The first part of Merchantable commodities.
SILKE of grasse, or Grasse silke. There is a kind of
grasse in the country, upon the blades whereof there
groweth very good silke in forme of a thin glittering
skin to be stript off. It groweth two foot & an halfe
high or better: the blades are about two foot in length,
and halfe an inch broad. The like groweth in Persia
,
which is in the selfe same climate as Virginia
, of which
very many of the Silke works that come from thence into
Europe
are made. Hereof if it be planted and ordered
as in Persia
, it cannot in reason be otherwise, but that
there will rise in short time great profit to the dealers
therein, seeing there is so great use and vent thereof
aswel in our countrey as elsewhere. And by the meanes
of sowing and planting it in good ground, it will be farre
greater, better, and more plentifull then it is. Although
notwithstanding there is great store thereof in many
places of the countrey growing naturally and wild, which
also by proofe here in England
, in making a piece of
Silke grogran, we found to be excellent good.
Worme silke. In many of our journeys we found
Silke-wormes faire and great, as bigge as our ordinary
Walnuts. Although it hath not bene our hap to have
found such plenty, as elswhere to be in the countrey we
have heard of, yet seeing that the countrey doth naturally
breed and nourish them, there is no doubt but if arte
be added in planting of Mulberie trees, and others, fit
for them in commodious places, for their feeding &
nourishing, and some of them carefully gathered & husbanded in that sort, as by men of skil is knowen to be
necessary: there wil rise as great profit in time to the
Virginians, as thereof doth now to the Persians, Turks,
Italians and Spanyards.
Flaxe and Hempe. The trueth is, that of Hempe and
Flaxe there is no great store in any one place together,
by reason it is not planted but as the soile doth yeeld
of it selfe: and howsoever the leafe and stemme or stalke
do differ from ours, the stuffe by judgement of men of
skill is altogether as good as ours: and if not, as further
proofe should finde otherwise, we have that experience
of the soile, as that there cannot be shewed any reason
to the contrary, but that it will grow there excellent
well, and by planting will be yeelded plentifully, seeing
there is so much ground whereof some may well be applied
to such purposes. What benefit heereof may grow in
cordage and linnens who cannot easily understand?
Allum. There is a veine of earth along the sea coast
for the space of forty or fifty miles, whereof by the judgement of some that have made triall here in England
, is
made good Allum, of that kind which is called Roch
allum. The richnesse of such a commodity is so well
knowen, that I need not to say any thing thereof. The
same earth doth also yeeld White coprasse, Nitrum, and
Alumen plumeum, but nothing so plentifully as the
common Allum, which be also of price, and profitable.
Wapeih. A kind of earth so called by the naturall
inhabitants, very like to Terra sigillata, and having bene
refined, it hath bene found by some of our Physicians
and Chyrurgians, to be of the same kind of vertue, and
more effectuall. The inhabitants use it very much for
the cure of sores and wounds: there is in divers places
great plenty, and in some places of a blew sort.
Pitch, Tarre, Rozen and Turpentine. There are those
kinds of trees which yeeld them abundantly and great
store. In the very same Island where we were seated,
being fifteene miles of length, and five or sixe miles in
breadth, there are few trees els but of the same kinde,
the whole Island being full.
Sassafras, called by the inhabitants Winauk, a kind of
wood of most pleasant and sweet smell, and of most
rare vertues in physicke for the cure of many diseases.
It is found by experience to be far better and of more uses
then the wood which is called Guaiacum, or Lignum vitae.
For the description, the maner of using, and the manifold
vertues therof, I refer you to the booke of Monardes,
translated and entituled in
English, The joyfull newes
from the West Indies.
Cedar. A very sweet wood, and fine timber, whereof
if nests of chests be there made, or timber thereof fitted
for sweet and fine bedsteds, tables, desks, lutes, virginals,
and many things els, (of which there hath bene proofe
made already) to make up fraight with other principall
commodities, will yeeld profit.
Wine. There are two kindes of grapes that the soile
doth yeeld naturally, the one is small and sowre, of the
ordinary bignesse as ours in England
, the other farre
greater and of himselfe lushious sweet. When they are
planted and husbanded as they ought, a principall commodity of wines by them may be raised.
Oile. There are two sorts of Walnuts, both holding
oile; but the one farre more plentifull then the other.
When there are mils and other devices for the purpose,
a commodity of them may be raised, because there are
infinite store. There are also three severall kindes of
berries in the forme of Oke-akornes, which also by the
experience and use of the inhabitants, we find to yeeld
very good and sweet oile. Furthermore, the beares of
the countrey are commonly very fat, and in some places
there are many. Their fatnesse, because it is so liquid,
may well be termed oile, and hath many speciall uses.
Furres. All along the Sea coast there are great store
of Otters, which being taken by weares and other engines
made for the purpose, wil yeeld good profit. We hope
also of Marterne furres, and make no doubt by the
relation of the people, but that in some places of the
countrey there are store, although there were but two
skinnes that came to our hands. Luzernes also we have
understanding of, although for the time we saw none.
Deers skinnes dressed after the maner of Chamoes,
or undressed, are to be had of the naturall inhabitants
thousands yerely by way of traffike for trifles, and no
more waste or spoile of Deere then is and hath bene
ordinarily in time before.
Civet-cats. In our travels there was found one to have
bin killed by a Savage or inhabitant, & in another place
the smel where one or more had lately bene before,
whereby we gather, besides then by the relation of the
people, that there are some in the country: good profit
will rise by them.
Iron. In two places of the countrey specially, one
about fourescore, & the other six score miles from the
fort or place where we dwelt, we found nere the water
side the ground to be rocky, which by the triall of a
Minerall man was found to holde iron richly. It is
found in many places of the country els: I know nothing
to the contrary, but that it may be allowed for a good
merchantable commodity, considering there the small
charge for the labour & feeding of men, the infinite store
of wood, the want of wood & deerenesse thereof in
England
, and the necessity of ballasting of ships.
Copper. An hundred and fifty miles into the maine
in two townes we found with the inhabitants divers small
plates of Copper, that had bene made as we understood
by the inhabitants that dwell further into the country,
where as they say are mountaines and rivers that yeeld
also white graines of mettall, which is to be deemed
Silver. For confirmation whereof, at the time of our first
arrivall in the countrey, I saw, with some others with
me, two small pieces of Silver grosly beaten, about the
weight of a testron, hanging in the eares of a Wiroans or
chiefe lord that dwelt about fourescore miles from us: of
whom through inquiry, by the number of dayes and the
way, I learned that it had come to his hands from the
same place or neere, where I after understood the Copper
was made, and the white graines of metall found. The
aforesayd Copper we also found by triall to holde Silver.
Pearle. Sometimes in feeding on Muscles we found
some Pearle: but it was our happe to meet with ragges,
or of a pide colour: not having yet discovered those
places where we heard of better and more plenty. One
of our company, a man of skill in such matters, had
gathered together from among the Savage people about
five thousand: of which number he chose so many as made
a faire chaine, which for their likenesse and uniformity in
roundnesse, orientnesse, and pidenesse of many excellent
colours, with equality in greatnesse, were very faire and
rare: and had therefore beene presented to her Majesty,
had we not by casualty, and through extremity of a storme
lost them, with many things els in comming away from
the countrey.
Sweet gummes of divers kinds, and many other
Apothecary drugges, of which we will make speciall mention, when we shall receive it from such men of skill in
that kinde, that in taking reasonable paines shal discover
them more particularly then we have done, and then now
I can make relation of, for want of the examples I had
provided and gathered, and are now lost, with other
things by casualty before mentioned.
Dies of divers kinds: There is Shoemake well knowen,
and used in England
for blacke: the seed of an herbe
called Wasebur, little small roots called Chappacor, and
the barke of the tree called by the inhabitants Tangomockonomindge: which dies are for divers sorts of red:
their goodnesse for our English clothes remaine yet to be
prooved. The inhabitants use them only for the dying of
haire, and colouring of their faces, and mantles made of
Deere skinnes: and also for the dying of rushes to make
artificiall works withall in their mats and baskets: having
no other thing besides that they account of, apt to use
them for. If they will not proove merchantable, there
is no doubt but the planters there shall finde apt uses
for them, as also for other colours which we know to
be there.
Woad: a thing of so great vent and uses amongst
English Diers, which can not be yeelded sufficiently in
our owne countrey for spare of ground, may be planted
in Virginia
, there being ground enough. The growth
thereof need not to be doubted, when as in the
Islands
of the Acores it groweth plentifully, which are in the same
climate. So likewise of Madder.
We caried thither Suger-canes to plant, which being
not so well preserved as was requisite, and besides the
time of the yeere being past for their setting when we
arrived, we could not make that proofe of them as we
desired. Notwithstanding, seeing that they grow in the
same climate, in the South part of Spaine, and in
Barbary, our hope in reason may yet continue. So likewise
for Orenges and Limmons. There may be planted also
Quinses. Whereby may grow in reasonable time, if the
action be diligently prosecuted, no small commodities
in Sugars, Suckets, and Marmelades.
Many other commodities by planting may there also
be raised, which I leave to your discreet and gentle considerations: and many also may be there, which yet we
have not discovered. Two more commodities of great
value, one of certeinty, and the other in hope, not to
be planted, but there to be raised and in short time to
be provided, and prepared, I might have specified. So
likewise of those commodities already set downe I might
have sayd more: as of the particular places where they
are found, and best to be planted and prepared: by what
meanes, and in what reasonable space of time they might
be raised to profit, and in what proportion: but because
others then welwillers might be there withall acquainted,
not to the good of the action, I have wittingly omitted
them: knowing that to those that are well disposed, I
have uttered, according to my promise and purpose, for
this part sufficient.
