A true & exact history of the island of Barbados

by Richard Ligon

When I first arrived upon the Iland, it was in my purpose, to observe their severall manners of planting and husbandry there; and because this Plant was of greatest value and esteem, I desired first the knowledge of it. I saw by the growth, as well as by what I had been told, that it was a strong and lusty Plant, and so vigorous, as where it grew, to forbid all Weeds to grow very neer it; so thirstily it suck’t the earth for nourishment, to maintain its own health and gallantry.

But the Planters, though they knew this to be true, yet, by their manner of Planting, did not rightly pursue their own knowledge; for their manner was, to dig small holes, at three foot distance, or there about, and put in the Plants endwise, with a little stooping, so that each Plant brought not forth above three or foure sprouts at the most, and they being all fastned to one root, when they grew large, tall, and heavy, and stormes of winde and rain came, (and those raines there, fall with much violence and weight) the rootes were loosened, and the Canes lodged, and so became rotten, and unfit for service in making good Sugar. And besides, the roots being far assunder, weedes grew up between, and worse then all weeds, Withs, which are of a stronger grouth then the Canes, and do much mischiefe where they are; for, they winde about them, and pull them down to the ground, as disdaining to see a prouder Plant than themselves. But experience taught us, that this way of planting was most pernicious, and therefore were resolved to try another, which is, without question, the best; and that is, by digging a small trench of six inches broad, and as much deep, in a straight line, the whole length of the land you mean to plant, laying the earth on one side the trench as you make it; then lay two Canes along the bottom of the trench, one by another, and so continue them the whole length of the trench, to the lands end, and cover them with the earth you laid by; and at two foot distance, another of the same, and so a third, and fourth, till you have finish’d all the land you intend to plant at that time: For, you must not plant too much at once, but have it to grow ripe successively, that your work may come in order, to keep you still doing; for, if it should be ripe altogether, you are not able to work it so; and then for want of cutting, they would rot, and grow to losse: By planting it thus along, two together, every knot will have a sprout, and so a particular root, and by the means of that, be the more firmer fixt in the ground, and the better able to endure the winde and weather, and by their thick growing together, be the stronger to support one another. By that time they have been in the ground a month, you shall perceive them to appear, like a land of green Wheat in England, that is high enough to hide a Hare; and in a month more, two foot high at least. But upon the first months growth, those that are carefull, and the best husbands, command their Overseers to search, if any weeds have taken root, and destroy them, or if any of the Plants fail, and supply them; for where the Plants are wanting, weeds will grow; for, the ground is too vertuous to be idle. Or, if any Withs grow in those vacant places, they will spread very far, and do much harm, pulling down all the Canes they can reach to. If this husbandry be not used when the Canes are young, it will be too late to finde a remedy; for, when they are grown to a height, the blades will become rough and sharp in the sides, and so cut the skins of the Negres, as the blood will follow; for their bodies, leggs, and feet, being uncloathed and bare, cannot enter the Canes without smart and losse of blood, which they will not endure. Besides, if the Overseers stay too long, before they repair these void places, by new Plants, they will never be ripe together, which is a very great harm to the whole field, for which there is but one remedy, and that almost as ill as the disease, which is, by burning the whole field, by which they lose all the time they have grown: But the roots continuing secure from the fire, there arises a new spring altogether; so that to repair this losse of time, they have only this recompence, which is, by burning an army of the main enemies to their profit, Rats, which do infinite harm in the Iland, by gnawing the Canes, which presently after will rot, and become unservicable in the work of Sugar. And that they may do this justice the more severely, they begin to make their fire at the out-sides of that land of Canes they mean to burn, and so drive them to the middle, where at last the fire comes, and burnes them all; and this great execution they put often in practice, without Assises or Sessions; for, there are not so great enemies to the Canes, as these Vermine; as also to the Houses, where they lay up their stores of Corn and other provisions; and likewise in dwelling houses for their victualls. For, when the great down-falls of rain come, which is in November and December, and in the time of the Turnado, they leave the field, and shelter themselves in the dwelling houses where they do much mischiefe.

The Canes with their tops or blades, doe commonly grow to be eight foot high; the Canes themselves, are commonly five or sixe foot, (I have seen some double that length but ’tis but seldome) the bodyes of them, about an inch diametre, the knots about five or six inches distant one from another, many times three or four inches, some more, some lesse, for there is no certaine rule for that; the colour of the blades, and tops, pure grass green; but the Canes themselves, when they are ripe of a deep Popinjay; and then they yeeld the greater quantity, and fuller, and sweeter juyce. The manner of cutting them is with little hand bills, about sixe inches from the ground; at which time they divide the tops, from the Canes, which they do with the same bills, at one stroake; and then holding the Canes by the upper end: they strip off all the blades that grow by the sides of the Canes, which tops and blades, are bound up in faggots, and put into Carts, to carry home; for without these, our Horses and Cattle are not able to work, the pasture being so extreame harsh and sapless, but with these they are very well nourisht, and kept in heart. The Canes we likewise binde up in faggots, at the same time, and those are commonly brought home upon the backs of Assinigoes, and we use the fashion of Devonshire, in that kind of Husbandry, (for there we learnt it) which is small pack saddles, and crookes, which serve our purposes very fitly, laying upon each Crook a faggot and one a top, so that each Assinigo carries his three faggots; and being accustomed to go between the field and the place where they are to unload, will of themselves make their returnes, without a guide; So understanding this little beast is in performing his duty. The place where they unload, is a little platforme of ground, which is contiguous to the Mill-house, which they call a Barbycu; about 30 foot long, and 10 foot broad; done about with a double rayle, to keep the Canes from falling out of that room; where one, or two, or more, (who have other work to do in the Mill house,) when they see the Assinigoes comming, and make a stop there, are ready to unloade them, and so turning them back againe, they go immediately to the field, there to take in fresh loading; so that they may not unfitly be compar’d to Bees; the one fetching home honey, the other sugar: being laid on the Barbycu, we work them out cleane, and leave none to grow stale, for if they should be more then two dayes old, the juyce will grow sower, and then they will not be fit to worke, for their soureness will infect the rest; The longest time they stay, after they are cut, to the time of grinding, is from Saturday evening, to Munday morning, at one or two a clock; and the necessity of Sunday comming between, (upon which we do not work) causes us to stay so long, which otherwise we would not doe. The manner of grinding them, is this, the Horses and Cattle being put to their tackle: they go about, and by their force turne (by the sweeps) the middle roller; which being Cog’d to the other two, at both ends, turne them about; and they all three, turning upon their Centres, which are of Brass and Steele go very easily of themselves, and so easie, as a mans taking hold, of one of the sweeps, with his hand will turne all the rollers about with much ease. But when the Canes are put in between the rollers, it is a good draught for five Oxen or Horses; a Negre puts in the Canes of one side, and the rollers draw them through to the other side, where another Negre stands, and receives them; and returnes them back on the other side of the middle roller, which drawes the other way. So that having past twice through, that is forth and back, it is conceived all the juyce is prest out; yet the Spaniards have a press, after both the former grindings, to press out the remainder of the liquor, but they having but small works in Spaine, make the most of it, whilst we having far greater quantities, are loath to be at that trouble. The Canes having past to and againe, there are young Negre girles, that carry them away, and lay them on a heap, at the distance of six score paces or there abouts; where they make a large hill, if the worke have continued long: under the rollers, there is a receiver, as big as a large Tray; into which the liquor falls, and stayes not there, but runs under ground in a pipe or gutter of lead; cover’d over close, which pipe or gutter, carries it into the Cistern, which is fixt neer the staires, as you go down from the Mill-house to the boyling house. But it must not remaine in that Cisterne above one day, lest it grow sower; from thence it is to passe through a gutter, (fixt to the wall) to the Clarifying Copper, as there is occasion to use it, and as the work goes on, and as it Clarifies in the first Copper, and the skumme rises, it is conveyed away by a passage, or gutter for that purpose; as also of the second Copper, both which skimmings, are not esteem’d worth the labour of stilling; because the skum is dirtie and grosse: But the skimmings of the other three Coppers, are conveyed, down to the Still-house, there to remaine in the Cisterns, till it be a little sower, for till then it will not come over the helme. This liquor is remov’d, as it is refin’d, from one Copper to another, and the more Coppers it passeth through, the finer and purer it is, being continually drawn up, and keel’d by ladles, and skim’d by skimmers, in the Negres hands, till at last it comes to the tach, where it must have much labour, in keeling and stirring, and as it boyles, there is thrown into the four last Coppers, a liquor made of water and Ashes which they call Temper, without which, the Sugar would continue a Clammy substance and never kerne. The quantities, they put in are small, but being of a tart quality it turnes the ripeness and clamminesse of the Sugar to cruddle and separate: which you will find, by taking out some drops of it, to Candy, and suddenly to grow hard; and then it has inough of the fire. Upon which Essay they presently poure two spoonfulls of Sallet Oyle into the tach, and then immediately it gives over to bubble or rise. So after much keeling, they take it out of the tach, by the ladles they use there, and put it into ladles that are of greater receipt, with two handles, and by them remove it into the cooling Cisterne, neer the stayers that goes to the fire roome: But as they remove the last part of the liquor out of the tach, they do it with all the celerity they can; and suddenly cast in cold water, to coole the Copper from burning, for the fire in the furnace, continues still in the same heat: and so when that water is removed out againe by the Ladles, they are in the same degree carefull, and quick, as soon as the last Ladle full is taken out, to throw in some of the liquor of the next Copper, to keep the tach from burning, and so fill it up out of the next, and that out of the third, and that out of the fourth, and that out of the Clarifying Copper, and so from the Cistern, and so from the Mill-house or Ingenio. And so the work goes on, from Munday morning at one a clock, till Saturday night, (at which time the fire in the Furnaces are put out) all houres of the day and night, with fresh supplies of Men, Horses, and Cattle. The Liquor being come to such a coolnesse, as it is fit to be put into the Pots, they bring them neer the Cooler, and stopping first the sharp end of the Pot (which is the bottom) with Plantine leaves, (and the passage there no bigger, then a mans finger will go in at) they fill the Pot, and set it between the stantions, in the filling room, where it staies till it be thorough cold, which will be in two daies and two nights; and then if the Sugar be good, knock upon it with the knuckle of your finger, as you would do upon an earthen pot, to trie whether it be whole, and it will give a sound; but if the Sugar be very ill, it will neither be very hard, nor give any sound. It is then to be removed into the Cureing house, and set between stantions there: But first, the stopples are to be pull’d out of the bottom of the pots, that the Molosses may vent it selfe at that hole, and so drop down upon a gutter of board, hollowed in the middle, which conveyeth the Molosses from one to another, till it be come into the Cisterns, of which there is commonly foure, at either corner one; and there remains, till it rise to a good quantity, and then they boyl it again, and of that they make Peneles, a kinde of Sugar somewhat inferiour to the Muscavado; but yet will sweeten indifferently well, and some of it very well coloured. The pots being thus opened at the bottoms, the Molosses drops out, but so slowly, as hardly to vent it selfe in a month, in which time, the sugar ought to be well cur’de; and therefore they thought fit, to thrust a spike of wood in at the bottom, that should reach to the top, hoping by that means, to make way for the Molosses to have the speedier passage: But they found little amendment in the purging, and the reason was this, the spike as it went in, prest the Sugar so hard, as it stopt all pores of passage for the Molosses. So finding no good to come of this, they devis’d another way, and that was, by making an augure of Iron, which instrument cuts his way, without pressing the Sugar, and by that means the Molosses had a free passage, without any obstruction at all. And so the Sugar was well cur’d in a month. As for the manner of using it, after it is cur’d, you shall finde it set down in my Index, to the plot of the Cureing house. And this is the whole processe of making the Muscavado-Sugar, whereof some is better, and some worse, as the Canes are; for, ill Canes can never make good Sugar.

I call those ill, that are gathered either before or after the time of such ripenesse, or are eaten by Rats, and so consequently rotten, or pull’d down by Withes, or lodg’d by foule weather, either of which, will serve to spoil such Sugar as is made of them. At the time they expect it should be well cur’d, they take the pots from the stantions in the Curing-house, and bring them to the knocking room, which you shall finde upon the plot of the cureing house; and turning it upside down, they knock the pot hard against the ground, and the Sugar comes whole out, as a bullet out of a mold; and when it is out, you may perceive three sorts of colours in the pot, the tops somewhat brownish, and of a frothy light substance; the bottom of a much darker colour, but heavy, grosse, moist, and full of molosses; both which they cut away, and reserve to be boyl’d again, with the molosses for peneles: The middle part, which is more then two thirds of the whole pot, and lookes of a bright colour, drie and sweet, they lay by it selfe, and send it down daily upon the backs of Assinigoes and Camells, in leather baggs, with a tarr’d cloth over, to their Store-houses at the Bridge, there to be put in Caskes and Chests, to be ship’t away for England, or any other parts of the World, where the best market is. Though this care be taken, and this course used, by the best husbands, and those that respect their credits, as, Collonell James Drax, Collonell Walrond, Mr. Raynes, and some others that I know there; yet, the greater number, when they knock out their Sugars, let all go together, both bottom and top, and so let the better bear our the worse. But, when they come to the Merchant to be sold, they will not give above 3 l. 10 s. for the one; and for the other, above 6 l. 4 s. And those that use this care, have such credit with the Buyer, as they scarce open the Cask to make a tryall; so well they are assured of the goodnesse of the Sugars they make; as, of Collonell James Drax, Collonell Walrond, Mr. Raines, and some others in the Iland that I know.

I have yet said nothing of making white Sugars, but that is much quicker said than done: For, though the Muscavado Sugar, require but a months time to make it so, after it is boyl’d; yet, the Whites require four months, and it is only this. Take clay, and temper it with water, to the thicknesse of Frumenty, or Pease pottage, and poure it on the top of the Muscavado Sugar, as it stands in the pot, in the Cureing-house, and there let it remain four months; and if the clay crack and open, that the aire come in, close it up with some of the same, either with your hand, or a small Trowell. And when you knock open these pots, you shall finde a difference, both in the colour and goodnesse, of the top and bottom, being but to such a degree, as may be rank’d with Muscavadoes; but the middle, perfect White, and excellent Lump-Sugar, the best of which will sell in London for 20 d. a pound.

I do not remember I have left unsaid any thing, that conduces to the work of Sugar-making, unlesse it be, sometimes after great rains, (which moisten the aire more then ordinary) to lay it out upon fair daies in the Sun, upon cloaths, or in the knocking room, and sometimes to bring in pans of coals, well kindled, into the Cureing house. If I have omitted any thing here, you shall finde it supplyed in the Indexes of my Plots.

As for distilling the skimmings, which run down to the Still house, from the three lesser Coppers, it is only this: After it has remained in the Cisterns, which my plot shewes you in the Still-house, till it be a little soure, (for till then, the Spirits will not rise in the Still) the first Spirit that comes off, is a small Liquor, which we call low-Wines, which Liquor we put into the Still, and draw it off again; and of that comes so strong a Spirit, as a candle being brought to a neer distance, to the bung of a Hogshead or But, where it is kept, the Spirits will flie to it, and taking hold of it, bring the fire down to the vessell, and set all a fire, which immediately breakes the vessell, and becomes a flame, burning all about it that is combustible matter.

We lost an excellent Negre by such an accident, who bringing a Jar of this Spirit, from the Still-house, to the Drink-room, in the night, not knowing the force of the liquor he carried, brought the candle somewhat neerer than he ought, that he might the better see how to put it into the Funnell, which conveyed it into the Butt. But the Spirit being stirr’d by that motion, flew out, and got hold of the flame of the Candle, and so set all on fire, and burnt the poor Negre to death, who was an excellent servant. And if he had in the instant of firing, clapt his hand upon the bung, all had been saved; but he that knew not that cure, lost the whole vessell of Spirits, and his life to boot. So that upon this misadventure, a strict command was given, that none of those Spirits should be brought to the Drink-room ever after in the night, nor no fire or candle ever to come in there.

This drink, though it had the ill hap to kill one Negre, yet it has had the vertue to cure many; for when they are ill, with taking cold, (which often they are) and very well they may, having nothing under them in the night but a board, upon which they lie, nor any thing to cover them: And though the daies be hot, the nights are cold, and that change cannot but work upon their bodies, though they be hardy people. Besides, comming home hot and sweating in the evening, sitting or lying down, must needs be the occasion of taking cold, and sometimes breeds sicknesses amongst them, which when they feel, they complain to the Apothecary of the Plantation, which we call Doctor, and he gives them everyone a dram cup of this Spirit, and that is a present cure. And as this drink is of great use, to cure and refresh the poor Negres, whom we ought to have a speciall care of, by the labour of whose hands, our profit is brought in; so is it helpfull to our Christian Servants too; for, when their spirits are exhausted, by their hard labour, and sweating in the Sun, ten hours every day, they find their stomacks debilitated, and much weakned in their vigour every way, a dram or two of this Spirit, is a great comfort and refreshing to them. This drink is also a commodity of good value in the Plantation; for we send it down to the Bridge, and there put it off to those that retail it. Some they sell to the Ships, and is transported into forraign parts, and drunk by the way. Some they sell to such Planters, as have no Sugar works of their owne, yet drink excessively of it, for they buy it at easie rates; halfe a crown a gallon was the price, the time that I was there; but they were then purposing to raise the price to a deerer rate. They make weekly, as long as they work, of such a Plantation as this 30 l. sterling, besides what is drunk by their servants and slaves.

And now for a close of this work of Sugar, I will let you see, by way of estimate, to what a Revenue this Iland is raised; and, in my opinion, not improbable. If you will be pleased to look back to the extent of the Iland, you shall find, by taking a medium of the length and breadth of it, that there is contained in the Iland 392 square miles,