Good food and drink played an important part in Mercer's life, as it did in the lives of most Virginia planters. In the ledger accounts are found both double-refined and single-refined sugar, bohea tea, coffee, nutmegs, cinnamon, mace, and chocolate. Most meats were provided by the plantation and thus are not mentioned, while fish were caught from the plantation sloop or by fixed nets. However, Thomas Tyler of the Eastern Shore sold Mercer a barrel of drumfish and four and one-half bushels of oysters, while Thomas Jones, also of the Eastern Shore, provided a barrel of pork for 47s. 6d. in 1749. Earlier there appeared a ledger item under "General Charges" for 1775 pounds of pork. Molasses was an important staple, and Mercer bought a 31-gallon barrel of it from one "Captain Fitz of the Eastern Shore of Maryland" in 1746 and 30 gallons the next year, charging both purchases to his wife. In 1750 he received 88 gallons of molasses and 255 pounds of "muscovy sugar" from Robert Todd. Muscovy sugar was the same as "muscavado" sugar, the unrefined brown sugar of the West Indies, known in Spanish as _mascabado_. [Illustration: Figure 9.--FRENCH HORN dated 1729. Mercer purchased a "french horn" like this from Charles Dick in 1743. (USNM 95.269.)] Beverages and the fruits to go with them were bought in astonishing quantities between 1744 and 1750. Major Robert Tucker, a Norfolk merchant, exchanged a "Pipe of Wine" worth £26 and a 107-1/2-gallon hogshead of rum valued at £22 in return for Mercer's legal services. Again as a legal fee, Mercer received 55 gallons of "Syder" from Janet Holbrook of Stafford and bought 11 limes from John Mitchelson of York for 12 shillings. From William Black he purchased "11 dozen and 11 bottles of Ale" at 13 shillings, and from John Harvey "5-1/12 dozen of Claret" for £11 6d. "Mark Talbott of the Kingdom of Ireland E^{sq}" sold Mercer a pipe of wine for £3 3s. LIFE OF THE CHILDREN During the 1740's Mercer's first four surviving children, George, John Fenton, James, and Sarah Ann Mason Mercer,[91] were growing up, and the accounts are scattered through with items pertaining to their care and upbringing. There are delightful little hints of Mercer's role as the affectionate father. On May 17, 1743, "By Sundry Toys" appears in Hunter's account; an item of "1 horses 1^d" in Dick's account for 1745 was undoubtedly a toy. Most charming of all the entries in the latter account is "1 Coach in a box 6^d. 4 Toys. 8^d, 2 Singing birds." The birds may have occupied a birdcage and stand bought from George Rock, the account for which was settled a year later. [Illustration: Figure 10.--MERCER LISTED A HORNBOOK in his General Account in 1743. It probably resembled this typical hornbook in the collection of Mrs. Arthur M. Greenwood.]