Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-04-22
Whether Admiral West went to Kinsaile

ireland, or not, does not appear. It's certain
that he arrived at Barbados in February
1910, and in all probability brought with hin
the first cotton seed that was ever brought
into the State of South Carolina. No doub
it was planted, and we may conclude tha
South Carolina commenced her existence with
the cultivation of cotton on the west bank o.
Ashley river. Cotton was found growing II
Mexico, Peru, Texas and Louisiana wher
these regions were discovered, and Sir Walter
Raleigh found cotton cultivated in Virgins
and North Carolina. 1t is thought that the
cotton found in Mexico, Peru, Texas ano
Louisiana, was what is now called the shor
staple; but what West broug ght with him wa:
the long staple or Sea-Island cotton. The DO
tonical name of this variety indicates very
clearly the region from which it came 1t l:
known amongst botanists by the name Cos
sypium Barbadense literally, cotton from o.
Of Barbados. We may as we'll add thai
very little effort was made to cultivate cottor
in the State of South Carolina, at least sea
island cotton, for number of years. Prlol
to the Revolution of 1776, only small quaint
ties of the variety called green seed was pro
duced for home consumption. Very little
was shipped. IL
In 1747, seven bales were shipped ffyp the
city Of Charleston, and when in 1884, seven
ty-one bales were shipped to Eng land, the au
thorities in England seized them as stolen
goods, alleging that all America could not
produce so much cotton. The first successful
effort to grow sea island cotton in the State,
was made by William Elliott, in the year
1890, near Hilton Head, in the neighborhood
colony in 1862.
The proprietors instructed West to take
with him from Barbados "half dozen young
sows and boar" with which to stock the
country. This is fact of some interest. Nc
doubt, in the swamps around the present city
of Charleston, these animals proved very pro-
life. Cattle and sheep were brought to the
State from Virginia. The circumstances Of
bringing them we're these On the lst OF
May, 1871, the proprietors sent out Captain
Halstead with supplies, to the colony planted
at Ashley river, now called the Ashley river
colony. So soon as these supplies were un'
loaded, he was instructed to load the ship
with lumber, and take it to Barbados and
exchange it for rum and sugar. These were
to be taken to Virginia, and exchanged fol-
cattle for the Ashley river colony.
When America was discovered by Euro
peans, there we're neither horses, hogs, COWS
nor sheep in the country. We cannot refrain
from remarking that the increase of these do
mestic animals is most wonderful. Previous
to the war of 1776, the country was full Of
wild horses, wild cattle and wild hogs. This
is the more wonderful, when we remember
that the country was also full of bears, wolves
and panthers. Guthrie, an old geographer
informs us that the beasts Of prey were not sc
ravenous in America, as the same kind Of
animals are in Africa and Asia. As the
country became settled and the number Of
wild animals decreased, and food for those
which live on flesh became scarce, the wolves
and panthers became more troublesome to the
planters, and made greater havoc on their do
mestic animals. 6
Capt. Halstead arrived at Ashley river in
the month of August, 1871. He brought
further orders to the colonists respecting their
organization. The orders were addressed ito
the Governor and council Of Ashley river. u
Before this the proprietors had learned that
the colony had given up the idea Of settling
at F ort Royal, and had already located them
selves Oh the Ashley river, on high point
which they had named, in honor Of one OF
the proprietors, Albemarle Point.
1t is evident that nothing but some very
potent reason could have induced the colony
to make this change. The harbor of Port
Royal is all that they could have desired, and
moreover, as we have seen, they were instruct
ed to plant the colony at Port Royal. The
reason, no doubt, was that the Indians in the
neighborhood of Port Royal were incensed
against the whites, on account OF the I'll treat
ment which, at various times and in different
ways, they had received from the Spanards.
1t is almost certain that the Spanish were
dreaded by Governor Sayle and his men. 1t
is true that treaty had but very recently
been made between England and Spain,
which granted the Bahamas to England; but
the Spauards at ST. Augustine cared very lit
tie for treaties, as many Of their subsequent
acts plainly show. The exact number Of the
colony we do not know, but many things lead
us to conclude that it was comparatively
small. The Spanish had been settled at st.
Augustine for long time, and had grown
COM paratively strong. The colony under
Sayle was by no means prepared to engage
in war with the Spaniards, and hence it
was no doubt resolved to select another loca-
ton less exposed to their hostile neighbors.
The proprietors ordered Capt. Halstead to
leave with the colony at Ashley river, eight
small guns and their carriages. The military
stores were under the control Of John Rivers,
subject, however, to the Governor. Previous
to the arrival of Halstead, in August, 1871
it is probable that the colonists we're in posses
sion of no cannon. This, also, is another rea
son why Governor Sayle was unwilling to
risk settling at Port Royal.
Capt. Halstead brought instructions to the
Governor respecting the Colonial Parliament
These instructions are addressed to Governor
Sayle. This shows that the death of the
Governor was not, on the 1st Of May, 1871
known to the propretors; but since the loca
tion of the colony was known, we may infer
that Capt. Bairne removed the colonists from
Port Royal to Ashley river, and having land
ed them returned to England. The Govern
or was required, within thirty days after re-
ceving the instructions, to summon the free
holders of the plantations and require them
to elect twenty men, who, together with the
deputies Of the proprietors, were, for the pres
ent, to be the Parliament of the colony
These, or the majority Of them, were to make
such laws as mig ght be necessary for the pros
perity of thecolony. The Parliament was to
meet every two years, on the first of Novem
ber The first thing the Parliament was re-
quired to do, on assembling, was to choose five
men whom they might think 6ttest to act in
concert with the five deputies of the proprie
tors, and who with the FIVE oldest of the no
hiltv were tn constitute the grand council