li PREFACE TO THE THIRD VOLUME. 



If this hypothefis be juftly founded, the conclufion would follow, 

 that all new Iettlen:ients here fliould be cleared cf their wood, and 

 left bare for fome time, before the fettlers are fuffered to dwell upon 

 them. But experience does not pofitively confirm the fadl. It is 

 certain, however, that the woods themfelves in this ifland are not 

 unwhohbme to thofc who inhabit in the midft of them, whether 

 Whites or Blacks. Our Negroes, for the moft part, are fond of 

 living among trees and thickets. The truth perhaps may be, that 

 they are too lazy to be at the trouble of felling them ; this is the 

 cafe in Africa, to a furprizing degree. The Indians on the Ameri- 

 can continent clear no greater extent of woodland, than what is 

 barely fufficient for their annual corn harveft. Their erratic way 

 of life, indeed, may be the chief reafon why they do not cut down 

 their forefls; yet all thefc people efteem them not unfavourable to 

 health. The Indian Aborigines of Jamaica cultivated only the fa- 

 vannahs. Thefe fertile plains were affluent enough to fupply thetn 

 with more grain than they could poflibly have confumed, if their 

 number had been double what hiftorians report of it. 



I fliall quote a refpedable tefi:imony hereafter, to fhew that thefe 

 congregations of trees are, in their growing ftate, far more friendly, 

 than inimical in the alterations which they produce on our at- 

 mofphere. But in relation to the hypothefis beforementioned, let 

 it be acknowledged, that the difeafes which ufually invade a new 

 colony of people upon their firft endeavours to plant themfelves in 

 a Wefl: Indian ifland, are of the putrid, nervous clafs. Heat and 

 fermentation will generate ■a.faBkious air from vegetable fubflances, 

 from fallen fruits and leaves, and the mingled falts of burnt wood, 

 and calcined flones and earth ; this fpecies of air, when confined 

 and accumulated, may be deftrudlive to animal life; and when more 

 diffufed, the effeds, though flower in their operation, may ftill be 

 capable of afi:eding health in a degree, by its power of irritating 

 and debilitating the nervous fyftem. But it Icems next to impoflible 

 that fuch cjjiuvia can be concentrated on fpots that are laid open to- 

 the fun and the winds ; they muft furely be Toon exhaled or difli- 

 pated. Yet it is not denied, but that the vapours emitted from 

 their furface, for fome little time after the denfe veil of wood is 



removed, 



