The estate was paying, though this was only its third year.

An average number of 77 convicts had already cleared 195 acres, of which 182 were under cultivation.

Part of this had just been reclaimed from pestilential swamp: a permanent benefit to the health of the island.

In spite of the exceptional drought of the year before, and the subsequent plague of caterpillars, 83,000 pounds of rice had been grown; and the success of the rice crop, it must be remembered, will become more and more important to the island, as the increase of Coolie labourers increases the demand for the grain.

More than half the plantains put in (22,000) were growing, and other vegetables in abundance.