Wilhems Plains ] TERRA AUSTRALIS. 
435 
The taxes and price of provisions, coffee, See. in the above cal- Sc ’®^' ber 
dilation, are taken as they usually stood in time of war, under the 
government of general De Caen ; and every thing is taken against, 
rather than in favour of the planter. In his expenses a sufficiency 
is allowed to live comfortably, to see his friends at times, and some- 
thing for the pleasure of himself and Wife ; but if he choose to be 
very economical, 2000 dollars might be saved from the sums allotted. 
In selling his plantation at the end of five years, he is in a great 
measure losing the fruit of his labour; for the coffee alone might be 
reasonably expected to product annually one hundred bales for the 
following ten years, and make his revenue exceed 3000 dollars per 
annum ; and if he continued to live economically upon the plantation, 
this, with the rising interest of his surplus money, would double his 
property in a short time. It is therefore better, supposing a man to 
possess the requisite knowledge, to purchase a habitation already 
established, than to commence upon a new one. 
The same person going to Vaucouas with the intention of 
quitting it at the end of five years, would not plant coffee, but turn 
his attention to providing different kinds of wood and sending it to 
Port Louis. With this object principally in view, he would purchase 
two habitations instead of one ; and as this and other expenses inci- 
dent to the new arrangement would require a greater sum than he 
is supposed to possess, he. must borrow, at high interest, what is 
necessary to make up the deficiency . 1 he amount of his receipts 
and expenses for the five years, would then be nearly as follows. 
EXPENSES. Dollars. 
As before, deducting coffee plants, - 21,230 
An additional habitation, - 3,000 
Twenty asses, at 90 D. each, - 1,300 
Harnesses for three teams, ~ 300 
Three waggons built on the plantation, 150 
Three additional slaves, - GOO 
Interest of (5,000 dollars borrowed for 
three years, at 1 8 pet cent, per an. 3,240 
Total 30,120 
Total receipts 4 Id* >2 
Increase 1 1 ,002 
receipts. Dollars. 
As before, deducting wood, coffee, 
plantation and buildings, - 1 2^910 
Trim med ebony sent to the town 375, 
6'00lbs. at 2 D. per 100, - 7 5 512 
Timber sent to Port Louis in 4 years, 
640 loads at 25 D. each, - 16,000 
Two habitations stripped of the best 
wood may sell for, with buildings, 4,000 
Asses and additional slaves, - I >500 
Total 41,922 
