Page:The History of the Island of Dominica.djvu/86

 took up at leat eighteen months, before any produce could be planted.—Whilt in everal intances, ome of them pent the money, which was intended to forward their plantations, in unneceary buildings; or in an unwarrantable luxury of living.

Others, from an unpardonable greedines, purchaed, in the names of their acquaintances or families, everal lots of land, each containing the number of acres limited in the grants; by which means, perons who would have been more fit ettlers, were deprived of them; and large quantities of land thus purchaed, are now in the ame tate (in woods) as they were, when firft old at the Commiioners ales nearly thirty years ago.

Another material caue, to which the reduction of ugar plantations in this iland may be attributed, is, that everal of the firt Englih fettlers, from a want of knowledge in the