146 lawson's history 



quantities of many sorts of iisli that are very good 

 and nourishing. Some of them hunt and fowl 

 for us at reasonable rates, the country being as 

 plentifully provided with all sorts of game as any 

 part of America ; the poorer sort of planters often 

 get them to plant for them by hiring them for 

 that season, or for so much work, which common- 

 ly comes very reasonable. Moreover, it is remar- 

 kable, that no place on the continent of America 

 has seated an English colony so free from blood 

 shed as Carolina, but all the others have been 

 more damaged and disturbed by the Indians than 

 they have ; which is worthy notice, when we con- 

 sider how oddly it was fii^t planted with inhabi- 

 tants. 



The fishing trade in Carolina might be carried 

 on io, great advantage, considering how many 

 sorts of excellent fish our sound and rivers afford, 

 which cuxe very well with salt, as has been expe- 

 rienced by some small quantities, which have been 

 sent abroad and yielded a good price. As for the 

 whale fishing, it is no otherwise regarded than by 

 a few ]3eople who live on the sand banks ; and 

 those only work on dead fish cast on shore, none 

 being struck on our coast, as they are to the north- 

 ward^ although we have plenty of whales there. 

 Great plenty is generally the ruin of industry. 

 Thus our merchants are not many, nor have those 

 few there be applied themselves to the European 

 trade. The planter sits contented at home, whilst 

 his oxen thrive and grow fat, and his stocks daily 



