egetables, the
Rancocusers, lumber-men like, paying but little attention to gardening
or husbandry. The island had its productions, and there was available
land enough, perhaps, to support a few thousand people, but, after the
group and the Peak, the place seemed so little tempting to the farmers,
that no one yet thought of using it for the ordinary means of supporting
life. The "visitors," as the party called themselves, had an inquiry
made into the state of the animals that had been turned loose, on the
pastures and mountain-sides of the island, to seek their own living. The
hogs, as usual, had increased largely; it was supposed there might be
near two hundred of these animals, near half of which, however, were
still grunters. The labourers occasionally killed one, but the number
grew so fast that it was foreseen it would be necessary to have an
annual hunt, in order to keep it down. The goats did particularly well,
though they remained so much on the highest peaks as to be seldom
approached by any of the men. The cow had also increased her progeny,
there being now no less than four younger animals, all of whom yielded
milk to the people. The poultry flourished here, as it did in all that
region, the great abundance of fruit, worms, insects, &c. rendering it
unnecessary to feed them, though Indian-corn was almost to be had for
the asking, throughout all the islands. This grain was rarely harvested,
except as it was wanted, and the hogs that were fattened were usually
turned in upon it in the fields.
It may be well to say, that practice and experience had taught the
colonists something in the way of fattening their pork. The animals were
kept in the group until they were about eighteen months old, when they
were regularly transported to the cove, in large droves, and made to
ascend the steps, passing the last two months of their lives amid the
delightful groves of the Peak. Here they had acorns in abundance, though
their principal food was Indian corn, being regularly attended by
Kannakas who had been trained to the business. At killing-time, each man
either came himself, or sent some one to claim his hogs; all of which
were slaughtered on the Peak, and carried away in the form of pork. The
effect of this change was to make much finer meat, by giving the animals
a cooler atmosphere and purer food.
From Rancocus Island the Martha sailed for the group, which was visited
and inspected in all its settlements by the gove
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