The Island of ASSADA, Near MADAGASCAR Impartially defined, being a succint, yet Plenary Description of the Situation, Fertility and People therein Inhabiting.  
Clearly demonstrating to the Adventurer or Planter, the right way for disposing his Adventure to his most Commodious advantage; Advising people of all degrees, from the highest to the lowest, how suddenly raise their Estate and Fortunes.  
By Lieutenant Colonel Robert Hunt, Governor thereof.  
Mercatura, si tenuis, sordida si magna splendida, quaerenda pecunia primum.  
Printed for Nicholas Bourne, at the South entrance of the Royal Exchange.   

A DECLARATION, SHOWING, The Grounds and Reasons, with the Motives that induced Lieut. Col. Robert Hunt, to undertake the Voyage and Adventure, for settling a Plantation upon the Island called Assada, near Madagascar; Published for satisfaction of his Friends, who earnestly desire the same.  
Dear Friends; It may seem strange to some of you, that I, who through the blessing of God, had a comfortable provision for my outward subsistence in my own Native Country, should now travel so fare abroad, and leave a Wife so dear unto me, so many near Relations and Christian Friends, together with places of preferment which were offered me at home; But the truth is ever since I had the Honour to be employed by those Noble Lords, and other Adventurers, by providence as Governor there; In which voyage, having seen shose Southern Plantations, beholding the Sweetness. Pleasantness, and profitableness of them, as Nurseries of Trade to England; And considering the only end of my coming into the World was to glorify God in my Generation, which according to the light of nature given me, I am persuaded that nothing more would conduce to that end, then endeavouring to make known God in the World, and to be useful and serviceable to my Native Country, both which in this undertaking my Eye is fixed upon. For the First, I am persuaded the Lord hath a great work by his Servants to make known the Lord Jesus Christ, to the poor Heathen in these Eastern parts of the World, and I shall much rejoice if the Lord shall please by me to open a door for that purpose. For the second, the settling a Plantation in those parts, is likely to be of great advantage to this Commonwealth, in the increase of Trade and Navigation, since the discovery of this Island of Assada to me; I had longing thoughts and earnest desires of going thither, looking upon it as a work of great concernment for the future to this Nation, and out of our first attempt, I hope God in his due time will do great things, therefore let none contemn the enterprise of small things; My purpose is by the blessing of the Almighty to endeavour the Settlement of an honest and just Government there, nearest to ehe Law's of this Land, for greatest encouragement and securily to Adventurers; and for the better carrying on this work, my Intentions are to settle two or three Godly men as Agents, at the King of the North end of Madagascars' Court, whose work shall be to endeavour to inform him and his people in the knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to keep a loving and peaceable correspondency with them.  

FOr Information of such who desire to Adventure or Plant there, I shall now lay down a Description of the Situation of the Island of Assada (as presented to me.) This Island lieth Thirteen degrees in the Latitude of Barbadoo's, and is about that bigness and goodness, and reported by them who have been upon it, to be good Land, and to afford large Sugar-caines', Rice, Corn and Cattle upon it, with store of Fruits, Fish, etc. and whatsoever will grow upon Barbadoo's is likely to grow there, being all the year summer, and at one and the same time the Trees do bear Buds, green and ripe Fruits, it hath small hills and valleys, with fresh running waters and lieth about nine miles from the great Island of Madagascar, and there are not above fifty or sixty poor people upon the island, which the King left to tend Cattle, to Fish and Plant Sugar-caines', which at time of the year they may carry to 〈◊〉 Bay, to sell to the Arabians; about ten years since there 〈◊〉 four or five hundred people gotten from Madagascar, and ●●volted from the King, they made War with him divers 〈◊〉 and pillaged the Arabian Junks, in which time an English Ship touching there, the King offered them, if they would help him to carry his men over to the Island, he would give them the Island, and half the people to be their servants: but they refusing it, he having no Boats, but some few Canoes, which would carry not above 3. or 4. men at once in them, and not knowing how to get 40. men over to the Island, made rafts of Timber and so wafted them over to the Island, subdued the revolters, leaving but the number as aforesaid: so that my intentions is to buy this Island of the King for the Account of the Adventurers, and to give him full conrent and satisfaction for it, He having first freed and promised it, or any other place in his Country to the English, we shall desire to promote his Trade and benefit which he is desirous of; And those which have been with him assures me, we need not question a free sail of our commodities, at a reasonable value: near this Island are divers small Islands without any people inhabiting them, which may be useful to us.  
This Island for bigness is reckoned 16. miles square, and hath a good Harbour, where we intent by God's blessing to build a Fort and Town, and there to set down ourselves: It is believed that this Island would maintain near a hundreth thousand people in way of Trade and Plantation, if once well planted, having enough besides, for above 200. Sugar works, besides other Commodities.  
The Commodities we hope to raise, are Sugar, Indigo, ginger, cotton wool, Tobacco, Rice, and Pepper, etc. And for provisions, Corn; Cattle, Hogs, Poultry, Rice, Gravances, Potatoes, Oranges, Lemons, and Pines, with other fruits, very useful and at fare easier Rates, then at Barbadoes, (as for instance,) A Plantation of 300. Acres of Land to plant a large Sugar-work, will cost at Barbadoss 2000, pound. 20. English servants to transport with Provision, 300. l. 100 Negro's servants at 25. l. and 30. l, apiece, 2700. l. Toole, Clothing, and several necessaries, 300. l. 20. Cattle of several sorts, 700. l. The like at Assada, 6000. pound. 300. Acres of Land purchased at 12. d. the acre, 15. l. 20. English servants to transport and furnish, 300. l. 100 Negroes at 20. s. 100 l. Tooleses clothing, etc. 200. l. 20 Cattles of several sorts, 25. l. And for all manner of clothing and Tools may be had near hand for the 3. part it cost at Barbadoes, 640. l.  
So that the proportion will hold for a greater or lesser work of Sugar, Indigo, Cotton, Ginger, and Tobacco, etc. And whereas at Barbadoes they relate they plant 16. hund. or 20. hund. of Sugar, each servant, 160. l. or 200. l. of Indigo, 1000 l. of cotton-wool, 20. hund, weight of Ginger, 1500. weight of Tobacco, in a year, its hopeful to raise those Commodities fare Cheaper then at Barbadoes: we hope to build small Vessels, to trade to our Neighbouring Countries, and vend the same at as good rates as they are like to be worth at London for ready money, and other Commodities which are useful to vend in India: And by that means preserve the Coin of this Nation, and in a short time, when once settled, may invest ourselves at our Returns with East India Commodities, bringing home thence as much commodities as usually came to this Nation, and save the sending out of a 1000 l. per annum of Silver, fully providing ourselves of men from Arabia Madagascar, Africa, and India, to Plant some to be free men, others servants. One English man will govern ten of those Nations: thus may Men, Women, and children be bred up in the knowledge of God, and in time this Island lying so well for Trade, may be a scale of Trade to the English, for those parts of the World, as Batavia is to the Dutch, and God to the Portingalls, who have 20, times their number of Strangers live amongst them, and under their Government.  
The Island of Madagascar, which lieth in sight of this Island of Assada, is 900 miles long, it hath seven Kings in it, the chief lives at the North end, the Commodity it affords, is R●i Ambergreese, Iron, Tortle shells, Landall-wood, Ibony wood, Drugs, etc. Augustine Bay where our English usually touch to water and buy Cattles, is the worse part of the Island, in regard there is usually no Trade with any other Nation: nor any Towns, nor provisions for Planting, their being but a small number of people which are Cowkeepers, etc.  
Whereas at Assada, Bay, an English Ship putting in there in her Voyage to India, found a small Town called Antasia, where the Arabians lads divers Junks of Rice, yearly in exchange for Cullivers, Knives, and India Commodities, from thence our English travelling up to the King's Town, about 20. miles up in the Land, passed through two Villages about a mile long, well inhabited with people, there being about them fields of Rice, and Sugar Caines, with hundreds of Cattles; their buildings are of Timber two stories high, open to walk in the hot weather, the upper Rooms to lodge in. The people naturally are very kind and courteous, the North part for 2 hundred miles in length, is governed by a King, whom they went unto, to obtain licence to trade, he and his women dwelling in a Palace about a quarter of a mile round, at the end of which is a small Town, like a Park in it, about 500 Oxen feeding, the people are generally his slaves, he useth our English courteously, shown them his Treasure, which was a Massy Silver Staff, some pieces of Eight, pieces of cloth of Gold, of Satin and silk stuffs, Arabian Coats, which the Arabians brought from India, being bought of them for Ambergreese, Tortle-shels, which are his own Commodities.  
He invited our men to come again, and promised all his Country should be at their command.  
So that notwithstanding the dissolving of the Plantation at Augastines' Bay, where those that know it dare say, there is neither good fresh water, nor wood to build withal, nor Provision, nor Gardens for man's use: But it is a Marsh ground, like Sandwich ●ownes in Kent, not sit for Plantation, which is an encouragement to 〈◊〉 to proceed in this design.  
Thus you have heard in part what is related to me, by those who have been near 8. Mone●●e upon the place, men of honest conversation, who I believe deals truly with me, and the same is confirmed in the general in Print by English and Portugal writers, for those fellow Soldiers, Country men and dearest friends of mine, that resolve to travel, I do believe, by God's blessing, that not any part of the World is more advantageous for a Plantation, bring every way as well for pleasure as well as profit, in my estimation. And for those that have either little or much to adventure, they may employ it this way, and those which have nothing, if they come over, for four years as servants to their Adventurers, they shall have Meat Drink and Apparel provided, and at the end of the term in recompense of their service, have as much Land to Plant on as they can employ, with six Month's provisions, and three Negroes servants, which at Barbadoo's were worth a 100 pound, which if endustriously employed, may raise their Fortunes every year as much.  
And to my Honourable and worthy Adventurers, my humble suit is, that you would take care of sending me timely supplies of men, that I may be more enabled to go on with those designs proposed; which I forbear to mention in public, until a more convenient time for the some,: And by the blessing of God I doubt not of a good issue.   
FINIS.