ABSTRACT
The Cultivation of Garden Stuff should be likewise recommanded to the Inhabitants, especially the Phaseolm Mungo or Lack-tao of the Chinese, whereof Bowen2 prepares his Sago. Plantations of the American live Oak, the Terminalia Catappa & the Barringtonia would supply sooner & more wood, than the slow growing Gumwood-Trees & Cabbage-Trees, & thus make fuel cheaper. Fishing with hook & Line is common enough & supplies the Inhabitants with a fine fresh Meal, on account of the scarcity of Beef & other fresh Meat in the Isle: but many more might be caught in rocky places, where they cannot angle by Fish-pots & by growing food with the braised green fruit of the Barringtonia, or the Vicia Piscidia & the Lepidium Piscidium*
The number of Inhabitants amounts to about 1800 or 2,000, Slaves included; the Soldiers make about the fourth part of this Number. One third are Slaves, the rest make the Inhabitants & their Families. The East-India-Company make use of this Island for a place of banishment of such people in India as oppose their measures in any way. There are now several Bramines, who were suspected to hinder somewhere in India the Success of Trade, & they were seized & transported hither, where they have in the middle of the Country a House & some Land & Gardens, with Servants to serve them, & all the Provisions & Necessaries allowed them by the Company. The Current Coin of the Isle are chiefly Pagodas & Rupees, though English coin is likewise taken: Spanish Dollars go for 4sh 6d, a Pagoda for 8sh, a Rupee for 2sh 3d.
