Page:Economic History of Virginia Vol 1.djvu/648

 cargo of laborers in addition to the large quantity of supplies which he placed on board of his vessel: without a cargo of servants and general merchandise, there would be no means of meeting the expense incurred in the navigation of the ship on its outward voyage. If the vessel had proceeded to Virginia with only worthless ballast in its hold, the profits of its return voyage would have been seriously diminished, however valuable the tobacco brought back might prove to be. It was for this reason to the interest of the English merchant or shipowner who traded with the planters of Virginia, to export to that Colony, whenever a ship was sent out, a cargo adapted to its needs, and as servants were always in demand, he took steps to obtain them as ensuring the smallest risk in his venture.

The principal month for sailing was September. A ship beginning its voyage in this month, either early or late, could safely calculate upon arriving in Virginia at the time when the bulk of the crop of tobacco for the past season had been put in shape for transportation to England. Not only could the shipmaster who reached the Colony in October or November rely with confidence upon securing a cargo of tobacco, since all the planters were eager to forward their hogsheads to the foreign markets at the earliest possible moment in order to obtain the highest price, but he could also justly indulge the hope of readily disposing of all his supplies, including the servants, since there was a crop on hand to be offered in