INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. liii 



as before mentioned, and agree with the commanders to take it 

 on board their respective ships, at one-third freight upon our 

 account, and license all others to ship for their own account on 

 the terms above-mentioned ; you taking care to agree for the 

 freight on the like terms, w hich we will answer and make eood. 

 A sufficient quantity of spirits is delivered to Mr. Goodwin, 

 to make the experiment, in order to know the true archell, who 

 has also directions how to make use of the same." 



It will no doubt appear surprising, after the knowledge of so 

 valuable an article of commerce being a spontaneous production, 

 that it should have, to this day, remained wholly unnoticed and 

 disregarded. I cannot ascribe the supineness and negligence of 

 the inhabitants to any other causes, than the scanty means of 

 labour which they have always complained of, and to the terms 

 proposed in 1743 not having been sufficiently encouraging to 

 withdraw them from other pursuits, which yield, without much 

 trouble, a certain and quick return. The sale of their farm pro- 

 duce to the shipping was a plain and uncomplicated concern : 

 but to collect, and select the proper lichens at the very low price 

 which was offered,* the payment of freight, and the subtraction 

 of duty, together with the necessity of correspondence, and of 

 agents in London., required a new sort of management, to which 

 a St. Helena planter had never been accustomed. 



Conceiving, however, that the increased value of this dye, of 

 late years, and the augmentation of the labouring population, by 

 the introduction of Chinese, may hereafter hold out stronger in- 

 citements to exertion, I resolved in the mean wliile, to use every 

 means in my power, to obtain the fullest information concerning 

 a natural production which may ultimately prove of considerable 



* In 1743, it seems that Orcliel sold in London for L50. or L60. a ton. In later times 

 it has arisen to nearly four or five times that price. 



