are more frequent here than to the northward, create fuch a luxuriant vegetation, that the furface of the earth, notwithstanding the heat of the fun, is never without a good verdure. A country fo extenfive as this, cannot but have a variety of foil, the fandy is the most prevalent, especially towards the fea. There are generally four ftrata or beds of earth found in Eaft-Florida: the uppermoft is a mould of earth, a few inches thick; beneath is a fand half a yard in depth; below that a strong white clay, refembling the marle in England, and may be used as a manure to the fandy land, this ftratum is commonly four feet thick; the fourth layer is a rock compofed of petrified fea fhells. The fertility of Florida is much afcribed to thefe two trata of clay and rock, which contribute to keep the fand moist, and prevent the rains from finking away from the roots of the plants of trees. In the interior parts the trees are larger, the grafs higher, and the cattle bigger, than toward the fea, efpecially in that part of the peninfula which lies betwixt the river St. Juan's, and the fort of St. Mark d'Apalachie, which is about 150 miles to the north-west of this river. The climate of Eaft-Florida is an agreeable medium betwixt the fcorching. heat of the tropics, and the pinching cold of the northern latitudes. All America, to the north of the river Potomak, is greatly incommoded by the severities of the weather for two or three months in the winter: In Eaft-Florida there is indeed a change of the feafons, but it is a moderate one; in November and December many trees lofe their leaves, vegetation goes on flowly, and the winter is perceived. In the northern parts of the province a flight frolt happened last year, the first known there in the memory of man: I do not find upon enquiry, that fnow has ever been feen there; the winters are fo mild, that the Spaniards at Augufline had neither chimneys in their houies, nor glafs windows. The tendereft plants of the Weft-Indies, such as the plantain, the alligator pear-tree, the banana, the pine-apple or ananas, the fugar-cane, &c. remain unhurt during the winter, in the gardens of St. Augufline. The fogs and dark gloomy weather, fo common in England, are unknown in this country. At the equinoxes, especially the autumnal, the rains fall very heavy every day, betwixt eleven o'clock in the morn ing, and four in the afternoon, for some weeks together; when a fhower is over, the sky does not continue cloudy, but always clears up, and the fun appears again: the mildness of the feafons, and purity of the air, are probably the caufe of the healthiness of this country. By the beft accounts of the first difcovery of Eaft-Florida, it appears to have been nearly as full of inhabitants as Peru and Mexico; and thefe accounts are, in fonie meafure, verified, by the frequent remains we find of Indian towns throughout the peninfula. The natives are defcribed to have been larger, and of a ftronger make than the Mexico Indians. When the Spaniards quitted Auguftine, many of them were of a great age, fome above ninety: the Spanish women were obferved to be more prolific here than in Old Spain, where they are generally accounted but indifferent breeders. The inhabitants of the Spanish fettlements in America confider Eafi-Florida, with refpect to its healthinefs, in the fatne light that we do the south of France; and they looked upon Augustine as the Montpelier of America: The Spaniards, from the Havannah, and elsewhere, have frequently reforted thither for the benefit of their health. Since it came into the hands of GreatBritain, many gentlemen have experienced the happy effects of its climate: Mr. Dunnet, the fecretary of the province, and Mr. Wilfon, a merchant there, both in a deep comumption, have afcribed the recovery of their health to the climate. It is an indisputable fact, which can be proved by the monthly returns of the ninth regiment, in garrifon in East-Florida, that it did not lofe one fingie man by natural death in the face of 20 months; and as this regiment does duty in the feveral forts, at different diftances from Auguftine, St. Mark's d'Apalachie at 200 miles, Piccolata 30, Matanzas 20, it proves, in the most fatisi ictory manner, that the climate is healthy in the different parts of the province. The peninfula of Florida is not broad, and as it lies betwixt two leas, the air is cooler, and oftner refreshed with rains, than on the continent: the entire abfence of the fun for eleven hours makes the dews 1766. Some Account of Eaft Florida. heavy, and gives the earth time to cool; fo that the nights in fummer are lefs fultry here than in the northern latitude, where the fun shines upon the earth for seventeen or eighteen hours out of the twenty-four. The heat, which in South-Carolina, and in the fouthern part of Europe, is fometimes intolerable for want of wind, is here mitigated by a never-failing feabreeze in the day-time, and a land wind at night. It is only in and near the tropicks that the fea and land breezes are at all uniform, or to be depended upon. The white people work in the fields in the heat of the day without prejudice to their health; gentlemen frequently ride out for pleasure in the middle of the day; and governor Grant is regularly on horfeback every day from eleven to three o'clock in the afternoon. From the climate of Florida, and the great variety of tropical, as well as northern productions, that are natives of this country, there is reafon to expect, that cotton, rice, and indigo, not to mention fugar, will grow here as well as in any part of the globe. The planters from Carolina, that have visited Florida, fince it came into our poffeffion, are of opinion, that it is much fitter for the production of rice, even than South-Carolina. The great peculiarity, and indeed the principal difficulty, attending the cultivation of rice, in a proper climate, arifes from the neceffity of laying the ground where it is fown under water at two ftated periods. It is manifeft, that not many fituations can have this command of water; but from the number of rivers in Florida, and the nature of the country, which approaches to a level without being fo, it is eafy to difcern, that the ftreams of water can be guided more at pleasure, than if the inequalities of the furface were greater. Florida is in the fame latitude with Bengal and China, where rice grows in greater plenty than any where elfe in the world; and when the variety of fwamps, rivulets, and water fide lands are confidered, we may give credit to what every knowing and eminent planter of Carolina fays, who has been up the river St. John's as high as Lake George, that the country from that lake to Mr. Rolle's, 45 miles in Jength, will, in his opinion, yield as much rice as is produced in all South-Carolina. June, 1766. 357 Where the foil and climate are proper for rice, there is no grain in the world yields fo much profit to a planter. Since every colony in America feems to have, as it were, a ftaple commodity peculiar to itfelf, as Canada the fur; MajJachufets-bay, fish; Connecticut, lumber; New York and Pensilvania, wheat; Virginia and Maryland, tobacco; NorthCarolina, pitch and tar; South-Carolina, rice and indigo; Georgia, rice and filk, ́ I am much difpofed to prognosticate, that cotton will, in time, be a ftaple commodity in Florida. The cotton fhrub is known to thrive beft in a light fandy foil, and in a climate that has frequent rains: the pine-barrens, and worst parts of Florida, as well as its climate, are therefore fit for this shrub. are The Manchefter manufactures greatly cramped by the scarcity of this commodity, and would be confiderably extended should cotton become plentiful in England. 1 Mr. Rolle has planted the cotton tree in Florida, where he has found it thrive fo well, as plainly proves the foil and climate are adapted to it. With refpect to the cultivation of filk in Florida, there is not the least doubt of the climate being better adapted to the filk worm than any country in Europe, or probably in America: lk abounds much more in India, Perfia, and China, which are in the latitude of Florida, than in Italy. A confiderable increase has of late been made in the growth of filk in Carolina at Purifburgh filk is become and Georgia; the ftaple commodity of the place this town was fettled about 40 years ago, by fome natives of Switzerland; it lies 30 miles east of Savannah. : In Carolina and Georgia the worms are often injured by accidental frofts, and cold mornings, in the fpring, especially if it is a late one; they are fometimes actu ally deftroyed, and at other times are benumbed and made fickly for want of warmth: this inconvenience is alfo frequently experienced in Italy: it is almoft unneceffary to remark, that the southern fituation of Florida has placed it out of the reach of this difafter. In Georgia there is often a great deal of thunder and lightning in the fpring feafon, which is apt to affect and hinder the filk-worm; whereas in Florida, where Z z freque 358 Some Account of Eaft Florida." The fugar-cane grew at Augufine, and in the trustees garden in Savannah in Georgia, in as great perfection as in the Weft Indies. We are not however yet, for want of experiments, perfectly in formed with what degree of fuccefs fugar can be raited in Florida. It is certain the fugar-cane is a tender plant, that requires both a good and a moist foil, as well as a hot climate to bring it to perfection. The fugar-cane is not a native of the Weft-Indies, as is commonly taken for granted; nor will it grow there without art and cultivation The common use of fugar in Europe was introduced by the Portugueft, who tranfplanted it from the Eaft-Indies into the Madeira islands; the fugar-cane flourifhed there, and in the Canaries, which are in the latitude of Florida, fo well, that all Europe was supplied from thence with fugar In the neighbourhood of Malaga, fugar ufed to be raifed in great abundance, and of Spain at this it is grown in fome parts day. The fouth of Spain is ten degrees north of the capes of Florida. The plantain-tree and allegator-pear, the tendereft of the tropical plants, are in full perfection at Augufline. As both the foil and climate of Eaft. Florida feem fit for fugar, one cannot reasonably doubt, but the cultivation of it will be attended with fuccefs; and if in fome refpects Florida be found inferior to the West Indies, which I do not expect, it has in other refpects the advantage of them. The stock of a fugar-planter is not only procured, but fupported at a vat expence; the exceffive price of labour in the Weft Indies, arifing from the unhealthinefs of the climate, and the dearness of the neceffaries of life, virtually amounts to a tax upon the fugar-planter; not only all June, kind of cloathing, but provifions too, The materials for building, all the lumber required to erect and repair the fugar works, must be fetched from the continent: in Florida they are found upon the spot. In the islands, the wages of a carpenter, mafon, &c. run up as high as ten fhillings a day; the natural plenty in Florida will make labour there comparatively cheap. The overfeer, and other white fervants, will, beyond all question, be hired much cheaper in a plentiful and good climate, than in a fcarce and fickly one. Not only overfeers and fervants will be had at a reasonable price, but horfes, cows, and oxen, may be purchased at lefs than one-fixth of the price they bear in the Weft Indies. Mules and horfes are thefe fold from 20l. to 30l. a piece: a ferviceable horte in Florida may be had for 41. The price of an ox is no more than 31. in Florida. It is not only the prime colt of the flock that differs fo much in the two countries, but the expence of maintaining it bears the fame comparative difference; grafs and fodder for the cattle, and corn and flesh-meat for the fervants, are very fcarce in the islands, and very plentiful in Florida. When the fugar is made, it is often neceffary, in the Weft-Indies, to carry it at a great expence by land, a confiderable diftance to the fhipping-places: this expence will be faved in Florida, where a planter will be fure to make his plantation on the fide of a navigable river. In Florida the lands are not fold, as in the ceded iflands, but given upon conditions, which intereft leads the grantee to perform; and the refervation made to the crown is only a halfpenny an acre, after the end of three, five, or ten years, which is regulated by the extent of the grants. It often happens in the Weft-Indies, as it did latt year, that when the ground is prepared, and the cane planted, the rains, is ruined crop or feafons, as they are called, fail; as often as this is the cafe, the by drought, a misfortune which is not to be apprehended in Florida. CHARAC CHARACTERS; an Epiftle. Infcribed -Non ego paucis Deteriùs noftrá. W HOR. Sat. X. [Entire, Price is. 6d.] ELL has our Bard remark'd in Ethic Plan, "The proper Study of Mankind is Man." From thence by just degrees to Heav'n we rife, [the Skies; Mate with the Stars, and mount above Shake off Mortality, enlarge the mind, And the FIRST CAUSE in full perfec tion find. Yet ere we range thro' fpeculation's field, [Sceptre wield! SELF-KNOWLEDGE, thou thy Guardian Nor let us in the Wilds of Fancy roam, Till PRUDENCE whispers-All is right AT HOME; [fight Friend Shine thou, a Star Arcadian, to our Hour, From Cottage Labour, to Imperial Pow'r, With tender Feelings, and with Sente refin`d, Wifely to view the Errors of Mankind, And viewing to avoid-plumes Reafon's [Kings wings Soul, Gives Grace to Subjects-Dignity to In the last awful Scene of Nature's Play, When Beauty, Pleafures, Pow'r, no more * ⚫ Auguftus. Hearts, Lament not Friends, nor fhed one needlefs When Youth, while Peril treads the rare to find With juft Ambition foars to the Sublime; When by a Love of godlike Virtue fir'd, By Judgment temper'd, and by Truth infpir'd, To walk with Science in Pierian Day; It wifely turns from Pleafure's glow[worm Ray, When Fortune's Fav'rites-Ah! how From Grandeur's dazzling Mifts deveSince Fav'rites moftly, as herself, are [blind; lope Sight, And catch the Glow of Philofophic [Light; And rightly judge what Characters are Examine Nature with impartial Care, Defpife the TINSEL Glare of outward fair; [Show, And when they find a GEM, its Value [fimile, By Heav'n indulg'd with Nobles like Virtue muft triumph, and the Nation know; CARLISLE. While riper Years oft act the boyish thines Dear to thy Mufe, how facred Friendship A fympathetic Likeness of his own; CARLISLE, with Juftice, we affign to Nor Well does Affection raise her tender Voice. [Choice: When Worth intrinfic dignifies the Such then till fhare, O NOBLE YOUTH, thy Heart, cious Smile, As win Efteem, without delufive Art ; Ne'er may the FLATT RER, with falla[Wile; And foothing Tone effect his felfish Drive from thy Prefence and Protection far [Star; The Slaves that bow to Fortune's orient Thofe MOTHS of Grandeur, who in Secret prey, And bring a fure, tho' unforeseen Decay. To honeft Truth, uncheck'd by flavith Fear, [Ear; And wholetome Counsel, lend thy ready If e'er the Monster, PARTY, in Difguife, Should frive to win thy Heart, or dim thy Eyes, No Shelter the infidious Fiend afford; Guard well the Honour of a BRITISH LORD; Be this your greatest GloryTO BE FREE Not the bafe Tool of ARISTOCRACY; MEASURES, not MEN, for Public Good oppofe, [Foes-And justly view, as thine, BRITANNIA's So will thy Fame in future Annals fhine, To thed fresh Luftre on the HOWARD Line. If from the Distance Fate has plac'd between, [Scene; A ruftic Bard may quit his humble Who fpeaks with Freedom, yet with just Restraint, [Saint; And ne'er could fhew a Sinner, for a Who ne'er for Profit held a courtly Pen, Nor meanly idoliz'd the worst of Men ;Nor, tho' his Subject fills the highest Sphere, [try Fear. Will ever check Reproof through pal If fuch a Bard to HowARD's Roof may halte, The rifing Patron of Poetic Tafte; If the rough Voice of his unpolish'd Strains, [reigns; Where little Fancy, and lefs Softness If ufeful Leffons, by Experience taught, Some lightly gain'd, and others dearly brought; [Truth, If Hints of honeft, though uncourtly That faithful Mentor to unpractis'd Youth; [kind err, If Portraits meant to fhew how Man- What is the Term Nobility defin'd? In Wines well-chofen, or in highwrought Treat, [Seat; The Suit embroider'd, or the fumptuous The graceful Dance, the well-conducted Foil; [HOYLE; The Wit of ROCHESTER, or Sleight of In the fleet Courfer that outstrips the Wind; [kind; The Wife neglected, and the Miftrefs In the fleet Hound, than those more nobly bred, [DIAN led ?Thro' LATMOS' Groves that fandal'd The Anfwer's plain, when Reafon dare be free; Virtue alone is true Nobility- Virtue, which takes defective Nature's For |