The shrieks of the women, and the groans of the dying, rendered the whole a scene of horror almost inconceivable … if ten thousand worlds had been my own, I would have freely parted with them all to have exchanged my condition with that of the meanest slave in my own country[.]

It is laid out in straight & winding walks with grass plots, groves, views &c. Nature kindly planted the groves which I have only protected & keep clean. I have added various kinds of beautiful & curious trees, shrubs & flowers, which I have transported at various times from all parts of the Country. I have besides planted Plantanes, Bananas for Bakeovers, pine-apples, sugar cane, Palma Christi, from which is made the famous Castor-oil, Cotton, Pepper, Papays, Cashew, Tamarinds, Oranges, Guavas, Limes & various other fruits, so that with permission of Providence this Island will abound with most of these things in a few years & will be a great relief to future seamen. I have besides all sorts of Country kitchen stuff & some curious herbs. My example has also turned the heads of my neighbours, every one having now got his large garden & what will surprise your African acquaintance, we are already wrangling about ground, and when I came here, no one deigned it worth while to clear the bush—tho’ full of vermin—five yards from his house.