This discovery being made, and advice given to their friends in _England_, other Ships were sent, with men, provisions, and working tooles, to cut down the Woods, and clear the ground, so as they might plant provisions to keep them alive, which, till then, they found but straglingly amongst the Woods. But having clear’d some part of it, they planted _Potatoes_, _Plantines_, and _Mayes_, with some other fruites; which, with the Hogs-flesh they found, serv’d only to keep life and soul together. And their supplies from _England_ comming so slow, and so uncertainly, they were often driven to great extremities: And the Tobacco that grew there, so earthy and worthlesse, as it could give them little or no return from _England_ or else-where; so that for a while they lingred on in a lamentable condition. For, the Woods were so thick and most of the Trees so large and massie, as they were not to be falne with so few hands; and when they were laid along, the branches were so thick and boysterous, as required more help, and those strong and active men, to lop and remove them off the ground. At the time we came first there, we found both _Potatoes_, _Maies_, and _Bonavists_, planted between the boughes, the Trees lying along upon the ground; so far short was the ground then of being clear’d. Yet, we found _Indico_ planted, and so well ordered, as it sold in _London_ at very good rates; and their Cotten wool, and Fustick wood, prov’d very good and staple commodities. So that having these foure sorts of goods to traffick with, some ships were invited (in hope of gain by that trade) to come and visit them, bringing for exchange, such commodities as they wanted, working Tools, Iron, Steel, Cloaths, Shirts, and Drawers, Hose and Shoes, Hats, and more Hands. So that beginning to taste the sweet of this Trade, they set themselves hard to work, and lived in much better condition. But when the Canes had been planted three or four years, they found that to be the main Plant, to improve the value of the whole Iland: And so, bent all their endeavours to advance their knowledge in the planting, and making Sugar; Which knowledge, though they studied hard, was long a learning. But I will forbear to say any thing of that, till I bring in the Plants; where you shall finde not only the colour, shape, and qualitie of this Plant, but the worth and value of it, together the whole processe of the great work of Sugar-making, which is the thing I mainly aime at: But, in my way to that, I will give you a sleight description or view, of the Iland in generall: and first, of the Scituation. [Sidenote: _The Scituation._]