30 The Natural Historg 



The Planters by the richness of the Soil, live after the 

 most easie and pleasant Manner of any People I have ever 

 met with ; for you shall seldom hear them Repine at any 

 Misfortunes in life, except the loss of Friends, there being 

 plenty of all I^ecessaries convenient for Life: Poverty being 

 an entire Stranger here, and the Planters the most hospi- 

 table People that are to be met with, not only to Strangers 

 but likewise to those who by any Misfortune have lost the use 

 of their Limbs or are incapable to Work, and have no visible 

 way to support themselves ; to such Objects as these, the 

 Country allows Fifty Pounds 'per Annum for their Support. 

 So there are no Beggars or Vagabonds to be met with Strowl- 

 ing from place to place as is too common amongst us. 



The Country in general is adorned with large and Beauti- 

 ful Rivers and Creeks, and the Woods with lofty Timber, 

 which afford most delightful and pleasant Seats to the Plant- 

 ers, and the Lands very convenient and easie to be fenced in, 

 to secure their Stocks of Cattle to more strict Bounderies, 

 whereby with small trouble of Fencing, almost every Man 

 may enjoy to himself an intire Plantation. 



These with many other Advantages, such as the cheapness 

 and fertility of the Lands, plenty of Fish, W^ild-fowl, Veni- 

 son, and other necessaries that this Country naturally pro- 

 duces, has induced a great many Families to leave the more 

 T^ortherly Plantations, and come and settle in one of the 

 mildest Governments in the World, in a Countrv that with 

 moderate Industry may be acquir'd all Necessaries conveni- 

 ent for life ; so that Yearly we have abundance of Strangers 

 that come amongst us from Europe, New-England, Peasil- 

 vania, Maryland, and from many of the Islands, such as 



Antegua, 



