186 TRACTS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS, &c. 



In respect to the Chinese, they are a good deal employed in 

 agnculture ; that is, in fencing the lands, in paring and burning. 



Paragraph 27. " No care is wanting to keep your blacks in heart, that they may be 

 able to labour : and for this last twelvemonth, in which they have been fed with fish, 

 have been more healthy than in any one year." 



1728-9, February 22d. Paragraph 7- " Your Honours' slaves, of whom we had the 

 misfortune to loose five, together with the long-boat, as they were going for lime (as your 

 Honours will see in our consultation of the 29th of October)> have enjoyed their health 

 since they have been fed with fish remarkably better than they ever did, when, at a very 

 great expense, they were allowed salt provisions : and we have had, and still have, such 

 good fortune in our fishery, that we weekly catch more than they can well consume, and 

 doubt not but our faithful endeavours to secure your Honours from any charge upon this 

 account, will be attended with the like good success for the time to come : so that those 

 who formerly told your Honours that fish were not to be had the year round, did it on 

 purpose to deceive you : or knew not what they said — which latter seems most likely. 



March 30th. Paragraph 24. " We have still such good luck in our fishery, that we 

 often catch more than your blacks can eat ; and we will be particularly careful to save 

 your Honours the heavy cliarge of salt beef and pork." 



1729, Decemher lOth. Paragraph 6. " Your slaves continue to thrive upon their diet 

 of fish and potatoes. We hear very Ihtle now of fluxes, aching bones, or pains in the 

 belly, though when they were fed with salt provisions, it was common to have 20 or 30 of 

 them laid up at a time. Their food is now wholesome and not expensive ; the gi-eat 

 plenty of fish which we still continue to catch, having effectually secured you from the 

 former heavy charge of salt meat, and we faithfully assure your Honours we have exerted 

 ourselves in such manner, that there is no likelihood you should again be at that expense ; 

 it was what gave us great disturbance and uneasiness, and we could not rest till we ha 

 found means to remedy it." 



1730, ^pril I9th. Paragraph 18. " We continue to catch fish in great plenty, with 

 which your blacks are very well pleased." 



May 26th. Paragraph 2. " In our several letters this season we have been so full 

 and particular in our account of matters of most consequence, that we have little material 

 to lay before you now ; that of greatest moment is, to acquaint your Honours that having, 

 with great pains and industry, supplied your blacks for these last three years with great 

 plenty of fish, the greatest part of that superfluous chargeable cargo of salt provisions, 

 sent for by Mr. Smith, at a great expense to your Honours, lies upon our hands 

 unsold." 



