{The Present State Of Carolina.}
The Inhabitants Of Carolina, Thro' The Richness Of The Soil,
Live An Easy And Pleasant Life.
The Land being of several sorts of Compost,
some stiff, others light, some marl, others rich black Mould;
here
Barren of Pine, but affording Pitch, Tar, and Masts;
there vastly rich, especially on the Freshes of the Rivers,
one part bearing great Timbers, others being Savanna's or natural Meads,
where no Trees grow for several Miles, adorn'd by Nature
with a pleasant Verdure, and beautiful Flowers, frequent in no other Places,
yielding abundance of Herbage for Cattle, Sheep, and Horse.
The Country in general affords pleasant Seats, the Land
(except in some few Places) being dry and high Banks, {Necks of Land.}
parcell'd out into most convenient Necks, (by the Creeks)
easy to be fenced in for securing their Stocks to more strict Boundaries,
whereby, with a small trouble of fencing, almost every Man
may enjoy, to himself, an entire Plantation, or rather Park.
These, with the other Benefits of Plenty of Fish, Wild-Fowl, Venison,
and the other Conveniencies which this Summer-Country naturally furnishes,
has induc'd a great many Families to leave the more Northerly Plantations,
and sit down under one of the mildest Governments in the World;
in a Country that, with moderate Industry, will afford all
the Necessaries of Life. We have yearly abundance of Strangers
come among us, who chiefly strive to go Southerly to settle,
because there is a vast Tract of rich Land betwixt the Place we are seated in,
and Cape-Fair, and upon that River, and more Southerly,
which is inhabited by none but a few Indians, who are at this time
well affected to the English, and very desirous of their coming
to live among them. {Purchase of Land.} The more Southerly,
the milder Winters, with the Advantages of purchasing the Lords Land
at the most easy and moderate Rate of any Lands in America,
nay (allowing all Advantages thereto annex'd) I may say,
the Universe does not afford such another; Besides, Men have
a great Advantage of choosing good and commodious Tracts of Land
at the first Seating of a Country or River, whereas the later Settlers
are forced to purchase smaller Dividends of the old Standers,
and sometimes at very considerable Rates; {Land in Virginia and Maryland.}
as now in Virginia and Maryland, where a thousand Acres of good Land
cannot be bought under twenty Shillings an Acre, besides two Shillings
yearly Acknowledgment for every hundred Acres; which Sum,
be it more or less, will serve to put the Merchant or Planter here
into a good posture of Buildings, Slaves, and other Necessaries,
when the Purchase of his Land comes to him on such easy Terms.
{Stocks Increase.} And as our Grain and Pulse thrives with us to admiration,
no less do our Stocks of Cattle, Horses, Sheep, and Swine multiply.
{Beef.}
The Beef of Carolina equalizes the best that our neighbouring
Colonies afford; the Oxen are of a great size when they are suffer'd to live
to a fit Age. I have seen fat and good Beef at all times of the Year,
but October and the cool Months are the Seasons we kill our Beeves in,
when we intend them for Salting or Exportation; for then they are in
their prime of Flesh, all coming from Grass, we never using
any other Food for our Cattle. {Heifers.} The Heifers bring Calves
at eighteen or twenty Months old, which makes such a wonderful Increase,
that many of our Planters, from very mean Beginnings, have rais'd themselves,
and are now Masters of hundreds of fat Beeves, and other Cattle.
{Veal.}
The Veal is very good and white, so is the Milk very pleasant and rich,
there being, at present, considerable Quantities of Butter and Cheese made,
that is very good, not only serving our own Necessities,
but we send out a great deal among our Neighbours.
{Sheep.}
The Sheep thrive very well at present, having most commonly two Lambs
at one yeaning: As the Country comes to be open'd, they prove still better,
Change of Pasture being agreeable to that useful Creature.
Mutton is (generally) exceeding Fat, and of a good Relish;
their Wool is very fine, and proves a good Staple.
{Horses.}
The Horses are well-shap'd and swift; the best of them would sell
for ten or twelve Pounds in England. They prove excellent Drudges,
and will travel incredible Journeys. They are troubled with
very few Distempers, neither do the cloudy-fac'd grey Horses go blind here,
as in Europe. As for Spavins, Splints, and Ring-Bones,
they are here never met withal, as I can learn. Were we to have
our Stallions and choice of Mares from England, or any other of a good Sort,
and careful to keep them on the Highlands, we could not fail
of a good Breed; but having been supply'd with our first Horses
from the neighbouring Plantations, which were but mean,
they do not as yet come up to the Excellency of the English Horses;
tho' we generally find, that the Colt exceeds, in Beauty and Strength,
its Sire and Dam.
{Swine.}
The Pork exceeds any in Europe; the great Diversity and Goodness
of the Acorns and Nuts which the Woods afford, making that Flesh
of an excellent Taste, and produces great Quantities; so that Carolina
(if not the chief) is not inferior, in this one Commodity, to any Colony
in the hands of the English.
{Goats.}
As for Goats, they have been found to thrive and increase well,
but being mischievous to Orchards and other Trees, makes People decline
keeping them.
{Produce.}
Our Produce for Exportation to Europe and the Islands in America,
are Beef, Pork, Tallow, Hides, Deer-Skins, Furs, Pitch, Tar,
Wheat, Indian-Corn, Pease, Masts, Staves, Heading, Boards,
and all sorts of Timber and Lumber for Madera and the West-Indies;
Rozin, Turpentine, and several sorts of Gums and Tears,
with some medicinal Drugs, are here produc'd; Besides Rice, and several other
foreign Grains, which thrive very well.
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