Natives Growing Tobacco.
From this time forward both colonies developed into strong and flourishing plantations and with each succeeding year increased the cultivation of tobacco which had now become more extensively cultivated than all the other products combined. Its culture however was looked upon with the same disapproval by Charles II. who confirmed the old laws against its sale and cultivation. But notwithstanding the remonstrances of the Stuarts the plant grew in use and favor and could not be uprooted even by a kingly hand. The early cultivators of the plant received a fresh impetus from the importation of a new species of labor in the form of Negro slaves brought from the West India islands. They arrived in the Ship Treasurer "being manned by the best men of the colony who set out on roving in ye Spanish dominions in the West Indies" and after a successful cruise against the Spaniards returned with their spoils including a certain number of Negroes. Rolfe in alluding to the importation of Negroes says:
"About the last of August came in, a Dutch man-of-warre that sold us twenty negars."
Most writers are of the opinion that this was in 1620, one of whom says "in the same year that the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth, slaves landed in Virginia." Another writer says of the introduction of slave labor into the Plantations,
"Is there not a probability that the vessel was under control of Argall, if not the ship Treasurer? If twenty negroes came in 1619, as alleged, their increase was very slow, for according to a census of 16th of February, 1624, there were but twenty-two then in the colony, distributed as follows: eleven at Flourdiew Hundred, three at James City, one at James Island, one at the plantation opposite James City, four at Warisquoyok, and two at Elizabeth City."
About the same time that "negars" landed in the colony, commenced the arrival of starving boys and girls picked up out of the streets of London. The "negars" are described as follows by an early writer of the colony.
"The negroes live in small cottages called quarters, in about six in a gang, under the direction or an overseer or baliff; who takes care that they tend such land as the owner allots and orders, upon which they raise Hogs and Cattle, plant Indian Corn (or maize) and Tobacco for the use of their Master; out of which the overseer has a dividend (or share) in proportion to the number of hands including himself; this with several privileges in his salary, and is an ample recompense for his pains, and encouragement of his industrious care, as to the labor, health, and provision of the negroes. The negroes are very numerous, some gentlemen having hundreds of them of all sorts, to whom they bring great profit; for the sake of which they are obliged to keep them well, and not overwork, starve, or famish them, besides other inducements to favor them, which is done in a great degree, to such especially that are laborious, careful, and honest; though indeed some Masters, careless of their own interest and reputation, are too cruel and negligent.
"The negroes are not only increased by fresh supplies from Africa and the West India Islands, but also are very prolific among themselves; and they that are born there talk good English, and effect our language, habits, and customs; and tho' they be naturally of a barbarous and cruel temper, yet are they kept under by severe discipline upon occasion, and by good laws are prevented from running away, injuring the English or neglecting their business. Their work (or chimerical hard slavery) is not very laborious; their greatest hardship consisting in that they and their posterity are not at their own liberty or disposal, but are the property of their owners; and when they are free they know not how to provide so well for themselves generally; neither did they live so plentifully nor (many of them) so easily in their own country where they are made slaves to one another, or taken captive by their enemies. Their work is to take care of the stock, and plant Corn, Tobacco, Fruits and which is not harder than thrashing, hedging, or ditching; besides, though they are out in the violent heat, wherein they delight, yet in wet or cold weather there is little occasion for their working in the fields, in which few will let them be abroad, lest by this means they might get sick or die, which would prove a great loss to their owners, a good Negroe being sometimes worth three (nay four) score pounds sterling, if he be a tradesmen; so that upon this (if upon no other account) they are obliged not to overwork them, but to clooth and feed them sufficiently, and take care of their health."
The planters, supplied with greater facilities for the work, now increased the size of their tobacco plantations, "taking up new ground" (clearing the land) and planting a much larger area. The first exportation of the colony's tobacco was brought into competition with that of much finer flavor, which had acquired an established reputation long before the English began the culture of the plant in the New World. The Spanish, Dutch and Portuguese had long monopolized its culture and trade, and brought from St. Domingo, Jamaica, St. Thomas, the Philippine Islands, West Florida, and various parts of South America, several varieties of tobacco of excellent quality, and which sold at an exorbitant price. On testing the tobacco grown by the London and Plymouth companies it was found to be sweet and mild in flavor, of a light color, and well adapted for smoking. On its first introduction into England it sold for 3s. per pound, but as its culture increased the price lessened, until it was sold at one-half this amount.