The Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands, Vol. 1

vi

The PREFACE.

A circular bookplate (ex-libris) stamp in the upper left corner belonging to Mildred Bliss (1879–1969), a noted American art collector and gardener. The stamp depicts a classical figure with a trumpet and palm branch below a crest, encircled by the text "EX LIBRIS MILDRED BLISS".

Despite my own lack of confidence in my abilities, I first decided to undertake this project, which so well suited my natural interests. However, because significant expenses were necessary to carry out the design, I must here most gratefully acknowledge the assistance and encouragement I received from several noble persons and gentlemen, whose names are mentioned below:

His Grace the Duke of CHANDOIS James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos, a wealthy patron of the arts and sciences..
The Right Honourable THOMAS Earl of OXFORD.
The Right Honourable THOMAS Earl of MACCLESFIELD.
The Right Honourable JOHN Lord PERCIVAL.
Sir GEORGE MARKHAM, Bart. F. R. S. Fellow of the Royal Society.
Sir HENRY GOODRICK, Bart.
Sir HANS SLOANE, Bart. President of the Royal Society, and of the College of Physicians A renowned physician whose massive collection eventually became the foundation of the British Museum..
The Honourable Colonel FRANCIS NICHOLSON, Governor of South Carolina.
RICHARD MEAD, M. D. and F. R. S. An influential physician to King George II.
CHARLES DUBOIS, Esq; F. R. S. Treasurer of the East India Company and a skilled botanist.
JOHN KNIGHT, Esq; F. R. S.
WILLIAM SHERARD, L. L. D. and F. R. S. One of the most famous botanists of the day; he founded the Sherardian Chair of Botany at Oxford.

With this support, I set out again from England in the year 1722, heading directly for Carolina. Although that country had been inhabited by the English for over a century and is a land second to none in fertility—abounding in a variety of nature's blessings—its natural productions were very little known. Knowledge of the area was almost entirely limited to items of commerce, such as Rice, Pitch, and Tar These were the primary exports of the colony; pitch and tar were essential for "naval stores" to maintain wooden ships.. Therefore, it was thought to be the most proper place to search for and describe the works of nature. Accordingly, I arrived in Carolina on the 23rd of May 1722, after a pleasant though not a short passage. During our voyage, we were frequently entertained with diversions common when crossing the Atlantic Ocean, such as catching sharks and striking To "strike" a fish meant to harpoon or spear it. porpoises, dolphins Likely the dolphinfish or mahi-mahi, rather than the mammal., bonitos, albacores, and other fish. We feasted on these last three whenever fortune favored our catch; and even the flesh...

Despite the little capacity I found in myself, I undertook this plan because of my personal inclination; but as the execution of this design required great expense, it is with pleasure and extreme gratitude that I declare here that I was helped in sustaining it by the generosity of several Lords and others whose names I include here:

My Lord Duke of Chandos.
My Lord Earl of Oxford.
My Lord Earl of Macclesfield.
My Lord PERCIVAL.
The Knight MARKHAM, Baronet.
The Knight GOODRICK, Baronet.
The Knight HANS SLOANE, Baronet, President of the Royal Society and of the College of Physicians.
Colonel NICHOLSON, Governor of South Carolina.
Mr. MEAD, Doctor of Medicine and of the Royal Society.
Mr. DU-BOIS of the Royal Society.
Mr. KNIGHT of the Royal Society.
Mr. SHERARD, Doctor of Law, of the Royal Society.

I departed with this intention from England for Carolina in 1722. Although this country has been inhabited by the English for more than a century, and it yields to no other in the abundance and variety of productions with which nature has enriched it, nevertheless, little is known of it except what enters into commerce, such as Rice, Pitch, and Tar. This is what determined me to settle there, to study and describe its natural history. I arrived there on the 23rd of May 1722, after a very agreeable passage, although a bit long. During the voyage, we often took part in the pleasures that ordinarily present themselves while crossing the Ocean; we caught sharks, we harpooned porpoises, dolphins, bonitos, albacores, and other fish. When we had the good fortune to catch the last three kinds...