C a p. I V. The CaribbyJflanck 187 



CHAP. IV. 



Of the Trading and Employments of the Forreign Inha- 

 bitants of the Country j and jirjl y of the culture and 

 ordering of tobacco. 



T N the Caribbies Money is not us'd in order to the carrying 

 J on of ordinary Traffick, but this is perform 'd by the ex- 

 changing of thofe Commodities which are of the growth of 

 the' Country for fuch as are brought out of Europe, whether 

 they confift in Cloaths, Linnen, Ammunition;, or Provifions, 

 and »other neceiTaries requifite for the better conveniences and 

 enjoyments of life. And this was the common courfe of all 

 Nations before the ufe of Money, and is to this day pra&is'd 

 in divers favage Countries, and particularly in Colchida, where 

 every one brings to the Market what he hath fuperfluous, to 

 fupply himfelf with what he Wanfs. 



The Store-houfes and Magazines of thefe Iflands are com- 

 monly well fumiuYd with all forts of Commodities which are 

 brought out of England, France, Holland, and Zealand, nay as 

 plentifully as in any place in the world. The price of eve- 

 ry Commodity is not left to the choice of the Merchants 

 who keep the Store-houfes, but fet upon it by the Gover- 

 nors, with the advice of their Council. The Commodities 

 which the Inhabitants bring in exchange for thofe before- 

 mentioned, are reducible to five ipecies $ to wit. Tobacco, 

 Sugar, Ginger, Indico, and Cotton. 



At the beginning all the forreign Inhabitants of the Ca- 

 ribbies apply'd themfelves wholly to the culture of Tobac- 

 co, whereby they made a ftiift to get a competent livelihood 5 

 but afterwards the abundance that was made bringing down 

 the price of i»t, they have in feveral places employ'd them- 

 felves in the planting of Sugar-canes, Ginger, and Indico : 

 And it hath pleas'd God Co to profper their defigns, that it 

 is almoft a miracle to fee with what improvement all thefe 

 Commodities grow in moft of the Iflands. And forafmuch 

 as many who fee them in Europe know not how they are or- 

 der'd, it will be a great fatisfa&ion to their curiofity, to 

 give a (hort account of each of them 5 whereto we (hall 

 adde fomewhat concerning Cotton. 



True it is, that divers Authors have already treated of 

 them } but in regard our Hiftory would be defective, if no- 

 thing mould be faid concerning them, we are in the firft 

 place to aflure the Header, that the whole difcourfe we in- 

 tend to make thereof is not a Copy or Extract out of any 

 other, but a true Original naturally taken with much care 

 Bb 7 and 



