The Consequence of this Distress now among the Barbadians, is shifting their old Habitations; several impelled by Necessity, and Wants, (stronger Motives than Religion;) are stealing away to mend it where they can.
The Sufferings of these Islanders, I think, will carry some Similitude to larger Countries; where the remarkable Decay, or Loss of one single Branch of Trade, it’s observed, will sensibly affect Multitudes, not only those immediately concerned in the retailing, who must change Trades, infringing on others, or seek other Countries, but also those not concerned; because as an extraordinary Trade stamps an extraordinary Value on Land, and that on Provisions, when the one fails, or changes hands, as it has and will do, (Venice, the Hans Towns, Antwerp, Holland, and which by the way, shews all Countries bordering on the Sea, within 50°° of Latitude, equally advantageous for Trade) the other ought to give way for the lowering of Provisions, and Charge of Subsistence to the Poor, (some ways of it being supposed now to be cut off or curtailed:) and if Landlords do it slowly, the Law should oblige; because, as publick Virtue is no private Man’s Profession, he will take his Lands into his own hands, tho’ with Loss, rather than submit to the Reduction of his Rents; and because he can afford it, will hoard, and suffer Grain to decay and spoil, before he will fall the Price.
In our Plantations, the inferior sort of Merchants are not unlike Sharpers in Gaming; they by a better Skill, know how to prey on the Wants, the Weakness, and Passions of their Customers (the Planters and Artificers) chaining them down by degrees to their Service; many of the Inconsiderate being ruined without knowing it, till the very Day they want Victuals.
SUGAR-CANES.
In the Wars between Holland and Portugal in Brasil, a Dutch-Man arrived here from thence, who taught them the way of Planting and making Sugars. They are set out between August and December, six Inches deep, and do not come to Maturity until one year and a quarter: when ripe, which is known by their Colour, they cut them up with a Bill, and send them to the Wind-mills, which presses out the Juice so clean, the Canes by being an hour or two in the Sun, become fit for Fuel.
The Liquor must not remain in the Cistern above a day, for fear of souring; it is therefore by a Gutter conveyed to the Copper or Boyler, and in the boiling, the Filth scummed off; thence it’s conveyed into the second and third, and in the last, called the Tack, is boiled to a Consistency, and turned into a Grain by throwing in of Temper, which is only the Infusion of Lime and Water made strong according to the Goodness of the Cane. Nine Pounds of Juice makes one of Muscovado, and one of Molossus.
From hence it is carried to the cooling Cistern, till fit to put in Pots, which have Holes at Bottom to drain off the Molossus.
Of these Molossus again, they sometimes make another worse Sugar, called Paneels. Of the Scum, coarse Molossus, Washings of the Boilers and Pots, fermented together, is made Rum.
To refine Sugar, is to boil it over again, and clarify with the same Lime-Water and Eggs, reckoned better than the clayed Sugars of this Region, made by putting a clayey Earth mixed with Water to the thickness of a Batter upon them, and repeated three or four times according to the degree of Whiteness design’d; both ways carry the Treacle and Molossus downwards, but the former most esteemed, as mixing less, and purging to better purpose. Lime refines from Impurities, and imparts a softer Taste, experienced in throwing it into Wells of hard Water; the best refin’d in Loaves comes back to the Sugar-Colonies from England, sell at 50 or 100 per Cent. Advance, and are of common Use; they must be kept dry, a hot and moist Air dissolving them.