142 STATISTICAL ACCOUNT OF THE 



which several seeds are thrown ; when the young plants are 

 about six inches high, all the stems are pulled up, except two 

 or three of the strongest. These continue for three or four 

 years to supply two gatherings of cotton in the season. 

 The down is cleared of the seeds by a sort of mill. The 

 success which attended these first adventurers, soon brought 

 more; and from the first coming over of the British settlers, 

 may be fixed the date of the colony's improvement. In 

 1748, several settlements were made on the banks of the 

 Demerary, but some distance up the river ; nor could 

 the Dutch, here, as in the other case, be induced to settle 

 nearer the moutli of it, until the English had set them 

 the example, which they soon did after that period. The 

 Dutch, with a litde experience, discovered tliat the land 

 which they had been cultivating so far up, was not near so 

 fertile and productive, as that which was so frequently inun- 

 dated. And it may be remarked, that the greater part of the 

 low land in Guyana, has grown out of the sea within the last 

 three or four centuries. This soil, partly the work of allu- 

 vion, partly of vegetation, partly of marine insects, is still in- 

 creasing ; the coast is very shallow, and difficult of approach 

 in many parts, and appears to grow continually. 



The indefatiguable indi-istry and perseverance of the Eng- 

 lish planters, brought the west coast of Demerary into cul- 

 tivation ; its contiguousness to Essequebo, soon occasioned a 



