118 TRACTS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS, &c. 



in the course of the day. Such things are truly surprising : but 

 when I considered the power of a claw haunner in drawing a 

 nail, I concluded there must be something not less wonderful, 

 although unfathomable to me, in the power of the new machine 

 we have had introduced here, because I well know, that if I and 

 my whole family, who are pretty numerous, were to try, with our 

 fingers to draw a well-hit nail, we should not succeed. I have 

 no knowledge of what they call mechanics ; I know nothing of 

 the principles ; but this I know, that a claw-hammer will do the 

 business with a small twist of the hand ; and so I take it to be 

 with the plough. 



Now, Mr. Editor, after seeing, (which you know is believing) 

 I set to work : I bought a plough and a couple of harrows ; and 

 I succeeded far beyond my expectation. 



I then began with my calculations ; and I clearly convinced 

 myself, and I hope I shall convince others, that by saving expense 

 in labour I should be a great gainer. I ascertained I could 

 bring into cultivation a wondrous deal more land ; that I could 

 sell much more of my produce to the shipping ; that by having 

 plenty of potatoes I might not only feed my family and slaves 

 without the expense of buying, and tlie trouble of bringing from 

 the valley ; and raise pigs, and assist my cattle when our seasons 

 fail ; but tliat I should likewise keep more money in my pockets ; 

 which have been rather empty of late ; and if I and my fellow 

 planters could once contrive to furnish the breweries with barley 

 for mailing, we might get a deal of the money that is now sent to 

 England, and this I understand amounts to eight or ten thousand 

 pounds a year : and as Mr. Brabazon's brewery is now getting 

 up, there will, no doubt, be a greater demand. 



What a great gain would all this be to us planters. Being a 

 man of calculation (as I told you before) without pretension to 



