A Description of the island of Jamaica with the other isles and territories in America, to which the English are related ... : taken from the notes of Sr. Thomas Linch, Knight, governour of Jamaica, and other experienced persons in the said places : illustrated with maps / published by Richard Blome.

Commodities.

Commodities which this Coun∣trey doth,* 1.1 or may produce, are Hemp, Flax, Hops, Rape-Seed, An∣niceseed, Wood, Madder, Pot-Ashes▪ Honey, Wax, Silk, (if they would make it, Mulberry-Trees here growing in such great plenty) Sax¦afras, Sarsaparilla, several swee•• Gums, and Balsomes of Sovereign vertues, several sorts of Plants▪ Woods, &c. used by Dyers, here are veins of Alomes, Iron, and Cop∣per, sundry sorts of Rich Furrs, Elk-skins (which maketh excellen•• Buffe) and other Hides; Pitch, Tarr, Rozen, Turpentine, Butter, Cheese, and Salted Flesh and Fish, which find vent at the Barbadoes, and o∣ther Caribbe Isles; but above all these, their chief Commodity is To∣bacco,

which they are sure to find vent for, and is the Standard by which all other Commodities are prized; but it were well for the Inhabitants if they would imploy their time, about the making of Silk, or some other Commodities, which in a short time would be found more advantageous unto them, & then their Tobacco would not be so great a Drug as of late it is, insomuch that the Merchant oft∣times had rather lose it, then to pay the charges and Duties of Freight, Custome, Excise, &c.

Here groweth a kind of Flax, called Silk-grass, of which the Indians make Thred, and Strings, and is good to make Linnen-cloth, and Shifts, and would make ex∣cellent strong Cables.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Pro∣duct of the Country