LETTERS OF THOMAS NEWE, 1682 May the 17th, 1682, from CHARLES TOWN on Most Honourd Father: THE 12th of this instant by the providence of God after a long and tedious passage we came to an Anchor against Charles town at 10 in the night in 3 fathom water, on the sixth we made land 60 miles to the South of Ashley River against which we came the 8 but could not get in by reason of contrary winds sooner then we did. We had little or nothing observable in the whole voyage, but the almost continual S.W. winds. God be thanked I had my health very well except a day or two of Sea sickness but most of the other passengers were much troubled with the scurvy; Of 62 that came out of England we lost 3, two of them were seamen, one dyed of the scurvey, the other fell overboard, the third was a woman in child bed, her child died shortly after her. As for the Countrey I can say but little of it as yet on my one [own] knowledge, but what I hear from others. The Town which two years since had but 3 or 4 houses, hath now about a hundred houses in it, all which are wholy built of wood, tho here is excellent Brick made, but little of it. All things are very dear in the Town; milk 2 d a quart, beefe 4 d a pound, pork 3 d, but far better then our English, the common drink of the Countrey is Molossus and water, I don't hear of any mault that is made hear as yet. The English Barly and Wheat do thrive very well, but the Indian corn being more hearty and profitable, the other is not much regarded. I am told that there is great plenty of all things in the Countrey, whither I intend to go as soon as conveniently I can dispose of my goods, which I fear will not Severall in be soon, nor to such advantage as we expected. the Country have great stocks of Cattle and they sell so well to new comers that they care not for killing, which is the reason provision is so dear in the Town, whilst they in the Country are furnisht with Venison, fish, and fowle by the Indians for trifles, and they that understand it make as good butter and cheese as most in England. The land near the sea side is generally a light and sandy ground, but up in the Country they say there is very good land, and the farther up the better, but that which at present doth somewhat hinder the selling [settling] farther up, is a war that they are ingaged in against a tribe of Barbarous Indians being not above 60 in number, but by reason of their great growth and cruelty in feeding on all their neighbours, they are terrible to all other Indians, of which, there are above 40 severall Kingdoms, the strength and names of them all being known to our Governer who upon any occasion summons their Kings in. We are at peace with all but those common enemies of mankind, those man eaters before mentioned, by name the Westos, who have lately killed two eminent planters that lived far up in the Country, so that they are resolved now if they can find their settlement (which they often change) to cut them all off. There is a small party of English out after them, and the most potent Kingdome of the Indians armed by us and continually in pursuit of them. When we came into Ashley river we found six small vessels in the Harbour, but great ones may and have come in by the assistance of a good Pilot, and if they can make good wine hear, which they have great hopes of, and this year will be the time of tryall which if it hits no doubt but the place will flourish exceedingly, but if the vines do not prosper I question whither it will ever be any great place of trade. On Sunday the 14th of this instant a small vessell that came from Mewis hither, was cast away upon the Bar, but the men and 1 He evidently expected to do as many of the foremost men of South Carolina had done and as many more of them subsequently did. They accumulated capital in trade and then took up planting and grew wealthy thereby. 2 See Woodward's Westoe Voiage, pp. 130–134, supra, for an account of the Westoes. They rose against the English settlements in 1673, 1680, and 1681, but were defeated each time. See Collections of the South Carolina Historical Society, V. 461; Calendar of State Papers, Colonial, 1681-1685, pp. 508-510. * Nevis. goods were all saved. This is the first opportunity I have had to write since I came from England but I hope to find more opportunityes here, then I had at Sea, this with my most humble duty to yourself and my Mother, my kind love to my sister and Brothers being all from Your most duetifull and obedient son My duty to my Grandmother and my love to all my relations and friends that enquire concerning me. Most Honoured Father: May 29th, 1682, by way of The 17th of this Instant by way of Barbados in the Samuel, being the 1st opportunity since my departure from England, I sent you a letter wherein I gave you an account of our safe arrival, but not of the Voyage, that I leave to my Journall which I intend to send by the first Ship that goes directly for England, with my knowledge of the Countrey of which I have not seen much yet, but one thing I understand (to my sorrow) that I knew not before, the most have a seasoning, but few dye of it. I find the Commonalty here to be mightily dissatisfied, the reason is 3 or 4 of the great ones, for furs and skins, have furnished the Indians with arms and ammunitions especially those with whome they are now at War, for from those they had all or most of their fur, so that trade which 3 or 4 only kept in their hands is at present gone to decay, and now they have armed the next most potent tribe of the Indians to fight the former, and some few English there are out, looking after them, which is a charge to the people and a stop [to] the further setling of the Countrey.' The Soyl is gen 1 Dr. Henry Woodward had built up a fine trade with the Westo Indians, in which he was personally interested. In 1680 the Savannah Indians pushed eastward from their towns near the Gulf, west of the Appalachicola River, to the Westoboo (Savannah). In the same year, the Westoes, in violation of a treaty they had made with the governor, killed, or captured for slaves, some Indians of the coastal tribes near Charles Town, and war was declared upon them by the whites. Dr. Woodward was accused of having furnished the Westoes with arms to use against the friendly Indians and prohibited from trading or negotiating with them. He was subsequently fined for his conduct, but the erally very light, but apt to produce whatsoever is put into it. There are already all sorts of English fruit and garden herbs besides many others that I never saw in England, and they do send a great deal of Pork, Corn and Cedar to Barbados, besides the victualling of severall Vessels that come in here, as Privateers and others which to do in the space of 12 years the time from the 1st seating of it by the English, is no small work, especially if we consider the first Planters which were most of them tradesmen, poor and wholy ignorant of husbandry and till of late but few in number, it being encreased more the 3 or 4 last years then the whole time before, the whole at presen[t] not amounting to 4000,' so that their whole Business was to clear a little ground to get Bread for their Familyes, few of them having wherewithall to purchase a Cow, the first stock whereof they were furnished with, from Bermudas and New England, from the later of which they had their horses which are not so good as those in England, but by reason of their scarcity much dearer, an ordinary Colt at 3 years old being valued at 15 or 16 lis. as they are scarce, so there is but little use of them yet, all Plantations being seated on the Rivers, they can go to and fro by Canoo or Boat as well and as soon as they can ride, the horses here like the Indians and many of the English do travail without shoes. Now each family hath got a stock of Hogs and Cows, which when once a little more encreased, they may send of to the Islands cheaper then any other place can, by reason of its propinquity, which trade alone will make it far more considerable than either Virginia, Maryland, Pensilvania, and those other places to the North of us. I desire you would be pleased by the next opportunity to send me over the best herbalist for Physical Plants in as small a Volume as you can get. There was a new one just came out as I left England, if I mistake not in 8°. that was much commended, the Author I have forgot, but there are severall in Lords Proprietors pardoned him. See Journal of the Grand Council of South Carolina, 1671-1680 (Columbia, S. C., 1907), pp. 84-85. While hostilities were on with the Westoes the English furnished the Savannahs with arms with which to drive out their rivals, the Westoes, which they did in 1681. 1 See p. 158, supra. 'Perhaps this was John Ray's Methodus Plantarum Nova (London, 1682, octavo). If he received the "herbalist" it probably was included in the twentythree books appraised in his inventory at £1. 108. See p. 179, supra. the Colledge that can direct you to the best. If Mr. Sessions, Mr. Hobart or Mr. White, should send to you for money for the passage of a servant, whether man or boy that they Judge likely, I desire you would be pleased to send it them, for such will turn to good account here; and if you please to enquire at some Apothecarys what Sassafrass (which grows here in great plenty) is worth a pound and how and at what time of the year to cure it, let me know as soon as you can, for if the profit is not I am sure the knowledge is worth sending for. Pray Sir let me hear by the next how all our friends and relacions do, what change in the Colledge, and what considerable alteracion through the whole Town; I have now nothing more to speak but my desire that you may still retain (what I know you do) that love with which I dayly was blest and that readiness in pardoning whatsoever you find amiss, and to believe that my affections are not changed with the Climate unless like it too, grown warmer, this with my most humble duety to yourself and my mother, my kind love to my sister and Brothers and all the rest of our Friends I rest Your most dutifull and obedient son, From Charls Town in Carolina. From CHARLS TOWN, August the 23, 1682. Most Honourd Father. In obedience to your commands, I am ready to embrace every opportunity of sending to you, this is the 3rd, The 2 first by way of Barbados, the 1rst of the 17th, the 2nd of the 29th of May, which I hope you will receive long before this comes to your hands. This place affords little news, nothing worth sending. The 11th of June a French Privateer of 4 Guns 30 men whereof 10 were English men brought in here a Spanish prize of 16 Guns and a 100 men, which by the Frenchmens confession they had never taken, had it not been for the English, they have allready spent most of it and are providing to be gone againe. The 30th of July cam an Indian to our Governour and told him that 800 Spaniards were upon their march coming from St. Augustine (a place belonging to our Proprietors about 150 |