Season. [Why they do not alwayes sow the best kind
of Rice.] Now the Rice they sow is according as they
foresee their stock of Water will last. It will
sometimes last them two or three, or four or five
Months, more or less; the Rice therefore they chuse
to cast into the Ground, is of that sort that may answer
the duration of the Water. For all their Crop
would be spoilt if the Water should fail them before
their Corn grew ripe. If they foresee their Water
will hold out long, then they sow the best and most
profitable Rice,
viz. that which is longest a
ripening; but if it will not, they must be content
to sow of the worser sorts; that is, those that are
sooner ripe. Again, they are forced sometimes
to sow this younger Rice, for the preventing the damage
it might otherwise meet with, if it should stand longer.
For their Fields are all in common, which after they
have sown, they enclose till Harvest; But as soon as
the Corn first sown becomes ripe, when the Owner has
reaped it, it is lawful for him to break down his
Fences, and let in his Cattle for grazing; which would
prove a great mischief to that Corn that required to
stand a Month or two longer. Therefore if they
are constrained to sow later than the rest, either
through want or sloth, or some other Impediment, yet
they make use of that kind of Rice that will become
ripe, equal with that first sown. [They sow at different
times, but reap together.] And so they all observe
one time of reaping to prevent their Corn being trampled
down or eaten up by the Cattle. Thus they time
their Corn to their Harvest; some sowing sooner, some
later, but all reaping together, unless they be Fields
that are enclosed by themselves; and peculiar to one
Man.
[Their Artificial Pools.] Where there are no Springs
or Rivers to furnish them with Water, as it is in
the Northern Parts, where there are but two or three
Springs, they supply this defect by saving of rain
Water; which they do, by casting up great Banks in
convenient places to stop and contain the Rains that
fall, and so save it till they have occasion to let
it out into their Fields: They are made rounding
like a C or Half-Moon, every Town has one of these
Ponds, which if they can but get filled with Water,
they count their Corn is as good as in the Barn.
It was no small work to the ancient Inhabitants to
make all these Banks, of which there is a great number,
being some two, some three Fathoms in height, and
in length some above a Mile, some less, not all of
a size. They are now grown over with great Trees,
and so seem natural Hills. When they would use
the Water, they cut a gap in one end of the Bank,
and so draw the Water by little and little, as they
have occasion for the watering their Corn. These
Ponds in dry weather dry up quite. If they should
dig these Ponds deep, it would not be so convenient
for them. It would indeed contain the Water well,
but would not so well nor in such Plenty empty out
it self into their Grounds. [Aligators harbor in them.]