In “Ramsay’s History of South Carolina” it is stated:—­“Landgrave Thomas Smith, who was Governor of the Province in 1693, had been at Madagascar before he settled in Carolina.  There he observed that rice was planted and grew in low moist ground.  Having such ground in his garden, attached to his dwelling in East Bay, Charleston, he was persuaded that rice would grow therein, if seed could be procured.  About this time a vessel from Madagascar, being in distress, came to anchor near Sullivan’s Island.  The master inquired for Mr. Smith, as an old acquaintance.  An interview took place.  In the course of conversation Mr. Smith expressed a wish to obtain some seed rice to plant in his garden.  The cook being called, said that he had a small bag of rice suitable for the purpose.  This was presented to Mr. Smith, who sowed it in a low spot in Longitude Lane.  From this small beginning did one of the great staple commodities of South Carolina takes its rise, which soon became the chief support of the colony, and its great source of opulence.”

“Such is the historical account of the introduction of rice into South Carolina; and from that day to this, it has constituted one of her staple articles of production.  Although the climate and soil were found admirably suited to the plant, the planters encountered incredible difficulty in preparing or dressing the rice for market.  From the day of its introduction, to the close of the Revolution, the grain was milled, or dressed, partly by hand and partly by animal power.  But the processes were imperfect, very tedious, very destructive to the laborer, and very exhausting to the animal power.  The planter regarded a good crop as an equivocal blessing, for as the product was great so in proportion was the labor of preparing it for market.  While matters stood thus, the planters were released from their painful condition by a circumstance so curious that it deserves a place in the history of human inventions.  A planter from the Santee, whilst walking in King-street, Charleston, noticed a small windmill perched on the gable end of a wooden store.  His attention was arrested by the beauty of its performance.  He entered the store and asked who the maker was.  He was told that he was a Northumbrian, then resident in the house—­a man in necessitous circumstances, and wanting employment.  A conference was held; the planter carried the machine to the Santee, pointed out the difficulties under which the planters labored, and the result was the rice pounding-mill.  This man was the first Mr. Lucas, and to his genius South Carolina owes a large debt of gratitude.  For what the cotton planter owes to Eli Whitney, the rice planter owes to Mr. Lucas.  His mills were first impelled by water, but more recently by steam, and though much mechanical ingenuity and much capital have been expended in improving them, the rice pounding-mill of this day, in all essential particulars, does not differ materially from the mill