A true & exact history of the island of BarbadosLigon, Richard
History
A true & exact history of the island of Barbados
Ligon, Richard
Barbados -- Description and travel; Plants -- Barbados; Sugar -- Manufacture and refining -- Barbados
for pleasure and convenience, if I were to live there, and had
mony enough to bestow; and I believe, with such conveniences and
advantages, for shade and coolnesse, as few people in those Western
parts, have studied, or ever thought on.
And now I have as neer as I can, delivered the sum of all I know of
the Iland of _Barbadoes_, both for Pleasures and Profits, Commodities
and Incommodities, Sicknesses and Healthfulnesse. So that it may be
expected what I can say, to perswade or disswade any, that have a
desire to go and live there. But before I give a full answer to that,
I must enquire and be enformed, of what disposition the party is that
hath this designe; If it be such a one as loves the pleasures of
_Europe_, (or particularly of _England_) and the great varieties of
those, let him never come there; for they are things he shall be sure
to misse. But, if he can finde in himselfe a willingnesse, to change
the pleasures which he enjoyed in a Temperate, for such as he shall
finde in a Torrid Zone, he may light upon some that will give him an
exchange, with some advantage.
And for the pleasures of _England_, let us consider what they are,
that we may be the better able to judge, how far they are consistent
with the Climate of _Barbadoes_, and what gainers or losers they will
be by the exchange, that make the adventure; and by the knowledge
and well weighing of that, invite or deter those, that are the great
lovers and admirers of those delights, to come there, or stay away.
And amongst the sports and recreations that the people of _England_
exercise most for their healths, without dores, they are Coursing,
Hunting, and Hawking.
And for the Greyhound, though he be compleat in all his shapes
that are accounted excellent, headed like a Snake, neckt like a
Drake, back’t like a Beam, sided like a Breme, tail’d like a Rat,
footed like a Cat, deep breasted, with large phillets and gaskins,
excellently winded, with all else may style him perfect, and of a
right race: Yet, what of all this, if the Country afford no Game to
course at; or if there were, that would amount to nothing; for, in
the running of twelve score yards, they will either bruise their
bodies against stumps of trees, or break their necks down the steep
falls of Gullies, which are there too common.
And for the Huntsman and his Hounds, they will finde themselves at a
dead fault, before they begin; for, upon this soyle, no Stag, with
his lofty well shap’t head, and active body, has ever set his nimble
feet; and Herds of Vallow Deer, were never put to make a stand upon
this ground; the nimble Roe-Buck, nor the subtle Fox, the Badger,
Otter, or the fearfull Hare, have ever run their Mases in these
Woods. And then, what use of Hounds?
Onely one kinde are usefull here, and those are Liam Hounds, to guide
us to the runaway Negres, who, as I told you, harbour themselves in
Woods and Caves, living upon pillage for many months together.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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