swer the duration
of the Water. For all their Crop would be spoilt if the Water should
fail them before their Corn grew ripe. If they foresee their Water
will hold out long, then they sow the best and most profitable Rice,
viz. that which is longest a ripening; but if it will not, they must
be content to sow of the worser sorts; that is, those that are sooner
ripe. Again, they are forced sometimes to sow this younger Rice,
for the preventing the damage it might otherwise meet with, if it
should stand longer. For their Fields are all in common, which after
they have sown, they enclose till Harvest; But as soon as the Corn
first sown becomes ripe, when the Owner has reaped it, it is lawful
for him to break down his Fences, and let in his Cattle for grazing;
which would prove a great mischief to that Corn that required to
stand a Month or two longer. Therefore if they are constrained to
sow later than the rest, either through want or sloth, or some other
Impediment, yet they make use of that kind of Rice that will become
ripe, equal with that first sown. [They sow at different times, but
reap together.] And so they all observe one time of reaping to prevent
their Corn being trampled down or eaten up by the Cattle. Thus they
time their Corn to their Harvest; some sowing sooner, some later,
but all reaping together, unless they be Fields that are enclosed by
themselves; and peculiar to one Man.

[Their Artificial Pools.] Where there are no Springs or Rivers to
furnish them with Water, as it is in the Northern Parts, where there
are but two or three Springs, they supply this defect by saving of rain
Water; which they do, by casting up great Banks in convenient places
to stop and contain the Rains that fall, and so save it till they have
occasion to let it out into their Fields: They are made rounding like
a C or Half-Moon, every Town has one of these Ponds, which if they
can but get filled with Water, they count their Corn is as good as
in the Barn. It was no small work to the ancient Inhabitants to make
all these Banks, of which there is a great number, being some two,
some three Fathoms in height, and in length some above a Mile, some
less, not all of a size. They are now grown over with great Trees,
and so seem natural Hills. When they would use the Water, they cut a
gap in one end of the Bank, and so draw the Water by little and little,
as they have occasion for the watering their Corn. These Ponds in dry
weather dry up