394 



ereded for the purpofe of clearing the cotton 

 from its feeds ; and, as they happened to be 

 in motion we availed ourfelves of the opportu- 

 nity of waiting a lli'^rt time, to witnefs the pro- 

 cefs. The cotton, when pulled from the pod, 

 envelopes the feeds, forming the matrix in 

 which they grow and are embedded ; and it is, 

 feparated from them by being caufed to pals 

 through the bite of two fmall metallic rollers, 

 placed horizontally, one over the other, and 

 turned by the adion of the mill. Thcfe pall- 

 ing round, near to each other, are fed with the 

 cotton, which they take in, without receiving 

 the feeds, leaving them to fall to the ground, 

 or into a bafket below% while the cotton, drawn 

 betv/een the rollers, pafles through and is 

 ejeded into a box on the oppofite fide. The 

 procefs is io entirely fimple that it might be 

 performed equally well by a fmaller inftru- 

 ment worked with the hand, or the foot, and 

 which we are told is the method pradiifed in 

 many parts of the Weft Indies. 



Among the novelties which meet the eye 

 of an European upon his arrival at Barbadoes, 

 or probably in any of the Weft India iflands, 

 is the pradice of carrying the children acrofs 



