Samuel Wilson spent his time in Carolina serving as secretary to one of the Lord Proprietors, William Craven, 1st Earl of Craven. He spent four years in the colony in the Ashley River Settlement (Charlestowne Landing) before his travel narrative was published in London in 1682. Wilson’s narrative is a particularly appealing promotional narrative for the colony. His descriptions of the natural landscape and wildlife are of the upmost detail, and he illustrates the successes of the current settlers in hopes of enticing more people to migrate with the promise of agricultural and economic prosperity. Furthermore, he directly speaks to the promotional nature of the narrative by explaining the various methods of obtaining land in the colony and informing his readers of what particular articles and resources they would need to bring with them. While Wilson’s travel narrative takes on the tone of an advertisement for settlement in the colony, the narrative also serves as a window of insight into the state of the colony in the late 17th century.
Wilson’s narrative is unique as it goes outside of the usual bounds of Carolina culture in Charlestowne and expands its descriptions to summarize the Ashley River Settlement. Wilson must have witnessed first hand and been very aware of the difficulties in settling on such swampy marshlands, making the exceptionally positive descriptions of the area’s soil seem more forced or falsified. His narrative also stands alone as, two-thirds of the way through his narrative, he begins to focus more on the logistics of immigrating to the colony, rather than describing the condition and state of it. The nature of Wilson’s narrative as a promotional pamphlet is obvious through his high-falutin language and direct instructions, allowing modern readers to clearly see the Lord Proprietor’s efforts to bring reliable and hard-working settlers into the colony.
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“An Account of the Province of Carolina” by Samuel Wilson (1682)
CAROLINA is that part of Florida which lies between twenty nine and thirty six Degrees and thirty Minutes of Northern Latitude: On the East it is washed with the Atlantick Ocean, and is bounded on the West by Mare Pacificum (or the South Sea.) and within these bounds is contained the most healthy Fertile and pleasant part of Florida, which is so much commended by the Spanish Authors.
This Province of Carolina, was in the Year 1663 Granted by Letters Pattents in Propriety of his most Gracious Majesty, unto the Right Honourable Edward Earl of Clarendon, George Duke of Albemarle, William Earl of Craven, John Lord Berkely, Anthony Lord Ashly, now Earl of Shaftsbury, Sir George Carteret, and Sir John Colleton, Knights and Barronets, Sir William Berkeley Knight, by which Letters Pattents the Laws of England are to be of force in Carolina: but the Lords Proprietors have power with the consent of the Inhabitants to make By-Laws for the better Government of the said Province: So that no Money can be raised or Law made, without the consent of the Inhabitants or their Representatives. They have also power to appoint and impower Governours, and other Magistrates, to Grant Liberty of Conscience, make Constitutions, etc., With many other great Priviledges, as by the said Letters Pattents will more largely appear. And the said Lords Proprietors have there setled a Constitution of Government, whereby is granted Liberty of Conscience, and wherein all possible care is taken for the equal Administration of Justice, and for the lasting Security of the Inhabitants both in their Persons and Estates.
By the care and endeavours of the said Lords Proprietors, and at their very great charge, two Colonys have been setled in this Province, the one at Albemarle in the most Northerly part, the other at Ashly River, which is in the Latitude of thirty two Degrees odd Minutes.
Albemarle bordering upon Virginia, and only exceeding it in Health, Fertility, and Mildness of the Winter, is in the Growths, Productions and other things much of the same nature with it: Wherefore I shall not trouble the Reader with a perticular Description of that part; but apply my self principally to discourse of the Collony at Ashly-River, which being many Degrees more Southward than Virginia, differs much from it in the Nature of its Clymate and Productions.
Ashly-River was first setled in April 1670, the Lords Proprietors having at their sole charge, set out three Vessels, with a considerable number of able Men; eighteen Moneths Victuals, with Clothes, Tools, Ammunition, and what else was thought necessary for a new Settlement, and continued at this charge to supply the Collony for divers years after, until the Inhabitants were able by their own Industry to live of themselves; in which condition they have been for divers years past, and are arrived to a very great Degree of Plenty of all sorts of Provisions. Insomuch, that most sorts are already cheaper there, than in any other of the English Collonys, and they are plentifully enough supplied with all things from England or other Parts.
Ashly-River, about seven Miles in from the Sea, divides it self into two Branches; the Southermost retaining the name of Ashly-River, the North Branch is called Cooper-River. In May 1680, the Lords Proprietors sent their Orders to the Government there, appointing the Port-Town for these two Rivers to be Built on the Poynt of Land that divides them, and to be called Charles Town, since which time about an hundred Houses are there Built, and more are Building daily by the Persons of all sorts that come there to Inhabit, from the more Northern English Collonys, and the Sugar Islands, England and Ireland; and many persons who went to Carolina Servants, being Industrious since they came out of their times with their Masters, at whose charge they were Transported, have gotten good Stocks of Cattle, and Servants of their own; have here also Built Houses, and exercise their Trades: And many that went thither in that condition, are worth several Hundreds of Pounds, and live in a very plentiful condition, and their Estates still encreasiug. And Land is become of that value near the Town, that it is sold for twenty Shillings per Acre, though pillaged of all its valuable Timber, and not cleared of the rest, and Land that is clear’d and fitted for Planting, and Fenced, is let for ten Shillings per annum the Acre, though twenty miles distant from the Town, and six men will in six weeks time, Fall, Clear, Fence in, and fit for Planting, six Acres of Land.
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The Soyle is generally very fertile, but hath some sandy tracts so as to make an agreable variety, but even this Land produceth good Come and is excellent pasture; Wheat, Rye, Barly, Oates, and Peas, thrive exceedingly, and the ground yeilds in greater abundance than in England, Turnips, Parsnips, Carrots, Potatoes, and Edoes, a substantial wholesome nourishing Root grow well, and all excellent in their kindes, they have near twenty sorts of Pulsa that We have not in England, all of them very good food, insomuch that the English Garden Bean is not regarded.
Near the Sea the Trees are not very large, they grow pritty neare together; farther up they are larger, and grow farther asunder, and are in most parts free from Underwood, so that you may see near half a mile amongst the bodyes of large tall timber trees, whose tops meeting make a very pleasing shade, yet hinders not grass, myrtle and other sweet scenting shrubs here and there from growing under them: Amongst these Groves of Timber Trees are here and there Savana’s, (or grassy plains) of several magnitudes clear of Trees, which have occasion’d some that have seene them to compare Carolina to those pleasant Parks in England, that have abundance of tall Timber Trees unlop’d, here you may hunt the Hare, Fox, and Deere all day long in the shade, and freely, spur your horse through the Woods to follow the chase.
This Country hath the Oak, Ash, Elm, Poplar, Beech, and all the other Sorts of useful Timber that England hath, and divers sorts of lasting Timber that England hath not, as Cedar white and red, Cypress, Locust, Bay and Laurell Trees, equal to the biggest Oaks, large Mirtles, Hickery, black Wallnut and Pynes big enough to Mast the greatest Ships, and divers other sorts, which I cannot enumerate.
The Woods abound with Hares, Squirrels, Racoons, Possums, Conyes and Deere, which last are so plenty that an Indian hunter hath kill’d nine fatt Deere in a day all shott by himself, and all the considerable Planters have an Indian hunter which they hire for less than twenty shillings a year, and one hunter will very well find a Family of thirty people with as much Venison and Foul, as they can well eat. Here are also in the woods great plenty of Wilde Turkeys, Partridges, something smaller than those of England, but more de[l]icate, Turtle Doves, Paraquetos, and Pidgeons; On the grassy plaines the whistling Plover and Cranes and divers sorts of Birds unknowne in England.
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The way of any ones taking up his Land, due to him either by carrying himself or servants into the Country, or by purchasing it of the Lords Proprietors, is after this manner; He first seeks out a place to his mind that is not already possessed by any other, then applyes himself to the Governour and Proprietors Deputys, and shew what rights he hath to Land, either by Purchase or otherwise; who thereupon issue out their Warrant to the Surveyor-General to measure him out a Plantation containing the number of acres due to him; who making Certificate that he hath measur’d out so much Land and the Bounds, a Deed is prepar’d of course, which is signed by the Governour and the Lords Proprietors Deputys, and the Proprietors Seal affixed to it, and Register’d, which is a good Conveyance in Law of the Land therein mention’d to the party and his Heirs for ever.
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The Tools that men who goe thither ought to take with them are these, viz. An Ax, a Bill, and a Broad Hoe, and grabbing Hoe, for every man, and a cross cut Saw to every four men, a Whip-saw, a set of Wedges and Fraus and Betle-Rings to every family, and some Reaping Hooks and Sythes, as likewise Nails of all sorts, Hooks, Hinges, Bolts and Locks for their Houses.
The Merchandizes which sell best in Carolina, are Linnen and Woollen, and all other Stufs to make clothes of, with Thread, Sowing Silk, Buttons, Ribbons, Hats, Stockings, Shoes, etc., which they sell at very good rates, and for these goods any man may purchase the Provision he hath need of.
The Passage of a man or woman to Carolina is five Pound, Ships are going thither all times of the year. Some of the Lords Proprietors, or my self, will be every Tuesday at 11 of the clock at the Carolina-Coffee-house in Burching-Lane near the Royal Exchange, to inform all people what Ships are going, or any other thing whatsoever.
(Original spelling is used. Not all sections of the narrative are included.)