268 TRAVELS IN THE CONFEDERATION 



sure large tracts free of rock ; but its place is taken by 

 dry shell-sand in which the heat permits nothing to 

 grow. 



This character of the surface makes the working of 

 the land somewhat difficult, and this may be the reason 

 why so many plantations on the island lie deserted 

 and so many houses are in ruins. The situation of this 

 island, and the number of other islands still uninhab- 

 ited but supplied with various kinds of timber, opened 

 to the settlers other less tedious and more lucrative 

 means of support than those to be had from the mo- 

 notonous and toilsome life of a planter. However, I 

 will mention here all the products which have been 

 essayed here. 



Coffee does excellently; several large orchards full 

 of these trees are to be seen in and about the town; 

 they are growing well, bearing heavily, and the beans 

 are of the best taste. It is therefore a matter of sur- 

 prize that such plantations are not more general, since 

 the trees once set require little more attention. The 

 sole cause of this neglect is likely that some years must 

 pass before any profit is to be had from a plantation. 



The Sugar-cane thrives here as well as in other of 

 the Bahamas where it has been tried. Several miles 

 from the town a plantation had been begun, a distillery 

 set up, and rum prepared ; but the undertaker dying 

 the work was given over. Of the quality and growth 

 of the cane there can be no doubt, but the rocky nature 

 of the soil makes it impossible to devote sufficiently 

 large tracts to the culture ; the work is therefore car- 

 ried on at too great cost and difficulty, and the sugar 

 cannot be got out at the same rate of outlay as that 

 holding in the other sugar islands near-by. On the 



