21^ STATISTICAL ACCOUNT OF THE 



grown out of the institution of task gangs. The guilds of the 

 burghers, which prepared the way for all the chartered li- 

 berties of the people, were originally purse clubs, founded to 

 prevent the artisans from becoming chargeable, in seasons of 

 distress, to the landlord on whose estate they were born. If 

 our task gangs were encouraged by the government, to ap- 

 propriate a part of their earnings for the attainment of a like 

 independence, companies of free labourers would insensibly 

 be formed, and only agriculture would remain a servile oc*- 

 cupation. ^ia 



We export to the islands, a large quantity of mill tim* 

 bers, for the erection of sugar works. The forests also sup- 

 ply us in a great measure with shingles, wallaba staves, and 

 hoops for sugar hogsheads. The fuel which is used in the 

 manufacture of sugar and distillation of rum, we also provide 

 ourselves with in abundance ; whereas the estates in the West 

 India islands are obliged to use coals. The valuable woods 

 are sometimes exported to England for the cabinet-makers. 

 A considerable quantity of our hard woods, especially the 

 teteuna and sieurbally are sawed into planks for the boat 

 builders' use ; they are most esteemed for that purpose. A 

 flat bottomed boat, called a punt, is much used in the rivers, 

 creeks, and canals, for the conveyance of produce; they are 

 square at both ends, and will not live at sea. : u- ii 



