But one wil say, why should any man that has 14000 l. in his purse, need to runne so long a Risco, as from hence to the Barbadoes: when he may live with ease and plenty at home; to such a one I answer, that every drone can sit and eate the Honey of his own Hive: But he that can by his own Industry, and activity, (having youth and strength to friends,) raise his fortune, from a small beginning to a very great one, and in his passage to that, doe good to the publique, and be charitable to the poor, and this to be accomplished in a few years, deserves much more commendation and applause. And shall find his bread, gotten by his painfull and honest labour and industry, eate sweeter by much, than his that onely minds his ease, and his belly.
Now having said this much, I hold it my duty, to give what directions I can, to further any one that shall go about to improve his stock, in this way of Adventure; and if he please to hearken to my directions, he shall find they are no Impossibilities, upon which I ground my Computations: the greatest will be, to find a friend for a Correspondent, that can be really honest, faithful and Industrious, and having arriv’d at that happinesse, (which is the chiefest,) all the rest will be easie; and I shall let you see that without the help of Magick or Inchantment, this great Purchase of 14000 l. will be made with 3000 l. stock, and thus to be ordered.
One thousand pound, is enough to venture at first, because we that are here in England, know not what commodities they want most in the Barbadoes, and to send a great Cargo of unnecessary things, were to have them lye upon our hands to losse. This 1000 l. I would have thus laid out: 100 l. in Linnen Cloth, as Canvas and Kentings, which you may buy here in London, of French Marchants, at reasonable rates; and you may hire poor Journy-men Taylers, here in the Citty, that will for very small wages, make that Canvas into Drawers, and Petticoats, for men and women Negres. And part of the Canvas, and the whole of the Kentings, for shirts and drawers for the Christian men Servants, and smocks and peticoates for the women. Some other sorts of Linnen, as Holland or Dowlace, will be there very usefull, for shirts and smocks for the Planters themselves, with their Wives and Children. One hundred pounds more, I would have bestow’d, part on wollen cloath, both fine and coorse, part on Devonshire Carsies, and other fashionable stuffes, such as will well endure wearing. Upon Monmoth Capps I would have bestowed 25 l. you may bespeak them there in Wales, and have them sent up to London, by the waynes at easie rates. Forty pound I think fit to bestow on Irish Ruggs such as are made at Killkennie, and Irish stockings, and these are to be had at St. James’s faire at Bristow; the stockings are to be worne in the day, by the Christian servants, the Ruggs to cast about them when they come home at night, sweating and wearied, with their labour; to lap about them, when they rest themselves on their Hamacks at night, than which nothing is more needfull, for the reasons I have formerly given. And these may either be shipt at Bristow, if a ship be ready bound for Barbadoes, or sent to London by waynes which is a cheap way of conveyance. Fifty pound I wish may be bestowed on shooes, and some bootes, to be made at Northampton, and sent to London in dry fates, by Carts; but a speciall care must be taken, that they may be made large, for they will shrink very much when they come into hot Climats. They are to be made of severall sises, for men women and children; they must be kept dry and close, or else the moistnesse of the Ayre will cause them to mould. Gloves will sell well there, and I would have of all kinds, and all sises, that are thinne; but the most usefull, are those of tann’d leather, for they will wash and not shrinke in the wetting, and weare very long and soople; you may provide your selfe of these, at Evill, Ilemister and Ilchester, in Somerset shire; at reasonable rates. Fifteen pound I would bestow in these Commodities. In fashionable Hats and Bands, both black and coloured, of severall sises and qualities, I would have thirty pounds bestowed. Black Ribbon for mourning, is much worn there, by reason their mortality is greater; and therefore upon that commodity I would bestow twenty pound; and as much in Coloured, of severall sises and colours. For Silkes and Sattins, with gold and silver-Lace, we will leave that alone, till we have better advice; for they are casuall Commodities.
Having now made provision for the back, it is fit to consider the belly, which having no ears, is fitter to be done for, then talkt to; and therefore we will do the best we can, to fill it with such provisions, as will best brook the Sea, and hot Climates: Such are Beefe, well pickled, and well conditioned, in which I would bestow 100 l. In Pork 50 l. in Pease for the voyage, 10 l. In Fish, as Ling, Haberdine, Green-fish, and Stock-fish, 40 l. In Bisket for the voyage, 10 l. Cases of Spirits 40 l. Wine 150 l. Strong Beer 50 l. Oyle Olive 30 l. Butter 30 l. And Candles must not be forgotten, because they light us to our suppers, and our beds.
The next thing to be thought on, is Utensills, and working Tooles, such are whip-Sawes, two-handed Sawes, hand-Sawes, Files of severall sises and shapes; Axes, for felling and for hewing; Hatchets, that will fit Carpenters, Joyners, and Coopers; Chisells, but no Mallets, for the wood is harder there to make them: Adzes, of severall sises, Pick-axes, and Mat-hooks; Howes of all sises, but chiefly small ones, to be used with one hand, for with them, the small Negres weed the ground: Plains, Gouges, and Augurs of all sises; hand-Bills, for the Negres to cut the Canes; drawing-Knives, for Joyners. Upon these Utensills I would bestow 60 l. Upon Iron, Steel, and small Iron pots, for the Negres to boyl their meat, I would bestow 40 l. And those are to be had in Southsex very cheap, and sent to London in Carts, at time of year, when the waies are drie and hard. Nailes of all sorts, with Hooks, Hinges, and Cramps of Iron; and they are to be had at Bromigham in Staffordshire, much cheaper then in London: And upon that Commodity I would bestow 30 l. In Sowes of Lead 20 l, in Powder and Shot 20 l. If you can get Servants to go with you, they will turn to good accompt, but chiefly if they be Trades-men, as, Carpenters, Joyners, Masons, Smiths, Paviers, and Coopers. The Ballast of the Ship, as also of all Ships that trade there, I would have of Sea-coales, well chosen, for it is a commodity was much wanting when I was there, and will be every day more and more, as the Wood decayes: The value I would have bestowed on that, is 50 l. which will buy 45 Chauldron, or more, according to the burthen of the Ship. And now upon the whole, I have outstript my computation 145 l. but there will be no losse in that; for, I doubt not, (if it please God to give a blessing to our endeavours) but in twelve or fourteen months, to sell the goods, and double the Cargo; and, if you can stay to make the best of your Market, you may make three for one.
This Cargo, well got together, I could wish to be ship’t in good order, about the beginning of November, and then by the grace of God, the Ship may arrive at the Barbadoes (if she make no stay by the way) about the middle of December; and it is an ordinary course to sail thither in six weeks: Comming thither in that cool time of the year, your Victualls will be in good condition to be removed into a Store-house, which your Correspondent (who, I account, goes along with it) must provide as speedily as he can, before the Sun makes his return from the Southern Tropick; for then the weather will grow hot, and some of your Goods, as, Butter, Oyle, Candles, and all your Liquors, will take harme in the remove.
The Goods being stowed in a Ware house, or Ware houses, your Correspondent must reserve a handsome room for a Shop, where his servants must attend; for then his Customers will come about him, and he must be carefull whom he trusts; for, as there are some good, so there are many bad pay-masters; for which reason, he must provide himselfe of a Horse, and ride into the Country to get acquaintance; and halfe a dosen good acquaintance, will be able to enform him, how the pulse beats of all the rest: As also by enquiries, he will finde, what prices the Goods bear, which he carries with him, and sell them accordingly; and what valews Sugars bear, that he be not deceived in that Commodity, wherein there is very great care to be had, in taking none but what is very good and Merchantable, and in keeping it drie in good Casks, that no wet or moist aire come to it; and so as he makes his exchanges, and receives in his Sugars, or what other commodities he trades for, they lie ready to send away for England, as he findes occasion, the delivering of the one, making room for the other; for Ships will be every month, some or other, comming for England. If he can transport all his goods, raised upon the Cargo, in eighteen months, it will be very well. This Cargo being doubled at the Barbadoes, that returned back, will produce at least 50 per cent. And then your Cargo, which was 1145 l. at setting out, and being doubled there to 2290 l. will be at your return for England 3435 l. of which I will allow for freight, and all other charges 335 l. so there remaines to account 3100 l. clear. By which time, I will take for granted, that your Correspondent has bargained, and gone through for a Plantation, which we will presuppose to be of five hundred acres, Stock’t as I have formerly laid down; (for we must fix upon one, that our computations may be accordingly) if it be more or lesse, the price must be answerable, and the Produce accordingly. And therfore as we began, we will make this our scale, that 14000 l. is to be paid, for a Plantation of 500 acres Stock’t. Before this time, I doubt not, but he is also grown so well verst in the traffick of the Iland, as to give you advice, what Commodities are fittest for your next Cargo; and according to that instruction, you are to provide, and to come your selfe along with it.
By this time, I hope, your remaining 1855 l. by good employment in England, is raised to 2000 l. So then you have 5100 l. to put into a new Cargo, which I would not have you venture in one Bottom. But if it please God, that no ill chance happen, that Cargo of 5100 l. having then time enough to make your best Market, may very wel double, and 1000 l. over; which 1000 l. I will allow to go out for fraight, and all other charges. So then, your Cargo of 5100 l. being but doubled, will amount unto 10200 l. But this Cargo being large, will require three years time to sell; so that if you make your bargain for 14000 l. to be paid for this Plantation, you will be allowed three daies of payment; the first shall be of 4000 l. to be paid in a year after you are setled in your Plantation; 5000 l. more at the end of the year following, and 5000 l. at the end of the year then next following. And no man will doubt such payment, that sees a visible Cargo upon the Iland of 10200 l. and the produce of the Plantation to boot. Now you see which way this purchase is made up, viz. 4000 l. the first payment, 5000 l. the second, and so there remains upon your Cargo 1200 l. towards payment of the last 5000 l. and by that time, the profit of your Plantation will raise that with advantage; and then you have your Plantation clear, and freed of all debts. And we will account at the lowest rate, that if two hundred acres of your five hundred, be planted with Canes, and every Acre bear but three thousand weight of Sugar, valuing the Sugar but at three pence per pound, which is thirty seven pound ten shillings every acre, then two hundred acres will produce 7500 l. in sixteen months; that is, fifteen months for the Canes to grow and be ripe, and a month to Cure the Sugar that is made.
But if you stay four months longer, your Muscavado Sugar, which I valued at three pence per pound, will be Whites, and then the price will be doubled, and that you see is 15000 l. Out of which we will abate ¼ part for waste, and for the tops and bottomes of the Pots,
3̸2̸
1̸5̸0̸0̸0̸ (3750
4̸4̸4̸4̸
15000
3750
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11250
2400
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13650