three small pivot
guns.[157]

A printing press costing more than $1,000, in addition to the salary
of a printer, had been sent out. The citizens of Liberia expressed
their thanks by subscribing nearly $200 "toward the immediate issue
and support of a publick newspaper."[158] One thousand volumes of
books, a complete set of the North American Review, a gift of Editor
Sparks, and many other useful things were on hand.[159]

Economic effort, however, did not at first play as conspicuous a part
in the missionary adventure of Lott Cary as it did in the lives of the
pioneers, George Liele and David George, who left this country
primarily to be able to make a living.[160] Nevertheless, the economic
feature developed after a time. The agricultural progress of the
country was rapidly promoted. The sultry and moist climate greatly
accelerated[161] the growth of coffee,[162] rice and cassada. The Rev.
Colston M. Waring was the first to attempt farming on anything like a
large scale. His crop of rice and cassada on a ten acre farm failed
and checked so bold an example from all except Lott Cary. He, too,
lost a promising crop in 1825 on the same kind of land because of the
birds and the monkeys.[163] This failure, however, showed him that
either farming as the natives adopted (scratching the surface of the
ground with a sharp stick) or more improved methods of thoroughly
preparing the soil had to be tried.[164] In the following year, Cary
enlarged his farm, had it cleared, dug it up with picks and hoes, and,
in June, sowed about three bushels of rice to the acre. At the first
cutting, on the 20th of October, it averaged 50 kroos (a measure
varying from 3 to 5 winchester gallons) per acre.[165]

In one letter, he says:[166] "I have a promising little crop of rice
and cassada, and have planted about 180 coffee trees this week, a part
of which I expect, will produce next season, as they are now in bloom.
I think, sir, that in a very few years we shall send you coffee of a
better quality than you have ever seen brought into your market. We
find that trees of two species abound in great quantities on the
Cape."

On the 7th of July, 1825, Cary reported a discovery of gold in the
sand near little Cape Mount.[167] The appearance of gold was certain
to develop the country commercially; some trade was already being
carried on. Endeavoring to participate therein, nine of the natives
built a ten ton schooner which carried from four to eig