ak, and so make an end of this First Part.

[Precious Stones.] In this Island are several sorts of Precious Stones,
which the King for his part has enough of, and so careth not to have
more discovery made. For in certain places where they are known to
be, are sharp Poles set up fixed in the ground, signifying, that none
upon pain of being stuck and impaled upon those Poles, presume so much
as to go that way; Also there are certain Rivers, out of which it is
generally reported they do take Rubies and Saphires for the Kings use,
and Cats eyes. And I have seen several pretty coloured stones, some as
big as Cherry-stones, some as Buttons, and transparent, but understood
not what they were. Rubies and Saphires I my self have seen here.

[Minerals and other Commodities.] Here is Iron and Christal in
great plenty. Salt-Petre they can make. Brimstone some say, is
here, but the King will not have it discovered. Steel they can make
of their Iron. Ebony in great abundance, with choice of tall and
large Timber. Cardamums, Jaggory, Rack, Oyl, black Lead, Turmeric,
Salt, Rice, Bettel-Nuts, Musk, Wax, Pepper, Which last grows here
very well, and might be in great plenty, if it had a Vend. And the
peculiar Commodity of the Island, Cinnamon. Wild Cattel, and wild
Honey in great plenty in the Woods; it lyes in holes or hollow Trees,
free for any that will take the pains to get it. Elephants Teeth,
and Cotton, of which there is good plenty, growing in their own
Grounds, sufficient to make them good and strong cloth for their own
use, and also to sell to the People of the Uplands, where Cotton is
not so plenty. All these things the Land affords, and it might do
it in much greater quantity, if the People were but laborious and
industrious. But that they are not. For the Chingulays are Naturally,
a people given to sloth and laziness: if they can but any ways live,
they abhor to work; onely what their necessities force them to, they
do, that is, to get Food and Rayment. Yet in this I must a little
vindicate them; [The People discouraged from Industry by the Tyranny
they are under.] For what indeed should they do with more than Food and
Rayment, seeing as their Estates encrease, so do their Taxes also? And
altho the People be generally covetous, spending but little, scraping
together what they can, yet such is the Government they are under,
that they are afraid to be known to have any thing, lest it be taken
away from them. Neither have they