d some rich planters have from 150 to
300 Negroes. These work five days in every week for their masters, and
are allowed the Saturdays to themselves, when they cultivate various
articles of provision, as the _miglio zaburo_, a species of bean formerly
mentioned, a root called _igname_, and many species of culinary
vegetables, the seeds of which must be imported from Europe, as they do
not come to perfection in this climate.

[Illustration: Chart of North Western Africa]

The soil of St Thomas consists of a red and yellow marl, or clay, of
great fertility, which is kept soft and mellow by the heavy dews which
fall nightly, contributing greatly to vegetation, and preventing it from
being dried up by the great heats; and so great is the luxuriant
fertility of the soil, that trees immediately spring up on any spots left
uncultivated, and will grow as high in a few days as would require as
many months with us. These sprouts are cut down and burnt by the slaves,
and their ashes are used as manure for the sugarcanes. If planted in
January, the canes are ready to be cut in June, and those which are
planted in February become ripe in July; and in this manner they keep up
a succession throughout the whole year. In March and September, when the
sun is vertical, the great rains set in, accompanied with cloudy and
thick weather, which is of great service to the sugar plantations. This
island produces yearly above 150,000 arobas of sugar, each containing
thirty-one of our pounds, of which the king receives the tenth part,
which usually produces from 12,000 to 14,000 arobas, though many of the
planters do not pay this tythe fully. There are about sixty _ingenios_
driven by water, for bruising the canes and pressing out the juice, which
is boiled in vast chaldrons, after which it is poured into pans in the
shape of sugar-loaves, holding from fifteen to twenty pounds each, in
which it is purified by means of ashes. In some parts of the island,
where they have not streams of water, the canes are crushed by machines
worked by the Negroes, and in others by horses. The bruised canes are
given to the hogs, which hardly get any other food, yet fatten
wonderfully, and their flesh is so delicate and wholesome as to be
preferred to that of poultry. Many sugar refiners have been brought here
from Madeira, on purpose to endeavour to manufacture the sugars of St
Thomas more white and harder than its usual produce, but in vain. This is
alleged to p