of the Ijland of Barhadoes6 



j'/^^ii', they leave the field, and Ihelter themfelves in the dwelling hou-f 

 feSj where they do much mifchief. 



The Canes with their tops or blades ^ do commonly grow t@' 

 be eight foot high h the Canes themfelves are commonly five or fix 

 foot, (I havefeen fome double that length, but 'tis but feldorae) the 

 bodies of them, about an inch diametre, the knots above five or fix 

 inches diftant one to another , many times three or four inches , 

 fome more, fome lelTe, for there is no certain rule for that^ the colour 

 of the blades, and tops, pure grals greeny but the Canes themfelves, 

 when they are ripe of a deep Popinjay 5 and then they yeeld the grea- 

 ter quantity, and fuller and fweeter juy ce. The manner of cutting them 

 is with little hand bills, about fix inches from the ground, at which 

 time they divide the tops from the Canes , which they do with the 

 fame bills , at one fi:roak 5 and then holding the Canes by the upper 

 end, they ftripoffall the blades that grow by the fides of the Canes, 

 which tops and blades are bound up in faggots, and put into Carts, 

 to carry home 5 for without thefe, our Horles and Cattle are not able 

 to work, the pafture being fo extream harfh and (aplefs,but with thefe 

 they are very well nourifhtand kept in heart. The Canes we like^ 

 wife bind up in faggots, at the fame time, and thole are commonly 

 brought home upon the bdckso^AjJimgoes ^ and weufethefafliion of 

 Devon-jime in that kind ofHusbandry,(for there we learnt it) which is 

 fmall pack-faddles, and crooks which ferve our purpofes very fitly, • 

 laying upon each Crook a faggot, and one a top, fo that each Aifinigo 

 carries his three faggots 5 and being accuftomed to go between 

 the field and the place where they are to unload, will of themfelves 

 make their returnes without a guide 3 So underflanding this little 

 bead in performing his duty. The place where they unload , is a 

 little platform of ground, which is contiguous to the MilJ-houfe , 

 which they call a Barbjcw^ about 50 foot long and 10 foot broad^done 

 about v/ith a double rayle to keep the Canes from falling out of that 

 room, where one, or two, or more, (who have other work to do in the 

 Miil-houfe, J when they fee the Ajpnigoes coming, and make a flop 

 there, are ready to unload them, and fo turning them back again ^ 

 they go immediately to the field, there to take in frefh loading^fo that 

 they may not unfitly be compared to Bees 5 the one fetching home 

 Hony, the other Sugar : being laid on the Barbyon^y^Q work them out 

 clean, and leave none to grow flale, for if they fhould be more then 

 two dayes old, the juyce will grow four , and then they will not be 

 fit to work, for their fournefs will infed the reft 5 The longeft time 

 they ftay, after they are cut, to the time of grinding, is from Saturday 

 evening to Munday morning at one or two a clock, and the neceflity 

 of Sunday coming between , ("upon which we do not work) caufesus 

 to ftay fo long, which otherwife wc would not do. The manner of 

 grinding them 5 is this, the Horfes and Cattle being put to their tackle, 

 they go about , and by their force turne (by the fweeps) the middle 

 roller, which being Cog'd to the other two, at both ends, turne thera 

 about; and they are three, turning upon their Centres, which are of 

 Brafs and Steel, going very eafily of themfelves, and fo eafie as a mans 

 takmg hold of one of the fweeps with his hand will turne all the 

 rollers about with much eafe. But when the Canes are put in be- 



A a tvveen 



