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A True and ExaB Hiflory 



I of the walls, and cutting it accordingly ; fb that we need very little 

 hew ng. This ftone, as we cut it in the quarry, is no harder than or- 

 dinary morter , but being fet out in the weather , by pieces as we 

 fcut it, grows indifferently hard, and is able to bear all the weight 

 that lyes on it , and the longer it lyes, the harder it grows. Many 

 ellayes we made, whilft I was there, for the making and burning of 

 bricks, but never could attain to the perfeftion of it ^ and the reafon 

 was, the over fatnefs of the clay , which would alwayes crackle and 

 break, when it felt the great heat of the fire in the CJampe, and by 

 no means could we find the true temper of it , though we made often 

 tryals. There was an ingenious 'jew upon the I fland, whofe name was 

 Solon} on ^ that undertook to teach the making of it 3 yet for all that, 

 when it came to the touch his wifdom failed , and we were deceived 

 in our expeftation, I doubt not but there is a way of tempering, to 

 make it far better than ours in England'-) for the pots which we find in 

 thelfland, wherein the Indians boyl'd their Pork, were of the fame 

 kind of Clay, and they were the bcfl and fineft temper 'd ware of 

 earth that eVer I (aw. If we could find the true temper of it, a great 

 advantage might be made to thelfland, for the air being moifl , the 

 flones often fweat, and by their moifture rot the timbers they touch, 

 which to prevetit we cover the ends of our beams and girders with 

 boards, pitch'd on both fides, but the walk being made of bricks, or 

 but lin'd with brick, would be much the wholeibmer 3 and befides 

 keep our wainlcot from rotting. Hangings we dare not ufe, for be- 

 ing fpoyl'd by Ants, and eaten by the Cockroaches, and Rats, yet fbme 

 ofthe Planters that meant to handfbm their houfes, were minded to 

 fend for gilt leather , and hang their rooms with that , which they 

 were more than perfwaded thofe vermine would not eat 5 and in that 

 refolutioni leftthetn. 



Carpenters, and Mafbns, were newly come upon the Ifland,and fbme 

 of thefe very great Maflersin their Art : and fuch as couIJ draw a 

 plot, and purfue the defign they framed with great diligence, and 

 beautifie the tops of their Doors , Windows , and Chimney-peece^ , 

 very prettily , but not many of thofe, nor is it needful that there fhould 

 be many, for though the Planters talk of building houfes, and wifh 

 them up, yet when they weigh the want of thofe hands in their fiigar 

 work, that muft be employed in their building , they fall back, and 

 put on their confidering caps. I drew out atleaft twenty plots when 

 I came firfl: into the Iflands which they all lik'd well enough, and yet 

 but two of them us'd^ one by Captain Midleton, and one by Captain 

 Standfaft^ and thofe were the two beft houfes , I left finifh'd in the 

 Ifland when I came away. Cellars I would not make under ground, 

 unlefsthehoufebe fet on the fide ofaHill, for though the air bemoift 

 above, yet I found it by experience much moifter under ground 5 fb 

 that no rrioifl thing can be fet there , but it will in a very fhort time 

 grow mouldy, slnd rotten 3 and if for coolnefsyou think to keep any 

 faw fiefti, it will ffiuch fboner taint there, than being hung up in a 

 garret , where the Sun continually fhines upon. Nay the pipe-ftavcs 

 hoops, and heads of barrels, and hogflicads, will grow mouldy and rot- 

 ten : Pavements and foundations of bricks Would much help this with 

 glals windows, to keep out the air. 



If I were to build a houfe for my felf in that place, I would have 



a 



