B O O K II. CHAP. VII. 45 



Jane), or a rich brick mould ; the paflure lands in the neighbour- 

 hood, and what lie adjacent to the river, are of the latter kiiu! ; 

 the rainy fealons have been for many years too uncertain in this 

 part of the country for the cultivation of the fugar-cane, to which 

 the nature of the foil is excellently adapted : Lut the richnefs of 

 their grafs- makes gmends; and the owners draw confiderable profit 

 by breeding cattle and flieep, and fattening for the town-markets. 

 Indigo once flourifhed in all this difl:ri£t. Attempts have, within 

 rhefe few years, been made by one or two gentlemen to revive it ; 

 but dry weather baffled their projecl, and convinced them of its 

 impraiflicability. The well-water in thefe parts is in general 

 brackhh, or containing an admixture of fait; which feems to in- 

 dicate the exiftence of fait mines here; but none have yet been 

 difcovered ; and probably they lie at too great a depth to be of fer- 

 vice if they are ever known. There are other wells of a very 

 pure water, fupplied probably by fprings or fubterraneous currents, 

 which do not pafs through any ftrata of this foflil. That fait is 

 plentifully intermixed with the foil here in fome places is evident 

 from the licks to which cattle and flieep greedily refort. I have 

 i'een feveral of them in the neighbourhood of the town. Thefe 

 animals are known to be extremely fond of fait; and inftind: direfts 

 them where to find it. They experience its good effedls in cor- 

 reding the deleterious quality of the crude grafs, produced here, 

 fromfudden heavy rains fucceeding a drowth. On thefe occafions, 

 they are fubjeft to violent diarrhoeas, which are frequently mortal. 

 The penn-keepers ule no other remedy than mafhed, pickled her- 

 rings, given them by way of a drench, which, if the diforder has 

 not continued too long, performs a certain cure. There is no 

 doubt but the fair, and not the fubflance of the fifh, is the remedy 

 to v.hich their cure is to be afcribed ; and this is further confirmed 

 by the common obfervation, that flicep, paffured on the falinas, 

 or lands contiguous to the lea, are not afBitfled with the rot ; and 

 that the cattle, watered from a brackifn well, are mucli Ids apt 

 to be fcoured with the crude prafs than others. 



The air of the fiat country comprehended within this parith is 

 efleemed in general very healthy, except after the fall of the au- 

 tumnal rains; when the water, fhignating for fome time on the low 



grounds. 



