of Stone, and either will serve indifferently

well in building: The one we finde on sides of small Hills, and it

lies as ours do in _England_, in Quarries; but they are very small,

rough, and ill shaped, some of them porous, like Honey combes; but

being burnt, they make excellent Lyme, the whitest and firmest when

’tis drie, that I have seen; and by the help of this, we make the

better shift with our ill shap’t stone; for this lime bindes it fast

together, and keeps it firm to endure the weather. Other Stone we

have, which we find in great Rocks, and massie pieces in the ground;

but so soft, as with your finger you may bore a hole into it; and

this softness gives us the means of cutting it with two handed sawes,

which being hard, we could not so easily do, and the easinesse

causes the expedition; for by that, we the more speedily fit it

for our walls, taking a just bredth of the walls, and cutting it

accordingly; so that we need very little hewing. This stone, as we

cutt it in the quarry, is no harder then ordinary morter, but being

set out in the weather, by pieces as we cut it, growes indifferently

hard, and is able to beare all the weight that lyes on it, and the

longer it lies, the harder it growes. Many essayes we made, whilst

I was there, for the making and burning of bricks, but never could

attaine to the perfection of it; and the reason was, the over

fatnesse of the clay, which would alwaies crackle and break, when it

felt the great heat of the fire in the Clampe; and by no meanes could

we find the true temper of it, though we made often trialls. There

was an ingenious _Jew_ upon the Iland, whose name was _Solomon_,

that undertook to teach the making of it; yet for all that, when it

came to the touch his wisedome failed, and we were deceived in our

expectation, I doubt not but there is a way of tempering, to make

it farre better then ours in England; for the pots which we finde

in the Iland, wherein the _Indians_ boyl’d their Porke, were of the

same kind of Clay, and they were the best and finest temper’d ware

of earth that ever I saw. If we could find the true temper of it, a

great advantage might be made to the Iland; for the ayre being moyst,

the stones often sweat, and by their moysture rot the timbers they

touch, which to prevent we cover the ends of our beams and girders

with boards, pitcht on both sides, but the walls being made of

bricks, or but lin’d with brick, would be much the wholesomer; and

besides keep our wainescot from rotting. Hangings we dare not use,

for being spoyld by Ants, and eaten by the Cockroaches, and Rats, yet

some of the planters that meant to handsome their houses, were minded

to send for gilt leather, and hang their rooms with that, which they

were more then perswaded those vermine would not eate; and in that

resolution I left them.

Carpenters, and Masons, were newly come upon the Iland, and some

of these very great Masters in their Art: and such as could draw a

plot, and pursue the designe they framed with great diligence, and

beautifie the tops of their doores, windowes, and Chimney peeces,

very pretily; but not many of those nor is it needfull that there

should be many, for though the Planters talke of building houses,

and wish them up, yet when they weigh the want of those handes in

their sugar worke, that must be imployed in their building, they fall

backe, and put on their considering caps. I drew out at least twenty

plots when I came first into the Ilands which they all lik’t well

inough, and yet but two of them us’d, one by Captaine _Midleton_,

and one by Captaine _Standfast_, and those were the two best houses,

I left finisht in the Iland when I came away. Cellars I would not

make under ground, unlesse the house be set on the side of a Hill;

for though the ayre be moyst above, yet I found it by experience

much moyster under ground; so that no moyst thing can be set there,

but it will in a very short time grow mouldy, and rotten; and if for

coolnesse you think to keep any raw flesh, it will much sooner taint

there, then being hung up in a garret, where the Sun continually

shines upon it. Nay the pipe-staves hoops, and heads of barrels, and

hogsheads, will grow mouldy and rotten: Pavements and foundations of

bricks would much help this with glasse windowes, to keep out the

ayre.

If I were to build a house for my selfe in that place, I would have

a third part of my building to be of an East and West line, and the

other two thirds to crosse that, at the West end: in a North and

South line, and this latter to be a story higher than that of the

East and West line, so that at four a clocke in the afternoone, the

higher buildings will begin to shade the other, and so afford more

and more shade to my East and West building till night; and not only

to the house, but to all the walks that I make on either side that

building, and then I would raise my foundation of that part of my

house wherein my best roomes were three foot above ground; leaving it

hollow underneath for Ventiducts, which I would have come into every

room in the house, and by that means you shall feele the cool breese

all the day, & in the evening, when they slacken, a coole shade

from my North & South building, both which are great refreshings,

in hot Countryes: and according to this Modell, I drew many plots,

of severall sises and Contrivances, but they did not or would not

understand them: at last I grew wearie of casting stones against the

wind, and so gave over.

[Sidenote: _The number and nature of the inhabitants._]

It were somewhat difficult, to give you an exact account, of

the number of persons upon the Iland; there being such store of

shipping that brings passengers dayly to the place, but it has been

conjectur’d, by those that are long acquainted, and best seen in the

knowledge of the Iland, that there are not lesse then 50 thousand

soules, besides _Negroes_; and some of them who began upon small

fortunes, are now risen to very great and vast estates.

The Iland is divided into three sorts of men, _viz._ Masters,

Servants, and slaves. The slaves and their posterity, being subject

to their Masters for ever, are kept and preserv’d with greater care

then the servants, who are theirs but for five yeers, according to

the law of the Iland. So that for the time, the servants have the

worser lives, for they are put to very hard labour, ill lodging,

and their dyet very sleight. When we came first on the Iland, some

Planters themselves did not eate bone meat, above twice a weeke:

the rest of the seven dayes, Potatoes, Loblolly, and Bonavist. But

the servants no bone meat at all unlesse an Oxe dyed: and then they

were feasted, as long as that lasted, And till they had planted good

store of Plantines, the _Negroes_ were fed with this kind of food;

but most of it Bonavist, and Loblolly, with some eares of Mayes

toasted, which food (especially Loblolly,) gave them much discontent:

But when they had Plantines enough to serve them, they were heard no

more to complaine; for ’tis a food they take great delight in, and

their manner of dressing and eating it, is this: ’tis gathered for

them (somewhat before it be ripe, for so they desire to have it,)

upon Saturday, by the keeper of the Plantine grove; who is an able

_Negro_, and knowes well the number of those that are to be fed with

this fruite; and as he gathers, layes them all together, till they

fetch them away, which is about five a clock in the after noon, for

that day they breake off worke sooner by an houre: partly for this

purpose, and partly for that the fire in the furnaces is to be put

out, and the Ingenio and the roomes made cleane; besides they are to

wash, shave and trim themselves against Sunday. But ’tis a lovely

sight to see a hundred handsome _Negroes_, men and women, with every

one a grasse-green bunch of these fruits on their heads, every

bunch twice as big as their heads, all comming in a train one after

another, the black and green so well becomming one another. Having

brought this fruit home to their own houses, and pilling off the skin

of so much as they will use, they boyl it in water, making it into

balls, and so they eat it. One bunch a week is a _Negres_ allowance.

To this, no bread nor drink, but water. Their lodging at night a

board, with nothing under, nor any thing a top of them. They are

happy people, whom so little contents. Very good servants, if they be

not spoyled by the English. But more of them hereafter.

As for the usage of the Servants, it is much as the Master is,

mercifull or cruell; Those that are mercifull, treat their Servants

well, both in their meat, drink, and lodging, and give them such

work, as is not unfit for Christians to do. But if the Masters be

cruell, the Servants have very wearisome and miserable lives. Upon

the arrivall of any ship, that brings servants to the Iland, the

Planters go aboard; and having bought such of them as they like,

send them with a guid to his Plantation; and being come, commands

them instantly to make their Cabins, which they not knowing how to

do, are to be advised by other of their servants, that are their

seniors; but, if they be churlish, and will not shew them, or if

materialls be wanting, to make them Cabins, then they are to lie on

the ground that night. These Cabins are to be made of sticks, withs,

and Plantine leaves, under some little shade that may keep the rain

off; Their suppers being a few Potatoes for meat, and water or Mobbie

for drink. The next day they are rung out with a Bell to work, at

six a clock in the morning, with a severe Overseer to command them,

till the Bell ring again, which is at eleven a clock; and then they

return, and are set to dinner, either with a messe of Lob-lollie,

Bonavist, or Potatoes. At one a clock, they are rung out again to

the field, there to work till six, and then home again, to a supper

of the same. And if it chance to rain, and wet them through, they

have no shift, but must lie so all night. If they put off their

cloths, the cold of the night will strike into them; and if they be

not strong men, this ill lodging will put them into a sicknesse: if

they complain, they are beaten by the Overseer; if they resist, their

time is doubled. I have seen an Overseer beat a Servant with a cane

about the head, till the blood has followed, for a fault that is

not worth the speaking of; and yet he must have patience, or worse

will follow. Truly, I have seen such cruelty there done to Servants,

as I did not think one Christian could have done to another. But,

as discreeter and better natur’d men have come to rule there, the

servants lives have been much bettered; for now, most of the servants

lie in Hamocks, and in warm rooms, and when they come in wet, have

shift of shirts and drawers, which is all the cloths they were, and

are fed with _bone meat_ twice or thrice a week. Collonell _Walrond_

seeing his servants when they came home, toyled with their labour,

and wet through with their sweating, thought that shifting of their

linnen not sufficient refreshing, nor warmth for their bodies, their

pores being much opened by their sweating; and therefore resolved

to send into _England_ for rug Gownes, such as poor people wear in

Hospitalls, that so when they had shifted themselves, they might put

on those Gowns, and lie down and rest them in their Hamocks: For the

Hamocks being but thin, and they having nothing on but shirts and

drawers, when they awak’d out of their sleeps, they found themselves

very cold; and a cold taken there, is harder to be recovered, than

in _England_, by how much the body is infeebled by the great toyle,

and the Sun’s heat, which cannot but very much exhaust the spirits

of bodies unaccustomed to it. But this care and charity of Collonell

_Walrond’s_, lost him nothing in the conclusion; for, he got such

love of his servants, as they thought all too little they could do

for him; and the love of the servants there, is of much concernment

to the Masters, not only in their diligent and painfull labour, but

in fore seeing and preventing mischiefes that often happen, by the

carelessnesse and slothfulnesse of retchlesse servants; sometimes by

laying fire so negligently, as whole lands of Canes and Houses too,

are burnt down and consumed, to the utter ruine and undoing of their

Masters: For, the materialls there being all combustible, and apt to

take fire, a little oversight, as the fire of a Tobacco-pipe, being

knockt out against a drie stump of a tree, has set it on fire, and

the wind fanning that fire, if a land of Canes be but neer, and they

once take fire, all that are down the winde will be burnt up. Water

there is none to quench it, or if it were, a hundred _Negres_ with

buckets were not able to do it; so violent and spreading a fire this

is, and such a noise it makes, as if two Armies, with a thousand

shot of either side, were continually giving fire, every knot of

every Cane, giving as great a report as a Pistoll. So that there is

no way to stop the going on of this flame, but by cutting down and

removing all the Canes that grow before it, for the breadth of twenty

or thirty foot down the winde, and there the _Negres_ to stand and

beat out the fire, as it creeps upon the ground, where the Canes are

cut down. And I have seen some _Negres_ so earnest to stop this fire,

as with their naked feet to tread, and with their naked bodies to

tumble, and roll upon it; so little they regard their own smart or

safety, in respect of their Masters benefit. The year before I came

away, there were two eminent Planters in the Iland, that with such an

accident as this, lost at least 10000 l. sterling, in the value of

the Canes that were burnt; the one, Mr. _James Holduppe_, the other,

Mr. _Constantine Silvester_: And the latter had not only his Canes,

but his house burnt down to the ground. This, and much more mischiefe

has been done, by the negligence and wilfulnesse of servants. And yet

some cruell Masters will provoke their Servants so, by extream ill

usage, and often and cruell beating them, as they grow desperate, and

so joyne together to revenge themselves upon them.

A little before I came from thence, there was such a combination

amongst them, as the like was never seen there before. Their

sufferings being grown to a great height, & their daily complainings

to one another (of the intolerable burdens they labour’d under) being

spread throughout the Iland; at the last, some amongst them, whose

spirits were not able to endure such slavery, resolved to break

through it, or die in the act; and so conspired with some others

of their acquaintance, whose sufferings were equall, if not above

theirs; and their spirits no way inferiour, resolved to draw as many

of the discontented party into this plot, as possibly they could; and

those of this perswasion, were the greatest numbers of servants in

the Iland. So that a day was appointed to fall upon their Masters,

and cut all their throats, and by that means, to make themselves not

only freemen, but Masters of the Iland. And so closely was this plot

carried, as no discovery was made, till the day before they were to

put it in act: And then one of them, either by the failing of his

courage, or some new obligation from the love of his Master, revealed

this long plotted conspiracy; and so by this timely advertisment, the

Masters were saved: Justice _Hethersall_ (whose servant this was)

sending Letters to all his friends, and they to theirs, and so one

to another, till they were all secured; and, by examination, found

out the greatest part of them; whereof eighteen of the principall men

in the conspiracy, and they the first leaders and contrivers of the

plot, were put to death, for example to the rest. And the reason why

they made examples of so many, was, they found these so haughty in

their resolutions, and so incorrigible, as they were like enough to

become actors in a second plot; and so they thought good to secure

them; and for the rest, to have a speciall eye over them.

[Sidenote: _Negres._]

It has been accounted a strange thing, that the Negres, being more

then double the numbers of the Christians that are there, and they

accounted a bloody people, where they think they have power or

advantages; and the more bloody, by how much they are more fearfull

than others: that these should not commit some horrid massacre

upon the Christians, thereby to enfranchise themselves, and become

Masters of the Iland. But there are three reasons that take a way

this wonder; the one is, They are not suffered to touch or handle

any weapons: The other, That they are held in such awe and slavery,

as they are fearfull to appear in any daring act; and seeing the

mustering of our men, and hearing their Gun-shot, (than which

nothing is more terrible to them) their spirits are subjugated to

so low a condition, as they dare not look up to any bold attempt.

Besides these, there is a third reason, which stops all designes

of that kind, and that is, They are fetch’d from severall parts of

_Africa_, who speake severall languages, and by that means, one of

them understands not another: For, some of them are fetch’d from

_Guinny_ and _Binny_, some from _Cutchew_, some from _Angola_, and

some from the River of _Gambia_. And in some of these places where

petty Kingdomes are, they sell their Subjects, and such as they

take in Battle, whom they make slaves; and some mean men sell their

Servants, their Children, and sometimes their Wives; and think all

good traffick, for such commodities as our Merchants sends them.

When they are brought to us, the Planters buy them out of the Ship,

where they find them stark naked, and therefore can not be deceived

in any outward infirmity. They choose them as they do Horses in a

Market; the strongest, youthfullest, and most beautifull, yield the

greatest prices. Thirty pound sterling is a price for the best man

Negre; and twenty five, twenty six, or twenty seven pound for a

Woman; the Children are at easier rates. And we buy them so, as the

sexes may be equall; for, if they have more men then women, the men

who are unmarried will come to their Masters, and complain, that they

cannot live without Wives, and desire him, they may have Wives. And

he tells them, that the next ship that comes, he will buy them Wives,

which satisfies them for the present; and so they expect the good

time: which the Master performing with them, the bravest fellow is to

choose first, and so in order, as they are in place; and every one of

them knowes his better, and gives him the precedence, as Cowes do one

another, in passing through a narrow gate; for, the most of them are

as neer beasts as may be, setting their souls aside. Religion they

know none; yet most of them acknowledge a God, as appears by their

motions and gestures: For, if one of them do another wrong, and he

cannot revenge himselfe, he looks up to Heaven for vengeance, and

holds up both his hands, as if the power must come from thence, that

must do him right. Chast they are as any people under the Sun; for,

when the men and women are together naked, they never cast their eyes

towards the parts that ought to be covered; and those amongst us,

that have Breeches and Petticoats, I never saw so much as a kisse,

or embrace, or a wanton glance with their eyes between them. Jealous

they are of their Wives, and hold it for a great injury and scorn,

if another man make the least courtship to his Wife. And if any of

their Wives have two Children at a birth, they conclude her false

to his Bed, and so no more adoe but hang her. We had an excellent

Negre in the Plantation, whose name was _Macow_, and was our chiefe

Musitian; a very valiant man, and was keeper of our Plantine-groave.

This Negres Wife was brought to bed of two Children, and her Husband,

as their manner is, had provided a cord to hang her. But the Overseer

finding what he was about to do, enformed the Master of it, who sent

for _Macow_, to disswade him from this cruell act, of murdering

his Wife, and used all perswasions that possibly he could, to let

him see, that such double births are in Nature, and that divers

presidents were to be found amongst us of the like; so that we rather

praised our Wives, for their fertility, than blamed them for their

falsenesse. But this prevailed little with him, upon whom custome had

taken so deep an impression; but resolved, the next thing he did,

should be to hang her. Which when the Master perceived, and that

the ignorance of the man, should take away the life of the woman,

who was innocent of the crime her Husband condemned her for, told

him plainly, that if he hang’d her, he himselfe should be hang’d by

her, upon the same bough; and therefore wish’d him to consider what

he did. This threatning wrought more with him, then all the reasons

of Philosophy that could be given him; and so let her alone; but he

never car’d much for her afterward, but chose another which he lik’d

better. For the Planters there deny not a slave, that is a brave

fellow, and one that has extraordinary qualities, two or three Wives,

and above that number they seldome go: But no woman is allowed above

one Husband.

At the time the wife is to be brought a bed, her husband removes

his board, (which is his bed) to another room (for many severall

divisions they have, in their little houses, and none above sixe

foot square) And leaves his wife to God, and her good fortune, in

the room, and upon the board alone, and calls a neighbour to come to

her, who gives little help to her deliverie, but when the child is

borne, (which she calls her Pickaninnie) she helps to make a little

fire nere her feet and that serves instead of Possets, Broaths, and

Caudles. In a fortnight, this woman is at worke with her Pickaninny

at her back, as merry a soule as any is there: If the overseer be

discreet, shee is suffer’d to rest her selfe a little more then

ordinary; but if not, shee is compelled to doe as others doe. Times

they have of suckling their Children in the fields, and refreshing

themselves; and good reason, for they carry burdens on their backs;

and yet work too. Some women, whose Pickaninnies are three yeers old,

will, as they worke at weeding, which is a stooping worke, suffer the

hee Pickaninnie, to sit astride upon their backs, like St. _George_

a horseback; and there spurre his mother with his heeles; and sings

and crowes on her backe, clapping his hands, as if he meant to flye;

which the mother is so pleas’d with, as shee continues her painfull

stooping posture, longer then she would doe, rather than discompose

her Joviall Pickaninnie of his pleasure, so glad she is to see him

merry. The worke which the women doe, is most of it weeding, a

stooping and painfull worke; at noon and night they are call’d home

by the ring of a Bell, where they have two hours time for their

repast at noone; and at night, they rest from sixe, till sixe a Clock

next morning.

On Sunday they rest, and have the whole day at their pleasure; and

the most of them use it as a day of rest and pleasure; but some of

them who will make benefit of that dayes liberty, goe where the

Mangrave trees grow, and gather the barke of which they make ropes,

which they trucke away for other Commoditie, as shirts and drawers.

In the afternoons on Sundayes, they have their musicke, which is of

kettledrums, and those of severall sises; upon the smallest the best

musitian playes, and the other come in as Chorasses: the drum all men

know, has but one tone; and therefore varietie of tunes have little

to doe in this musick; and yet so strangely they varie their time, as

’tis a pleasure to the most curious eares, and it was to me one of

the strangest noyses that ever I heard made of one tone; and if they

had the varietie of tune, which gives the greater scope in musick,

as they have of time, they would doe wonders in that Art. And if I

had not faln sicke before my comming away, at least seven months

in one sickness, I had given them some hints of tunes, which being

understood, would have serv’d as a great addition to their harmonie;

for time without tune, is not an eighth part of the science of Musick.

I found _Macow_ very apt for it of himselfe, and one day comming

into the house, (which none of the _Negroes_ use to doe, unlesse an

Officer, as he was,) he found me playing on a Theorbo, and singing

to it which he hearkened very attentively to; and when I had done

took the Theorbo in his hand, and strooke one string, stopping it

by degrees upon every fret, and finding the notes to varie, till it

came to the body of the instrument; and that the neerer the body

of the instrument he stopt, the smaller or higher the sound was,

which he found was by the shortning of the string, considered with

himselfe, how he might make some triall of this experiment upon

such an instrument as he could come by; having no hope ever to have

any instrument of this kind to practise on. In a day or two after,

walking in the Plantine grove, to refresh me in that cool shade,

and to delight my selfe with the sight of those plants, which are

so beautifull, as though they left a fresh impression in me when

I parted with them, yet upon a review, something is discern’d in

their beautie more then I remembred at parting: which caused me to

make often repair thither; I found this _Negro_ (whose office it

was to attend there) being the keeper of that grove, sitting on the

ground, and before him a piece of large timber, upon which he had

laid crosse, sixe Billets, and having a hand-saw and a hatchet by

him, would cut the billets by little and little, till he had brought

them to the tunes, he would fit them to; for the shorter they were,

the higher the Notes which he tryed by knocking upon the ends of them

with a sticke, which he had in his hand. When I found him at it, I

took the stick out of his hand, and tried the sound, finding the sixe

billets to have sixe distinct notes, one above another, which put me

in a wonder, how he of himselfe, should without teaching doe so much.

I then shewed him the difference between flats and sharpes, which he

presently apprehended, as between _Fa_, and _Mi_: and he would have

cut two more billets to those tunes, but I had then no time to see it

done, and so left him to his own enquiries. I say this much to let

you see that some of these people are capable of learning Arts.

Another of another kinde of speculation I found; but more ingenious

then he: and this man with three or foure more, were to attend mee

into the woods, to cut Church wayes, for I was imployed sometimes

upon publique works; and those men were excellent Axe men, and

because there were many gullies in the way, which were impassable,

and by that means I was compell’d to make traverses, up and down in

the wood; and was by that in danger to misse of the poynt, to which I

was to make my passage to the Church, and therefore was faine to take

a Compasse with me, which was a Circumferenter, to make my traverses

the more exact, and indeed without which, it could not be done,

setting up the Circumferenter, and observing the Needle: This _Negre

Sambo_ comes to me, and seeing the needle wag, desired to know the

reason of its stirring, and whether it were alive: I told him no, but

it stood upon a poynt, and for a while it would stir, but by and by

stand still, which he observ’d and found it to be true.

The next question was, why it stood one way, & would not remove to

any other poynt, I told him that it would stand no way but North

and South, and upon that shew’d him the foure Cardinall poynts of

the compass, East, West, North, South, which he presently learnt by

heart, and promis’d me never to forget it. His last question was, why

it would stand North, I gave this reason, because of the huge Rocks

of Loadstone that were in the North part of the world, which had a

quality to draw Iron to it; and this Needle being of Iron, and toucht

with a Loadstone, it would alwaies stand that way.

This point of Philosophy was a little too hard for him, and so he

stood in a strange muse; which to put him out of, I bad him reach

his ax, and put it neer to the Compasse, and remove it about; and

as he did so, the Needle turned with it, which put him in the

greatest admiration that ever I saw a man, and so quite gave over his

questions, and desired me, that he might be made a Christian; for, he

thought to be a Christian, was to be endued with all those knowledges

he wanted.

I promised to do my best endeavour; and when I came home, spoke to

the Master of the Plantation, and told him, that poor _Sambo_ desired

much to be a Christian. But his answer was, That the people of that

Iland were governed by the Lawes of _England_, and by those Lawes, we

could not make a Christian a Slave. I told him, my request was far

different from that, for I desired him to make a Slave a Christian.

His answer was, That it was true, there was a great difference in

that: But, being once a Christian, he could no more account him a

Slave, and so lose the hold they had of them as Slaves, by making

them Christians; and by that means should open such a gap, as all the

Planters in the Iland would curse him. So I was struck mute, and poor

_Sambo_ kept out of the Church; as ingenious, as honest, and as good

a natur’d poor soul, as ever wore black, or eat green.

On Sundaies in the afternoon, their Musick plaies, and to dancing

they go, the men by themselves, and the women by themselves, no mixt

dancing. Their motions are rather what they aim at, than what they

do; and by that means, transgresse the lesse upon the Sunday; their

hands having more of motion than their feet, & their heads more than

their hands. They may dance a whole day, and neer heat themselves;

yet, now and then, one of the activest amongst them will leap bolt

upright, and fall in his place again, but without cutting a capre.

When they have danc’d an houre or two, the men fall to wrastle, (the

Musick playing all the while) and their manner of wrastling is, to

stand like two Cocks, with heads as low as their hipps; and thrusting

their heads one against another, hoping to catch one another by

the leg, which sometimes they do: But if both parties be wary, and

that they cannot get that advantage, then they raise their heads,

by pressing hard one against another, and so having nothing to take

hold of but their bare flesh, they close, and grasp one another about

the middle, and have one another in the hug, and then a fair fall is

given on the back. And thus two or three couples of them are engaged

at once, for an houre together, the women looking on: for when the

men begin to wrastle, the women leave of their dancing, and come to

be spectatours of the sport.

When any of them die, they dig a grave, and at evening they bury

him, clapping and wringing their hands, and making a dolefull sound

with their voyces. They are a people of a timerous and fearfull

disposition, and consequently bloody, when they finde advantages. If

any of them commit a fault, give him present punishment, but do not

threaten him; for if you do, it is an even lay, he will go and hang

himselfe, to avoid the punishment.

What their other opinions are in matter of Religion, I know not; but

certainly, they are not altogether of the sect of the _Sadduces_:

For, they believe a Resurrection, and that they shall go into their

own Country again, and have their youth renewed. And lodging this

opinion in their hearts, they make it an ordinary practice, upon any

great fright, or threatning of their Masters, to hang themselves.

But Collonell _Walrond_ having lost three or foure of his best Negres

this way, and in a very little time, caused one of their heads to

be cut off, and set upon a pole a dozen foot high; and having done

that, caused all his Negres to come forth, and march round about this

head, and bid them look on it, whether this were not the head of such

an one that hang’d himselfe. Which they acknowledging, he then told

them, That they were in a main errour, in thinking they went into

their own Countries, after they were dead; for, this mans head was

here, as they all were witnesses of; and how was it possible, the

body could go without a head. Being convinc’d by this sad, yet lively

spectacle, they changed their opinions; and after that, no more

hanged themselves.

When they are sick, there are two remedies that cure them; the one,

an outward, the other, an inward medicine. The outward medicine is

a thing they call _Negre-oyle_, and ’tis made in _Barbary_, yellow

it is as Bees wax, but soft as butter. When they feel themselves

ill, they call for some of that, and annoint their bodies, as their

breasts, bellies, and sides, and in two daies they are perfectly

well. But this does the greatest cures upon such, as have bruises or

strains in their bodies. The inward medicine is taken, when they find

any weakness or decay in their spirits and stomacks, and then a dram

or two of _kill-devill_ revives and comforts them much.

I have been very strict, in observing the shapes of these people; and

for the men, they are very well timber’d, that is, broad between the

shoulders, full breasted, well filleted, and clean leg’d, and may

hold good with _Albert Durers_ rules, who allowes _twice the length

of the head_, to the breadth of the shoulders; and twice the _length

of the face_, to the breadth of the hipps, and according to this rule

these men are shap’d. But the women not; for the same great Master of

Proportions, allowes to each woman, twice the length of the face to

the breadth of the shoulders, and twice the length of her own head

to the breadth of the hipps. And in that, these women are faulty;

for I have seen very few of them, whose hipps have been broader then

their shoulders, unlesse they have been very fat. The young Maides

have ordinarily very large breasts, which stand strutting out so hard

and firm, as no leaping, jumping, or stirring, will cause them to

shake any more, then the brawnes of their armes. But when they come

to be old, and have had five or six Children, their breasts hang

down below their navells, so that when they stoop at their common

work of weeding, they hang almost down to the ground, that at a

distance, you would think they had six legs: And the reason of this

is, they tie the cloaths about their Children’s backs, which comes

upon their breasts, which by pressing very hard, causes them to hang

down to that length. Their Children, when they are first born, have

the palmes of their hands and the soles of their feet, of a whitish

colour, and the sight of their eyes of a blewish colour, not unlike

the eyes of a young Kitling; but, as they grow older, they become

black.

Their way of reckoning their ages, or any other notable accident they

would remember, is by the Moon; and so accounting from the time of

their Childrens births, the time they were brought out of their own

Country, or the time of their being taken Prisoners, by some Prince

or Potentate of their own Country, or any other notorious accidents,

that they are resolved to remember, they account by the Moon; as, so

many Moons since one of these, and so many Moons since another; and

this account they keep as long as they can: But if any of them live

long, their Arithmetick failes them, and then they are at a dead

fault, and so give over the chase, wanting the skill to hunt counter.

For what can poor people do, that are without Letters and Numbers,

which is the soul of all businesse that is acted by Mortalls, upon

the Globe of this World.

Some of them, who have been bred up amongst the Portugalls, have some

extraordinary qualities, which the others have not; as singing and

fencing. I have seen some of these _Portugall Negres_, at Collonell

_James Draxes_, play at Rapier and Dagger very skilfully, with their

Stookados, their Imbrocados, and their Passes: And at single Rapier

too, after the manner of _Charanza_, with such comelinesse; as, if

the skill had been wanting, the motions would have pleased you; but

they were skilfull too, which I perceived by their binding with

their points, and nimble and subtle avoidings with their bodies, and

the advantages the strongest man had in the close, which the other

avoided by the nimblenesse and skilfulnesse of his motion. For, in

this Science, I had bin so well vers’d in my youth, as I was now

able to be a competent Judge. Upon their first appearance upon the

Stage, they march towards one another, with a slow majestick pace,

and a bold commanding look, as if they meant both to conquer; and

comming neer together, they shake hands, and embrace one another,

with a cheerfull look. But their retreat is much quicker then their

advance, and, being at first distance, change their countenance,

and put themselves into their posture; and so after a passe or

two, retire, and then to’t again: And when they have done their

play, they embrace, shake hands, and putting on their smoother

countenances, give their respects to their Master, and so go off. For

their Singing, I cannot much commend that, having heard so good in

_Europe_; but for their voices, I have heard many of them very loud

and sweet.

Excellent Swimmers and Divers they are, both men and women. Collonell

_Drax_ (_who was not so strict an observer of Sundaies_, as to deny

himselfe lawfull recreations) would sometimes, to shew me sport, upon

that day in the afternoon, send for one of the _Muscovia_ Ducks,

and have her put into his largest Pond, and calling for some of his

best swimming Negres, commanded them to swim and take this Duck; but

forbad them to dive, for if they were not bar’d that play, they would

rise up under the Duck, and take her as she swome, or meet her in

her diving, and so the sport would have too quick an end. But that

play being forbidden, the duck would make them good sport for they

are stronger ducks, and better Divers by farre then ours: and in this

chase, there was much of pleasure, to see the various swimmings of

the _Negroes_; some the ordinarie wayes, upon their bellies, some on

their backs, some by striking out their right legge and left arme,

and then turning on the other side, and changing both their legge and

arme, which is a stronger and swifter way of swimming, then any of

the others: and while we were seeing this sport, and observing the

diversities, of their swimmings, a _Negro_ maid, who was not there

at the beginning of the sport; and therefore heard nothing of the

forbidding them to dive, put off her peticoate behind a bush, that

was at one end of the Pond, and closely sunk down into the water, and

at one diving got to the Duck, pul’d her under water, & went back

againe the same way she came to the bush, all at one dive. We all

thought the Duck had div’d: and expected her appearance above water,

but nothing could be seen, till the subtilty was discovered, by a

Christian that saw her go in, and so the duck was taken from her. But

the trick being so finely and so closely done, I begg’d that the Duck

might be given her againe, which was granted, and the young girle

much pleased.

Though there be a marke set upon these people, which will hardly ever

be wip’d off, as of their cruelties when they have advantages, and of

their fearfulnesse and falsnesse; yet no rule so generall but hath

his acception: for I beleive, and I have strong motives to cause me

to bee of that perswasion, that there are as honest, faithfull, and

conscionable people amongst them, as amongst those of _Europe_, or

any other part of the world.

A hint of this, I will give you in a lively example; and it was in

a time when Victuals were scarce, and Plantins were not then so

frequently planted, as to afford them enough. So that some of the

high spirited and turbulent amongst them, began to mutinie, and

had a plot, secretly to be reveng’d on their Master, and one or

two of these were Firemen that made the fires in the furnaces, who

were never without store of drie wood by them. These villains, were

resolved to make fire to such part of the boyling house, as they were

sure would fire the rest, and so burn all, and yet seem ignorant of

the fact, as a thing done by accident. But this plot was discovered,

by some of the others who hated mischiefe, as much as they lov’d

it; and so traduc’t them to their Master, and brought in so many

witnesses against them, as they were forc’t to confesse, what they

meant should have been put in act the next night: so giving them

condigne punishment, the Master gave order to the overseer that the

rest should have a dayes liberty to themselves and their wives, to

doe what they would; and withall to allow them a double proportion

of victual for three dayes, both which they refus’d: which we all

wonder’d at knowing well how much they lov’d their liberties, and

their meat, having been lately pincht of the one, and not having

overmuch of the other; and therefore being doubtfull what their

meaning was in this, suspecting some discontent amongst them, sent

for three or foure of the best of them, and desir’d to know why

they refus’d this favour that was offer’d them, but receiv’d such

an answer: as we little expected; for they told us, it was not

sullennese, or slighting the gratuitie their Master bestow’d on them,

but they would not accept any thing as a recompence for doing that

which became them in their duties to do, nor would they have him

think, it was hope of reward, that made them to accuse their fellow

servants, but an act of Justice, which they thought themselves bound

in duty to doe, and they thought themselves sufficiently rewarded

in the Act. The substance of this, in such language as they had,

they delivered, and poor _Sambo_ was the Orator; by whose example

the others were led both in the discovery of the Plot, and refuseall

of the gratuitie. And withall they said, that if it pleas’d their

Master, at any time, to bestow a voluntary boone upon them, be it

never so sleight, they would willingly and thankfully accept it: &

this act might have beseem’d the best Christians, though some of them

were denied Christianity; when they earnestly sought it. Let others

have what opinion they please, yet I am of this beliefe; that there

are to be found amongst them, some who are as morally honest, as

Conscionable, as humble, as loving to their friends, and as loyall to

their Masters, as any that live under the sunne, & one reason they

have to be so, is, they set no great value upon their lives: And

this is all I can remember concerning the _Negroes_, except of their

games, which I could never learne, because they wanted language to

teach me.

As for the Indians, we have but few, and those fetcht from other

Countries; some from the neighbouring Ilands, some from the Maine,

which we make slaves: the women who are better verst in ordering the

Cassavie and making bread, then the _Negroes_, we imploye for that

purpose, as also for making Mobbie: the men we use for footmen and

killing of fish which they are good at; with their own bowes and

arrows they will go out; and in a dayes time, kill as much fish,

as will serve a family of a dozen persons, two or three daies, if

you can keep the fish so long. They are very active men, and apt to

learne any thing, sooner then the _Negroes_; and as different from

them in shape, almost as in colour; the men very broad shoulder’d,

deep breasted, with large heads, and their faces almost three square,

broad about the eyes and temples, and sharpe at the chinne, their

skins some of them brown, some a bright Bay, they are much craftier,

and subtiler then the _Negroes_; and in their nature falser; but in

their bodies more active, their women have very small breasts, and

have more of the shape of the _Europeans_ then the _Negroes_, their

haire black and long, a great part whereof hangs downe upon their

backs, as low as their hanches, with a large lock hanging over either

brest, which seldome or never curles: cloaths they scorne to weare,

especially if they be well shap’t; a girdle they use of tape, covered

with little smooth shels of fishes, white, and from their flanke of

one side, to their flank on the other side, a fringe of blew Bugle;

which hangs so low as to cover their privities. We had an Indian

woman, a slave in the house, who was of excellent shape and colour,

for it was a pure bright bay; small brests, with the nipls of a

porphyrie colour, this woman would not be woo’d by any means to weare

Cloaths. Shee chanc’t to be with Child, by a Christian servant, and

lodging in the Indian house, amongst other women of her own Country,

where the Christian servants, both men and women came; and being very

great, and that her time was come to be delivered, loath to fall in

labour before the men, walk’d down to a Wood, in which was a Pond of

water, and there by the side of the Pond, brought her selfe a bed;

and presently washing her Child in some of the water of the Pond,

lap’d it up in such rags, as she had begg’d of the Christians; and

in three hours time came home, with her Childe in her armes, a lusty

Boy, frolick and lively.

This Indian dwelling neer the Sea-coast, upon the Main, an English

ship put in to a Bay, and sent some of her men a shoar, to try what

victualls or water they could finde, for in some distresse they were:

But the Indians perceiving them to go up so far into the Country, as

they were sure they could not make a safe retreat, intercepted them

in their return, and fell upon them, chasing them into a Wood, and

being dispersed there, some were taken, and some kill’d: but a young

man amongst them stragling from the rest, was met by this Indian

Maid, who upon the first sight fell in love with him, and hid him

close from her Countrymen (the Indians) in a Cave, and there fed him,

till they could safely go down to the shoar, where the ship lay at

anchor, expecting the return of their friends. But at last, seeing

them upon the shoar, sent the long-Boat for them, took them aboard,

and brought them away. But the youth, when he came ashoar in the

_Barbadoes_, forgot the kindnesse of the poor maid, that had ventured

her life for his safety, and sold her for a slave, who was as free

born as he: And so poor _Yarico_ for her love, lost her liberty.