Also, that those who, in that operation, pretended to have been most clear sighted, were of the opinion that the countries of the West Indies were not so thickly settled and planted by our enemies, but that trade could be established with divers people and Nations ; colonies carried emoluments derived therefrom over, plantations of divers profitable products promoted, and similar to what our enemies have now for many years drawn from their's to the manifest strengthening of the King's finances and in case of delay or ill success, it was expected to ;

make good a part of the loss, by return cargoes of salt but, in consequence of the tedious ;

negotiations with those of the North Quarter, the enemy hath wholly destroyed our Salt Trade at Punta del Rey. And in regard to trade, experience hath by degrees, made us wiser, and taught us, that it is very meager and indifferent with the people and nations who are still independent of the King of Spain ; also, that the countries still unoccupied, are for the most part unproductive and of little value, and those which have been found good and productive, being greatly encumbered by timber, &c., are very difficult of cultivation, especially for our nation, who, being unaccustomed to so hot a climate, find it difficult to apply themselves to labor, and being unprovided with slaves and also not in the habit of making use of them, cannot supply their own inefficiency by the labor of others, as the Spaniards and Portuguese easily do by that of the Blacks and Indians. Moreover, the peopling of such wild and uncleared lands, demands more inhabitants than our country can supply; not so much for want of population, with which our provinces swarm, as because all those who will labor in any way here, can easily obtain support, and, therefore, are disinclined to go far from home on an uncertainty.