1810.) 
Poole’s Hole is a natural excavation 
underneath an hill, about half a mile 
from Buxton, into which the curious vi- 
sitor is ‘conducted by some hideous-look- 
ing old women, with farthing candles 
stuck betwixt their fingers, and when the 
pale lights gleam on their haggard coun- 
tenances and tattered garments, they 
really appear most disgusting figures, 
*‘so withered and so wild,” that even 
the witches of Macbeth might be ac- 
counted beautiful upon comparison. 
This dark and dismal cavern is reported 
to have been the abode or hiding-place 
of a noted robber, of the name of Poole, 
who must have lived many centuries 
ayo, and whose rocky bed, parlour, and 
kitchen, widely differing from the lux- 
uries and conveniences of modern times, 
are pointed out to observation; as like- 
wise an huge column of rock, called the 
Queen of Scot’s Pillar, in honour of that 
unfortunate princess, who visited this 
cavern on the way to her confinement at 
Chatsworth, a seat of the duke of De- 
vonshire, and distant from Buxton about: 
sixteen miles. 
Though the entrance to Poole’s Hole 
is low and inconvenient, it is yet visited 
by all the gay and fine-dressed folks who 
resort to its neighbouring baths; but I 
have rarely seen any person who ap- 
peared to be much gratified by a view of 
“ats dismal recesses, or thought themselves 
repaid for the trouble of exploring ‘its 
damp unwholesome cavities, by any 
thing they saw in them. The various 
colours of the spar, or congealed waters, 
that hang on the roof and sides, are seen 
to great advantage from the exclusion of 
external light, and the uncertain blink- 
ing of the pitiful luminaries within. In. 
admiring these, one may however pay 
dear for the gratification of his éurio- 
sity, as they may chance to have a tum- 
ble and a severe bruise in consequence, 
from the slipperiness of the rocks, which 
are constantly moist by the wet drop- 
pings from the roof; and it behoves the 
admirer therefore to take good heed to 
his ways, ere he ventures to look around 
upon the beauties of the place, if, in fact, 
he can ‘discover any in this chilling re- 
gion, where I was benumbed with cold 
and damp, and with pleasure hailed a 
return to the scorching rays of the sun, 
in one of the warmest days in June. 
This cave is said to be about half a mile 
in length; but Iam of opinion it is not 
so much, » It is also said that it commu. 
nicates with other caves, at many miles 
distant, but this too I imagine ‘is an ex- 
aggeration ; for the guides took me, and 
On the present State of the Cotton Colones. 
113 
as they appeared to deem it prudent to 
explore. Having now conducted you 
out of this dismal place, I shall for ‘the 
present take iny leave of you, and ree 
main, my dear friend, your’s, with esteem 
and regard, Tur WANDERER. 
———— 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
OBSERVATIONS on the PRESENT STATE of 
the COTTON COLONIES. 
(Concluded from p. 5, of our last.) 
UL PON an average of three years pres 
vious to 1808-(the two succeeding 
years being omitted on account of the 
American decrees and the unusual short- 
ness of crops) the plantation expences or 
those incurred before shipment came te 
7d. per Ib. The mercantile-charges, 
including the duties (or those between 
the shipment and the sale,) amounted to 
73d. perlb. So that the whole expence 
upon every pound of cotton, which must 
be deducted from the gross proceeds of 
the sale, is 4s. Q4d. 
But during the same period the avee 
rage sale price has never exceeded 1s. 
did. per lb., which leaves after all deduc- 
tions, only 84d..as the receipt of the 
proprietor. 
Now it will readily be granted that, 
in speculations in which there is scarcely 
any risk, 10 per cent. upon the capital, 
after payment of all expences, is the 
reward expected, and usually received, 
Mercantile people know this too well 
to require conviction from argument, 
Whenever the hazard is increased, the 
premium to the advantages is proporti- 
onably augmented, Mr. Lowe, in his 
excellent pamphlet, has well insisted on 
the point. It will not be denied that 
speculations in transatlantic property, 
are precarious In an eminent degree, 
The uncertainty of crops, risk of health 
from climate, of property from the 
enemy, and various other causes, all 
rendérit so. Ten per cent. then, as the 
lowest reward of speculation, may be 
assumed as the minimum of return due 
to the cotton-planter. This will be more 
easily conceded, as it is the general 
admission that this is the proper per 
centage of the sugar-planter, and it is 
well known that sugar crops are much 
less affected by contingencies of weather, 
&c. &c. than those of cotton. 
Assuming then ten per cent. as the 
reward of the planter, the value of each 
acre to be 1401. sterling, and the quan 
tity of cotton produced, to be 200lbs., 
the net receipt of the planter on each 
pound of cotton wool should be 1s. 5d. © 
but the actual sum he receives is 84d. 
, the person who accompanied me, as far a certain loss to him of 84d, ; forif it be 
y 
Once 
