198 The Hijioryof BookH 



that bear it in the hedges of their Plantations : But all put to* 

 'gether amounts but to little in comparifon of what is faid of a 

 certain Quarter of the Province of China 5 for a certain Au- 

 thour named Trigaut^ in the xvii. chap, of the fift h Book of his 

 Hiftory, affirms, that there grows fo much Cotton there as 

 finds work enough for two hundred thoufand Weavers. 



The Englifi who are the Inhabitants of the Bar bout hos drive 

 a great trade in this Commodity, as alfo thofe who liv'd 

 formerly in the Ifland of Santa-cruce. There is no great trou- 

 ble in the making of Cotton fit for the market for all to be 

 done, is to get out of the half-open d button that matter 

 which in a manner forces its way out it felf : And whereas 

 it is full of the feed of the tree that bears it, which are like 

 little beans intangled within the Cotton, in the midft where- 

 of they had their production, there are a fort of little En- 

 gine:, made with fuch artifice, that by the turning of a wheel, 

 whereby they are put into motion, the Cotton falls on the 

 one fide, and the feed on the other : That done, the Cotton is 

 thrufl: up as clofe as may be into bags, that fo it may take up 

 the lets room. 



Thus have we given a brief account of the principal Em- 

 ployments which keep up the Commerce of the Iflands, and 

 the Commodities wherein the Inhabitants do ordinarily trade. 



CHAP. VI. 



Of the more honourable Employments of the European 

 Inhabitants of the Caribbies ; their Slaves \ and 

 their Government. 



THe European Colonies which have planted themfelves in 

 the Caribbies^ do not confift only of a fort of Vaga- 

 bonds and perfons of mean condition, as fome fondly imagine, 

 but there are alio among them many of Quality, and defcend- 

 ed from noble Families : So that the Employments we menti- 

 oned in the precedent Chapter, are defign*d only for the moll: 

 inconfiderable of the Inhabitants, and fuch whofe neceffities 

 have fore 'd them to earn their bread with the labour of their 

 hands, and the fweat of their brows : But the others, who are 

 able to hire people to overfee their Servants and Slaves, and 

 to fee that they do their work, lead pleafant lives, and want 

 not thofe enjoyments thereof which are to be had in other 

 Countries. Their employments and divertifements, befides 

 the frequent vifits they make and receive with extraordinary 

 expreliions of civility, are Hunting, Fifhing, 'and other com- 

 mendable 



