All kind of labour is here performed by man, indeed he is the only animal that works, except a few saddle-horses; nor has he the least assistance of art to enable him to perform his task. Supposing the roads to be too steep and narrow for carts, an objection which lies against only one part of the island, yet the simple contrivance of wheel-barrows would doubtless be far preferable to carrying burthens upon the head, and even that expedient is never tried. Their slaves indeed are very numerous; they have them from most parts of the world, but they appeared to me a miserable race, almost worn out with the severity of the punishments, of which they frequently complained. I am sorry to say that it appeared to me that far more frequent and more wanton cruelties were exercised by my countrymen over these unfortunate people than ever their neighbours the Dutch, famed for inhumanity, are guilty of. One rule, however, they strictly observe, which is never to punish when ships are there.
Nature has blessed this island with very few productions either useful for the support, or conducive to the luxury, of mankind. Partridges and doves are the only animals, except possibly rats and mice; the latter, however, more probably brought here by ships. Among vegetables, purslain, celery, water-cresses, wild mint, and tobacco are now common among the rocks; though I doubt much whether they were so before people came here, as none, except the last, are found in parallel latitudes.
The first, indeed, is found on Ascension, and in many parts equally unlikely to have originally produced it, but that is accounted for by the ancient custom of the Portuguese, who, finding this herb particularly beneficial in complaints contracted in long voyages, made a point of sowing it wherever they went ashore, a custom from whence all nations have since reaped no small benefit. Amongst its native products, however, ebony[1] must be reckoned, though the trees that produce it are now nearly extinct, and no one remembers the time when they were at all plentiful. Yet
- ↑ Melhania melanoxylon, Br., now quite extinct.
