70 Terao's Memoir relative to the 



its inhabitants) be so desirable an end, it should be the duty 

 of those who govern and know these important truths, to 

 give a ' ul ; e and direction to the labour of the hus- 



bandman, boll; by precept and example. 



In the year 1 805, one small plantation of cotton was made ; 

 the season being far advanced when it was undertaken, the 

 rest of the year was occupied in preparing a piece of waste 

 ground for a plantation in the following year. In 1806, a 

 piece of 852,000 square yards was planted and produced 

 (530,000 cotton trees, which bore pods four months after they 

 were planted, and yielded (5,700 lbs. of cotton. This appears 

 a small quantity, considering the number of plants ; but it 

 must also be recollected, that they were not five months 

 and many of the pods unripe: they therefore produced as much 

 as could possiblv be expected, — promising a more abur 

 crop in the following year. In 1807, many new and van. 

 plantations were made, and the one above-mentioned being 

 augmented by apiece of land of 101,088 square yards, bore 

 75,816 trees, which flowered in a very promising manner. 

 A piece of ground of 5i,28;> square yards, was planted with 

 indigo, which succeeded so extremely well, that some of the 

 plants were eight feet high. This plant is found wild in 

 every part of the Captaincy; but its improvement under- 

 cultivation, is extremely great. An indigo manufactory was 

 established, on such a scale as experience and calculation 

 have proved to be most advantageous to the proprietor, since 

 the dye produced does not bear proportion to the magnitude 

 of the undertaking. This establishment is situated on the 

 right bank of the Zansbezi, near Tette, conveniently placed 

 for procuring water, which is drawn from the river by an 

 hydraulic machine of new invention. The manufactory con- 

 sists of two tanks, the fermenting one is ten feet square by 

 three deep, the battery is a tank close to the other, being 

 eleven feet by six square, and six deep. A third tank is 

 generally used; but it was found to be unnecessary here, a« 

 the dye might be obtained more expeditiously and with less 

 trouble without one ; moreover, the nature of the ground did 

 not admit it. All that has been done here, was effected by 120 

 slaves of both sexes, which remained out of 300 purchased 

 for the purpose on various occasions. There is no kind of 

 regulation throughout the Captaincy for the labor of slaves, 

 and they are generallv living in a state of extreme idleness. 

 In such undertakings, however, it is of vital importance that 

 order and regularity should be established. This is, however, 

 not an easy task, with such an example of idleness set by 

 other slaves, which will account for the deficiency of the 

 hands originally destined to this manufactory, nearly 180 

 having deserted. This difficulty should not by any means 



