tatoes, with a little salt Mackarel, and a Calabash or two for Cups and Spoons.
There are very good Bricks and Pots made here of the Clay of the Country, to the easie making of which the few Rains, as well as plenty of Fire-wood conduces much.
The Air here being so hot and brisk as to corrupt and spoil Meat in four hours after 'tis kill'd, no wonder if a diseased Body must be soon buried. They usually bury twelve hours after death at all times of the day and night.
The burial place at Port Royal is a little way out of Town, in a sandy Soil, because in the Town or Church it is thought unhealthy for the living. Planters are very often buried in their Gardens, and have a small Monument erected over them, and yet I never heard of any of them who walk'd after their deaths for being buried out of Consecrated ground.
An ampurated Member buried there, and dug up some days after, was found eaten by the Ants all but the Bones. In the Caves where the Indians used to bury, the Ants would eat the whole Flesh off of the Bodies, and would perforate the Bones, and eat up the Marrow, of which I have a proof, having brought with me from thence the Bone of the Arm of an Indian so perforated, and its Marrow eaten by them.
The Negroes from some Countries think they return to their own Country when they die in Jamaica, and therefore regard death but little, imagining they shall change their condition, by that means from servile to free, and so for this reason often cut their own Throats. Whether they die thus, or naturally, their Country people make great lamentations, mournings, and howlings about them expiring, and at their Funeral throw in Rum and Victuals into their Graves, to serve them in the other world. Sometimes they bury it in gourds, at other times spill it on the Graves.
They have every one his Wife, and are very much concern'd if they prove adulterous, but in some measure satisfied if their Masters punish the Man who does them the supposed injury, in any of his Hogs, or other small Wealth. The care of the Masters and Overseers about their Wives, is what keeps their Plantations chiefly in good order, whence they ever buy Wives in proportion to their Men, lest the Men should wander to neighbouring Plantations, and neglect to serve them. The Negros are much given to Venery, and although hard wrought, will at nights, or on Feast days Dance and Sing; their Songs are all bawdy, and leading that way. They have several sorts of Instruments in imitation of Lutes, made of small Gourds fitted with Necks, strung with Horse hairs, or the peeled stalks of climbing Plants or Withs. These Instruments are some-times
