Hans Sloane

“ They afford great Matter of Admiring the Power, Wisdom and Providence of Almighty God, in Creating, and Preserving the things he has created. There appears so much Contrivance, in the variety of Beings, preserv'd from the beginning of the World, that the more any Man searches, the more he will admire; And conclude them, very ignorant in the History of Nature, who say, they were the Productions of Chance. ”

“ All the high Land is covered with Woods, which are great high Trees, some of them very good Timber; they are very tall slender, straight, and one would wonder how such Trees could grow in such a barren Soil, so thick together, among the Rocks. The Trees send down their fibrous Roots into the Crannies of the Rocks, where here and there they meet with little Receptacles, or natural Basins, wherein the Rain water is preserv'd not only for the Roots of the Trees to give them Nourishment; but likewise to give Birds and Insects drink, and sometimes Passengers on the Roads. ”

“ I have been so conversant in Matters of this nature for several Years, that I know 'tis impossible to escape the Censure of several sorts of Men, as the Envious and Malitious, who will, I am sure, spare no Pains to find Faults; those who strive to make ridiculous any thing of this kind, and think themselves great Wits, but are very Ignorant, and understand nothing of the Argument. ”

“ The Spittle, and Excretions of the Glandulæ of the Ventricle and Guts, are known to be the chief dissolvents of our Victuals, to which Water, by its Analysis, seems to be next a kin. It dissolves all sorts of Food, making them soft, and into a Gelly (which parts Nature seems to want) whereas Wine is for those Gelatinas a very improper, if not impossible Menstruum. 'Tis every where ready at hand to all Mankind, and all Sanguineous Animals coming near the Structure of Mankind, make use of no other with their good wills. ”

“ This North is a very cold and unhealthy Wind, it is more violent in the night, because it then has the additional force of the Land-Wind with it, and comes through the Gulf of Florida, and a great deal farther off, which is evident from no Ships being able to go that way in the Norths Season. This Wind is more violent in the North-side of the Island than South, wherefore it checks the growth of Canes, and all Vegetables, and is hinder'd by the ridge of Mountains from shewing as much of its fury in the South, where it seldom Rains with this Wind. ”

“ It may be objected, that there is no end of such Discoveries, that every Country, and distant Climate, has different Plants, not to be found in England. I answer it is not so, for tho' England be very remote, both in Longitude and Latitude, from Jamaica, yet I found there many Plants, which grow Sponte, which also I found to grow wild in England, and more I observ'd to be common to that Place, and the South Parts of France. ”

“ The greatest part of the high Land of this Island is stony, rocky, or clayey; these sorts of Soil resist the Rains, and so are not carried down violently with them into the Plains, as are the Mould proper for Tillage, and other more friable Earths, either natural to these places, or made of the faln and rotten Leaves, and Trunks of Trees, or Dust carried by Wind and Rain; hence it is that in those mountainous places, one shall have very little or none of such Earths, but either a tenacious Clay, or a Honey-Comb, or other Rock, on which no Earth appears ”

“ All these several and vastly differing Bodies; which, when no other are at hand, must be the Food of Mankind in the places where they are produced, are not only digested by the Artifice of Nature into good Sustenance to repair its Losses, and propagate its Kind, but likewise, however strange to us, are very greedily sought after by those us'd to them. ”

“ There are few, if any Fogs, in the Plains or sandy places near the Sea, only in mornings over moist places, as Rivers, Ponds, &c. there rises a great Fog; but in the Inland parts, as Sixteen-Miles-Walk, Magotty Savanna, &c. are great Fogs every morning most part of the year, which are clear'd up as the Sun rises, or Sea-Breeze begins to blow. Although these Fogs are as above, yet the People living there are esteemed healthy. ”

“ The greatest part of Mankind have their chief Sustenance from Grains; as Wheat, Rice, Barley, Oats, Maiz, Buck-wheat, Zea or Spelta, Rye, some from the Seeds of a wild Grass called Gramen Mannæ in Poland, or from wild Oats, or Folle Avoine, growing in the Lakes of Canada, on which the Indians feed; or from the Seeds of the several sorts of Millet and Panicum. Some in Barbary feed on Palm Oil, others on that drawn from Organ or Erguen Nuts, many on Oil Olive, or that from Walnuts or Sesamum, which last is much used in Egypt and the East-Indies. ”

“ Water when put into the Stomach, dissolves what ever is nourishable in our Victuals, carries it through the Venæ Lactæ into the Blood, increases the Lympha, to dilute the Chyle, and then goes off without leaving any Heterogeneous parts in the Blood or Stomach, whereas Wine or vinous Liquors do not that. Negros, Indians, Mahumetans, and a great part of Mankind know not the use of this Wine or vinous Liquors, and yet look fresher, and are much healthier than we. ”

“ As the Trade-Wind, between the Tropics, comes not directly from the East, but varies from North-East to South-East, according to the place and position of the Sun, so the Sea-Breeze here has the like Variation, not coming always from the same Point; on the contrary, the Land-Winds or Breezes, come always from the Ridge of Hills, and from the same point of them, and this holds both on the North and South sides of this Island. In Valleys amongst the Mountains, the Sea-Breeze, or Land one, has seldom any great influence, but the North-Winds very much, prostrating very great Trees, &c. ”

“ The Water making a great Noise down such Precipices, gave the name to the roaring River in the North side.
The Rivers, especially that called the dry one, (because 'tis sometimes dry) when it rains in the Mountains, come down with great force, carrying along any thing in their way. These Rivers have done dammage to several people by coming down, they being not aware of them, it having rain'd above in the Mountains by their Springs, though not below them in the Plains. Many Fish are in these Rivers, up in the Mountains, especially Cray-fish, wild Hogs feed on them when the Springs are low. ”

“ The Sea Breeze, when it blows hard, is thought to hinder the Rain from coming to the Plains; it for the most part then raining in the Hills. On this account 'tis that there are in the Mountains many Springs and Rivers, and few or none in the Plains, and this is likewise the cause why there is never want of water in the Rivers coming from them through the Plains, and likewise that sometimes Rivers suffer very great increase and inundations in the Plains, whereas no Rain fell in the places where such inundations appear. ”

“ Mountains, and Hill-Canes make bad Sugar, being black: they burn the Coppers, there not being moisture enough, therefore 'tis the best way to mix Mountain and Valley Canes; one bunch of the first, to two of the last, which makes good Sugar, or the Planters mix water with the Cane-juice to hinder the Coppers from being burnt, or the Sugar made black. Likewise too much moisture makes ill Sugar, for 'tis observ'd that after Rains the Sugar is brown, because the water makes it be the longer on the Fire before the superfluous moisture is boil'd off. ”

“ When a Plantation has many Men or Women, 'tis said to be well handed, or in case of few, it is said to be bad handed, or to want Hands. This expression comes, as some others, from the Planters of Jamaica, coming along Voyage at Sea, whereby they get some of the Sea Phrases. At Sea a Man is call'd a Hand, because his Hands are chiefly useful there. Whence all Hands up to Prayers, is as much as to say, let all Men come and Pray, or send a Hand to do this or that, is as much as let a Man do this or the other thing. ”

“ The Negroes from some Countries think they return to their own Country when they die in Jamaica, and therefore regard death but little, imagining they shall change their condition, by that means from servile to free, and so for this reason often cut their own Throats. Whether they die thus, or naturally, their Country people make great lamentations, mournings, and howlings about them expiring, and at their Funeral throw in Rum and Victuals into their Graves, to serve them in the other world. ”

“ There is no places after Rain more fruitful than the Savannas.
Where the Roots of Trees do not hinder, trial has been made of the Plow, and it has done well for Sugar-Canes, &c. to be planted in.
The Inhabitants of Jamaica are for the most part Europeans, some Creolians, born and bred in the Island Barbados, the Windward Islands, or Surinam, who are the Masters, and Indians, Negros, Mulatos, Alcatrazes, Mestises, Quarterons, &c. who are the Slaves. ”

“ Pond-water, or River-water here, is more pure and not so much infected with Weeds as in England, because of the swiftness of the Currents, or great Inundations, destroying the Water-Herbs at certain Seasons of the year. River- water, because of its great Descents and Precipices, carries with it much Clay and Earth, whereby 'tis muddy and thick; this drunk, has an odd taste, which, in the Town-River, gave occasion to the Spaniards to call it Rio Cobre, and the English to say 'tis not wholesome, and tasts of Copper ”

“ Frost and Snow are never seen in this hot Climate, but sometimes Hail, and that very large, of which during my being here I saw one instance, it comes with very great Norths, which reach with great violence to the South-side, and throw down everything before them.
The Dews here are so great, as in the morning to drop down from the Leaves of the Trees, as if it had rain'd; they fall most in the morning when coolest. One riding in the night perceives the greatness of the Dews, for he will find his Cloths, Hair, &c. ”

“ Rats are likewise sold by the dozen, and when they have been bred amongst the Sugar-Canes, are thought by some discerning people very delicious Victuals. Snakes or Serpents and Cossi (a sort of Worms) are eaten by the Indians and Negros.
As I have formerly observed some wonderful contrivances of Nature, for propagating the Kind, I shall now on this occasion take notice of one very obvious, and yet not regarded for the preservation of the individuum. 'Tis the great variety of Foods Mankind is sustained by, not only here but in the several parts of the Earth. ”

“ A Field being so clear'd, Negros with Hoes, make smaller or deeper holes, at nearer or farther distances according to the thing to be planted, and another coming after throws in the Seed, or plants the Root, and covers it with Earth, and so if a good Season has preceded it seldom misses to thrive, and is kept clear of Weeds till it be able of its self to choak them.
Fields which have before been planted several times are before Rain is expected clear'd of the Stalks and Roots of any Plants may have grown there, and they being gather'd in heaps, are burnt ”

“ Cattle are penn'd every night, or else they in a short time run wild. These Pens are made of Palisadoes, and are look'd after very carefully by the Planters. The Oxen who have been drawing in their Mills, and are well fed on Sugar-Cane-tops, are reckoned the best Meat, if not too much wrought. They are likewise fatted by Scotch Grass.
Turtle, (Tortoises) are of several sorts, those of the Sea call'd green Turtle from their Fats being of that colour, feed on Conches or Shell-fish, are very good Victuals, and sustain a great many, especially of the poorer sort of the Island. ”

“ On the contrary the Sea-breeze driving the water on the shore of the island, makes the Flood, so that in the evening it may be said to be high water, especially if a South, or other Wind, blows violently into the Land for some time together, with which the water comes in, and is much higher than ordinary. The Breezes being stronger or weaker according to the Moons Age, it may be thought the Tides or Currents may follow that; but I rather believe they only are the effect of the Winds. ”

“ The Planters choose their Negros by the Country from whence they come, and their look. The Blacks from the East-Indies are fed on Flesh and Fish at Home, and therefore are not coveted, because troublesome to nourish, and those from Angola run away from their Masters, and fancy on their deaths they are going Home again, which is no lucriferous Experiment, for on hard usage they kill themselves.
When I was at Liguanee I was told that at the Plantation of Captain Hudson there was a young Woman white all over, born of a black Mother. ”

“ The Air here being so hot and brisk as to corrupt and spoil Meat in four hours after 'tis kill'd, no wonder if a diseased Body must be soon buried. They usually bury twelve hours after death at all times of the day and night.
The burial place at Port Royal is a little way out of Town, in a sandy Soil, because in the Town or Church it is thought unhealthy for the living. Planters are very often buried in their Gardens, and have a small Monument erected over them, and yet I never heard of any of them who walk'd after their deaths for being buried out of Consecrated ground. ”

“ If the Seasons of the year be to be counted from the Spring of Vegetables, the Spring will be after every Season or great Rain, every thing then springing up after much Rain, so that during the time of such Rains is reckoned the Winter time. But they ought rather to follow the nearness or distance of the Sun, and so they will have the same time for the Seasons as in Europe; and indeed although the visible effects are not so plain, having the Sun when most distant so near them ”

“ There are as many sorts of Water here as in England; River-water, Pond water, Well-water, Spring-water, &c.
Fresh-water is very scarce in dry years, or some parts of the year, in the Savannas distant from Rivers, so that many of their Cattle die with driving to water. If the place be near the Sea, or sandy, the Well-water, as at Port-Royal is brackish. This brackish water, which is very common in Wells on Sea-shores, is not wholesome, but the cause of Fluxes, and other Diseases in Sailers drinking of it. ”