Chapter V: Part 5

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.

Now for the Masters, I have yet said but little, nor am able to say halfe of what they deserve. They are men of great abilities and parts, otherwise they could not go through, with such great works as they undertake; the managing of one of their Plantations, being a work of such a latitude, as will require a very good head-peece, to put in order, and continue it so.

I can name a Planter there, that feeds daily two hundred mouths, and keeps them in such order, as there are no mutinies amongst them; and yet of severall nations. All these are to be employed in their severall abilities, so as no one be idle. The first work to be considered, is Weeding, for unlesse that be done, all else (and the Planter too) will be undone; and if that be neglected but a little time, it will be a hard matter to recover it again, so fast will the weeds grow there. But the ground being kept clean, ’tis fit to bear any thing that Country will afford. After weeding comes Planting, and they account two seasons in the year best, and that is, _May_ and _November_; but Canes are to be planted at all times, that they may come in, one field after another; otherwise, the work will stand still. And commonly they have in a field that is planted together, at one time ten or a dozen acres. This work of planting and weeding, the Master himselfe is to see done; unlesse he have a very trusty and able Overseer; and without such a one, he will have too much to do. The next thing he is to consider, is the Ingenio, and what belongs to that; as, the Ingenio it selfe, which is the _Primum Mobile_ of the whole work, the Boyling house, with the Coppers and Furnaces, the Filling room, the Still-house, and Cureing-house; and in all these, there are great casualties. If any thing in the Rollers, as the Goudges, Sockets, Sweeps, Cogs, or Braytrees, be at fault, the whole work stands still; or in the Boyling-house, if the Frame which holds the Coppers, (and is made of Clinkers, fastned with plaister of _Paris_) if by the violence of the heat from the Furnaces, these Frames crack or break, there is a stop in the work, till that be mended. Or if any of the Coppers have a mischance, and be burnt, a new one must presently be had, or there is a stay in the work. Or if the mouths of the Furnaces, (which are made of a sort of stone, which we have from _England_, and we call it there, high gate stone) if that, by the violence of the fire, be softned, that it moulder away, there must new be provided, and laid in with much art, or it will not be. Or if the barrs of Iron, which are in the flowre of the Furnace, when they are red hot, (as continually they are) the fire-man, throw great shides of wood in the mouths of the Furnaces, hard and carelesly, the weight of those logs, will bend or break those barrs, (though strongly made) and there is no repairing them, without the work stand still; for all these depend upon one another, as wheels in a Clock. Or if the Stills be at fault, the _kill-devill_ cannot be made. But the main impediment and stop of all, is the losse of our Cattle, and amongst them, there are such diseases, as I have known in one Plantation, thirty that have died in two daies. And I have heard, that a Planter, an eminent man there, that clear’d a dozen acres of ground, and rail’d it about for pasture, with intention, as soon as the grasse was growne to a great height, to put in his working Oxen; which accordingly he did, and in one night fifty of them dyed; so that such a losse as this, is able to undo a Planter, that is not very well grounded. What it is that breeds these diseases, we cannot finde, unlesse some of the Plants have a poysonous quality; nor have we yet found out cures for these diseases; Chickens guts being the best remedy was then known, and those being chopt or minc’t, and given them in a horn, with some liquor mixt to moisten it, was thought the best remedy; yet it recovered very few. Our Horses too have killing diseases amongst them, and some of them have been recovered by Glisters, which we give them in pipes, or large seringes made of wood, for the same purpose. For, the common diseases, both of Cattle and Horses, are obstructions and bindings in their bowells; and so lingring a disease it is, to those that recover, as they are almost worn to nothing before they get well. So that if any of these stops continue long, or the Cattle cannot be recruited in a reasonable time, the work is at a stand; and by that means, the Canes grow over ripe, and will in a very short time have their juice dried up, and will not be worth the grinding.

Now to recruit these Cattle, Horses, Camells, and Assinigos, who are all lyable to these mischances and decaies, Merchants must be consulted, ships provided, and a competent Cargo of goods adventured, to make new voyages to forraigne parts, to supply those losses; and when that is done, the casualties at Sea are to be considered, and those happen severall waies, either by shipwrack, piracy, or fire. A Master of a ship, and a man accounted both able, stout, and honest, having transported goods of severall kinds, from _England_ to a part of _Africa_, the River of _Gambia_, and had there exchanged his Commodities for _Negres_, which was that he intended to make his voyage of, caused them all to be shipt, and did not, as the manner is, shakle one to another, and make them sure; but having an opinion of their honesty and faithfulnesse to him, as they had promised; and he being a credulous man, and himselfe good natur’d and mercifull, suffered them to go loose, and they being double the number of those in the ship, found their advantages, got weapons in their hands, and fell upon the Saylers, knocking them on the heads, and cutting their throats so fast, as the Master found they were all lost, out of any possibility of saving; and so went down into the Hold, and blew all up with himselfe; and this was before they got out of the River. These, and severall other waies there will happen, that extreamly retard the work of Suger-making.

Now let us consider how many things there are to be thought on, that go to the actuating this great work, and how many cares to prevent the mischances, that are incident to the retarding, if not the frustrating of the whole work; and you will finde them wise and provident men, that go on and prosper in a work, that depends upon so many contingents.

This I say, to stop those mens mouths, that lie here at home, and expect great profit in their adventures, and never consider, through what difficulty, industry, and paines it is acquired. And thus much I thought good to say, of the abilities of the Planters.

The next thing is, of their natures and dispositions, which I found compliable in a high degree to all vertues, that those of the best sort of Gentlemen call Excellent; as, Civilly in treating of Strangers, with communicating to them any thing within the compasse of their knowledge, that might be beneficiall to them, in any undertaking amongst them, and a assisting them in it, giving them harbour for themselves and servants. And if their intentions were to buy Plantations, to make diligent inquiries for such as they desired, and to drive the bargain as neer the winde for their advantages, as possibly they could, and to put themselves in some travells, in setling the businesse: Or, if that could not do them service, to recommend them to any friend they had, that lay more fit and convenient for their purpose. Loving, friendly, and hospitable one to another; and though they are of severall Perswasions, yet, their discretions ordered every thing so well, as there never were any fallings out between them: which to prevent, some of them of the better sort, made a Law amongst themselves, that whosoever nam’d the word _Roundhead_ or _Cavalier_, should give to all those that heard him, a Shot and a Turky, to be eaten at his house that made the forfeiture; which sometimes was done purposely, that they might enjoy the company of one another; and sometimes this Shot and this Turky would draw on a dozen dishes more, if company were accordingly: So frank, so loving, and so good natur’d were these Gentlemen one to another; and to expresse their affections yet higher, they had particular names one to another, as, Neighbour, Friend, Brother, Sister: So that I perceived nothing wanting, that might make up a firme and lasting friendship amongst them; though after I came away, it was otherwise.

Sports and exercises they never us’d any, as Bowling, Shooting, Hunting, or Hawking; for indeed there are no places fit for the two first exercises, the Countrey being so Rocky, uneven and full of stumps of trees: and for the other two, they want game; for there are no kind of wild beasts in the Iland, nor any foule fit to hawk at; besides the Country is so woody, as there is no Champian to flye in; Pheasants, Partridges, Heathpoults, Quailes, or Rayles, never set foot upon this ground, unlesse they were brought there; and if so, they never liv’d, and for Hawkes, I never saw but two, and those the merriest stirrers that ever I saw flye; the one of them was in an evening just at sunne setting, which is the time the Bats rise, and soar to a good height; and at a downecome, this Barbary faulcon took one of them and carried it away.

[Sidenote: _Tame beasts that are living on the Iland. Camels._]

If I shall begin with the largest first I must name Camells, and these are very usefull beasts, but very few will live upon the Iland: divers have had them brought over, but few know how to diet them. Captaine _Higginbotham_ had foure or five, which were of excellent use, not only of carrying down sugar to the bridge, but of bringing from thence hogsheads of Wine, Beer, or Vinegar, which horses cannot do, nor can Carts pass for Gullies, and _Negroes_ cannot carry it, for the reasons afore mentioned; a good Camell will carry 1600 l. weight, and go the surest of any beast.

[Sidenote: _Horses._]

We have from severall parts of the world, _England_, _Holland_, _Bonavista_, the _Iles_ of _Cape Verd_, _Virginia_, _New England_, and some from one of the _Leeward Ilands_ in the _Carribbies_ call’d _Currissa_, besides some we breed and very strong and good mettled, bold and fit to charge on: these horses we use either for the Ingenio, or the Saddle, seldom or never for carrying sugar, the gullies being so steep.

[Sidenote: _Oxen, Bulls, and Cowes._]

We have from the severall places I have nam’d, but chiefly Bulls, from the Ile of _May_, and _Bonavista_; which are Cattell, being well taught, will work the orderliest that I have seen any. With these, we have Cowes, and some of them we use for the Payle, and some for the Ingenio, some we breed, and have speedier increase then in _Europe_, for here a Calfe will bring a Calfe in fourteen months; and if it were not for the diseases that take away our Cattell, we should not need to fetch any from forraine parts.

[Sidenote: _Assinigoes._]

Are here of exceeding great use in the Iland, in carrying our sugars down to the bridge which by reason of the gullies, the Horses cannot doe: besides when the great raines fall the wayes are so deep, and full of roots, as when a horse puts in his legge between two roots, he can hardly pull it out againe, having a great weight on his back; and if he fall, ’tis hard lifting him up. Whereas the Assinigoes pick and choose their way, and sometimes choose out little wayes in the wood, such as they know are fit for them to passe, which horses cannot doe, because the wayes are too narrow for them, or if they were not, they would want much the wit of the Assinigoes, to pick and choose their way. And if by chance the Assinigoes fall, two _Negroes_ are able to help him up, and we seldome use more then two, for assistance to the Christian that has the charge of the carriages. One of these Assinigoes will carry 150 weight of sugar; some of the strongest 200 weight; our Planters have been very desirous if it were possible to get Mules there, for they would be of excellent use, in carrying their sugars, and working in the Ingenio; but they had got none when I was there, but they were making trialls, either to get some of those, or some large Horse Assinigoes, to breed with the Mares of that Country.

[Sidenote: _Hogges._]

We have here in abundance, but not wild or loose, for if they were they would do more harme then their bodies are worth; they are enclos’d, and every man knows his own, those that reare them to sell, do commonly sell them for a groat a pound; weighing them alive; sometimes six pence if flesh be deere. There was a Planter in the Iland, that came to his neighbour and said to him: Neighbour I hear you have lately bought good store of servants, out of the last ship that came from England, and I heare withall, that you want provisions, I have great want of a woman servant; and would be glad to make an exchange; If you will let me have some of your womans flesh, you shall have some of my hoggs flesh; so the price was set a groat a pound for the hogges flesh, and sixe pence for the Womans flesh. The scales were set up, and the Planter had a Maid that was extreame fat, lasie, and good for nothing. Her name was _Honor_; The man brought a great fat sow, and put it in one scale: and _Honor_ was put in the other, but when he saw how much the Maid outwayed his Sow: he broke off the bargaine, and would not go on: though such a case as this, may seldome happen, yet ’tis an ordinary thing there, to sell their servants to one another for the time they have to serve; and in exchange, receive any commodities that are in the Iland; I have said as much already of the largeness weight and goodnesse of these hogs as is needful, and therefore I shall need no more.

[Sidenote: _Sheepe._]

We have here, but very few; and those do not like well the pasture, being very unfit for them; a soure tough and saplesse grasse, and some poysonous plant they find, which breeds diseases amongst them, and so they dye away, they never are fat, and we thought a while the reason had been, their too much heate with their wool, and so got them often shorne; but that would not cure them, yet the Ews bear alwayes two Lambs, their flesh when we tried any of them, had a very faint taste, so that I do not think they are fit to be bred or kept in that Countrey: other sheep we have there, which are brought from _Guinny_ and _Binny_, and those have haire growing on them, instead of wool; and liker Goates then sheep, yet their flesh is tasted more like mutton then the other.

[Sidenote: _Goates._]

We have in greater plenty, and they prosper farre better then the sheep, and I find little difference in the taste of their flesh, and the Goats here; they live for the most part in the woods, sometimes in the pasture, but are alwaies inclos’d in a fence, that they do not trespass upon their neighbours ground; for whosoever finds Hog or Goat of his neighbours, either in his Canes, Corne, Potatoes, Bonavist, or Plantines, may by the lawes of the Iland shoot him through with a Gun, and kill him; but then he must presently send to the owner, to let him know where he is.

[Sidenote: _Birds._]

The Birds of this place (setting two aside) are hardly worth the pains of describing; yet, in order, as I did the Beasts, I will set them down. The biggest is a direct Bussard, but somewhat lesse then our grey Bussards in _England_, somewhat swifter of wing; and the only good they do, is, sometimes to kill the Rats. The next to him in bignesse, is the larger Turtle Dove, and of them, there is great store in the Iland: ’tis a much handsomer bird, both in shape and colour, then ours in _England_, and is very good meat. Next to her is the lesser Turtle, a far finer bird then she, but of a contrary shape; for this is of the shape of a Partridge, but her plumidge gray, and a red brown under the wings; a pretier bird I do not know, of so few glorious colours; her tune like the other. The next is a bird like a Thrush, of a melancholly look, her feathers never smooth, but alwaies ruffled, as if she were muing, her head down, her shoulders up, as if her neck were broke. This bird has for three or four notes, the loudest and sweetest, that ever I heard; if she had variety, certainly no bird could go beyond her; she lookes alwaies, as it she were sick or melancholly.

Another there is, not much unlike a Wren, but big as a Thrush; and this is as merry and jolly, as the other is sad; and as she sits on a stick, jets, and lifts up her train, looking with so earnest and merry a countenance, as if she would invite you to come to her, and will sit till you come very neer her. This bird I never heard sing. The next is Black-bird, with white eyes, and that so ill becomes her, as she is accounted an unhandsome bird; her voice harsh, somewhat like our Jay in _England_; they go in great flocks, and are harmefull birds, for they are great devourers of corn, and blossomes of trees, and the Planters wish them destroyed, though they know not which way. They are a kinde of Stares, for they walk, and do not hop as other birds. One thing I observe in these birds, which I never saw in any but them, and that is, when they flie, they put their train into severall postures; one while they keep it straight, as other birds; sometimes they turn it edge-waies, as the tail of a fish, and by and by put it three square, with the covering feather a top, and the sides downwards. The next is of the colour of a Feldefare, but the head seemes too big for her body, and for that reason they call her a Counsellor; her flying is extream wanton; and for her tune, ’tis such as I have not heard any like her, not for the sweetnesse, but the strangenesse of it; for she performes that with her voice, that no instrument can play, nor no voice sing, but hers; and that is, quarter notes, her song being composed of five tones, and every one a quarter of a note higher then other. Mr. _John Coprario_, a rare composer of Musick, and my dear friend, told me once, that he was studying a curiosity in musick, that no man had ever attempted to do; and that was, of quarter notes; but he not being able to go through with it, gave it over: But if he had liv’d to have gone with me to the _Barbadoes_, this bird should have taught him. Under this size, there are none considerable; Sparrowes, Haysocks, Finches, yellow Hamers, Titmise, and divers others of that sort, for which I have no names. But the last and strangest of all, is, that which we call the huming Bird, much lesse then a Wren, not much bigger then a humble Bee, her body long, her wings small and sharp, of a sullen sad green, no pleasant colours on her; her manner of feeding is, just as a Bee, putting her bill into a blossome or a flower, tastes as lightly as a Bee, never sitting, but purring with her wings, all the time she staies with the flower; and the motion of her wings are as nimble and swift, as a Bee: We have no way to take her, but by shooting sand out of a gun at her, which mazes her for the present, that you may take her up; but there is no way to keep her alive, her feeding being such, as none can give her but her selfe. Now for the Birds that live upon the outward verge of the Iland, I have not much to say. Sometimes Teals come to our Ponds, three or four couple together, but never go away; for when we see them, we take a gun, and comming neer, shoot them, and the report of the gun frights, and makes those that are alive flie away, and fetch one turn, and come back to see their fellowes dead, and alight to them, and so we shoot and shoot again till all be kill’d; for they will alwaies come back to see their dead friends. The like we do with those birds we call Oxen and Kine, which come to us in like manner. Small Swallowes we have now and then, but somewhat different from ours in colour.

But there is a Bird they call, a Man of war, and he is much bigger than a Heron, and flies out to Sea upon discoveries, (for they never light upon the Sea) to see what ships are comming to the Iland; and when they return, the Ilanders look out, and say, A ship is comming, and finde it true. I have seen one of them, as high as I could look, to meet us twenty leagues from land; and some others, almost as big as Ducks, that in an evening came in a flock of twenty, or there about, and they made divers turnes about the ship, a little before Sun-setting; and when it grew dark, they lighted upon the ribs of the ship, and with little nooses of packthred, the saylers caught them; they were very fat and good.

Though the Bat be no Bird, yet she flies with wings, and alwaies a little before Sunsetting, at which time they come out of holes, chimneys, and hollow trees, and will raise them to a great height, feeding themselves with flies that they finde in the aire, at that time of the evening.

[Sidenote: _Of lesser Animals and Insects._]

Having done with Beasts and Birds, we will enquire what other lesser Animalls or Insects there are upon the Iland, of which, Snakes are the chiefe, because the largest; and I have seen some of those a yard and a halfe long. The only harme they do, is to our Pigeon houses, and milk panns; so that if we leave any hole in the bottom of the house, where they can come in, they will get to the nests, and devour the young Pigeons, if they be not over big. And yet ’tis strange to see, what great morsells they will swallow; slide they will up against a wall, if it be but perpendicular; but if it be declining outward, they cannot get up, but will fall back ten foot high, if they be hindred by any stooping of the wall; for which reason we make jetties, neer the top of such roomes, as we will keep them out of; they have climbed six foot high upon the outside of a wall, come in at a window, down on the inside, skim our milk pannes, and away again: Till we took one of them there, we knew not by what means our pannes were thus skim’d. They never sting any body, nor is there any venomous beast in the Iland. The next to these are Scorpions, of which, some of them are as big as Ratts, smooth, and coloured like a Snake, somewhat blewer, their bellies inclining to yellow, very nimble and quick to avoid their pursuers: yet, the Snakes will now and then take them, between whom there is a great conflict, before the quarrell be decided; for, the Scorpions that are large, are very strong, and will maintain the fight sometimes halfe an houre; I have seen them wrastle together a good part of that time: But in conclusion, the Snakes get the better, and devour the other. These Scorpions were never known to hurt man or beast. Toads or Frogs we have none.

Lizards we had in great plenty, but the Cats kill them so fast in the houses, as they are much lessened in their number. This little Animal loves much to be where men are, and are delighted to stand and gaze in their faces, and hearken to their discourse. These with us, I think, are different from those of _Europe_; the bodies of ours are about four inches long, the tail neer as much, headed not much unlike a Snake; their colour, when they are pleased, a pure grasse-green on the back, blewish toward the side, and yellowish on the belly; four leggs, and those very nimble: When they see at distance some of their own kinde, that they are angry with, they swell a little bigger, and change their colour, from green to russet or hair-colour, which abates much of their beauty; for, their green is very pleasant and beautifull: Cold they are as Frogs. Next to these are Cockroches, a creature of the bignesse and shape of a Beetle; but of a pure hair-colour, which would set him off the better, if he had not an ugly wabling gate, but that makes him unhandsome. He appears in the evening when ’tis dark, and will, when he pleases, flie to your bed, when he findes you sleeping, and bite your skin, till he fetch blood, if you do not wake; and if you take a Candle to search for him, he shifts away and hides himselfe, as the Puneses do in _Italy_. The Negres, who have thick skins, and by reason of their hard labour, sleep soundly at night, are bitten so, as far as the breadth of both your hands together, their skins are rac’t, as if it were done with a currie-comb. Next to these tormentors, are Musketos, who bite and sting worse then the Gnats and Stouts, that sting Cattle in _England_, (and are commonly felt in marish ground). And next to them Meriwings, and they are of so small a sise, and so thin and aereall, as you can hardly discern them, but by the noise of their wings, which is like a small bugle horn, at a great distance: Where they sting, there will rise a little knob, as big as a pease, and last so a whole day; the mark will not be gone in twenty four hours. Caterpillars we have sometimes in abundance, and they do very great harme; for, they light upon the leaves of our Potatoes, which we call Slips, and eat them all away, and come so low, as to eat of the Root too: And the only remedy we have, is, to drive a flock of Turkies into the place where they are, and they will devour them. The harmes these vermine do us, is double; first, in the slips, which is the food we give our Horses, and is cast into the rack; and in our Potatoes, being the root of these slips, which we our selves feed upon.

Flies we have of so many kindes, (from two inches long with the great hornes, which we keep in boxes, and are shewed by _John Tredescan_ amongst his rarities) to the least Atome, as it would be a weary work to set them down; as also the sudden production of them, from Nothing to Maggets, from Maggets to Flies; and there is not only a race of all these kindes, that go on in a generation, but upon new occasions, new kindes; as, after a great downfall of rain, when the ground has been extreamly moistned, and softned with the water, I have walk’d out upon a drie walk (which I made my selfe) in an evening, and there came about me an army of such flies, as I had never seen before, nor after; and they rose, as I conceived, out of the earth: They were as big bodied as Bees, but far larger wings; harme they did us none, but only lighted on us; their colour between ash-colour and purple.

The next of these moving little Animalls, are Ants, or Pismires, and those are but of a small sise, but great in industry; and that which gives them means to attain to their ends, is, they have all one soul. If I should say, they are here or there, I should do them wrong; for they are every where, under ground, where any hollow or loose earth is, amongst the roots of trees, upon the bodies, branches, leaves, and fruit of all trees, in all places without the houses and within, upon the sides, walls, windowes, and roofes without; and on the floores, side-walls, sealings, and windowes within; tables, cupbords, beds, stooles, all are covered with them, so that they are a kind of Ubiquitaries. The Cockroaches are their mortall enemies, and though they are not able to do them any mischiefe, being living, (by reason they are far stronger and mightier then a hundred of them, & if they should force any one of them with multitudes, he has the liberty of his wings to make his escape) yet, when they finde him dead, they will divide him amongst them into Atomes; and to that purpose, they carry him home to their houses or nests. We sometimes kill a Cockroach, and throw him on the ground, and mark what they will do with him; his body is bigger then a hundred of them, and yet they will finde the means to take hold of him, and lift him up; and having him above ground, away they carry him, and some go by as ready assistants, if any be weary; and some are the Officers that lead and shew the way to the hole into which he must passe; and if the Van curriers perceive, that the body of the Cockroach lies crosse, and will not passe through the hole, or arch, through which they mean to carry him, order is given, and the body turned endwise, and this done a foot before they come to the hole, and that without any stop or stay; and this is observable, that they never pull contrary waies.

Those that are curious, and will prevent their comming on their Tables, Cupbords, or Beds, have little hollowes of timber, fill’d with water, for the feet of these to stand in; but all this will not serve their turne; for they will some of them, goe up to the sieling, and let themselves fall upon the teasters of the Beds, Cupbords, and Tables.

To prevent them from comming on our shelves where our meat is kept, we hang them to the roofe by ropes, and tarre those roapes, and the roofes over them, as also the strings of our Hamacks, for which reason we avoid them better in Hamacks then in beds.

Sometimes when we try conclusions upon them, we take the Carpet off the Table, and shake it, so that all the Ants drop off, and rub down the leggs and feet of those tables, (which stood not in water) and having done so: we lay on the Carpet againe, and set upon it a Sallet dish, or Trencher, with suger in it, which some of them in the room will presently smell, and make towards it as fast as they can, which is a long journey; for he must begin at the foot of the table, and come as high as the inside of the Carpet, and so go down to the bottome and up of the outside of the Carpet, before he gets on the table, and then to the sugar, which he smels to; and having found it, returns againe the same way, without taking any for his paines, and enformes all his friends of this bootie; who come in thousands, and tenne thousands, and in an instant, fetch it all away; and when they are thickest upon the table, clap a large book, (or any thing fit for that purpose) upon them so hard as to kill all that are under it, and when you have done so, take away the book, and leave them to themselves, but a quarter of an houre, and when you come againe, you shall find all those bodies carried away. Other trials we make of their Ingenuity, as this. Take a Pewter dish, and fill it halfe full of water, into which put a little Gally pot fill’d with Sugar, and the Ants will presently find it, and come upon the Table; but when they perceive it inviron’d with water, they try about the brims of the dish, where the Gally pot is neerest, and there the most venturous amongst them, commits him selfe to the water, though he be conscious how ill a swimmer he is, and is drown’d in the adventure: the next is not warn’d by his example, but ventures too; and is alike drown’d and many more, so that there is a small foundation of their bodies to venture on; and then they come faster then ever, and so make a bridge of their own bodies, for their friends to passe on; neglecting their lives for the good of the publique; for before they make an end, they will make way for the rest, and become Masters of the Prize; I had a little white sugar which I desired to keep from them, and was devising which way to doe it, and I knockt a Nayle in the beam of the roome, and fastned to it a brown thread, at the lower end of which thread, I tyed a large shell of a fish; which being hollow I put the sugar in; and lockt the door, thinking it safe; but when I returned, I found three quarters of my sugar gone, and the Ants in abundance, ascending and descending, like the Angels on Jacobs Ladder, as I have seen it painted, so that I found no place safe, from these more then busie Creatures.

Another sorts of Ants there are, but nothing so numerous or harmfull as the other, but larger by farre; these build great nests, as bigge as Bee hives, against a wall, or a tree, of Clay and Lome, sometimes within doors, and in it severall little Mansions, such as Bees make for themselves, but nothing so curious; these the Cockroaches and Lizards meet withall, way-laying them neere their nests, and feed upon them: which to prevent they make from thence, many and severall galleries that reach some of them sixe or seaven yards severall waies, of the same earth they doe their nests; so that for such a distance as that, they are not to be perceiv’d, by any of their enemies, and commonly, their Avenues go out amongst leaves, or mosse, or some other Covert, that they may not be perceiv’d; but the most of these are in the woods; for we have destroyed their nests, and their galleries within doors so often, as they are weary of building, and so quit the house, I can say nothing of these, but that they are the quickest at their work of building, of any little Creatures that ever I saw. Spiders we have, the beautifullest and largest that I have seen, and the most curious in their webs; they are not at all Poysonous.

One sort more of these harmefull Animals there are, which we call Chegoes; and these are so little that you would hardly think them able to doe any harme at all, and yet these will do more mischiefe then the Ants, and if they were as numerous as harmefull, there were no induring of them; they are of a shape, not much unlike a Louse, but no bigger then a mite that breeds in cheese, his colour blewish: an Indian has laid one of them, on a sheet of white paper, and with my spectacles on I could hardly discern him; yet this very little Enemy, can and will do much mischiefe to mankind. This vermine will get thorough your Stocken, and in a pore of your skinne, in some part of your feet, commonly under the nayl of your toes, and there make a habitation to lay his off spring, as bigge as a small Tare, or the bagge of a Bee, which will cause you to go very lame, and put you to much smarting paine. The Indian women have the best skill to take them out, which they do by putting in a small poynted Pinne, or Needle, at the hole where he came in, and winding the poynt about the bagge loosen him from the flesh, and so take him out. He is of a blewish colour, and is seene through the skinne, but the _Negroes_ whose skinns are of that colour (or neer it) are in ill case, for they cannot finde where they are; by which meanes they are many of them very lame: some of these Chegoes are poysonous, and after they are taken out, the Orifice in which they lay, will fester and rankle for a fortnight after they are gone. I have had tenne taken out of my feet in a morning, by the most unfortunate _Yarico_ an Indian woman.

Some kind of Animals more there are in the woods, which because I never saw I cannot speak their formes: some of them I guesse are no bigger than Crickets; they lye all day in holes and hollow trees, and as soon as the Sun is downe, they begin their tunes, which are neither singing nor crying, but the shrillest voyces that ever I heard: nothing can be so neerely resembl’d to it, as the mouths of a pack of small beagles at a distance; and so lively, and chirping the noyse is, as nothing can be more delightfull to the eares, if there were not too much of it, for the musick hath no intermission till morning, and then all is husht.

I had forgotten amongst my fishes to mention Crabs; but because this kind of them live upon the land, I might very well overslip them and now bring them in, amongst these Animals: they are small Crabs, such as women sell by dozens in baskets in the streets, and of that colour raw and alive, as these are boyl’d, which is of a reddish colour. These Crabs are comming from the Sea all the year long, (except in _March_) they hide themselves in holes, and in houses, and sometimes in hollow trees; and into every part of the Iland they come, some times we meet them going up stairs in the night, sometimes in our low rooms, sometimes in our Gardens, where they eat the berries. We hold them not good meat: But the Negres will often upon Sundaies go a Crabbing, and think them very great dainties when they are boyled. These Crabs in _March_ come all out of their holes, and march down towards the Sea in such multitudes, as to cover a great part of the ground where they go, and no hedge, wall, or house can stop them, but they will over. As we ride, our Horses tread on them, they are so thick on the ground. And they have this sense, to go the nearest way to the Sea, from the place where they are, and nothing can stop or stay them, but death. ’Tis the time I guesse they go to breed.

[Sidenote: _Trees._]

Having past through all the reasonable and sensitive Creatures of this Iland, I come now to say somewhat of the Vegetables, as of Trees: and of those there are such infinite varieties, as to mention all, were to loose my selfe in a wood; for, it were impossible for any one in the time I stayed there, (though he studied nothing else) to give an account of the particulars. And therefore I will onely mention such, as for beauty or use, are of most and greatest esteem in the Iland.

[Sidenote: _Physick-Nut._]

And for that there is none of more use than the _Physick-Nut_, I will begin first with that, which though the name seem to promise health, yet, it has poyson lodg’d secretly within, and that poyson may bring health, being physically applyed, and in fit times and seasons. The reason why I think it poysonous, is, because Cattle will not brouse, nor feed on the leaves, nor willingly come neer the shade. This tree will grow to be eighteen foot high, but we have a way to employ it; as for beauty and use, there are none such in the Iland. This tree (_which is of the height as I have told you_) has many sprigs, of four, five, and six foot long; we lop them one after another, and as we take off the branches, cut stakes of them, about foure foot and a halfe long, and stick them in the ground an inch deep, and no more, close to one another, in the manner of Palissadoes; and so, with a rail of either side, to keep them eeven, and here and there a spur or braket on either side, to keep them steedy for a month; by which time, they will not only gather roots to strengthen them, and hold them up, but leaves to cover their tops, and so even and smooth they fall, as to cover the tops of themselves, at least two foot and a halfe downward; and will in a month more, be so firmly rooted in the earth, as you may remove your railes and brakets, to assist those that are planted after them, in other places. These leaves being large, smooth, and beautifully shap’t, and of a full green, appear to your eyes like so much green Satin, hang’d on a rail or line, so eeven and so smooth they hang naturally.