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V. / 26194-7 King's POLITI ■'■■^th^^=ts»^- His Majej UNDEJ ARE BECOM WITH Mi 1 LOKDOH, 3d June, 179 \ : TO THE King's Most Excellent Majesty ; THIS POLITICAL AND COMMERCIAL SURVEY OF His Majesty's Dominions in the West Indies ; WHICH, UNDER HIS MILD AND AUSPICIOUS GOVERNMENT, ARE BECOME THE PRINCIPAL SOURCE OF THE NATIONAt OPULENCE AND MARITIME POWER, IS, WITH HIS GRACIOUS PERMISSION, MOST HUMBLY INSCRIBED, BY HIS MAJESTY'S MOST LOYAL AND DUTIFUL SUBJECT AND SERVANT, LONDOK, 3d June, 1793. B. EDWARDS, a 2 'i ^ p r!./ X The Chriftop the Span defcrved ries in t the fubj( luftrate^ feives.— tread, aga of occur] if the m producinj tant in t ilances d) My at ^^UOUS| To pre count of ments mi |ni(Uan ifli To ex ment$, ir cal fyflem them; — To dei tbp prefer 1^' " i iw » ' !■ ■■■ ^M F R E F A C E. |jP» X HE difcovery of a new hemiQ>here by Chrifloph^er Columbus, and the progrefs of the Spaniards it) the concjueil of it, have beezf defervedly the theme of a long feries of hifto- ries in the feveral languages of Europe ; and the fubjedt h^s l^een recently refumed and il- luftrate^ by a celebrated Writer ampng our- ifeives.— It is not therefore my intention to tread, again in fo beaten a track, by fhe recital of occurrences of which few can be ignorant, if the nobleft exertions of the hufnan mind^^ producing events the moft fingular and impor-r tant in the hifiory of the world, are circumr ilances deierying admiration and inquiry. My attempt^ which I feel to bf fuffici^ntjy ^^uous^ iS| To prefent the reader with an historical ac-r count of the origin and progrefs of the fettle-^ ments made by our own nation in the Weft Indian iilands ;— To explain theij* conftitutional eftablifli-y meats, internal governments, and the politi- cal fyftem maintained by Great Britain towards them J— To defcribe the manners and difpofitions of ^he prefent inhabitants, as influenced by cli- PREFACE. mate, fituation, and other local caufes; com- prehending in diis part of my book an account of the African ilave trade, fome obfervations on the negro character and genius, and reflec- tions on the fyflem of flavery eftablifhed in our colonies ;— »■ To furnifli a more comprehenfive account than has hitherto appeared of the agriculture of the Sugar Iflands in general, and of their rich and valuable flaple commodities, fugar, indigo, coffee, and cotton, in particular;— finally. To difplay the various and widely extended branches of their commerce ; pointing out the relations of each towards the other, and to* wards the fcveral great interefts, the manu- . fadtures, navigation, revenues, and lands of Great Britain : — Thefe, together with feveral collateral dif- ' quifitions, are the topics on which I have en- deavoured to colledt, and convey to the pub- lic, ufeful andaccceptable information. Their importance will not be difputed, and I have only to lament that my abilities are not more equal to the tafk I have undertaken* But, before I proceed to invefligations merely political and commercial, I have ven- tured on a retrofpedtive furvey of the Urate and condition of the Weft Indian iflands ve W ^ fhience of climate and fituation', on t^^ clif* pofition, temper, and intellects of t|icir inha-* bitants, than many of thofe writers, ^ho, without the kme advantage, have undertiakei) to compile fyilems, and efbblifh conclufionSf on this fubjcd^. I conceive that, unleiis ai> author has had the benefit of a^ual experience and perfonal obfervation, neither genius no|! induftry can at all times enable him to guard againfl the miilakes and mifreprefentations of prejudiced, ignorant, or interefted men | tq whofe authority he fubmits, merely from the want of advantages which thofe ' whp hare poffeffed them have perverted. He is liable even to b^ mifled by preceding authprs, whp have undertaken, on no better foundation than Mmfelf, tq compile hiftories and form fy^cim on the fame fubjedt ; for virhen pfeufible the- ories are deduced, with ingenuity and elo-?' qtjence, from fedts confidently aflerted ; he jfufpedls not, or, if he fufpedts, is cautious of aflerting, that the foundation itfelf (as it fre- quently happens) is without fupport ; that no fach fe€ls actually exift, or, if^exifting, arc accidental and local peculiarities only, — not premifes of fufficient extent knd importance whereon to ground general cpnclufions and fyf- tematical combinations. , * ^** I i ^ PREFACE. I have been induced to make this remarlft from peruiing the fpeculation$ of Monf. Buf« fon and fome other French dieorifts, on the condition and chara^er of the American na- tions. Whether from a deiire to lefTen the ftrong abhorrence of all mankind at the cruel- ties exercifed by the Spaniards in the conqueft of the New World, or from a ftrange afFedia- tion of paradox and iingularity, rifely claim- ing the nonours of philofophy, thofe writers have ventured to a£ert, that the air and cli- mate, or other phyiical phenomena, retard the growth of animated nature in the New He- mifphere, and prevent the natives from at- tainuig to that perfection at which mankind ar- rive in the other quarters of the globe. Not- withftanding the variety of foil, climate, and feafons, which prevail in the feveral great pro- vinces of North and South America ;•— not- withflanding that the aboriginal inhabitants were divided into a great many diflferent tribes, and diflinguifhed alfo by many different languages } it is pretended that all thofe vari- ous tribes were uniformly inferior, in the &- cukies of the mind and the capacity of im- provement, to the reft of the human fbecies ; that they were creatu^^cs of no confideration in the boolf of Nature ;— denied the refined invigorating fentiment of loye,«*-and not pof- feffing even any very powerful degree of ani- mal deiire towards multiplying their fpecies. The author of a fyftem entitled * Recherches Phiiofophiques fur les Americains' declares, with unexampled unexam] been fbi theN( rior fa^ treatife vages wj fort of beflowed degree dually at againft t they are ings of a fcale of Altho much to extent, i deed, be is impofl degree c which he ter : for New W< which th repeatedl ing to tl may be With thi that the repugnar told that * Dr. J^ t Hiftor iV ,iF'^ 11^ PREFACE. unexampled arrogance, that there never has been found, throughout the whole extent of the New World, a iingle individual of fupe- rior fagacity to the reft* And the fcope of his treatife is to demonflrate, that the poor ra- vages were adtuated, not by reafon, but by a fort of animal inflindt ; that Nature, having beftowed on the whole A)ecies a certain fmaU degree of intellect, to which they all indivi- dually attain, placed an infurmountable barrier againfl their further progrefs:— of courfe, that they are not (properly fpeaking) fften, but be* ings of a fecondary and fubordinate rank in the I fcale of creation. K Although our own learned Hiflorian* is much too enlightened to adopt, in their fiillefl extent, thefe opinions ;— -wnich cannot, in- deed, be read without indignation ; — ^yet it is impoflible to deny, that they have had fome degree of influence in the general cftimate which he has framed of the American charac- ter : for he afcribes to all the natives of the New World many of thofe imperfections on which the fyilem in queftion is founded ; and repeatedly aflerts, ** that the qualities belong- ing to the people of a/I the different tribes may be painted with the fame features -f*." With this bias on his pen, it is not wonderful that the author is fometimes chargeable with repugnancy and contradidlion. Thus we are told that ** the Americans are, in an amazing degree, * pr. Robcrtfon. f Hiftory of America, Vol. I. P' 280 and 283. Uf X P R E F A Q Er degree* Arangers to the £rft inilind of m^ lure (a ptxiSion. for the fex), and, in every fart pf the New Worlds tireat their women with coldncfs and indifference *." Yet we fin4 foon afterwards, that, " m fome countries of the New World, the women are valued and admired, the animal paffion of the fexes be- comes ardent, and the diflolutcnefs of their manners is exceffivp -f/* It is elfewhere ob- served, that ♦^ th^ Americans were not only; averfe to tp>I, b»t incapable of it, and funk under tafks which the people of the other con- tinent would have performed with eafe ^ and it is added, that *« this feeblenefs of confti- tution was univerfah and may be conjidered as fhattaSi&iflic rf the ffeciesX^* It appears, how- ever, in a fubiequent page, that *• wherever the Americans hgve been graduaity accuftomed to hard labour> their conftitutions become m- buft enough to equal any effort of the native^ pither of Africa or Europe |j." Perfonal de- bility, therefore, could not nave been the pe- culiar charaifteriflic of the American fpecies ; for the human frame, in every part of the globe, acquires flrength by gradual employ- ment, and is comparatively fcel?le without it. Again : Among the qualities which the Hif- torian confiders as univerfally predominant in the Americans, he afcribes to them» in a re- markable degree^ a hardnefs of heart and a brutal infenfibility to the fufferings of theif fellow- * Hiftory of Americn, 1; P. 2Q0. Vol. T. p. DP. 292. a9f t ?' 29<5- fellow- is the 1 fentime attentio vinces ( necefiar manity account ferociou or to the The au uncivilis It confli cftimate • ciple, t of man i equals o animals charade intent o by its c or fenfil the bein Certa in this re account inteivie^ tives of was wr< the Hif they crc «''■ a if PREFACE. fcUow-creaturcs *. ' «* So little (kc obfcfves) is tho breafl: of a (avage iufceptible of thofe fentiments which prompt men to that feeling attention which mitigates diftrefs, in fome pro- vinces of America me Spaniards have found it neceflar/to enforce the common duties of hu^ manity by pofitivc laws-f*" Neither is this account of their inflexibility confined to the ferocious barbarian of the northern provinces, or to the miferable outcaft of Terra del Fueso. The author extends his defcription to all die uncivilized inhabitants of the New Hemifphere. It conftitutes a ftriking feature in his general cftimate ; for he eftablifhes it as a fixed prin* • ciple, tint " in every part of the deportment of man in his favagc ftate, whether towards his equals of the human fpecies, or towards the animals below him, we recognize the fame charader, and trace the operations of a mind intent on its own gratifications, and regulated by its own caprice, without much attention or fenfibility to the fentiments and feelings of the beings around him || . Certainly the learned author, while employed in this reprefentation, had wholly forgotten the account which he had before given of the fir/l inteiTiew between . the Spaniards and the na- tives of Hifpaniola, when a ihip of Columbus was wrecked on that ifland. " As foon (fays the Hiftorian) as they heard of the difafter, they crouded to the fhore, with their prince Guacanahari »l * Hiftofy of Amenta, Vol. t. p. 405. t P. 406. J P. 407. xij PREFACE. Guacanahari at their head. Inflead of taking advantage of the diflrefs in which they beheld the Spaniards, to attempt any thing to their detririient, they laniented their misfortune with tears of Jincere condolance. Not fatisfied with this unavailing expreflion of their iympathy, th^y put to fea a vaft number of canoes, and, under the direction of the Spaniards, aflifted in iaving whatever could be got out of the wreck ; and by the united labour of fo many hands, almoft every thing of value was carried afhore. Guacanahari in perfon took charge of the goods, and prevented the multitude not only from em^ bczzling, but even from infpedting too curi- pufly what belonged to their guefts. Next morning this prince vifited Columbus, and en- deavoured to confole him for his lofs by offering all that he pojjejfed to repair it '* Thus exceptions prefent themfelvcs to every general conclufion, until we are bur- thened with their variety : — And at laft we end juft where we began ; for the wonderful uniformity which is faid to have diflinguifhed the American Indians, appears to be as little founded in nature, as it is fupported by analogy. Of the other branches of my work, great part, I prefume to think, will be new to many of my readers. I have not met with any book that even pretends to furnifh a comprehenfive and fatisfadtory account of the origin and pror grefs of our national fettlements in the tropical parts of America. The fyftem of agriculture jjr^dtifcd in tJie Weft Indies, is almoft as mucl^ .ppknp\yf| tihkno that of gar, ai raifed x genera formec and otl and br deed is even ai neral cameb few yei prefide give fb melade conceri fured h ** mek cxtra through means of a friend, furnifhed fuch anfwers to queries that I fent him, as encou- rage me to prefent that portion of my work to the public with a confidence which I dare not afliime in my account of fome other of the illands. Yet, even with regard to moft of thcfe, I have no caufe to complain that aflifb- ■ ■ , ance %f if, xvi ^ R E 15' A C £. ance has been oftentimes denied me. CoUt cerning Barbadoes and Saint Chriflopher's in particular, I have been favoured with much accurate and acceptable information, by John Braithwaite and Alexander Douglas, Eiquires, gentlemen who are intimately acquainted with the concerns of thofe colonies ; and the polite and chearful readinefs with which they fatisfied my enquiries, entitle them to this public tefti- mony of my thanks. The fame tribute is mod juftly due to Ben- jamin Vaughan and George Hibbert, Efquires, merchants of London, for many excellent and important remarks, and much valuable mat- ter j which, at length, have enabled me to look bapk on the commercial difquifitions in the laft book, with a degree of fatisfadtion that at one period I dcipaired of obtaining ; being well apprized that this part of my work will, on many accounts, be moft obnoxious to criti- cifiii. That it is now rendered free from mif- takes, I do not indeed ptetend. In all re- searches of a political and commercial nature, the beft authorities are fometimes fallible ; and there is frequently much difference both in general opinion and particular computation be- tween thofe who are equally felicitous for the difcovery of truth. The faSts, however, that / I have coUedted cannot fail to be of ufe, whe- ther the conclufions I have drawn from them \>c well founded or not. I might here clofe this introductory difcourfe, and leave my book to the candour of my readers ; readers ments t their ki and feel of the ] dignatio afperfior upon th inhumai I Ihould thofe CO giving I gratitudt lity, at 1 Sovereig and the injured c condefce] the Duk< more vali is found( obfervati of their Thus pa treat wit the bafe the leafl with obl( ed fuppo innocenc unfavour; might in< and hum; Vol. / PREFACE; readers ; but having made my acknowledg- ments to thofe gentlemen who have given me their kind afliftance in the compilation of it ; and feeling, in common with-all the inhabitants of the Britifli Weft Indies, a juft fenfe of in- dignation at the malignant and unmerited afperfions which are daily and hourly thrown upon the planters, for fuppofed improper and inhuman treatment of their African labourers j I fhould ill acquit myfeljf, as the hiftorian of thofe colonies, if I omitted this opportunity of giving my teftimony to the fulnefs of their gratitude, their honeft pride and lively fenlibi- lity, at beholding, in a Son of their beloved Sovereign, the generous aflcrtor of their rights, and the ftrenuous and able defender of their injured charadlers, and infulted honour ! The condefcending and unfolicited interpofition of the Duke of Clarence on this occauon, is the more valuable, as, happily for the planters, it is founded on his Royal Highnefs's perfonal obfervation of their manners, and knowledge of their difpolitions, acquired on the fpot. Thus patronized and protected, while they treat with lilent fcorn and defervcd contempt the bafe efforts of thofe perfons who, without the leaft knowledge of the fubjedt, alTail them with obloquy and outrage, they find a dignifi- ed fupport, in the confcioufnel's of their own innocence, even under the mifguided zeal and unfavourable prepofieirions of better men. It might indeed be hoped, for the intereft of truth and humanity, ihsxfuc/i men would jiow frank- VoL. I. ' b ly XVII r xvili PREFACE. ly acknowledge their error, and ingenuoufly own> that we nave been moil cruelty traduced^ and ignominioufly treated : If this be too much to afky we may at leaft expedt that gentlemen of education and candour will no longer periift in affording countenance to the vulgar prejudi- ces of the envious and illiberal, by giving cur- rency to fuggeftions which they cannot poflibly know to be true, and which *we know to be falfc.' London, 1793* P. S, The author has to obferve, that the firft part of the work was written before his Return to the Weft Indies in the beginning of 1787;— AconiMerable part while he was there, and the remainder, with moft of the notes, fince his return to Great Britam, in the autumn of 1792. It may poflibly be found therefore, that events and changes of a political and commercial nature have taken place, during the time which elapfed in the progrefs of the wori^ diat have paflled unnoticed in it; and the author is apprehenfive alfo, that there are in fome of his pages, from the fjune caufe, appearances of anachronifm ; which, however, it was impoflible wholly to remove, without newly arranging and modelling the work throughout. I % [ xix ] CONTENTS. BOOK I. A GENERAL VIEW OF THEIR ANCIENT STATft AND INHABITANTS. C H A P. I. Ge OGRA PHICAL arrangement Climatt. "-^Sea'hreezei and Land-wind.^^-Beauty and Jingularity of the vegetable and animal creation^ — Magnificence and fuhlimity of the mountains : rejledions concerning their origin, &c, - Page i C H A P. II. Of the Charaihes, or ancient tnkdbitants of the Windward Iflands. — Origin, — DiJSculties at-- tending an accurate invejiigation of their cha- rader. — Such particulars related as are leafi diluted concerning their manners and difpoji- tionSy perfons and domejlic habits, education of their children, arts, manufactures, and govern* ment, religious rites, funeral ceremonies, Sfc— Some rejleSions drawn from the whole* - 24 bz CHAP. XX CONTENTS. ih C H A P. ni.. - ^ Of the natives of HiJpanJola, Cuba, 'Jamaica^ and Torto-Rico.-^Their Origin. — Numbers.-^ Perfons.-— 'Genius and difpojitions. — Government and Religion, — Mifcellaneous Obfervations re~ /peeing their Arts, Manufa^ures and Agricul- ture, Cruelty of the Spaniards, &c, - - 55 * CHAP. IV. Land animals ufed as food. — Fijhes and wild fowl.— Indian method of fijhing and fowling.— * Efcuknt vegetables, ^C'^ConcluJion. - - 87 AFPIE' ND IX', containing fome additional obfervations concerning the origin of the Cha- raibeSf " " • - • . loi B O O K IL Jamaica. 1^' s CHAP, I. Pifcovery of Jamaica by Columbus. — His return in iSo:^.^^Spirited ^proceedings of hisfpnl^iego, after Columbus's death. — Takes pojfejion of Ja- maica in 1509. — Humane condud of Juan de Efquively thefrfl Governor. — Bflablijhment and d^jertion of the town of Sevilla Nueva, — De- Jlru&ion of the Indians, — St. Jago de la Vega founded^ \ *li> CONTENTS. . founded. — Gives the title of Marquis to Die- go's fin Lewist to whom the IJland is granted in perpetual fovereignty.'-^De fiends to his ffier Ifaoella^ wlut conveys her rights by marriage to the Houfi of Braganza.-^-~ReL rts to the crown of Spainy in 1 640. Sir Anthony Shirley in- vades the Ifland in 1596, and CoL Jackfin in 1638. - • - • - 117 CHAP. II. Cromwell vindicated for attacking the Spaniards in i6-)t).—^Thetr cruelties in the Wejl Indies , in contravention of the treaty of iS^o.-^PropoJh/s offered by Modyford and Gage. — Forcible ar- guments of the latter.-"-^— Secretary Thurlocs account of a conference with the Spanijh Am- haffador. CromweWs demand of fat is faction rejeded. State of 'Jamaica on its cap' fure, 135 CHAP. III. Proceedings of the Englijh in Jamaica after its capture. — Col. D^Oyley declared prejident."-^ Difiontents and mortality among the army.-"-' Vigorous exertions of the Protedor.^^Col. Brayne appointed commander in chief— ^His death,-^ lyOyley reaffumes the government.— ^-^Def eats the Spanijh forces ^ which had invaded the if- land from Cuba. — His wife and jleady admi- niJlration.—Bucaniers. — -Conciliating condud of Charles II. on his reJloration.'-^-FirJl ejiab- lijhment of a regular government in Jamaica. "^Lord Windfor^s appointment ^Royal procla- mation. — American treaty in 1670. — Change of meafures on the part of the crown. — Nexv con-- Jiitution devifedfor Jamaica.— ^Earl of Qarlijle appointed rxx ■^:;i- Mu CONTENTS. i^pointed chitf governor for the furfofe of eti" forcing the new fyJiem.''^Succefsful oppofition of the ajfembly^^^SubJequent difputis refpe&ing the cenfirmatton of their /aws.-^Termittated by the revenue aH of I'] 2S. • • 152 CHAP. IV. Situation .-^'Climate. — Face of the Country. Mountains, and advantages derived from them, "^Soil. — Lands in Culture,^— -Lands unculti' vated, and ohfervations thereon. — Woods and Timbers. •'^Rivers and Medicinal Springs."^ Ores.-^- Vegetable- ClaJfes.'^Grain. — GrajTes.'-^ Kitchen'garden produce, and Fruits for the Ta- lk^ ^c. ^c 175 Catalogue o/* Exotic Plants in the Botanical Gar- Ant^ Jamaica, 1792. • • 190 e H A P. V. Topographical defcfiption.'^Tmvns, villages, ar.d parijaes. —-'-'Churches, church-livings, andvef trios, -"-^Gofvernor or Commander in chie f. Courts of judicature.-^Public Offices,, — Legif- latufs and laws. •'^--Revenues,— Taxes. — C6/«j, a»d rate of exchange.—Militia,'— -Number of ' inhabitants of all conditions and complexions,— - Trade, Jhipping, exports and imports.— Report , of the Lords of Trade in i '^y^,—Prefent Jlate of the trade with Spanijk America,— ^Origin iLnd policy of the a3 for eflablifiing free ports, "^Difplay of the progrefs of the ifland in cul- tivation, by comparative fiatements of its inha- bitants and products at different periods. 203 JFPENDI X— N^ /. A Return of the Num- ber of iSugar Plantations in the Ifland of Jamai- ca, COMTIKTS. eSt and the Negro Slaves thereon^ on the i^thof Marckf 1789, diflinguijbing the feveral Parifi' es» - ----- ^yj A PPE ND I X-N». //. Jn Hijiorkal Account of the Conji.ution of Jamaica ; drawn up in 1764, for the Information of his Majejifs Mi* niflers, by his Excellency William Hmry LitteU ton, Governor and Commander in ChieJ of that Ifland, - 238 Documents annexed to the hijforical Account* 249 ^ ««{«! BOOK III. ENGLISH CHARAIBEAN ISLANDS. C H A P. I. Barbadoes, — Firfl Arrival of the Englijh at this If* land. — Origin, progrefs, and termination of the Proprietary Government^^-^Revenue granted to the Crown of i^\ per centum on all Produce ex- ported-^how obtained^'^'^Origin of the AB of Navigations—Situation and extent of the Ifland* '^Soiland Produce. — Population. — Decline, and Caufes thereof '■'Exports and Imports. - 315 CHAP, II. Grenada and its Dependencies.-^-^-^Pirfidifcovery, name and inhabitants.-^^Prench invajion and efiablijhment in i65o» ■ War with, and ex- termination of the natives* — The ifland and its dependencies conveyed to the Count de Ce» rillac. — Mifcondu6t and puuijbment of the de- puty governor. — The colony reverts to the crown of France. — State of the ifland in 1700. — And again in 1 762, when captured by the Englijh.'^ Stipulations 3 Mtr CONTENTS. Stipulations in favour of the French inhabitants. "^Firft meafures of the Britijh government. — Claim of the crown to levy a duty of 4J per cent* on produce exported. — Arguments for and ohjeiiions againf the meafure. — Decijion of the court of king's bench on this important quejlion. - — Strictures on fome pofttions advanced hy the lord chief juflice on this occajion. — Tranfadions within the colony. — Royal inJiruSi ions in favour of the Roman Catholic capitulants.— — In tern aJ dij/entions. — Defencelejs fate. — French invafton in 1779. — Brave defence of the garrifon. — Un- conditional furrender.'-^HardJhips exercifed to- . wards the Englijh planters and their creditors, — Redrcfs given by the court of France. — Gre- nada, &c. rejlored to Great Britain by the peace of 1783. — Prefent fate of the colony in'refped to cultivation^ produBions and exports ; govern- ment and population. - - - ^44 CHAP. IIL St. Vincent and its Dependencies, and Dominica. 375 CHAP. IV. Leeward Charaibean Ifland Government, compre- hending St. Chrijlopher's, Nevis, Antigua, Mont- ferrat,andthe Virgin Iflands. — Civil Hi for y and Geographical Defcripion of each.-— Table of Ex- ports f,om each Ifland for 1787; and an Account of the Money ariftng from the Duty of Four and a Half per Cent. — Obfervations concerning the Decline of thefe Iflands, which conclude their Hifory. - - - , 404 APPENDIX. Hortus Eajlenfts. 455 *- A 455 ■ ^ 4m J ,.4 .J .*■ .fr ! ; :i »-» K, <*-/...4'-- *" ■ ■■'L.^'-' ^-^ /i h'^ '■ yl i\ 'i\- j IVI ^IIIWiW *^. '4MIM««»' -.<<<%*(**>?*.,_•',, PnMtfti /rtf lii/cf H^hite. I>til>li/i s c /« '• iofu/ttt III M CiitIm i'r./iilm/tnifBa\'\ ('i^'ir JtitnpiU' _ 1^- Ti'Tttti/tl _ ^Klnithm CliMntl nell .itOKMir tfy ^ ifUMtiuKir ^ Calrnr Ifl,^ //. J-'n^t'j/i /! /iriich r SpiinuA S F. SpairuPi V f'um/t. . Jill. Ihtfrh J>.Oanuh /t'tfLfh SfnfiUtJUi/a6'if t^it />tt/n'c o (KBlfUII '■,,Hisltri/iM f« A/v 7urV5 /^ /■;. /> o 'ijw ^OM(>ipr HaiKoia <■• SanhtmUa or •a .ul'/ui /.J 1; i»i «■■ 1T mmmm 1HMW—Miiwiii»ii I. '!..s^-- 1 5 ..■k. •^i'. i! ^ A GENES ST ;^. Geograpkica i -^Sea-bre Jingularit on. — Ma mountaim gin, &c. EOGRi lion of Nat THE HIS T O R Y, CIFIL AND COMMERCIAL, «♦ • OF THE Btitifli Colonies in the Weft Indies. ,jp B O O K I. A GENERAL VIEW OP THEIR ANCIENT STATE AND INHABITANTS. .imn ■ CHAP. I. [ Geographical arrangement. '•"■^Name. — Climate, — Sea-breeze^ and Land-wind, — Beauty and Jingularity of the vegetable and animal creati^ on. — Magnificence and fublimity of the mountains ; refieQions concerning their ori- gin, &c. IGeOGRAPHERS^ following the diftribu- ^^i^^' lion of Nature, divide the vaft Continent of ^^i^^y^^^ Lmerica into two great parts. North andArrangc- mth; the narrow btit mountainous Ifthmus"*^"'* >f Darien ferving as a link to conned them to- gether, and forming a rampart againft the encroachments of the Atlantic on the one fide. Vol. I. B and 3 HISTORYOFTHE BOOK and of the Pacific Ocean on the other. Thefc ^' great Oceans were anciently diftinguifhed alfo, '"-^^^^ from their relative fituation, by the names of the North and South Seas. * Name. To that prodigious chain of Iflands which extend in a curve from the Florida Shore on the Northern Peniniula, to the Gulph of Maracaybo on the Southern, is given the deno- mination of Wefi Indies, from the name of India originally afligned to them by Columbus. This illuilrious Navigator planned his expedi- tion, not, as Raynal and others have fuppofed, under the idea of introducing a New World to the knowledge of the Old ; but, principally, in the view of finding a route to India by a Weftern navigation; which he was led to think would prove lefs tedious than by the Coaft of Africa ; and this conclufion would have been juft, if the geography of the Anci- ents, on which it was founded, had been ac- curate f. Indeed, fo firmly perfuaded was Columbus * The appellation of iVor/^, applied to that part of the Atlantic which flows into the Gulph of Darien, feems now to be entirely difufed; but the Pacific is ftili commonlj called the South Sea. It was difcovcred in 1513, and, having been firft entered towards the South, might, per liaps, have derived its name from that circumilance. f " The fpherical figure of the earth was known to the ' ancient geographers. They invented the method flill in ufe, of computing the longitude and latitude of different places, According to their doctrine, the equator contained 360 de- grees; thefe they divided into twenty -four parts, or hours each equal to fifteen degrees. The country of the Seres oi Sin* being the farthefl part of India known to the an cients, was fuppofed, by Marinus Tyrius, the moft emi nent of the ancient geographers before Ptolemy, to be fif teen hours, or 335 degrees to theeail of the firft meridian paHing through the Fortunate Iflands. If this fuppofitioi was well founded, the country of the Seres, or China, wa onl <■; y rr continuec difcovery ingthattl Eaflern e Europe, li in the fam the Pacif take, all vifited ftil and in co Portuguefi Hope, ha courfe, th of the Weft Among however, glory of ( ancient fal cotempora ly-difcover only nine hou Canary Iflan( much fhorter i purfuing." I debted to the '. fcheme of Co! principles, ace v/hereas if he difcover a nev have been juft projeiftor, and temerity to th( * Columbu 1492' In 141 Good Hope; when Vafquea modern naviga midable attemj which Shore Iph of I deno- me of I imbus. 1 xpedi- )pofed, orldtol :ipally, ia by a led to by the would e Anci- een ac- id was lumbus irt of the ;ems novf jommonlj 13, and, |ght, per- ;e. n to tK( illinufe int places. 360 de or hours ie Seres 01 the an loft eml to be fif Imeridian ippofitio [hina, wa onl WEST INDIES. I Columbus of its truth and certainty, that he CHAP, continued to aflert his belief of it after the I* difcovery of Cuba and Hifpaniola ; not doubt- ^ ing that thofeiflands conflituted fome part of the Eaflern extremity of Aiia : and the nations of Europe, fatisfied with fuch authority, concurred in the fame idea. Even when the difcovery of the Pacific Ocean had demonftrated, his mif- take, all the countries which Columbus had viiited (lill retained the name of the Indies ; and in contradi(lin£lion to thofe at which the Portuguefe, after paffing the Cape of Good Hope, had at length arrived by an eaflern courfe, they were now denominated the Indies of the Weji*. Among the Geographers of thofe days^ however, there were fome, who envying the glory of Columbus, or giving more credit to ancient fable than to the achievements of their cotemporaries, perfifted in affigning to the new- ly-difcovered Iflands the appellation of Antilia only nine hours, or 135 degrees weft from the Fortunate or Canary Iflands; and the navigation in that direction was much Ihorter than by the courfe which the Portuguefe were purfuing." From this account, for which the reader is in- debted to the learned Dr. Robertfon, it is evident that the icheme of Columbus was founded on rational fyftematical principles, according to the light which his age afforded ; v/hereas if he had propofed, without any fuch fupport, to difcover a new hemifphere by failing weft ward; he would have been juftly contidered as an arrogant and chimerical projector, and fiiccefs itfelf would not have reconciled his temerity to the fober dictates of reafon. ' * Columbus failed on his firft voyage the 3d of Auguft, 1492. In 1494 Barcholemus Dias diicovered the Cape of Good Hope; but it was not doubled till the year 1497, when Vafquez de Gama fucceeded (for the firft time in modern navigation) in this, as it was then fuppofcd, for- midable attempt. B 2 il J i p. 4 HISTORYOFTHE BOOK or Antiks : the nami (according to Charlevoix) !• of an imaginary country, placed in ancient charts about two hundred leagues to the Weft- ward of Azores ; and it is a name ftill very generally ufed by foreign Navigators, ithough uie etymology of the word is as uncertan, as the application of it is unjuft. To the Britifh nation the name beftowed by Columbus is ibundantly more familiar : and thus the whole of the New Hemifphere is, with us, common- ly comprifed under three great divifions; North America, South America, and the Weft Indies*. But, fubordinate to this comprehenfive and fimple arrangement, neceflity or convenience has introduced more minute and local diftinc- tions. That portion of the Atlantic which is feparated * The term /iHtiles is applied by Hoffman to the Wind- ward or Charaibean lilanda onljr, anjd is by him thus ac- counted for : ** Dicuntur Antilse Ameficae quafi ante Infu- las Amerlcae, nempe ante majores Jnfulas Sinus Mexican!." (Hqffinan Lexie. Univ.) Rochibrt and Du Tertre explain the word nearly in the fa«ie manner, while Monf. D'An- ville applies the name to thofe Ifl^nds, (»ly, which are more immediately oppofed to, or iituated againfi, the Continent : thus he terms Cuba, Hifpaniola, Jamaica, and Porto Rico, the Great jintUest and the fmall Iflands of Aruba, Cura^oa, Bonair, Magaritta^ and fome others near the coaft of Ca- raccas on the fbuthern Peninfula, the Left ; excluding the Charaibean Iflands altogether. A recurrence to the early Spanilh HiAorians would have demonilrated to all thefe writers, that the word Antilia wiis applied to Hifpaniola and Cuba, before the difcovery either of the Windward Iflands, or any part of the Ainerican Continent. This appears from the lollowing paifage in the Firft Book of the JFiril Decad of Peter Mastyr, wluch bears date from the Court' of Spain November 1493, eight months only after Columbus's return &om his firil expedition ; " Ophiram Iniulam ie^e. reperiffe refert : fed Cofmoaraphorum tradhi diligent(?T conliderato, jfntilst Infulae funt lUse et adjacentes aliz : hanc Hi%aniolam appellavit, &c." feparatec and to tl tioned, t neral api felf proj Baiins: 1 Hondurai latter tak which bo the Eaft. fefled by and terrc of Hifpar Columbus like invad it was in that the If ed, when were by ] raibean Ifl Of this joing to th Rico, is 111 tindion of in its place * Vide In Jefferies. t Herrcra, i It may Navigators, i neral, frequei the terms Bar ward and Lee ilri and reefs of fand, which ftretch in a North- wcfterly diredion for the fpace of near three hundred leagues, from the Northern coaft of Hifpaniola to the Bahama Strait, oppofite the Florida (hore. Whether this appellation is of Indian* origin, as commonly fuppofed, is a queflion I cannot anfwer ; neither does it merit very anxious inveftigation : yet thefe little iflands have defervedly a claim to particular notice ; for it was one of them * that had the honour of firft receiving Columbus, after a voyage the moft bold and magnificent in defign, and the moft imponant in its confequeuces, of any that the mind of man has conceived, or national adventure undertaken, from the be- ginning of the world to the prefent hour. Climate. Moft of the countries of which I propofe to treat being fituated beneath the tropic of Can- cer, the circumftances of climate, as well in regard to general heat, as to the periodical rains and coufequent variation of feaions, are nearly the fame throughout the whole. The temperature of the air varies indeed confide- rably according to the elevation of the land ; but, with this exception, the medium degree of heat is much the fame in all the countries of this part of the globe. A tropical year feems properly to com- prehend b"t two diftind feafons j the wet and the cording to their fituatlon in the courfe of the trade Avind; the Windward Iflands by their arrangement terminating, I believe with Martinico, and the Leeward commencing at Donunica, and extending to Porto Rico. * Guanahani. The whole group is called by the Spa- niards Lucayos. to commc the foliag< vivid, an change th firft perio< peded, ai die of the Autumnal ihowers. commonly breakups and beauti ant vegetal fon varies or eight d( rains : its i After tl fortnight, i and falutai in full glor and the Ik; For fome \ ten in the the fea-brec fon blows i and regula heat is fcai the influeni all Nature ftiade, bec< pleifant. little in the dium, near f vrind ; ting, I ing at e Spa- W E S T INDIES. the dry, but as the rains in thefe climates con- CHAP, ititute two great periods, I (hall defcribe it, ^ _'• like the European year, under four divifions. The vernal feafon, or Spring, may be faid to commence with the month of May, when the foliage of the trees evidently becomes more vivid, and the parched favannas begin to change their ruflet hue, even previous to the firft periodical rains, which are now daily ex* peded, and generally fet in about the mid* die of the month. Thefe, compared with the Autumnal rains, may be faid to be gentle fhowers. They come from the South, and commonly fall every day about noon, and break up with thunder-ftorms ; creating a bright and beautiful verdure, and a rapid and luxuri- ant vegetation. The thermometer at this fea- fon varies conliderably ; commonly falling fix or eight degrees immediately after the diurnal rains : its medium height may be ftated at 75«. After thefe rains have continued about a fortnight, the weather becomes dry, fettled, and falutary; and the tropical Summer reigns in full glory. Not a cloud is to be perceived ; and the Iky blazes with irrefiftible fiercenefs. For fome hours, commonly between feven and ten in the morning, before the fetting in of the fea-breeze or trade-wind, (which at this fea- fon blows from the fouth-eaft with great force and regularity until late in the evening) the heat is fcarcely fupportable ; but, no fooner is the influence felt of this refreihiug wind, than, all Nature revives, and the climate, in the Ihade, becomes not only very tolerable, but ple^fant. The thermometer now varies but little in the whole twenty- four hours: its me- dium, near the coaft, may be ftated at about 80'. HISTORY OP THE BOOK do". 1 have feldom obfervr'^ it higher than 85" at uoou, nor much below 75" at lun-rife. The nights at this feafon are tranfcendently beautiful. The clearnefs of the heavens, the fereuity of the air, and the foft tranquillity in which Nature repofes, contribute to harmo- nize the mind, and produce the mofl calm and delightful lenfaiions. The moon too in thefe climates difplays far greater radiance than in Europe ; the fmalleft print is legible by her light ; and in the moon's abfence her fundion is not ill fupplied by the brightnefs of the milky-way, and by that glorious planet Venus, which appears here like a little moon, and glit- ters with fo refulgent a beam as to call a (hade from trees, buildings, and other objefts, mak- ing full amends for the fhort ilay and abrupt departure of the crepufcnlum or twilight *. This ftate of the weather commonly conti- nues, with little variation, from the beginning of June until the middle of Auguft, when the diurnal breeze begins to intermit, and the at- mofphere becomes fultry, incommodious, and fuffocating. In the latter end of this month, and moft part of September, we look about in vain for coolnefs and comfort. The thermo- meter occafionally exceeds 90", and inftead of a fteady and refrelhing wind from the fea, there are * In the mountainous and interior parts of the larger iflands, innumerable ^r^^rVj abound at night, Mihich have afurpriiing appearance to a ftranger. They coniift of dif- ferent fpecies, ibme of which emit a light, reiembling a fpark of fire, from a globular prominence near each eye •, and others from their fides in the adt of refpiration. They are far more luminous than the glow-worm, and fill the air on all fides, like fo many living ftars, to the great aftonifh- roent and admiration of a traveller unaccuftomed to the country. — In the day-tirne they difappear. td :fe V to a con they comi mountain and rollin peak to roaring o the fcene, the fpedla mity. The wa gregated -v fall with g ginning oi vens pour has not vij conceptio] deluges tl account w height of Barbadoes peared to cal inches It is nov ning of A that hurri the Almig noflics of •fr' m WESTINDIES. ^ areufually faint breezes and calms alternately. CHAP. Thefe arc preludes to the fccond periodical ^• or Autumnal fcafon. Large towering clouds, ^■'^''^^ fleecy, and of a reddifti hue, are now feen, in the morning, in the quarters of the fouth, and Ibuth- eafl; the tops of the mountains at the fame time appear clear of clouds, and the objefts upon them wear a blueifh caft, and feeni much nearer to the fpedlator than ufual. When thefe vaft accumulations of vapour have rifen to a confiderable height in the atmofpherc, they commonly move horizontally towards the mountains, proclaiming their progrefs in deep and rolling thunder, which, reverberated from peak to peak, and anfwered by the diflant roaring of the fea, heightens the majefty of the fcene, and irrefiftibly lifts up the mind of the fpedkator to the great Author of all fubli- mity. The waters, however, with which thefe con- gregated vapours load the atmofphere, feldom fall with great and general force until the be- ginning of Odober. It is then that the hea- vens pour down catarads. An European who has not vifited thefe climates, can form no juil conception of the quantity of A\ater which deluges the earth at this feafon : by an exati account which was kept of the perpendicular height of the water which fell lu one year in Barbadoes (and that no ways remarkable) it ap- peared to have been equal to lixty-feven cubi- cal inches. It is now (in the interval between the begin- ning of Auguft and the latter end of 06lober) that hurricanes, thofe dreadful vifitations of the Almighty, are apprehended. The prog- noftics of thefe elementary confli^s, have been minutely 10 HISTORY OF THE I 'A ■ fc BOOK minutely defcribed by various writers, and ^* their effedls are known by late mournful ex- perience to every inhabitant of every ifland within the tropics, but their immediate caufe feems to lie far beyond the limits of our cir- cumfcribed knowledge. Towards the end of November, or fome- times not till the middle of December, a con- fiderable change in the temperature of the air is perceivable. The coails to the northward are now beaten by a rough and heavy fea, roar- ing with inceflant noife; the wind varies from the eaft to the north-eaft and north, fometiraes driving before it, acrofs the higheft mountains, not only heavy rains but hail ; till at length, the north wind having acquired fufficient force, the atmofphere is cleared ; and now comes on a fucceffion of ferene and pleafant weather, the north-eaft and northerly winds fpreading cool- nefs and delight throughout the whole of this burning region. If this interval, therefore, from December to March, be called winter, it is certainly the fineft winter on the globe. To valetudinarians and perfons advanced in life, it is the climate of Paradife. The account which I have thus given is, however, to be received not as uniformly ex-» a6i and minutely particular ; but as a general reprefentation only, fubjedl to many variations and exceptions. In the large iflands of Cuba, Hifpaniola, and Jamaica, whofe lofty moun- tains are clothed with forefts perhaps as old as the deluge, the rains are much more frequent and violent than in the fmall iflands to wind- ward; feme of which are without mountains, and others without wood; both powerful agents ^ . ■ . , ,. ^ on WEST INDIES. IX on the atmofphere. In the interior and ele- CHAP, vated diftridls of the three former iflands, I I- believe there are ftiowers in every month of the year; and oa the northern coafts of thofe iflands, confiderable rains are expeded in De- cember or January, foon after the fetting in of the north winds. Of the trade- wind, or diurnal fea-breeze, which blows in thefe climates from the eaft, and its collateral points, with little intei'mifllon or variation nine months in the year, the caufes having been traced and difplayed with great di- ligence and accuracy by Dr. Halley, and re- peated by numerous writers, it is unneceflary for me to treat; but the peculiarity of the land- wind by night (than which nothing can be more grateful and refrefliing) has been lefs ge- nerally noticed. This is an advantage, among others, which the larger iflands of the Weft Indies derive from the great inequality of their furfacc; for as foon as the fea-breeze dies away, the hot air of the plains being rarefiecf, afcends towards the tops of the mountains, and is there condenfed by the cold ; which making it fpecifically heavier than it was before, it de- fcends back to the plains on both fides of the ridge. Hence a night-wind is felt in all the mountainous countries under the torrid zone, blowing on all fides from the land towards the fliore, fo that on a north ftiore the wind fliall come from the fouth, and on the fouth Ihore from the north. Agreeably to this hypo- thefis, it is obfervable that in the iflands to windward, where they have no mountains, they have no land-breeze *. ...;.--. ..,.., gut * The account thtis given of the land-'wffid, is cLiefl/ in the words of Dt. Franklin, who& defcription is fo prc- cife 12 ^1^ HISTORY OF THE But I now turn to fcenes of uncommon va- riety and luftre ; to a retrofped of thefe iflands as they muft have aippeared to the firft difco- verers; than which, beheld from the fea, no ohje6ls in nature could have been more ftrik- ing to the imagination; not only from the novelty of the fcene, but alfo from the beauty of the fmaller iflands, and the fublimity of the larger, whofe lofty mountains form a ftupen- dous and awful pidure ; the fubjedl both of wonder and contemplation. Nor did thefe promiiing territories difap- point expe6lation on a nearer fearch and more accurate infpedlion. Columbus, whofe veraci- ty has never been fufpeded, fpeaks of their beauty and fertility in terms of the higheft ad- miration : " There is a river (he obferves in one of his letters to King Ferdinand) which dif- charges itfelf into the harbour that I have named Porto Santo *, of fufficient depth to be navigable. I had the curiofity to found it, and found eight fathom. Yet the water is fo limpid, that I can eafily difcem the fand at the bottom. The banks of this river are embelliflied with lofty palm-trees, whofe ihade gives a delicious frefhnefs to the air ; and the birds and the flowers are uncommon and beautiful. I was fo delighted with the fcene, that I had almofl come to the refolu- tion (C But * Dr. Lind, in his •' Eftay on the Difeafes of Hot Cli- '* mates," has preferved an extraA from the Journal of ^ an OfHcet who failed up a river on the coaft of Guinea, which m 14 m BOOK I. HISTORY OF THE But as the Weft Indian Iflands in their an- cient ft ate were not without culture, fo neither were they generally noxious to health. The plains or favannas were regularly fown, twice in the year, with that fpecies of grain which is now well known in Europe by the name of Turkey Wheat. It was called ty the Indians Mahez, or Maize ; a name it ftill bears in all the Iflands ; nor does it require very laborious cultivation. This however conftituted but a part only, and not the moft conliderable part, of the vegetable food of the natives. As thefe countries were at the fame time extremely po- pulous, both the hills and the vailies (of the fmaller iflands efpecially^ were neceflarily clear- ed of underwood, and the trees which remain- ed afforded a fliade that was cool, airy, and de- licious. Of thefe, fome, as the papaw and the palmeto*, are, without doubt, the moft grace- ful of all the vegetable creation. Others con- tinue to bud, bloffom, and bear fruit through- out the year. Nor is it undeferving notice, that the great Father of mankind has difplayed his ■whicK affords a ftrlking lUullration of this remark : " We ** were (fays the Officer) thirty miles diftant from the fea, *' in a country altogether uncultivated, overflowed vrith *' water — ^furrounded with thick impenetrable woods, and " over-run with flime. The air was fo vitiated, noifome *' and thick, that our torches and candles burnt dim, ** and feemed ready fo be extingui/hed ; and even the human ** voice lo/l its natural tone." Part I. p. 64. * The fpecies here meantL(for there are feveral) is the palmeto-royal, or mountanf-cabbage. Lieon mentions ibme, at the firft fettlement of Barbadoes, aDout 200 feet in height ; but Mr. Hughes obfer\'es, that the higheft in his time, in that ilia nd, was 134. feet. I am inclined to believe, that I have feen them in Jamaica upwards of 150 feet in height; but it is impoffible to fpeak with certainty without an at^ual meafurement. A WEST INDIES. -m, his goodnefs even in the ftrudlure and forma- CHAP, tion of the trees themfelves ; for, the foliage ^• of the moft part fpringing only from the fum- mit of the trunk, and thenv^e expanding into wide-fpreading branches, clofely but elegantly arranged, every grove is an aflemblage of ma- jeftic columns, Supporting a verdant canopy, and excluding the fun, without impeding the circulation of the air. Thus the fhade, at all times impervious to the blaze, and refrefhed by the diurnal breeze, affords, not merely a re- fuge from occafional inconveniency, but a moft wholefome and delightful retreat and ha- bitation. Such were thefe orchards of the Sun, and woods of perennial verdure ; of a gro wth un- known to the frigid clime and lei's vigoro^is foil of Europe ; for what is the oak compared to the cedar or mahogany, of each of which the trunk frequently meafures from eighty to nine- ty feet from the.bafe to the limbs? What Eu- ropean foreft has ever given birth to a ftem equal to that of the ceiba *, which alone, lim- ply rendered concave, has been known to produce a boat capable of containing one hundred perfons ? or the ftill greater fig, the fcvereigc. of the vegetable creation, — itfelf a foreft t? The majeftic fcenery of thefe tropical groves was at the fame time enlivened by the lingu- lar forms of fome, and the furprifmg beauty of others of the inferior animals which pof- fefTed * The -wild cotton tree. t This monarch of the woods, whofe empire extends over Alia and Africa, as -well as the tropical parts of Ame- rica, i« defcribed by our divine Poet with great exaft- nefs : '' ' The ■ \ 16 HISTORY OF THE BOOK fefled and peopled them. Although thefe will T. be more fully defcribed in the fequel, a few obfervations which at prefent occur to me, w' U, I hope, be forgiven. If it be true, that in moft of the regions of the torrid zone the heat of the fun is, as it were, refled^ed in the untameable fiercenefs of their wild beafts, and in the exalted rage and venom of the numerous ferpents with which they are infefted, the So- vereign Difpofer of all things has regarded the Iflands of the Weft Indies with peculiar fa- vour; inafmufeh as their ferpents are wholly de- ftitute of poifon *, and they poilefs no animal of The fig-tree, not that kind for fruit renown'd. But fuch as at this day to Indians known In Malabar and Decan, fpreads her arms, ' . . Branching fo broad and long, that in the ground ' The bearded twigs take root, and daughters grow Above the mother tree, a pillar* djhade^ High over-arched, and echoing walis hetiveen ! Paradife Loft, Book IX. It is called in the Eaft Indies the banyan-tree, Mr. Marf- den gives the following account of the dimenfions of one, near Manjee, twenty miles weft of Patna in Bengal : Dia* meter, 363 to 375 feet; circumference of the ihadow at noon, II 16 feet; circumference of the feveral ftems, in number fifty or fixty, 921 feet. Hift. Sumatra, p. 131. * I fiy this on the authority of Brown, Charlevoix, and Hughes (of whom the firft compiled the Hiftory of Jamaica, the fecond that of Hifpaniola, aixi the laft of Barbadoes) — on the teftimony of many gentlemen who have refided in feveral of the Windward lilands — and on my own experience during a refidence of fifteen years in Jamaica. In that time I neither knew nor heard of any perfon being hurt from the bite of any one ipecies of the numerous fnakes or lizards known in that iuand. Some of the fnakes I have myfelf handled with perfeA iecurlty. I conclude, therefore (notwithftanding the contrary afler- tion of Du Terire refrie<^ing Martimco and St. Lucia) that all the Iflands are providentially exem]^ted from thi» evil. Neverthelefs it muft be admitted, that the circum- , ,. . ftance 3 WEST INDIES. 17 of prey, to dcfolate their vallies. The croco- CHAP. dile, or alligator, is indeed fometimes difcover- ^' led on the banks of their rivers; butnotwith- flanding all that has been faid of its fierce and jfavage difpofiticji, I pronounce it, from my own knowledge,' a cautious and timid creature, javoiding, with the utmoil precipitation, the lapproach of man. The refl; of the lizard kind lare perfedly innocent and inolFenfive. Some lof them are even fond of human fociety. iThey embellifh our walks by their beauty, and Icourt our attention by gentlenefs and frolic ; [but their kindnefs, I know not why, is returned iby averiion and difguft. Anciently the woods Vol. I. C of lance is extraordinary ; inafmuch as every part of the con- inent of America, but efpecially thofe provinces which lie inder the Equator, abound in a high degree Avith ferpents, irhofe bite is mortal. Mr. Bancroft, in his Account ok' ruiana, gives a dreadiul lift of fuchasare iound in that ex- Itenfive country; and, inipeakingof oneof afpecies which he calls the fmall labarra^ makes mention of a negro who was Linfortunately bit by it in the finger. The negro had but juft time to kill the fnake, when his limbs became unable [0 fupport him, and he fell to the ground, and expired in lefs than five minutes.— —Dr. Dancer, in his Hiftory of [he Expedition from Jamaica to Fort Juan on the Lake of tlicaragua, in 1780, which he attended as phyiician, re- lates the following circumftance : A fnake hanging from the bough of a tree bit one of ihe foldiers, as he paifed along, juil under the orbit of the kit eye ; from whence [he poor man felt fuch intenfe ^ain, that he was unable to broceed: and when a meifenger was fent to him a few lours afterwards, he was found dead, with all the lymp- [oms of putrefa^on, a yellownefs and fwelling over his vliole body ; and the eye near to which he was bitten, I'hoUy difiblved. This circumftance was confirmed to me by Colonel Kemb^e, who commanded in chief on that ex^ j)cdiiion. It may not be ufckfs to add, that tholb ferpents vhich are venomous are furniihed with fangs Ibinewhat lefembling the tuiks of a boar ; they are moveable, and arerced in the upper jaw. m I .'I ■ 18 HISTORY OF THE mi^ p^. i. • BOOK of almoft all the equatorial parts of America *• abounded with various tribes of the fmaller monkey ; a fportive and fagacious little crea- ture, which the people of £urope feem like- wife to have regarded with unmerited detefta- ■tion ; for they hunted them down with fuch barbarous afliduity, that in feveral of the iflands every fpecies of them has been long fince ex- terminated. Of the feathered race too, many tribes have now nearly deferted thofe ftiores where polifhed man delights in fpreading uni- verfal and capricious deftrudion. Among thefe, one of the moft remarkable was the fla- mingo, an elegant and princely bird, as large as the fwan, and arrayed in plumage of the bright- eft fcarlet. Numerous, however, are the fea- thered kinds, defervedly diftinguilhed by their fplendour and beauty, that ftill animate thefe fylvan receffes. The parrot, and its various affinities from the maccaw to the perroquet, fome of them not larger than a fparrow, are too well known to require defcription. Thefe are as plentiful in the larger iflands of the Weft Indies as the rook is in Europe. But the boaft of American groves is doubtlefs the colibry, or humming bird ; of the brilliance of whofe plumage no combination of words, nor tintsl of the pencil, can convey an adequate idea] The confummate green of the emerald, the rich purple of the amethyfl:, and the vivid flame of the ruby, all happily blended and enveloped| beneath a tranfparent veil of waving gold, an diftinguiftiable in every fpecies, but different! arranged and apportioned in each. Nor is tb minutenefe of its form lefs the objed of ad miration, than the luftre of its plumage ; tb fmalleft fpecies not exceeding the fize of .V : beetle, beetle, a; the bird ; It has though n birds of t greater pc and the ol digalityof ders everj is unknow ons; yet a harmonioui defervedly riads of bu of the inni }ng in thefe if it ferve butes at lea: the murmur repofe. .But, refig minutely de of thefe reg markable ths thefe, the fn active life, t jedls of inai abrupt ; but i elevation of t that the Aim ed the wonc of South An twice the hei liemifphere, a their tops im thofe maflive Imoft elevated WEST INDIES. ID beetle, and appearing the link which connefls CHAP, the bird and infedl creation. I* ' It has been frequently obferved, that al- though nature is profufe of ornament to the birds of the torrid zone, fhe has bei^'> 'ed far greater powers of melody on thofe of Europe ; and the obfenration is partly true. That pro- digality of mufic which in the vernal feafon ren- ders every grove in Great Britain delightful* is unknown to the ihades of equatorial reri* ons ; yet are not thefe altogether filent or m- harmonious. The note of the mock-bird is defervedly celebrated, while the hum of my- riads of bufy infedls, and the plaintive melooy of the innumerable variety of doves abouna- ing in thefe climates, form a concert, which, if it ferve not to awaken the fancy, contri- butes at leafl to footh the afiedions, and, like the murmuring of a rivulet, gives harmony to repofe. But, refigning to the naturalift the tafk of minutely dei'cribing the fplendid aerial tribes of thefe regions, whofe variety is not lefs re- markable than their beauty, I now return from thefe, the fmallefl and mofl pleating forms of active life, to the largeft and moft awful ob- Ijeds of inanimate nature. The tranfition is I abrupt ; but it is in the magnitude, extent, and elevation of the mountains of the New World, that the Almighty has moil ftrikingly manifefl- ed the wonders of his omnipotence. Thofe of South America are fuppofed to be nearly twice the height of the higheft in the ancient heraifphere, and, even under the equator, have their tops involved in everlafting fnow. To Ithofe mallive piles, the loftieil fummits of the Imoft elevated of the Weft Indian Iflands can- C z not 10 U HISTORY OF THE OOK not indeed be compared; but fome of thefc !• rife, neverthelefs, in amazing grandeur, and arc among the firft objects that fix the atten« tion of the voyager. The mountains of Hif- paniola in particular, whofe wavy ridges are defcried from fea at the diftance of thirty leagues, towering far above the clouds in flu- pendous magnificence, and the blue mountains of Jamaica, have never yet, that I have heard, been fully explored. Neither curiofity nor avarice has hitherto ventured to invade the top- mofl of thofe lofty regions. In fuch of them as are acceflible, nature is found to have put on the appearance of a new creation. As the climate changes, the trees, the birds, and the infedls are feen alfo to differ from thofe which are met with below. To an unaccuilomed fpedlator, looking down from thofe heights, the V lole fcene appears like enchantment. The firft objedl which catches the eye at the dawn of day, is a vaft expanfe of vapour, co- vering the whole face of the vallies. Its boun* daries being perfectly diftindl, and vifibly cir- cumfcribed, it has the exad refemblance of an immenfe body of water, while the mountains appear like fo many iflands in the midfl of a beautiful lake. As the fun increafes in force, the profped varies: the incumbent vapours fly upward, and melt into air; difclofing all the beauties of nature, and the triumphs of in duftry, heightened and embellifhed by the fulll blaze of a tropical fun. In the equatorial fea ion, fcenes of ftill greater magnificence fre quently prefent themlelves ; for, while all i calm and ferene in the higher regions, th( clouds are feen below fweeping along the fidei of the mountains in vaft bodies ; till, growin mora niore pon length in found of i fpciSator s to irradiate verberated neath his f But lofti rally are, ' known par teftible evi flion over i diftance aff< conclufion. and their v convexities, tuations^ of too, marine til various pi on a mounta petrified oyf fembled, in ( the large oy land; afpec believe, intl then, is an a tiate in ; anc ed greater ex ters, than th Some philofo various ineqi ges of the d< fountains as maintain that and that, firft were created to the force of -^'". $ WEST INDIES. tv «t more ponderous by accumulation, they fall at CHAP, length in torrents of water oa the plains. The I* found of the tempeft is diftindlly heard by the fpeftator above ; the diftant lightening is I'een to irradiate the glooiM ; while the thunder, re- verberated in a thouland echoes, rolls far be- neath his feet. But lofty as the tropical mountains gene- rally are, it is wonderfully true, that all the known parts of their fummits furniih incon- teftible evidence that the fea had once domi- nion over them. Even their appearance at a diftance affords an argument in I'upport of this conclufion. Their ridges refemble billows, and their various inequalities, inflexions, and convexities, feem juftly afcribable to the fluc- tuationsi of the deep. As in other countries too, marine ihells are found in great abundance in various parts of thefe heights. I have feen on a mountain in the interior parts of Jamaica petrified oyfters dug Uj); which perfedly re- fembled, in every the moft minute particular, the large oyfters of the weftern coaft of Eng- land ; a fpecies not to be found at this time, I believe, in the feas of the Weft Indies. Here, then, is an ample field for conjefture to expa- tiate in ; and indeed few fubjedts have afford- ed greater exercife to the pens of phyfical wri- ters, than the appearances I have mentioned. Some philofophers affign the origin of all the various inequalities of the earth to the . va- ges of the deluge. Others, conftdering the mountains as the parents of fprin^s and rivers, maintain that they are coeval with the world ; and that^ firft emerging from the abyfs, they , were created with it. Some again afcribe them I to the force of volcanos and earthquakes : " the ^•Abnighty," is HISTORY OF THE 'I'lB'i f. PI I*' ** Almighty," fay they, " while he permits fubterranean fires to fwallow up cities and plains in one part of the globe, caufes them to produce promontories and iflands in another, which afterwards become the fruitful feats of induftry and happinefs. All thefe and other theorifts concur, howe- ver, in the belief that the furface of the globe has undergone many furpriling and violent couvulfions and changes fince it nrft came from the hands of the Creator. Hills have funk in- to plains, and vallics ha\c been exalted into hills. Refpeding the numerous iflands of the Weft Indies, they are generally confidcred as the tops of lofty mountains, the eminences of a great continent, converted into iflands by a tremendous concuflion of nature, which, in- creafing the natural courfe of the ocean from Eaft to Weft, has laid a vaft extent of level country under water *. But notwithftanding all that has been writ- ten on this fubjedl, very little feems to be known. The advocates of this fyftem do not fufficiently confider, that the lea could not have covered fo great a portion of land on one fide of the globe without leaving an immenfe fpace as fuddenly dry on the other. We have no record in hiftory of fo mighty a revolution, nor indeed are many of the premifes on which this hypothefis is built, eftabliftied in truth. Perhaps, iiiftead of confidering thefe iflands as the fragments of a defolated continent, we ought rather to regard them as the rudiments of a new one. It is extremely probable, that many of them, even now, are but beginning to * See L'Abbe Ra/nal, L'Abb^ Pluche, and others. upper parts thefe ftrata fudden revc al, and fucc flow of tide; which have creation, ac deep operat I fore, moft happened ii globe, and t and inequali lifh, and in |leaft) deface But by wh; I accumulated reach of the I to increafe t height at whi the Andes ? Ion Mr. Buffo lup his waves fnows of Chii I mock our n W E S T I N I) 1 £ S. 23 to emerge from the bofom of the deep. Mr. CHAP. BufTon nas Ihewu, by incontrovcnible evi- ^• dence, that the bottom of the fea bears an exad refemblance 10 the land which we inha- bit ; confifting, like the earth, of hills and rallies, plains and hollows, rocks, lands and foils of every confiflence and i'pecies. To the motion of the waves, and th^ lediments which they have depofited, he imputes too, with great probability, the regular pofitions of the various ftrata or layers which compol'e the upper parts of the earth ; and he fhews that thefe ilrata cannot have been the effed of a fudden revolution, but of caufes flow, gradu- al, and fucceflive in their operations. To the flow of tides and rivers, depofiting materials which have been accumulating ever fince the creation, and the various flu6luations of the deep operating thereon, he afcribes, there- fore, mofl of the great changes which have happened in the original ftru£ture of our globe, and the rife of many of thofe heights and inequalities which in lome parts embel- lifli, and in others (to our limited view at leafl) deface it. But by what means did thefe materials, when accumulated together, and raifed to the utmofl reach of the furrounditag fluid, ftill continue to increafe till they became elevated to the height at which we now behold the Alps and the Andes ? Who can believe that the ocean, on Mr. Bufibn's fyflem, has at any time lifted up his waves to the peak of TenerifF, or the fnows of Chimborazo * ? Thefe are points that mock our refearches; for conjedures are endlefs, '•• • Tlic higheft of the Andes. 24 HISTORY OF THE BOOK endlefs, and the labours of the wifeftof men I- afford but a glimmering of light to direft us in tracing the wonders of creation. They who feem beft qualified to contemplate the works of the Deity, will moft readily ac- knowledge that it is not for men to unfold the page of Omnipotence ! — Happy, if to confcious ignorance they add humble adora- tion. CHAP.- II. ■■■■% Of the CkaraibeSy or ancient Inhabitants of the Windward Iflands. — Origin. — Difficulties at- tending an accurate invefiigation of their ' charaiier. — Suck particulars related as are leaji difputed concerning their manners and difpofttionSj perfons and domejlic habits ^ edu" cation of their children, arts, manufailures, and government, religious rites, funeral ce- remonies, &c. — Some refections drawn from the whole. H .AVING thus given an account of the climate and feafons, and endeavoured to con- vey to the reader feme faint idea of the beauty and magnificence with which the hand of Nature arrayed the furface of thefe numerous Tflands, I Ihall now proceed to enquire after thofe [■' ;,- ■ ■r- , ; t; WEST INDIES. lerous after 1 thofe 25 thofe inhabitants to whofe fupport and conve- CHAP. niency they wete chiefly found fubfervient, ^^• when they firft came to the knowledge ot Europe. It hath been obferved in the |)receding chapter that Columbus, on his firft arrival at Hifpaniola, received information of a barba- rous and warlike people, a nation of Canni- bals, who frequently made depredations on that, and the neighbouring Illands. They were called Caribbees, or Charaibes, and were reprefented as coming from the Eaft. Colum- bus, in his fecond voyage, difcovered that they were the inhabitants of the Windward Iflands. The great difference in language and charac- ter between thefe favages and the inhabitants of Cuba, Hifpaniola, Jamaica and Porto-Rico, hath given birth to an opinion that their ori- gin alfo, was different. Of this there feems , indefid to be but little doubt ; but the queftion from whence each clafs of Iflands was firft peopled, is of more difficult folution. Roche- fort, who publiihed his account of the Antiles in 1658, pronounces the Charaibes to have been originally a nation of Florida, in North America. — He fuppofes that a colony of the Apalachian Indians having been driven from that continent, arrived at the Windward If- lands, and exterminating the ancient male in- habitants, took poifeffion of their lauds, and their women. Of the larger iflands above- mentioned, he prefumes that the natural ftrength, extent and population affording fe- curity to the natives, thefe happily efcaped the deftrudlion which overtook their unfortunate neighbours ; and thus arofe the diftin£liou ob- fervable ■<• Im Ife'i IrHi 36 HISTORY OF THE BOOK, fervable between the inhabitants of the larger I- and fmaller iflands *. To this account of the origin of the Infular Charaibes, the generality of hiftorians have given their aflent ; but there are doubts attend- ing it that are not eafily folved. If they mi- grated from Florida, the imperfedl ftate and na- tural courfe of their navigation, induce a be- lief that traces of them would have been found on thofe iflands which are near to the Florida Shore ; yet the natives of the Bahamas, when difcovered by Columbus, were evidently a fi- milar people to thofe of Hifpaniola f. Befides, it is fufficiently known that there exifted anci- ently many numerous and powerful tribes of Charaibes, on the Southern Peninfula, extend- ing from the river Oronoko to EfTequebe, and throughout the whole province of Surinam, even to Brafil ; fome of which flill maintain their independency. It was with one of thofe tribes that our countryman Sir Walter Raleigh formed an alliance, when that commander made his romantic expedition to the coaft of Guiana in 1595 J ; and by him we are aflured that the Charaibes of that part of the Conti- nent, fpoke the language of Dominica §. I in- cline therefore to the opinion of Martyr ||, and, conclude that the iflanders were rather a Co- lony from the Charaibes of South America, than from any nation of the North. Rochefort admits that their own traditions referred con- * Rochefort Hiftoire des Ifles Antilles, liv. ii. c. vii. See ailb, P. Labat nouveau Voyage aux Ifles de L'Ameri- que, torn. iv. c. XV. t Herera, lib. ix. chap. II. ' ''. X Bancroft's Hiftory of Guiana, p. 259. § Hakluyt, vol. ill. p. 668. U P. Martyr, Decad. z. lib. i. litu WEST INDIES. 7» ftantly to Guiana*. It does not appear that CHAP, they entertained the moft remote idea of a ^^' Northern anceftry. It may be thought, perhaps, that the Con- tinental Charaibes, were themfelves emigrants from the Northern to the Southern Peninfula : But, without attempting to controvert the po- iition, to which recent difcoveries feem indeed to have given a full confirmation, namely that the Afiatic Continent firft furnifhed inhabitants to the contiguous North- Weflern parts of America, I conceive the Charaibes to have been a diftindl race, widely differing from all the Nations of the New Hemifphere ; and I am even inclined to adopt the opinion of Hor- nius and other writers, who afcribe to them an oriental anceftry from acrofs the Atlantic f . Eniquiries however into the origin of a re- mote and unlettci- 1 race, can be profecutcd with fuccefs only y i omparing their ancient manners, laws, h ;*pi;e, and religious cc-^e- monies with thofe of other nations. Unfortu- nately, in all or moft of thofe particulars re- fpedling the Charaibes, our knowledge is li- mited within a narrow circle. Of a people engaged in perpetual warfare, hunted from ifland to ifland by revenge and rapacity, few opportiuiities could have offered, even to thofe who might have been qualified for fiich re- fearches, * Rochefort, liv. *ii. c. vii. See alfo, Note 94 to Dr. Robertfon's Hiftory of America. The people called Gali- bis^ mentioned by Dr. K. are the Charaibes of the Conti- nent, the term Galtbis or Callbis (as it is written by Du Tertre) being, as I conceive, corrupted from Caribbee, Vide Lafitau, torn. i. p. 297. and Du Tertre, torn. ii. p. 360. t Some arguments in fupport of this opinion are fuby joined in the Appendix to £ook 1. '.'■■ w\ 28 HISTORY OF THE \$ :l -I- '■ . lip BOOK fearches, of inveftigating the natural difpofiti* ^- ons and habitual cuftoms with minutenefs and precilion. Neither indeed could a juft efti- niate have been formed of their national cha- radler, from the manners of fuch of them as were at length fubjugated to the Eurapean yoke ; for they loft, together with their free- dom, many of their original charafteriftics ; and at laft even the defire of afting from the impulfe of their own minds. We difcern, fayi Rochefott *, a wonderful change in" the difpofitions and habits of the Gharaibes. In fome refpedls we have enlightened, in others (to our Ihame be it fpoken) we have corrupted them. An old Charaibe thus addrefifed one of our planters on this fubjeft : — " Our people, he complained, are become almoft: as bad as yours. — We are fo much altered fince you came among us, that we hardly know otir- felves, and we think it is owing to fo me- lancholy a change, that hurricanes are more frequent than they were formerly. It is the evil fpirit who has done all this, — who has taken our beil lands from us, and given us up to the dominion of the Chriftians f. • > jvty * Rochefort. liv. ii. ch. ix. p. 436. t This extraft from Rochefort is furely a fufficient an. Twer to the obfervations of Monf. de Chanvalon, who A rote fo late as 1751, and judging of all the Charaibes Irom the few with whom he had any communication, repre- fents them as not poffeffing any fagacity or forefight beyond mere animal inftind. He makes no allowance for their degradation in a ftate of captivity and fervitude, although in another part of his book, fpeaking of the African blacks in the Weft Indies, he dwells ftrongly on this circumflance refpeding the latter. " Peut on connoitre (he obferves) " le vrai genie d'un peuple opprime, qui voit fans celTe les *' chatimens leves fur fa tete, et la violence toujours prCte My prefent inveftigation muft therefore be CHAP, neceflarily defedive. Neverthelefs, by iciodl- H. ing and combining fuch memorials as are ieaft controverted, I fliall hope to exhibit a few ftriking particulars in the charaAer of this ill- fated people, which, if I miftake not, will lead to forae important conclufions in the ftudy of human nature. Their fierce fpirit and warlike difpofition have already been mentioned. Hiflorians have not failed to notice thefe, among the moil dif- tinguifhable of their qualities *. — Reftlefs, en- terprizing and ardent, it would feem they con- sidered war as the chief end of their creation, and the refl of the human race as their natu- ral prey ; for they devoured without remorfe the boaies of fuch of their enemies (the men at leaft) as fell into their hands. — This cuftom is fo repugnant to our feelings, that for a cen- tury " a 6tre foutenue par la politique et la fiirete publique ? " Peut on juger de la valeur, quand elle eft enchainee, et " fans armes?" — Voyage a la Martinique, p. 58. * Dr. Robertfon, in note 93 to the firft vol. of bis Hiftory of America, quotes from a MS. Hiftory of Ferdi- nand and Ifabella, written by Andrew Bernaldes, the co- temporary and friend of Columbus, the following inftance of the bravery of the Charaibes. " A canoe with four " men, two women, and a boy, unexpectedly fell in with " Columbus's fleet. A Spanifh bark with 25 men was fent " to take them, and the fleet in the mean time cut off their* " communication with the Ihore. Inftead of giving way •' to defpair, ?he Charaibes feized their arms with undaunt- " ed refolution, and began the attack, wounded feveral of " the Spaniards although they had targets as well as other " defenlive armour, and even after the canc; was overfet, " it was with no little difliculty and danger that fome of " them were I'ecured, as they continued to defend themfelvcs, *' and to ufe their bows with great, dexterity while fwJm- ** ming in the fea."-— — licrrara has recorded the fame anecdote. , _1 w" $• HISTORY OF THE ^'M'S- tVi BOOK tury paft, until the late difcoveries ofafimilar !• pxaAice in the countries of the Pacific Ocean, the philofophers of Europe had boldly im- peached the veracity of the moft eminent an- cient voyagers who had firft recorded the ex- iftence of it» Even Labat, who refided in the Weft I" ''*es at a period when fome of the Iflands ftill remained in pofTeflion of the Cha- raibes, declares it to be his opinion that inftan- ces of this abominable pradlice among them, were at all times extremely rare ; — ^the effedl only of a fudden impulfe of revenge arifing from extraordinary and unprovoked injury; but that they ever made premeditated excurfi- ons to the larger iflands for the purpofe of de- vouring any of the inhabitants, or of feizing them to be eaten at a future time, he very con- fidently denies *. Neverthelefs there is no circumftance in the Hiftory of Mankind better attefted than the univerfal prevalence of thefe pradices among them. Columbus was not only informed of it by the natives of Hifpaniola, as I have already re- lated, but having landed himfelf at Guadaloupe on its firft dil'covery f, he beheld in feveral cottages the head and limbs of the human body recently feparated, and evidently kept for oc- cafional repafts : He releafed, at the fame time, feveral of the natives of Borriquen (or Porto Rico) who, having been brought captives from thence, were refer vcd as vidims for the fame horrid purpofe. J Thus * Labat. torn. iv. p. 322. f November 4, 1493. J F. Co'umbus, cap. xlvi. Peter Martyr, Decad. I. lib. ii. Herrara, lib. ii. cap. vii. See aifo Bancroft's HlAory of Guiana, p. 259, who is of opinion, tliat no Other WEST I N I> T F. S. SI ad. I« icroh's lat no Other Thus far it muft be confeffed, the difpofition CHAP, of the Charaibes leaves no very favourable ^^• impreflion on the mind of the reader; by whom it is probable they will be confidered rather as beafts of prey, than as human beings ; and he will think, perhaps, that it was nearly as juftifiable to exterminate them from the earth, as it would be to deftroy the fierceft monfters of the wildernefs ; fince they who ihew no mercy, are entitled to no pity. — But among themfelves they were peaceable, and towards each other faithful, friendly and affedionate*. They confidered all ftrangers indeed, as enemies ; and of the people of Europe they formed a right eftimation. — The antipathy which they manifefted towards the unoffending natives of the larger iflands ap- pears extraordinary ; but it is faid to have de- fcended to them from their anceftors of Guiana : they confidered thofe iflanders as a colony of Arrowauks, a nation of South America, with whom the Charaibes of that continent are con- tinually at war f . We can affign no caufe for fuch hereditary and irreconcileable hoftility.— * The cuftom of eating the bodies of thofe they had flain in battle excites our abhorrence, yet it may be doubted whether this abb "ice does not arife as much from the bias ot . ^r educa- tion, as from the fpontaneous and original dic- tates of our nature. It is allowed that with regard to the people of Europe, whenever any of them had acquired their confidence, ." ■.;,- .. ■ ■ ., it other tribe of Indians in Gular?! eat human fleflx but the Charaibes. Amongft thele, the proof that this praAice Aill fubfifts is incontellible. * Rothefort, liv. ii. cap. xi. Du Tertre. tomJi. p. 359. ■(• Rothefort, liv. ii. chap. x. p. 449. ■it' H-V'-l 31 HISTORy OF THE IF;' , i.i BOOK it was given without referve. Their friendlhip ^- was as warm as their enmity was implacable. The Charaibes of Guiana ilill fondly cherifh the tradition of Raleigh's alliance, and to this day preferve the Englifti colours which he left with them at parting *. Of the loftinefs of their fentiments and their abhorrence of flaverj^, a writer, not very par- tial towards them, gives the following illuura- tion : " There is not a nation on earth (fays Labat) f more jealous of their independen- cy than the Charaibes. They are impatient " under the leaft infringement of it; and when, at any time, they are witnefles to the refped and deference w.^ich the natives of | Europe obferve towards their Ai^riors, they defpife us as abjedl flaves ; wondering how any man can be fo bafe as to crouch before his equal." Rochefort, who con- firms this account, relates ftlfo that when kid- napped and carried from their native iflands in- to flavery, as they frequently were, the miferable captives commonly funk under a fenfe of their condition, and finding refiftance or efcape hopelefs, fought refuge in death from the cala- mities of it I- To this principle of confcious equality and native dignity, muft be imputed the contempt which they manifefted for the inventions and '? ^ ^ - improvements cc <( (C • ' 1. - M WEST INDIES. 35 539- IP- ii57- in battle, and wore them on their legs and arms, CHAP, as trophies of fnccefsful cruelty *. II- To draw the bow with unerring fkill, to wield the club with dexterity and ftrengrh, to fwim with agility and boldnefs, to catch lifh and to build a cottage, were acquirements of ii?difpenlible neceffity, and the education of I their children was well fuitcd to the attain- Iment of them. One method of making their boys Ikilful, even in infancy, in the exercife of the bow, was to fufpend their food on the branch of a tree, compelling the hardy urchins to pierce it with their arrows, before they [could obtain permiflioiv to eat f . But thefe were fubordinate objects : — The Charaibes in- krufted their youth, at the fame time, in lef- fons of patience and fortitude; they Endea- voured to infpire them with courage in' war, md a contempt of danger and death ; — above ill things to inftil into their minds an heredi- tary hatred, and implacable thirfl of revenge D 2 towards * Oumilla, torn. i. p. 193. t See Rochcfort, c. xxviii. p. 555, and Gumilla, torn, li. p. 283. Their arrows were commonly poifoned, ex- cept when they made their military excuriions by night. jn thofe occaiions they converted them into inftruments of Ull greater milchief ; for by arming the points with pled- \&.s of cotton dipt into oil, and fet on flame, they fired \hole villages of their enemies at a diftance*. The poi- m «/hich they ufed, was -i concoAion of noxious gums |nd vegetable juices t» and had the property of being per- feftly innocent when received into the llomach, but [' communicated immediately to the blood, through the lighteft wound, it was generally mortal. The Indians of ■Juiana ftill prepare a limilar poiibn. It is fuppofed how- ver that fugar fpeedily adminidered in large quantities, is In antidote. (See Relaiion ^Ihregie d'un Voyw^e^ ^c. par Xlonf. dt la Coiulam'iHf, and Bancroft's Klft. of GuIaUfi.) • Rochel'ort, cti. r.x. p. 559. f O/tJa, lib. i.;. 36 HISTORY OF THE BOOK towards the Arowauks. The means which ^' they adopted for thefe purpofes were in fome rel'pef^s fuperditious ; in others cruel and de- teftable. , As foon as a male child was brought into the world, he was fprinkled with fome drops of his father's blood. The ceremonies ufed on this occaiion were fufficicntly painful to the father, but he Submitted without emotion or complaint ; fondly believing that the fame de* gree of courage which he had himfelf dif- played, was by thefe means tranfmitted to his fon*. As the boy grew, he was foon made familiar with fcenes of barbarity ; he partool; of the horrid repaits of his nation, and he was frequently anointed with the fat of a flaughtered Arrowauk; but he was not allow* ed' to participate in the toils of the warrior, and to (hare the glories of conqueft, imtil his fortitude had been brought to the teft. The dawn c^ manhood uihered in the hour of fe- vere trial. He was now to exchange the] name he had received in his infancy, for one more founding and fignificant; — z ceremony of high importance in the life of a Charaibe but always accompanied by a fcene of fero cious feftivitv and unnatural cruelty f . The feventies infli6led on fuch occafions bjj the hands of fathers on their own children, exhibit a melancholy proof of the influence ol fuperflition in fupprefling the mofl powerfi feelings of nature ; but the pradlice was noi without example. Plutarch records the pre valenc valence monians. " boys a ** times 1 " and th( " them V " ber of youth, yi, the fevcri fymptom < he was dif perior to f fecutors, b ceived the forth num] country, ai tions and c iike one of /, A penance excruciating conftituted honour of war*; for admitted of Having no I To their olc kind of aut fined, and n ficient to pr —In war, J them that fub |«ge; they tl their general but, as hath I * Rochefort, liv. ii. c. xxv. p. 552. ■ t Rochefort, liv. ii. c. xxiii. p. 556. Du Tertre, vo!i Rochefort, \\ ii. p. 377. IP- 1262. Gumil 1297. « feq. !*V . WEST INDIES. fTf valence of a fimilar cuftoni among the Lacede- CHAP, monians. " At Sparta,'* fays the HiHoiiai , ^^■ " boys are whipped for a whole day, often - " times to death, before the altar of Diana, " aild there is a wonderful emulation among " them who beft can fuftain the greateft num- " ber of ftripes." Nor did the Charaibe youth, yield in fortitude to the Spartan. If the fcvcrities he fuftained extorted the lead fymptom of weaknefs from the young fufferer, he was difgraced for ever ;«— but if he rofe fu- perior to pain, and baffled the rage of his per- fecutors, by perfeverance and ferenity, he re- ceived the higheft applaufe. He was thence- forth numbered among the defenders of his country, and it was pronounced by his rela- tions and countrymen, that he was now a man like one of themfelves. A penance ft ill more fevere, and torments more excruciating ; ftripes, burning and fufb/ation, conftituted a teft for him who afpired to the honour of leading forth his countrymen to war * ; for in times of peace the Charaibes admitted of no fupremacy but that of nature. Having no laws, they needed no magiftrates. To their old men indeed they allowed fome kind of authority, but it was at beft ill-de- fined, and muft at all times have been infuf- ficient to prote6l the weakagainft theftrong. —In war, however, experience had taught them that fubordination as was requifite as cou- rage ; they therefore eledled their captains in their general afTemblies with great folemnity t > but, as hath been obferved, they put their pre- tenfions I voii * Rodiefort, liv. ii. cap. xix. p. 519. Purchas, vol. iv. ' * ^ p. 1262. Gumilla, torn. ii. p. 286. Lafitau, torn. i. p. ich »me de- into rops ufed )the a or ; de- dif. LO his I made I rtooH id he I of a allow- 1 arrior,! til hisl The of fe- re the! ar one! emonyl araibe, ferO' 297, et feq. t Rochefort, ch. xxiii. p. 553. mi J8 HISTORY OF THE BOOK tenfions to the proof with circumftances of ^- outrageous barbarity : — the recital however is difgufting, and may well be fupprefled. If it appears ftrange that where fo little was to be gained by preheminence, fo much (hould be fo willingly endured to obtain it, it muft be confidered that, in the eftimation of the candidate, the regard was doubtlefs more than adequate to the coll of the purchafe. If fiic- cefs attended his meafures, the feaft and the iiiumph awaited his return. He exchanged his name a fecond time ; aflumiug in future that of the moft formidable Arrowauk that had fallen by his. hand *. He was permitted to appropriate to himfelf, as many of the cap- tives as he thought fit, and his countrymen prcfented to his choice the moft beautiful of their daughters in reward of his valour f. It was probably this laft mentioned teftimo- ny of public efteem and gratitude that gave rife in thefe Iflands to, the inftitution of poly- gamy, which, as hath been already obferved, prevailed univerfally among them, and ftill pre- vails among the Charaibes of South Ameri- ca I ;• — an inftitution the more excufeable, as their women from religious motives, carefully avoided the nuptial intercourfe after pregnan- cy II . I am lorry to add, that the condition of thefe poor creatures was at the fame time truly wretched. Though frequently beftowed as the prize of fuccefsful courage, the wife thus honourably obtained, was loon confider- ed ■ * Rochefort, cK. xxiil. p. 55?. t Pochefort, ch..xxii. p. 546. J Bancroft, p. 254. II Rochefort, ch. x:di. p. 548. Du Tertre, torn. 11. p. 374- * Purchas, t Labat, toj i Lafitau, t( ir Father Jof bordering on t tranilatlon) tha their women cau " ftoning them 1 but as J do not : and becaufe it Is author's hypoth< fcended from the ed:— at Jeaft the among the infuJa 'atter, obferves, 1 theChriftlansthej WEST INDIE S. I S9 ed of as little value as the captive. Deficient CHAP, in thofe qualities which alone were eftimable I^- among the Charaibes, the females were treated "^ rather as flaves than companions. They ful- tained every fpecies of drudgery: They ground the maize, prepared the cafTavi, ga- thered in the cotton and wove the hamack * ; nor were they allowed even the privilege of eating in prefence of their hulbands f : Under all thefe cruel circumftances it is not wonder- ful that they were far lefs prolific than the wo- men of Europe {. But brutality towards their wives was not peculiar to the Charaibes. It has prevailed in all ages and countries among the uncivilized part of mankind ; and the firft vifible proof that a people is emerging from favage manners, is a difplay of tendernefs to- wards the female fex || . Perhaps a more intimate knowledge (not now to be obtained) would have foftened ma- ny of the ftiades which thus darken the. cha- , ra6ler of thefe iflanders, and have difcovered fome * Purchas,. vol. iv. p. 1272. Labat, torn. ii. p. 40. t Labat, torn. il. p. 15 and 95. } Lafitau, torn. i. p. 590. II Father Jofeph Gumilla, in his account of the nations bordering on the Oronoko, relates (torn. i. p. 207. Fr. tranflation) that the Charaibes of the Continent punifh their women caught in adultery, like the ancient Ifraelites, by " ftoning them to death before an aiTembly of the people;" but as I do not find this fad recorded by a ny other writer, and becaufe it is evidently brought forward to fupport the author's hypothefis that the Americans are originally de- fcended from the Jews, I fufpeft that it is not well found- ed :— at leaft there is no trace that fuch a cullom exifted among the infular Charaibes. Rochefort fpeaking of the latter, obferves, that before they had any intercourfe with the Chriftians they had noeftablifhed puniihnient for adulie- i \ N 40 HISTORY OF THE .1; BOOK fome latent properties in their principles and ^' condud, tending to leflen, though not wholly to remove the diiguft we naturally feel in be- holding human nature fo debafed and degrad- ed ; but of many particr^ rs wherein curiofity would delire to be gratified, we have not fuffi- cient materials to enable us to form a full and correal idea. We know but little for inftance concerning their domeftic csconomy, their arts, manufadures and agriculture; their fenfe of| filial and paternal obligations, or their religi- ous rites and funeral ceremonies. Such further information however, in thefe and other re- fpedls, as authorities the leaft difputable afford, | 1 have abridged in the following detached ob- fervations. Befides the ornaments which we have I noticed to have been worn by both fexes, the women on arriving at the age of puberty, were diilinguifhed alfo by a fort of bufkin or halfl boot, made of cotton, which furrounded the fmall of each leg *. A diftin^lion, however, which fuch of their females as had been taken! ■' ■ in ry, becaufe (fays he) " the crime itfelf was unlnown."—! He adds, that when this, with other European vices, •wajl intvoduced among them, the injured hulband became hiJ own avenger. — Labat's reafoning on this head Js too curi- ous to be omitted : " II n'y a que les femmes qui foieni | " obligees a robeiflance, et dont les hommes foient abfolul " ment les maiires. lis. portent celte fuperiorite jufqu* al " I'exces, et les tuent pour des fujels tres legers. Un foiipl " con d'infidelitc, bien ou mal fonde, lulfit, fans autre) " formalitc, pour les mettre en droit de leur caffer la t6te.[ Cela ejl tin hat fuuva^e a la verite i mais ce'Jl un fre'in UA proprepoui rctiuir I cs femmes dans leur devoir." Tom. iv.j 327- * Rochtfort, liv. ii. c. ix. p. 446. Purchas, vol. iv. p.| 1159. Labat, tom. ii. p. 12. 1 WEST INDIES. 41 in the chance of war, dared not afpire to*. CHAP. In other refpefts both male and female appear- ^^' ed as naked as our lirft parents before the fallf. Like them, as they knew no guilt, ihey knew no fhame ; nor was clothing thought neceffary to perfonal comfort, where the chill blaft of winter was never felt. Their hair was uniformly of a Ihining black, ftrait and coarfe; but they drefled it with daily care, and adorned it with great art ; the men, in particular, decorating their heads with feathers of various colours. As their hair thus conftituted their chief pride, it was an unequivocal proof of the fincerity of their for- row, when, on the death of a relation or friend, they cut it fhort | like their flaves and cap- tives; to whom the privilege of wearing long hair was rigoroufly denied ||. Like moft other nations of the New Hemifphere, they era- dicated, with great nicety, the incipient beard §, and all fuperfluous hairs on their bodies ; — a circumftance which has given rile to a notion that all the Aborigines of America were naturally beardlefs. This opinion is in- deed countenanced by many refpedable writers, but after much enquiry, and fome inftances of ocular infpedion, I am fatis£ed that it is groundlels. The circumftance the moft remarkable con- cerning their perfons, was their ftrange prac- tice of altering the natural configuration of the head. ♦ Du Tertre, torn. 11. p. 394. t Rochefort, liv. il. c. ix. p. 441. Purchas, vol. iv. p. "57- X Rochefort, liv. ii. c. ix. p. 439. Du Tertre, torn. ii. p. 412. II Du Tertre, torn. ii. p. 405. ' i Dtt Tertre, tom. ii. p. 392. ■?:■' i 4» HISTORY OF THE BOOK hitad. On the birth of a child its tender and T- flexible Ikull Avas confined between two fmall pieces of wood, which, applied before and behind, and firmly bound together on each| iide, elevated the forehead, and occafioned it, and the back part of the fkull, to refenible| two fides of a fquare * ; an uncouth and fright- ful cuftom, flill obferved, if I am rightly in- 1 formed, by the miferable remnant of Charaibesl in the Ifland of ot. Vincent f . Theyrefidcd in ^'illages which refembled aul European enca ipuient ; for their cabins were! built of poles fixed circularly in the ground, u^d drawn to a point at the top |. They were I t.icn covered with leaves of the palm-tree. In the centre of each village was a building of fuperior magnitude to the reft. It was form- ed with great labour, and ferved as a public hall or ftate houfe |j, wherein we are affured that the men (excluding the women) had their meals in common ; " oblerving that law" (faith the Earl of Cumberland, who vifited thefe Illands in 1596) " which in Lycurgus's mouth " was thought ftrange and needlefs §." Thefe halls were alfo the theatres where thejr youth were animated to emulation and trained to martial 1 * Oviedo, lib. iil. Rochefort, liv. ii. c. ix. t I ha^e been told by anatomills that the coronal future I ot new-born children in the Weft Indiesis commonly more open than that of infants born in colder climates, and the brain more liable to external injury. Perhaps therefore I the Indian cuftom of depreffing the os frmtis and ihe occi- put, v/as originally meant to affiil the operation of nature | in doling the fkull. X p. Martyr, decad. i. lib. ii. jl Ibid Rochefort, liv. ii. c. xvi. Lafitau, torn. ii. p. ?. :§ Purchiis, vol. iv. p. 1159. ^.A^:| WEdT INDIES. 4$ martial enterprife by the renown of their war- CHAP, riors, and the harangues of their orators. I^- Their arts and manufaftures, though few, ^^'"^'''^ difplayed a degree of ingenuity which one would have fcarcely expected to have found amongft a people fo little removed from a flate of mere animal nature, as to rejedl all drel's as fuperfluous. Columbus obferved an abundance of fubftantial cotton cloth in all the illands which he vifited, and the natives polfeffed the art of ftaining it with various colours, though the Charaibes. delighted chiefly in red *. Of this cloth they made hammocks, or hanging beds, fuch as are now ufed at fea ; — for Europe has not only copied the pattern, but preferved alio the original name f . They poffeffed likewife the art of making veffels of clay for domeftic ufes, which they baked in kilns like the potters of Europe. The ruins of many of thele kilns were vifible not long fince in Barbadoes, where fpecimens of the manufadure are ftill frequently dug up ; and Mr. Hughes, the hiflorian of that iiland, obferves, that they far furpafs the earthen ware * made by the negroes, in thinnefs, fmoothnefs and beauty J. Befides thofe, they invented various other utenfils for ceconomical- purpofes, which are enumerated by Labat. The bafkcts which , * Labat, torn. ii. p. 40. t All the early Spanifh and French writers exprefsly . afiert, that the original Indian name for their fwinging beds was amath or hammach ; — but Dr. Johnfon derives the Englifh word hammock from the Saxon. X Nat. Hill, of Barbadoes, p. 8. Ligon, who viiited this ifland in 1647, declares that fome of thefe veffels, which he faw, even furpaffed any earthen-ware made in England "both" (to ufe his own words) "in lineffe of " mettle, and curiofity of turninge." 44 HISTORY OF THE mW^ BOOK which they compofed of the fibres of tlie I- palnieto leaves, were Angularly elegant, and we are told thai their bows and arrows, othei^ weapons, difplayed a neatnefs and polifti, which the moft fkilfnl European artift would have found it diflicult to have excelled,] even wjth European tools. Of the nature and extent of their agricul- ture the accounts are flender andunfatisfat^tory. We are told on good authority, ihat among ^, the Charaibes of the Continent, there was iioi divifion of land, every one ciiUivatiiig in pio- portion to his exigencies*. Where no crinii- iial jurifdidlion is eflabiifhed, the idea of pri.! vate property muft necelTarily be unknown or imperfedl; and in thefe iilauqs where land isj fcarce. it feems probable that, as among iomc of the' tribes of South America f, cultivation! was carried on by the joint labour of each fe parate commuiikyy and their harvefts depofitedl in public granaries, whence each family received its proportion of the public ftock. — Rochefort indeed obferves that all their interefts were in I common. Their food, both vegetable and animal, ex- cepting in the circumftance of their eating hu- man flelh, feems to have been the fame, in mod refpedls, as that of the natives of the larger illands, which Ihall be defcribed hereafter.' But although their appetites were voracious J, they rejeded many of the befV bounties of na- ture. Of fome animah they held the flefh in abhorrence ; thefe were the pecary, or Mexican hog, the manati, or lea cow, ana the turtle ||. . J.., ■ ,,^v. ... .:;„,,;:, , ■ ,/ , ,., ■ Labat Bancroft, p. 254. f GumlUa, torn. i. p. 265. } Gumilla, torn. ii. p. it, 70, 237. Laiitau, torn. i. Ij Kochcfort, liv. ii. c. i6. WEST INDIES. 4S ■•'••'ti- Labat obferves that they fcrupled likewife to CHAP, eat the eel, which the rivers, in feveral of the II- iflands, fupply in great plenty *. The ftriking conformity of thefe, and fome other of their prejudices and cuftoms, to the pradlices of the Jews, has not efcaped the no- tice of hiftoriansf. — But whether the Cha- raibes were adluated by religious motives, in thu? abft aining from thofe things which many nrobability their Penates^ made fmall for the eafe and Eonveniency of being carried with them in their feveral journeys, as the larger fort were perhaps deiigned for fome Itated places of worfliip." — Natural Hiftory of Barbadoes, p. 7. Lafitau, torn. i. p. 179. Kochefort, c. xiii. p. 472. Tcrtre, torn. ii. p. 366. ii 'y^ '^-1: ^'^ SO HISTORY OF THE BOOK Strange kowever it is, that the fame author* ^- who accufe them of atheifin, fliould actoi. them likewifc, in the fame moment, of poly theifm and idolatry. Athcifts they certainly were not ; and though they did not maintain the dodtrine of pure Theifm, yet their idolatry was probably found- ed on circumilances, the moral influence ofl which has not hitherto, I think, been fuflid cntly noticed. If their devotion, as we have feen, was. the offspring, not of gratitude, but! of fear ; — if they were lefs fenfible of the good, nefs, than terrined at the judgments of the| Almighty ; it Ihould alfo be remembered, tha in thefe climates the tremendous irregularitieii entiuflec we lamei: and exuJi ^pc^y let vated pel (before t|] difplaved) by all the world; oi ^^ong an a; Thefe ol to the fair of benevok h'kcwiie pre^ inhabitants of nature are dreadfully frequent; — the hurMonly ]}elie ricane that fweeps nations to the deep, and till evil fpirjts^*^ earthquake that fwallows continents in liil hands of tl bolbm. — Let us not then haftily affix the chaijl facrifices ^^ of impiety on thefe fimple people, if, wheMon fuch iol^^ they beheld the elements combine for their dlthe teeth of" ftruftion, they confidered the Divine Being jMrible ^aihe infinite indeed in power, but fevcre in flinah'giiant n* juftice, and inexorable in his anger. Undlmifery, and ° this impreflion, it is not wonderful that tlnian biood * ^ mind, humbled to theduftinthe confcioufnAhat even th* of its own imbecility, and fcarce daring to lilBrinated in ^ iip a thought to the great caufe of all thintnfe of alml fhould fondly wiih for fome mild and graciothat we re^ interpreter ; fome amiable intermediate ageliands of Gq^ in whom to repofe with confidence,' as iijqually wife guardian and a friend. This defire encreafiiftf both are ? is at length exalted to belief. The foul, fwell by'cultjv t ing refuge from its own apprehenfions, creJhey are truth^ imaginary beings, by whofe mediation it ho#hich uuciviJi ^' to render itfelf lefs defpicable in the fight" ^ the Supreme. To thefe its devotions entruftb * Du re WEST INDIES. SI cmrufted, and its adoration. «, -J , ' •-0 lament the blindnerXthfit'l;''",^ '^''"e "^"AP. and exult in our own ZJ.- ■ P"?' '*^'8«, 11. fpe^, let us not Ce, IhL ir,7 '" A'''^ '«' vated periods of tlfe hlL "^ V°'* '^"•'i- (before^he light of rev& ""derilanding. difplaved) a/milar fSf" "'"' »"'*°"fly by alf the various S„ ° r ""f '"'''^'fed world; of which, not o^i °^ 1*"= ''^'"hen flrongan ''P^'ogy t'o pfeadTthe'ct? '.i*'' '"'' Thcle obervation. i,„ '"* '-""Mibes. to the fair iide of "Lr ° T-'^' '^''"<^ only , of benevolent deities a ^T' 'i"^ ^°'^V likcwile prevailed a" on.tlll;;:''^ ^T^'"°^ , inhabitants of thelb cKnl ""^"''ghtened onlvI,elievedi„.hc e^S'of'^^'" ""^>' "»' evil fp.rit.,, but they oS 5.^""°""'"^ hands of their Boyel or n^ '°, '^^^ by the fterilices and Sr, Z"^'^ -'^'"'''''^ on fuch (blemnities w fh an bftn "^ "'"""■'••'^<=' Jthe teeth of the airouti , '.".T?'*"" made of ■nalignant po,ver, deSed in'^' '*"" '^' pifery, and were to be =mt. r 5 ^'■°*°» and Jman blood *. I am of ?? ''^'' °°'^ by hu- h" even this Lter°fpee^ " of Tr^^'^'^- fcinated in reveremiar ^^1! 'f°'^"'y <>"- |afeofalmightrpowerr^-^'fi''-"^ »'' wful bat «-e receive Ch t^^ '"''»"* Perfeaion. H^of God7nd^tel,«d «vilat the h»ally wife and Sen^ite? ^T« '^ Jfboth, are truths wh^? '"'''P'"'»"oa N by cultivated rtafa^^^r^?;? '^"Sbt, as bare truths, to the right ^t^K^'^' = *"" r """^■'-'' T/4u?pTatt z:r unequal. * ^ Tcnre, torn. ii. p. 365. >... t 52 HISTORY OF THF BOOK unequal. The favage, indeed, amidft the de- ^' ftrudive terrors of the hurricane and the earth- 9,1 'i toms of t} bean Iflar but, as 1 1 tQ fome ir corredingr which are influence o it may tend hypothefisc pronounces unpolluted]] conformable perfedion oJ RoufTeau obi tween what] quake, might eafily conclade that nothing lefs than Omnipotence itfelf, " vifiting the nations in his wrath," could thus harrow up the world ; but the leffer calamities of daily occurr'^nce, — the various appearances of phylical and moral evil which hourlyembitter life, he dared not af- cribe to an all perfe6l and merciful Being. To his limited conception i'ucha conclufion was de- rogatory from divine juftice, and irreconcileable with infinite wifdom* To what then would he impute thefe terrifying and inexplicable pheno- mena, but to the malignant influence of im- pure fpirits and aereal demons ? The profa nations built on fuch notions certainly throw Ha™JpgT a luftre on the Chriftian religion, if they ferveBygj []jyg ' '" not as a collateral evidence of its divine origin-Bcou^f j l ^ A minute detail of the rites and ceremonies Bfjefiypj ^u • ^ which thefe and other religious tenets gavel^jjQj. £j. ^ birth to among the Charaibes, moft of themRjjg perverf unamiable, many of them cruel, together witlittndo^^^j^/^' an iiluliration of their conformity to the lumot onlv h perflitions of the Pagan theology, would leadBj^Qij^jji^ i ^^ nie too far ; nor is fuch a difquifition ^^ceffRTjM^^Ybntous r't ! It is fnfficient for me to have fhewn that thet t|jg j^ ^?^ foundations of true religion, the belief of tW " Deity and the expe6lation of a future Hate, (tol borrow the expreflion of an eloquent prelate] " are no lefs conformable to the firft natud " apprehenlions of the untutored mind, thaij " to the founded principles of phiiofophy *. I have thus feledled and combined, from Mfj^js'^ "'"/•**"' mafs of difcordant materials, a few ftrikinjtion . 1 an^*f J particulars in the charader, manners and culllafsof philof ^ reformer, con Bilhop of Chefter's Sermon^ l^^te of u/irel giving energy faiit principles wtion among tl ftyand benev( krsandfocial fy the cuiti vatic Jl^'i WEST INDIES. 53 de- rth- lefs ions rid; e,— loral Dtaf- . To lS de- 1 cable I Id he I heno- 1 ►f im-l profa- throw I ' fervc origin.' noniesi i I from trikifl! id €Ul] tomi toms of the ancient inhabitants of the Charai- CHAP, bean Iflands. The pidure is not pleafing; H* but, as I have elfe where obferved^ it may lead to fonie important conclufions; for, belides correding many wild and extravagant fancies which are afloat in the world refpedling the influence of climate on the powers of the mind, l it may tend to demonftrate the abfurdity of that . hypothefisof fome eminent philofophers, which , pronounces favage life the genuine fource of i ' unpolluted happinefs ; — falfely deeming it a ftate » conformable to our nature, and conftituting the , perfedion of it. It is indeed no eafy tafk, as , Rouffeau obferves, to difcriminate properly be- tween what is originally natural, and what is acquired, in the prefent conftitution of m^n : yet thus much may be concluded from the ac- icount I have given of the Charaibes, that they i |derived their furious and fanguinary difpofition > not from the didates of nature — ^but from he perverlion and abufe of fome of her nobleft ndowments. Civilization and fcience would - ot only have given them gentler manners, but robably have eradicated alio many of their arbarous rites and gloomy fuperllitions, either ythe introdudion of a purer religion, or by iving energy and effed to thofe latent iiiipor- ant principles which I have Ihewn had a foini- ation among them. But while I admit the uecel- ty and benevolent efficacy of improved inau- ers and focial intercouri'e ; conceiving that man ythe cultivation of his reaion, and the cxercife I" his faculties alone aniV/ers the end of his cre- 1 am far from concurring with another Ition [lals of philofophers, who widely diftering from le former, confider a Hate of pure nature as ftate of uiirelenting ferocity and reciproiai hoililitv ; 54 HISTORY OF THE :M, n BOOR hoftility; maintainiug that all the foft and tcn- !• der afTedions are not originally implanted in us, but are fuperinduced by education and reftefli- on. A retrofpe6l to what has been related of the Charaibes will fhew the fallacy of this opi- nion. Man, as he comes from the hands of his Creator, is every where conftituted a mild and a merciful being. It was by rigid difcipline and barbarous example, that the Charaibe nation trained up their youth to fuffer with fortitude, and to inflift without pity, the utmoft exertions of human venge- ance. The did^ates of nature were as much violated by thofe enormities of favage life, as they are fupprefled by the cold unfeeling apathy of philofophical refinement. Still however, to the honour of humanity, it is as certain that compaflion and kindnefs are among the earlieft propenfities of our nature, as thai they conftitute the chief ornament and the happinefs of it. Of this truth our next re- fearches will furnifh a pleafmg example. 1- • *', * Y ?.' '■- -■» ' . ' .is: J- ■ V -. ' '1 .' i ^' ' ' '" >.'i \ • •, i ! . \ ■ V CHAP. -• "■ t i- i WfiST INDIES. ■sM- C H A P. III. ..^' 55 CHAP. III. Of the natives of Hifpaniola, Cuba, Jamaica, and Porto-Rico. — Their Origin.— *- Numbers, — Perfons.'^' Genius and Difpojitions. — Go- vernment and Religion. — Mifcellaneous Ob- fervations refpe&ing their Arts, Manufac- tures and Agriculture, Cruelty of the Spa- niards, £sfc. X AM now to give feme account of a mild and comparatively cultivated people, the an- cient natives of Hifpaniola, Cuba, Jamaica, and Porto-Rico ; for there is no doubt that the inhabitants of all thole lilands were of one common origin, — ^fpeaking the fame lan- guage, — poffeffin'^- the lame inftitutions, and praSifing fimilar fuperftitions. Columbus Ihimfelf treats of them as fuch ; and the tefti- mony of many cotemporary hiftorians confirm his opinion. It appears likewife from the in- formation of Las Cafas, the Biihop of Chia- pa, to the Emperor Charles V. that molt of the natives of Trinidad were of the fame nation ; the extent and natural ftrength of that ifland, as of the others above-mentioned, hav- ing protefted them, in a great meafure, from the depredations of the Charaibes. • .> I ha>'C elfe where related that they were con- [fidered by thefe Barbarians as defcended from a |Colony of Arrowauks, a people of Guiana ; and there can be no good reafon to fuppofe that S6 HISTORY OF THE BOOK that the Charaibes were mifinformed in this ^articular. The evidence of Raleigh, and others who vifited both Guiana and Trinidad two centuries ago, niiglit be adduced in Sup- port of their opinion. Thefe voyagers pro- nounce uhe ancient inhabitants of Trinidad to belong precifely to the Arwacks or Arrowauk nation o ^ the Continent ; a race of Indians to whole noble qualities the nioft honourable tef- timony is borne by every traveller that has vifited them, and recorded his obfervations. And here, all enquiry concerning the origin of our illanders feenis to tenninate. It is in- deed extremely probable that all the various nations of this part of the new world, except only the Charaibes, emigrated anciently from the great hive of the Mexican empire. Juan de Grijalva, one of the adventurers from Cuba in 15 1 8, found a people who fpoke the lan- guage of that ifland, on the coaft of Juca- tan * ; but at what period fuch emigrations were made : whether the Charaibes were pre- vioufly poflefled of the widely extended coait that bounds the Atlantic, or, in pofterior ages, accidentally found their way thither by fea, from the ancient Continent — (perhaps by their invafion giving birth to that hereditary and unconquerable hatred which ftill prevails bj?- tween them and the other Indian nations)— thefe are points concerning which, as it is impoflible to determine, it is in vaiu to en- quire. In eftimating the number of our iHanders, >«^hen firft difcovered bv Columbus, hiftoriaiis ^ ' I widely difl'er. Las Cal'as computes them at . ' * P. Martyr, Decaii. lil. lib. ,x. ' ' WEST INDIES. 57 fix millions in the whole; but the natives of CHAP. Hifpaniola weie reckoned by Oviedo ar one ^^^• million only, and by Martyr, who wrott on the authority of Columbus, at 1,200,000, and this laft account is probably the moft corredt. Judging of the other illands by that, and fup- pofing the population of each to be nearly the fame in proportion to its extent, the whole number will fall greatly Ihort of the computa- tion of Las Cafas. Perhaps if we hx on three millions, inftead of fix, as the total, we Ihall approach as near the truth as poflible, on a quellion that admits not of minute accuracy. Indeed fuch are the accounts of the horrible carnage of thefe poor people by the Spa- niards, that we are naturally led to hope that their original numbers muft have been greatly exaggerated ; firft by the aflbciates of Colum- bus, from a fond and excufable propenfity to niagnify the merit and importance of their dil- coveries, as undoubtedly they were afterwards by the worthy prelate I have quoted, in the warmth of his honeft indignation at the bloody proceedings of his countrymen : with whom indeed, every man of a humane and refie£l- ing mind, nmft blufh to confel's himfelf of the fame nature and Ipecies ! But, not to anticipate obfervations that will more properly appear hereafter, I Ihall now proceed to the confideration, 1. Of their perions and perfoaal endowments : IL Their intelledual faculties and difpofitions ; III. Their political inftiiutions : IV. Their re- ligious rites. Such fubordiiiate particulars as are not eafily reducible to either of thofe heads, will conclude the prcfent chapter. I. Both m 58 HISTORY OF THE "Mm '"/V BOOK I. Both men and women wore nothing more I- than a flight covering of cotton cloth round the waift; but in the women it extended to the knees : the children of both fexes appear- ed entirely naked. In flature they were taller but lefs robuft than the Charaibes *, and they were univerfally graceful and well proportion- ed. Their colour was a clear brown ; not deeper, in general, according to Columbus, than that cf a Spanifli peafant who has been much expofed to the wind and the i\in f . Like the Charaibes they altered the natural configu- ration of the head in infancy; but after a different mode J ; and by this pra6Uce, lays Herrara, the crown was fo ftrengthened that a Spanifh broad-fword, inftead of cleaving the fkull at a ftroke, would frequently break ftiort upon it II ; an illuftration which gives an ad- mirable idea of the clemency of their conque- rors ! Their hair was uniformly black, witliout any tendency to curl ; thtir features were hard and unfightly ; the face broad, and the nofe fiat; but their eyes ftreamed with g6od na- ture, and altogether there was fomething plea- fmg and inviting in the countenances of moft of them, which proclaimed a frank and gentle difpofition. It was an honeft face, coarfe, but not gloomy ; for it was enUvened by confii dx^nce, and foftened by compafTion. Much has been I'uggefted by modern phi- lofophers concerning a fuppofed feeblenefs in •" ■-♦■;■-' ■'■ -•' i - ■ ' -_ their * Oviedo, Som. f F. Col. r. xxiii. X The Jinciput, or tore- part af the lu ad from the eye- brows to the coronal 3 mure, was depreffed, which gave an unnaiural thicknels and elevation to the occiput, or hinder part of the fkull- II Herrara, lib. i. c. xvi, who copies this circumftance from Ovied J. their perfo prefented left degree infenfible < and the inf debility am fome writer is pretende appetite foi but nothing indolent in combining t fame chara ^14 flioliographic Sciences Corporalion ^^2^ #> ^ as VnST MAM STHfT wiisnR,N.Y. usto (71*)t7a-4S03 r 5^ me degree, froni the nature of :ir government ; which, contrary to tli^t of le Charaibes under a fimilar climate, W9$ npo- l^rchical and even abfolute. The regal author- however, though not circumfcribed by pofi- |ve inftit^tions, was tempered into great mild- efs by that confiitutional benevolence which ir^dominated throughout every part of their }qdu6l, from the highefi to the lowed. Tlmi^ [inp^thy which they m^nifefted towards the |ftrefs of others, proves that they were not retched themfelves ; for in a (late of abfolute pery and mifery, men are commonly devoid pth of virtue and pity. I Their Kings, as we have feen, were Caciqyes, |id their power was hereditary: ^But there jre alfo fubordinate Chieftains, or Princes, who lerc tributaries to the Sovereign of each dif- lift. Thus the territory in Hifpaiiiola, anci- mv called Xaraguay, extending from the plain F 2 of i-i': ■■> I,,-. 4i H,I'S T O R y OF *r H E I , p: Wl V- ''I €d. Cua ous difp< Guacanal murderini by that cc (hip periil tunate wic moil atroc the Gover I can difc BarthoIoHK large in th< repeated h< The iflan BOOK of Lcogane to the Weftermoft part of the ifland, I. was the kingdom of the Cacique Behechio, whom I have mentioned above ; but it appears from Martyr, that no lefs than thirty-two inferior chieftains or nobles had jurifdidlion within that ipade of country, who wer6 all accountable to the fupreme authority of Behechio*. They leem to have fomewnat refembled the ancient barons or feudatories of Europe; holding their poffeflions by the tenure of fervice. Oviedo relates that they were under the obligation of perfonally attending the Sovereign, both in peace and war, whenever commanded fo to dof. It is to be lamented that the Spanifh hiHorians afford very little information concerning this or-Bed, like hT; der of nobles, or the nature and extent of theirHkingdoms • f fubordinate jurifdi6lion. Btent of Port The whok ifland of Hifpaniola was dividdBonly *, Jt . into five great kingdoms J, of two of whicli,Bof thele Chi< when Columbus firift landed, Guacanahari and" Behechio were abfolute fovereigns. — A thin principal Cacique was Cuanaboa, whofe hiftoi is remarkable : He had been originally a W Captain among a body of Charaibes, who h; • invaded the dominions of Behechio, and, on coi ditioh of preventing the furthei* incurfions of countrymen, had received his fifter, the beautifuB' they prefe Anacoana, in marriage ; together with an cxtentcB' not happe country, which he had converted into a feparaf ' " ' kingdom. The eftabliftiment of this leader ai his followers in Hifpaniola, had iutroduced ini this part of the ifland the Charaibean languai and alfo the ufe of the bow and arrow weapon witli the practice of which the nativi yr is to be c hem, was d le; for he ueathed th ren of th^ ifinheriting tain, add ^ of the chil "he relation leems more he wives of ingui/hed abJ l^n confiderj of the larger iflands were genetally unacquainweigning q^^^ ■ ■ I '.•■?.'■■ * P. Martyr,» iDecad. j. lib. v. •I- nvit^An I'll-, i^, ^ ;., C. IV. „ t Oviedo, lib. in i Oviedo, lib. iii. c. Iv. il Oviedo, lib. iii. * P. Martyr, t Oviedo, lib. :W,EST INDIES.' ^ ed. Cuanaboa ho\Vever ftill retained his feroei- CHAP, ous difpofiiion, and having been accufeld by ^^^• Guacanahari before Chriftopher Columbus, of v murdering fome of the Spaniards, was ordered by that commander to be lent to Spain; but the ihip perifhed at fea. The fad fate of his unfor- tunate widow, the innocent Anacoana, who was moft atrocioufly murdered in 1505, by Ovando, . the Governor of Hifpaniola, for no caufe, that i I can difcover, but her fond attachment tp j Bartholomew Columbus, having been related at large in the late American hiftory, need n^t i]^ [repeated here. • " j The iflands of Cuba and Jamaica were cjividr led, like Hifpaniola, into many principalities, or [kingdoms ; but we are told that, the whole exr Itent of Porto Rico was fubjieft to one Cacique lonly*. It has been remarked, that the dig^iity )f thefe Chieftains was hereditary; but,i if Mar- tyr is to be credited, the law of fucceffion among them, was different from that of all other peo- )le; for he obferves f, that, the Caciques l?er jueathed the fupreme authority i, to the ven exceeded, the bounds of m ture and reafoh ; for if he ordered iiny of thei to caft themfelvcs headlong from k msh roctj or to drown themfelves in the ftea, alledging nt caufe but his fovereign pleaftfre, he was obeyed iiirithout a murmur : oppofition to the fupn authority, being confidered, ndt 6nly as unavail ing, but impious. Nor did their veneration terminate with tl life of the Prince ; it was extended to his nic| mory after death ; a proof that his authorit however extravagant, was feldon!^ abufed. Whej a Caci^e died, hife body was «mbowelled, ai dried in an oten, moderately heated ; fo th the bones and cVen tlie ikin were preferved ei tire. II The corpfe was then placed in a cai with thbfe of his anceflors, this being {dbfei Ovie( *■ Herrai^, lib. vi. c. il. f Herrara, lib. i. c. xvi. } Martyr, Decad. i. c. i. H Herrara, lib. iii. c. iii. F. Columbu«, c. Ixi. * It Is re cique, the m tkneral. Th >her hroiiier man, whole ried alive in above mentio V ^o means l9iat this ctti who had bee 4he praAice hulband of h ble, under a Aat the extr «MUributeid td * Martyr, I t Herrara, f. Columbus. J Oviedo. m:/:. . WEST INDIES. 7' Ovledo) among thefe fimple people the only CHAP. fy.ftem of herakky ; whereby they intended to ^^^* render, not the 3ianie alone, but the perl'ons al- io, of their wortliies immortal. If a Caciqu^ was (lain in battle, and the body could not be recovered, they compofed fongs in his praife, which they taught to their children; a better ^nd nobler beftimony furely^ than heaps of dry bones or even monuments of marble ; fince me- piorials to the deceafed are, or ought to be, in- tended lefs in honor of the dead, than as incite* ments to the living.* . Thefe heroic effuiions conilituted a branch of ^ofe folevnnities, which, as hath been obferved, were called Ariefoes; C0Qlimn;g of hymns and public dances, accompanied with mulical inflru- anents made of ihells, and a fort of drum, the found of which was heard at a vaft diflance.f Xhefe hymns, reciting the great anions of the departed Cacique; his fame in war, and his ^entlenefs in peace, formed a national hiflor}%t which * It is related by Martyr, (hat on the deatH of a Ca- cique, the moft beloved of his vrives was immolated at his fiineral. Thus he obferves that Anacoana, on the death of >her brother Kin^ Bdiechio, ordered a very beautiful vro- man, whole name ivas Guanahata Benechina, :o be bu- ried alive in the cave where his body (after being dried as above mentioned) was depofited.* But Oviedo, though by no means pSftial towards the Indian charafter, denies iftat this cttftom was general among them.t Anacoana, who had been married to a Cluraibe, probably adopted 4he praAice from the account ihe liad received from her huiband of his national cuftoms. And it is not impofii- ble, under a female adminiftration, — among favages^— hut diat the extraordinary beauty of the unfortunate vidim, contributed to her deftrt^ion. - • Martyr, Qeca^'Ui. lib. ix. t Herrara, lib. iii. c. iv. F. Columbus. X Oviedo, lib. v. c. iii. t Oviedo, lib. v. c. iu. P. Mar^r, Decad. iii. c. vii. 7» H IS TORY OF THE m S.I. •( I'' :.'■■■ Ill B O 6 k. which was at once a tribute of gratitude tQ the de- ^' ceafed monarch, and a leiTon to the living. Nor could any thing have been more inftrudlive to the rifmg generation than this inflitution, fince it comprehended alfo the antiquities of their country, and the traditions of their ancedors. ExpreiTions of national triumph for yidtory in war, lamentations in times of public calamity, the voice of feftivity, and the language of Jove, •were likewife the fubjedls of thefe exhibitions; the dances, fo eflential a part of them, being grave or gav as the occafion required. It is pretended tnat among the traditions thus pub- licly recited, there was one of a prophetic na- ture, denouncing riiin and defolation by the ar- rival of ftrangers compleatly clad, and armed with the lightning lofj heaven. The ceremonies which were obfervediwhen this awful predidioa was repeated, we may weU believe were flrong- ly expreflive of lamentation and horror*.: r ; .0 IV. Like all othe» .unenlightened nations, theie poor Indians were indeed the flaves of fuperftiiioa. Their general theology (for they Had an eftabliflied fyftehi, ind a priefthood to fupport it) was a medley of grpfs folly and chil- difh traditions, the progeny of ignorance and terror. Yet we are fometimes dazzled with a ftrong ray of funrhine in the m?dft of furround- ing darknefs. Hiiiorians have preferved a re- markable fpeegh of a venerable old man, a na- tive of Cuba, who, —approaching Chriftopher Columbus Avith- 'fr^at reverence, and prefenting a b'aiket of fruit, addrefled him as follows. *' Whether you. are divinities" (he obijerveil) " or mortal men, we know not.' You are come ** into thefe countries with a forces againft which, Were Martj^r, ut fupra. Herrara, lib. ii. c. ir, 3 KW E B T 1 N *> IE S: f| « were we inclined to rcfift it, refiftance would CHAP. «* be folly. We are' all therefore at your mercy; ^^^• « but if you are men, fubjedt to mortality lixe « ourfelves, you cannot be unapprized, that af- " ter this life there is anotheir, wherein a very " different portion is allotted to good and bad « men. If therefore you expe6^ to die, and be- «< licve, with us, that every one is to bereward^ *< ed in a future (late, according to his condudi »* in the prefent, you will do no hurt to thofe, « who do noiie to you."* • • Their notions of future happinefs feem howc- vcr to' havt been narrow and fenfual. They fup- pofed thsit thte fpirits of good men were convey- ed to a' pleafant valley, whi^h they called Coyaha; -a place 6f indolent tranquillity, abounding with ptaim B.nd' Other delicious fruits, cool ihades, andJ mtitmuring rivulets ;f in a country where drought never rages, and tl^ hurricane is never felt. : In this feat of blifj^ (the Elyfium of anti- quity) tiheybelietted" that; their greateft enjoy- ment wOulaarife'fifomthfc"Cbmpany of their de- paited itnoeftbrs, andr of thofe perfons who weje dear to therii in life ;I — 6 proof at leaft of their filial piety, and 0f the warmth and tendemefs of their affedlions and difpo^tions. The confcioufnefsi in our Indians that th^ were accountable beings, feems to indicate a greater degree of improvement than we are wil- ling to allow to any of the li^atives of the New Hemi^here. Although, like the Charaibes, our iilandv 'Acknowledged a plurality of Gods, like them too, they believed in the exigence of one fupreme, in^vifible, immortal, and omnipotent I i i; ,' Creator i i^ ^mm'^- , ub. ii. *! Her ara t Fer. Col. c. Ixi. I Hen ara, lija.'i^. c. xiv. Martyr, Decad. i. lib. iii. c. lu. n HISTORY OF THE ■^ ' V'3 ■ri, ;•,,' 1'. ■■^■. '! ii^ Hi Iff ; '-Mi^ BOOR Orettor; whom they named Jocahuna.* But ^' unhappily, with thefe important truths,' thefe poor people blended the moil puerile and extra- vaeant fancies, wHoh were neither founded in rational piety, nor produdlive of moral obliga- tion. They afligaea to the fupreme Being, a fa- ther and mother, whom thev diilinffuiih^ by a variety of narnes^ and they mppofed the fun and moon tp be the chief ieata of their reAdencef. Their fyflem pf idol-wor£hip wae, at the fame time, more lamentable than that of the Cha- ■saibes ; for it would feem that they ^id divine Jionors to flocks andilones converted into images, which they called Zemi; .not r^gardiiVg thefe, idols as fymbolical reprefenti&tions only of their fubordinate divinities, and ufeful as fepfible ob> jeAs, to awaken the memory and animate devo- tion, but afcribing divinity to the rmaterial itfelfJ and actually worfhipping the rude iftone or block which their own ihands had fafliioned. It .maJ he oblervpd, however, that aa equal 4egree ofj folly prevailed among people mudh more en- l^hteised.. The Egyptians themfelvcs, the molt I endietkt of civilised nations, worflsi^ed vari-| fOus kinds of animals, and repwfentations of ani- mals ; fome of them the mofl noxious in nature;! «nd even the accomplifhed philoiophers of Greece fand Rome, paid divine honours to men to whom -they had themfdves given an apotheiofis ! — Sol nearly allied, in reli^ous refearches, is. the blind{ loefs of untmored nature, to the iniiil&ciency of] mere cultivated reafon ! • It has indeed been aiflcrted (whether jufUyorl tnot)that " the fuperflitions of Paganifm alwaysj ,*f wore the appearance of pleafure, and often off virtue;"! but the theology of our poor iflandenj .'•■'-■ 'borer .I'l * Martyr, Decad. i. lib. ix- 3F. Co^^mbns. t F- Columbus, P. Martyr. Benzoni. I Gibbon. propriatcc wherein tl Nor was i all times, £ons appi tion. Th( fengers an their pray dreaded, folemnitiea calculated minion, an the fame •< profeflion, claimed lik children o bination of WEST INDIES. 7$ bore a different afpefl. By a lamentable incon- CHAP. fiftency in the human mind, they confidered the ^^* Creator of all things as wholly regardlefs of the work of his hands; and as having transferred the government of the world to fubordinate and malignant beings, who delighted in converting into evii that which he pronounced to be good. The effufions of gratitude, the warmth of affec- tion, the confidence of hope, formed no part of their devotions. Their idols were univer- fally hideous and frightful, fometimes reprefent- ing toads and other odious reptiles; but more frequently the human face horribly diftorted ; — 4 proof that they coniidered them, not as be- nevolent, but evil, powers; — as objects of ter- ror,— -not of admiration and love. To keep alive this facred and awful preju- dice in the minds of the multitude, and heigh- ten its influence, their Bokiios or Priefts, ap- propriated a coufecrated houfe in each village, wherein the Zemi was invoked and worfhipped. Nor was it permitted to the people at large, at all times, to enter, and on unimportant occa- lions approach the dread object of their adora« tion. The Bohitos undertook to be their roef- fengers and interpreters, and by the efficacy of their prayers to avert the dangers which thev dreaded. The ceremonies exhibited on theie folemnities, though grofsly ridiculous, were well calculated however to extend the prieftly do- minion, and confirm the popular fubjeflion. Id the fame view, the Bohitos added to thdr holy profeflion, the pradlice of phyfic, and th^ claimed likewife the privilege of educating the children of the firft rank of people ;*— -a com- bination of inflttlence wliich, extending to the n^areft * Martyr. 76 H IS T O R Y OF T H E ^?:l 'A,'t -■ m BOO K nearefl and deareft concerns both of his life and the next, rendered their authority irreliftible. With fuch power in the priefthood, it may well be fuppofed, that the alliance between church and flate, was not lefs intimate in thefe iflands, than in the kingdoms of Europe. As in many other nations, religion was here made the inftrument of civil defpotifm, and the will of ^he Cacique, if confirmed by the Prieft, was impioufly pronounced the decree of heaven. Columbus relates that fome of his people enter- ing unexpededly into one of their houfes of worjfhip, found tne Cacique employed in obtain- in/ refponfe^ from the 2emi. By the found, of the voice which came fi;om the iaol, they knew that it was hollow, and dalhing it to the ground to' expofe the impoftUre, they difcovered a tube, which was before covered with leaves, that communicated from thi:. back part of the image to an inner apartment^ whence the Prieft ifiued his precepts as through a fpeaking trumpet; — but the Cacique earnenly entreated them to fay nothing of what they had feen ; declaring that hy means of fuch pious frauds, he cplledted iributes, and kept his kingdom in fubjeflion. The reader, I believe, will readily acquit me for declining to enter into any further detail of the various wild notions, and fantastical rites Which were founded on fuch arts and impoftures. Happily for our iflanders, however, the general fyfteni of their fuperftition, though not amiable, was not cruel. We find among them but few of thofe barbarous ceremonies which filled the Mexican temples with pollution, and the fpec- taiors, with horror. They, were even more for- tunate in this refpedl than the 'otherwife happy iiihabiiauts of the lately difcovered iflands in the Southern WEST INDIES. n Southern Pacific Ocean ; amongft whom the prac- CHAP, tice of offering human facrifices to their deities, ^l^- is ftill asdreadfully prevalent, as it anciently was among moft of the nations of the earth. Having thus mentioned the natives of the South-fealflands, I cannot but advert to the won- derful fimilarity obfervable in many refpeds, between our ill-fated Weft Indians and that placid people. The fame frank and affectionate temper, the fame chearful fimplicity, gentlenefs and candour; — a behaviour, devoid of mean^ nefs and treachery, of cruelty and revenge, are apparent in the charadler of both :- ^^and al- though placed at fo great a diftance from each other, and divided by the intervention of the American Continent, we may trace a refemblance even in many of their cuftoms and inftitutions ; fuch as their national fongs and dances, their domeftic ceconomy, their jfyftem of government, and their funeral cereftionies. I pretend not, however, to affirrm that this refemblance is fo exadl, as to create the pfefumption of a com- mon origin. The affinity perceivable in the dif- pofitions and virtues of thefe widely feparated tribes, arofe probably from a fimilarity in their circumftances and fituation, operating on the ge- neral principles of human nature. Placed alike in a happy medium, between favage life, pro- perly fo called, and the refinements of poiiftied Ibciety, they are found equally exempt from the fordid corporeal diftreffes and fanguinary paffions of the former ftate, and from the arti- ncial neceffities, the, reftraints and folicitudes of the latter. To a fpeculative mind, fuch a fituation may appear, for a moment, even fu- perior to our own ; " but if we admit" (fays the elegant hiftorian of the amiable Otaheiteans) " that they are upon the whole happier than we. 9 . A fl i: t 9t HISTORYOFTHE BOOK << we, we mull admit that the child is happier ^» « than the man, and that we are lofers by the " perfedlion of our nature, the increafe of our " knowledge, and the enlargement of our ** vie^ys.'** In thofe inventions and arts which, varying the enjoyments, add coniiderably to the value of life, I believe the Otaheiteans were in gene- ral fomewhat behind our iflanders : in agricul- ture they were particularly fo.t The great fup- port of the infular territories of the South-Sea confifts of the bread-fruit, and the plantain; both which flourifh there fpontaneoufly ; and although the inhabitants have likewiie plan- tations * Haw^efwoTth's Voyages, vol. ii. p. 105. f Dr. Robertfbn, in his Hiftory of America, vol. - \. p, 532, obferves that as the natives of the New World had no tame animals» nor the uie of the metals, their agriculture muft neceiTarily have been imperfe^; It fhould however be remembered that as every family raifed corn for their own iupport, and the iflands being (to ufe the expreilion of Las Calas) " abounding with inhabitants as an anthill with ants" a very fmall portion of ground allotted to the maintenance of each family, would compi^ehend in the aggregate an immenfe ipace of cultivated country. Thus we find Bartholomew Co- lumbus obferving, that the fields abbut Zabraba, a country in the Gulph of Darien, which he viewed in 1 503, " were all covered " with maize, li^te the cornlSelds of Europe, for above Jix leagues •' together." Unacauainted with the foil of the Weft Indies, Dr. Robertfon fhould nave delivered his fentiments on this fubjeA with difiidence. That foil which is known in thefe iflands by the name of brici-mould^ is not only fuperior to nfioll others in fertility, but requires very little trouble m cultivation. Among our iflanders, to whom the ufe of iron was unknown, inftru- ments were ingcnioufly formed of Hone, and of a certain ipecies of durable woqd, which were endued with nearly equal iolidity and fliarpnefs. We find them felling targe trees, building canoes and houfes, and forming domeftic utenfils of ezquifue worknianfliip. Pofiefling the tools and materials ncceflary for thefe purpofes, they could not be deftitute of pro- })er implements for the ruder operations of hufl>andry, on a oil inca))able of much refiilance. WEST TNDIES. 7» tationa of yaBOs and oUac^r eiculent roQl8,.GHAF. yet the cultivatio of none of them appears to, ^^* be as extenfivc, was that of the maize in the Weft Indies, oi lo ^^^^«y equal (kill with the preparation of the cafiavi-bread from the ma- niock.* The Weft Indians, notwithftanding tkxt they pofie&d ahnoft every variety of vege<> uble naciire which grew in the countries I hav^ mentioned) the bread fruit exceptied, iratf^d alfa both the maiie and the mamock in great abuBp dance; and they had acquired the (kill of w»> tering their knciis firom diftant rivers, in times of drought.f It may likewife be obferved, thait al- though the Otaheiteans poiTefs the fiirub wluch produces cotton, they neither improve it by cul* mre, nof have the knowledge of converting its wool into cloth ;|- but content themfdves with a far meaner produ£lion as a fubftitute. Our iflanders had-^not only the fkill of making e3(cel* lent cloth from their cotton, but they pra£iifed alfo the art of dying it with a variety of co- lours ; * * L'Ablw lU^cnal, in o])pafi,tion to the tefiloiony of ^U the early SpanifK Ipftorians -who have treated of the difcovery and produoions of Anierica^ (n6ne of vrhom indeed does he ap- pear to have conluhed) aflerta that the num'toch plant was ori« l^oally introduced iota the Weft Indies from Atrica, and that the Indiaivs were firft inftruAed by the negroes in the art of convertii^g the poifonour root into wholefome food. For the fatisfadion of fuch of my readers as are not intimately ac- quainted with the American Hiftory, I think it neceflary to obferve, that P. Martyr, in his firft decad, which bears date November, 1493, feveh months only after the return of Co- lumbus from his firft voyage, particularly mentions the ma- niock, or juccot as furniming great part of the food of the iflanders, and he defcribes their manner of making the cajfavi bread firom it; obferving that the raw ^e is as ftrong a poir fon as aconite. Negroes were not imported into the iflandsi till many years after this account was publifiied. t Martyr, Decad. jii. ■ t Forfter's Obfervatio^. 8o H I S TORY or THE 1 1 J f f^. BOOKlolirs; fome of them of* the utmpft brilliancy , ^' and beauty.* , i ; In the fcience of fliip-building (if the con- ftrudion of fuch veffels as either people ufed, may be diflinguiihed with that appellation) the fuperiority is on the fide of Otaneit€; yet the Piragua* so£ the Weft Indians were fully i&iifici- ent for the navigation they were employed in, and indeed were by no means contemptible ilea- 'boats. We are told that fome of thefe veffels were navigated with forty oars;t and Herrara relate?) that Bartholomew Columbus, in pafling tjirough the Gulph of Honduras, fell in with one that was eight feet in breadth, and in length equal to a Spaniih galley. Over the middle was an awnfng, compofed of mats and palm-tiee leaves ; underneath which were difpofed the wo« men and children, fecured both from rain and the fpray of the feai--rli was laden with commo- dities from ]\icataii.»f;nm-L/.'iM^' m- On the other hand, . our ifl^Bdets far furpafTed the people of Otaheite, in the elegance and va- riety of their domeftic utenfils and furniture; their earthenware, curioufly woven beds, and implements of hulbandry. Martyr fpeaks with admiration of the workmanfhip of fome of the former of thefe. In the account he gives of a magnificent donation from Anacoana to Bartho- lomew Columbus, on his firft vifit to that Prin- cefs, he obferves that, among other valuables, fhe prefented him with fourteen chairs of ebony beautifully wrought, and no lefs than fixty veffels of different forts, for the ufe of his kitchen and table, all of which were ornamented with figures of various kinds, fantailic forms, and accurate reprefentations * Oviedo. Purchas, vol. iii. p. 985. t Martyr, Decad. i. X Herrara, Decad. i. lib. v. igures :urate latioDS WEST INDIES. fft rcprefentations of living animals*. The in- CHAP, duftry and ingenuity of our Indians therefore ^^^• iniih have greatly exceeded the meafuie of their wants. Having provided for the neceSties of their condition^ they proceeded to improve and adorn it. V But t<^iiiuft now leave them to the miferable fate in which it pleafed infinite, but infcrutable^, Iwirdom to permit their mercilefs invaders to 'in- volve them for ever! — It may,' I think, befafely affirmed, that the whole (lory of mankind afibnU no fcene of barbarity e^ual to that of the cruel* ties exercifed on thefe mnocent and inpfienfive Ipeople. AH the murders and defolaticiita^of thc^ noft pitilefs tyrants that ever diverted tfaemfdve^ ivith the pangs and convulfiohd of their IttAo^ creatures, fall infinitely fhort' of the bloody ^hor- nlties committed by the Spanifh nation in the conqueft of the New World j-^-a conqueft, on a low eftimate, effected by the murder of ten millional [)f the fpecies ! But although the accounts which ^re tranfmitted down to us of this dreadful car* lage, are authenticated beyond the poflibility of Jifputc, the mind ffarinking from thfe contempla- |ion, wiihes to refift conviSion, and to relieve it* elf by incredulity :— Such at leafl: is the apolo^^ t'hich I would frame for the author of the Am^« |ican Hiftory, when I find him attempting, in >atradiAion to the voice and feelings of all lankind, to palliate fuch horrible wickednefs f . Vol. I. G Yet * 1^. Martrr, Decad. i. t tittroduction< to the Hiftory of America, by Dr. obertfon, vol. i. p. lo. " It is to be hoped" (fays this au* Ltkor) *' that the Spaniards \viU at laft difcover this fyftem of concealment to be na lefs impolitic than illiberal. From trhat I have experienced in the courfe of my en* quirifs, I amfatisfied, that upon a more minute fcrutinj I into their earlj operations in the Nev^ World, however ** RF.PKtK£NSl»I.K" S«s HTSTOAY OF THE m m , 4 B0(XK Yet the fame author admits, that in the ihort 1- interval of fifteen years fubfequent to the difco- very of the Weft Indies, the Spaniards had re- duced the natives of Hi^^aniola " from a million to fixty thoufand*." It is in vain that he re- marks on the bodily fecblenefs of thefe poor Indians, and their natural incapacity ^^or labour. Such a coiiftitutipn?il defedl, if it exifted, enti. tied them to greater lenity ; but the Spaniards diftributed them into lots, and compelled them to dig in the mine^, without reft or intermiflioo, until death, their only refuge, put a period to I their fufiferii^s,. Such as attempted reuftance or efcape, thdi: mercilefs tyrants hunted down with dogs, w;hich were fed pn their flefti. They dif- regarded fexand age, ai^d with impious and fr^tic, bigotry even ca^ed in religion to fandiiy their cruelties ! Some) more jealous than the reilj forced their iui|erable captiyes i^p the water] and after admimiiering to them the rite of bap.| tiiin,, cut their throa^ts the nes^ moment, to pre*! vent their apoilftcy! Others nuide a vow to ha or burn thirteen every morning, in honour our Sayiour and t.he twelve Apoftles ! Nor weit| thefe the exceflies only of a bUndand remorfeleli| fanaticifm, which exciting our iibhorrence, ex*] cites alfo our pity: The Spaniards were adiuat in many inftances by fuch wantonnefs of malic as is wholly unexampled in the wide hiftory human depravity.— Martyr relates "that it was^ frequent pradice among them to murder tli India ** AXViiSHZNSiBi.1" (a tender expreflion) "the aAions< « individuals may appear, the conduA of the nation m *' be placed in a more favourable light." This opink however, needs noiother refutation than that which is to found in the fubfequent pages of the learned Authoi| Hiftoryj *■ m&oty of America, vol. i. bookiii. p. 185^ - WEST INDIES. h Indians of Hifpaniola in fport, or merely, he ob- CHAP. ferves, to keep their hands in uje. They had an ^* emulation which o£ them could moft dexteroufly flrike off the head of a man at a blow ; and wagers frequently depended on this helliih exer- cife*. To fill up the meafure of this iniquity, and demonftrate to the world, that the nation at large participated in the guilt of individuals, th^ Court of Spain not only negledled to puniih thel^ enormities in its fubjeds, but when rapacity and avarice had nearly defeated their own purpofea* by the utter extirpation of the natives of Hifpa- mola, the King gave permiiHon to fei^e on the unfu^eAing inhabitants of the neighbouring^ iflands, and tranfport them .to perifh in the^miiie^ [of St. Domingo. " Several veflels'* (fays Dr. iRobertfon) " were fitted out fpr the Lucayos^ th(i commanders of which infiirmed the natives, with whofe lan^age they were now well ac- j"* quainted, th>t tfey came from a delicious country, in .iwJiich their departed anceflort refidea, by whom they were fent to invite them to refort thither, to partake of the blifs which they enjoved. That fimple people liitened with wonoer and credulity, and fond of viiiting their relations and friends in that happy region, followed the Spaniards witb eagernefs. By this artifice, above 40,000 were decoyed into Hifpaniola, to ihare in the fufferings which were tne lot of the inhabitants of that ifland, and to mingle their groans and tears with thofe of that wretched race of mea-f." After reading thefe accounts, who G z ■ * can l:h is to fl * V' Martyr, Decad. i. lib. lii. Autbof t Hiftory of America, book iii. p. 186. See Iikewi& Mart/Tt Decad. vii. This author relates the following edting -particulars of the poor Lucajrans thus fraudu- lentl/ :\ **ii"- H HISTORY OF THE t-:;A-t iim S i 4 BOOK can help forming an indignant wifhthat the hand I* of rieaven, by fome miraculous interpofition, had fwept thefe European tyrants from the face of the earth, who, like fo many beads of prey, roamed round the world only to defolate and de* ftroy; and, more remorfelefs than the fierceil favage, thiriled for human blood, without hav. ing the impulfe of natural appetite to plead in their defence! On the whole, if we confider of how little V benefit A',' It (« benefit i proved coft of J difficult of ten m inij the b the numt fy termin hly recon of infiniu foreju% that whici the exiften the unequa in this life ''Jball be '''plainer *i lently decoyed from their native countries. " Many of ** them in the angriifti of defpair, obftinately refiife all manner of fuftenance, and retiring to defert caves and unfrequented woods, filently nve up the ghoftt Othen, repairing to the fea-coaft on ue northern fide of Hifpa- niola, caft many a longing look toivards that part oftiw ocean -where they £ippofe their own iflanda to be fituated and as the fea -breeze rifea. th^y es^rly inhale it *, fond- ly believing, that it has iatelv vinted their own hapjij vallies, and comes fraught /mstth the breath of thofe tknl love, their wives and thieif^ children. With this idq^ they continue for hours on the 0Q9ft,.until nature becona utterly exhaufted*, when ftretching out their arms towanJi the ocean, as if to take a laft embrace of their difim country and relations, they fink down, and e^re wid-I " out a groan. "--One' of the Lucayaas" (continues fame author) " who was more defiroiu of life, or " irreater courage than moft of his countrymen, took U| " him a bold and difficult piece of work. Having " ufed to build cottages in his native country, he pri '* inflruments of ftone, and cut down a large fpongy " called ^artfflia*, the body of which he dexteroufly fc ** ed into a canoe. He then provided himfelf with ** fome Indian corn, and a few gourds of water, and ** vailed on another man and a woman to embark with '"'■ on a voyage to the Lucayos lilands. Their navigatii " was prolperous for near 200 miles, and they were a' ^* within iieht.of their own long-loft Ihores, when uni " tunately they were met by a Spanifh ihip, which brouA^ pofterior toj ** them back to flavery and forrow. The canoe is v^' ^^nifeJf on thj preferved in Hifpaniola as a fingular curiofity,'^ cbDfidS'>ove five hundre ttur the eirfiifnflanr#>!i iiiu1«r urhirh Ir lira* m BOOK have been diAinguifhed by fo many different ^' names, that, in reading the accounts^ of theni tranfmitted by the French and Spanifh hiftorians, it is often diOBcult to underftand of which in particular they mean to fpeak. The agouti is fometimes called couti, and coati. It was corrupted into uti and utia, by the Spa- niards ; and at prefent it is known in fome parts of the Weil Indies by the itxm* pucarara and In- dian coney* It is the mvs aguti of Linnaeus, and the cavy of Pennant and Buffou. To thefe writers it is fufficient to refer, for a defcription of its nature and properties. — I ihall briefly obferve that, in comparing it with the quadrupeds of Europe, it feenis to conftitute an intermediate fpccies between the rabbit and the rat; and pf the.ainimals which I have enumerat> ed above, this and the lail are I fear the onlv ones that have efcaped the common fate of all the nobler juhabitfint^ of thefe unfortunate iflands, man himfelf (as w€ have feen) not excepted! "^he aeouti is l^ill frequeptly found in Porto-Ri* CO, Cuba ^nd Hifpaiiiola, and fometimes in the mountains pf Jamaica. In n^Q^ pf the iflands to Windward, the race, tliough once common to them all, is now I believe utterly extindi. The pecary, which was known in the Wind* ward Iflands only, and the Continent, has been honoured with no lefs variety of names, than the agouti. According to Rochefort it was alfo called javari and pacquire. By Dampier it is named pelas. By Aco^z faino and zaino. It is the Jus tajacu of Linnzeus, and the pecary and Mexican-wujk hog of our Engliih naturalius. Of this animal a very full and particular ac- count has been given by Monf. Button in his Ka* turai Hiftory, and by Dr. Tyfon in the Philpfo-, phjcal Tranfa^tions. I iiave Jieard that it iHll, ,» ■ ' abounds aboundfl but in t) has been have ,jci as objedii to dlf[CT the £ngu having a gland on the navel the pecarj the bridle blue, tipt animal, th the hog oi will frequ retreat. *: within the lefs to its fi Of the a in thefe iflai fyftematical vcred with iias the hi hedge-hog. and delicate the Weft In The opu from all oth Under the ^ wherein flie Both this a icnown to i\ render it nee I believe th< known to thi The racoo time of Sloai i m ,J^^ WESTINDIES. 19 abounds in many of the provinces of Mexico; CHAP, but in the Weft Indian Ifland,^ I believe the breed ^^• has been long iince exterminated. Thole that I have c'cn were carrie|d thither from the Continent as obiedls of curiofity ; and they appeared to me to differ from the Europeai. hog principally in the lingular but well-known circumlUnce of their having a mufky difcliarge from an aperture or gland on the back, erroneoufly fuppofed to be the navel ; and in the colour of their briftles ; the pecary beinff indeed highlv ornamented ; for the briftles of thofe that I beneld, were of pale blue, tipt with white. It is alfo related of this animal, that it poiTeflcs far greater courage than the hog of Europe, and when hunted by dogs, will frequently turn and compel its enemy to retreat. Thus its native bravery bringing it within the reach of fire arms, contributed doubt- lefs to its final deftnidion in the Iflands. of the armadillo, the fpecies anciently known in thefe iflands was I think that which is called by lyftematical writers the nine banded* It is co- vered with a jointed ihell or fcaly armour, and has the faculty of rolling itfelf up^ like the hedge-hog. As food it is (aid to very wholefome and delicate. It was once found in all parts of the Weft Indies. The opuiTum (or mdnitou) is diftp^^iftiable from all other animals, bv a wonderful property. Under the belly of the female there is a poucn, wherein fhe receives and ihelters her young.*- Both this and the former animal are too well known to the curious in natural refearches, to render it neceiTary forme to be more particular. I believe the opuiTum, like the pecary, was un- { known to the larger iflands. The racoon was common in Jamsuca in the [time of Sloane, who Obferves that it was eaten 6y 90 HISTOKV OF THE »^4 t I BOOK by all forts of people. Its abode was chiefly in !• hollow trees, from whence, fays Sloane, it makes paths to the cane-fields, where it chiefly fubfifls ; a circumflance which while it indicates that its number was conflderablcj eafily accounts for its deflrudion. The mufk rat is the pildris of naturalifts : it furrows in the earth, and fmelh fo ftrongly of mufk, that its retreat is eafily difcovered. Ac- cording to the French writers, thefe abounded anciently in Martinico. and the other Windward Iflands to a great degree * ; and its refemblance to the common rat of Europe, though four times as large, probably proved fatal to the whole race. I am incliiied to fufpe^ that this animal is the agouti of the larger Iflands. The alco, was the native dog of the New Hemifphcre, nor doe$ it feem to have differed greatly from that of the Old ; except that it pof- feffcd not the power of barkingf. The natives of Hirpat^iola, like thofe of Otaheite, fattened them with care, and accounted their fleflv a grfeat delicacy. " In St. Domingo" (fays Acof>i) " the " dogs of Europe have multiplied fo excceding- « ly that at this time (1587) they are a nuifince '* and a terfor to the inhabitants, and a price is <* fet on their heads as on wolves in Old Spain. " At firft there Were no dogs in this ifland, but " a fmall mute creature refembling a dog, with " a nofe like that of a fox; which the natives " called alco. The Indians were fo fond of " thefe little animal»ti:hat they carried them on " their ftiouWcrs wherever they went, or nou- " riflied them in their bofoms." The monkey and its varieties require no de- fcription.— An Englifhman is not eafily recon- • ciied ^ P. Labat^ torn. ii. p. 302. t F. Col. c. xxlv.. Pi WEST INDIES. ^t tiv» cilcd to them as food ; but I have been afliired CHAP, by an officer of diftinftion, who was obliged to ^V. live on them feme time for want of other animal food, that they have very much the flavour of hare. Thus it appears that out > of eight different fpecies of edible quadrupeds, one only was do- nieilic and fequacious. Few indeed are the ani- mals that own allegiance to man in his favage ftate. Of the beafts of the foreft, the ftrongeft difpute his fuperiority and the weakeft avoid his approach. To hi's conveniency therefore they contribute nothing, and towards his nouriftiment, the fuppUes that they afford are cafual and un- certain. Nature however feems to have difplay- ed towards the inhabitants of thefe iflands, a bounty that almoft rendered fuperfluous the la- bours of art in procuring them fuflenance; for, beiides the animals that I have mentioned, and thofe that are furnifhed by the rivers and the fea, the woods were peopled with two very extraor- dinary creatures ; both of which anciently were, and ilill are, not only ufed as food, but account- ed fuperior delicacies. Thefe are the iguana and the mountain-crab. [The iguana (or, as it is more commonly written, the guana) is a fpecies of Lizard :-^a clafs of animals, about which naturalifls are not agreed whether to rank them with quadrupeds, or to degrade them to ferpents.— They feem therefore to ftand aloof from all eflabliihed fyilems, and liadeed juftly claim a very diftinguifhed place by Ithenifelves. From the alligator, the moll formi- Idable of the family, jneafuring fometimes twenty |feet in length, the gradation is regular in dimi- lution of fize to the fmall lizard of three inches ; |the fame figure and conformation nearly (though lot wholly) prevailing in each. The iguana is one 1^^ ^0"^ 1 1*-. 1 ■ il[,.. JV '■ ;4-' ' \ 9« HISTORY OF THE ; I i' :i^ :■ S '. BOOK one of the intermediate fpecies, and is common- !• ]y about three feet long, and proportionably bulky. It lives chiefly among fruit trees, and is perfedly gentle aua innoxious. Europeans doubtlefs learnt to make food of them from the example of the ancient Indians, amongil whom the pra6lice of hunting them was a favou< rite diverfion* ; and they are now become gene- rally fcarce, except in the iflands of the Wind- ward pafTage, and fuch other places between the tropic* as are feldom vifited by man. I believe indeed the Englifh, even when they were more plentiful, did not often ferve them at elegant tables ; but their French and Spanifti neighbours, lefs fqueamifh, flill devour them with exquiiite rclifh : I imagine too they have good reafon ; for I have been affured by a lady of great beauty and elegance, who fpoke from experience, that the iguana is equal in flavour and wholefomenefs to the fineft green turtlef. Refpedling * F. Col. c. XXV. t P. Labat likewife fpealcs of a fricafTeed guana with high approbation. He compares it to chicken, for the whitenefs of its flefli and the delicacy of its flavour.-— Tom. iii. p. 315, lo a fubfequent page, he gives a minute account of the man. ner of catching tnis animal, and if the reader has no objeAi- on to accompany the good Father a la chqffe^ he may partici- Eate in the diverfion as follows: " We were attended Hays e) ** by a negro, who carried a long rod ; at one ena of ** which was a piece of whipcord with a running knot. '* After beating the bufhes for fome time, the negroe difco- ** vered our pame baiking in the fun on the dry limb of a tree. Hereupon he began wniftling with all his might, to which the guana was wonderfully attentive, ftretching out his neck and turning his head, as if to enjoy it more fully. The negro now approached, itill whiitling, and advancing his rod gently, began tickling with the end of it the fides and throat of the guana, who feemed mightily plfafed with the operation; for he turned on his back, and ftretched out like a cat before a fire, and at length fairly fell afleep ; which ■ ■ , .. ' . •' the I «t •c f a tree. o which lis neck Thel cing his I ides and with the out like which »' the WEST INDIES. U^^ m'' 93 IV. RefpeAingthe mountain crab, which Hill fur- CHAP, vives in the larger of thefe Iflands, though its "^^ final extinAion is probably at hand, its hiftory is ^ fo wonderful, that I choofe rather to give it in the language of others, than in any recital of my own. The authors from whom I tr^cribe, are Du Tertre and Brown. They both wrote from their own knowledge and penonal obferva- tion, and the fadls which they relate have been repeated to me a thoufand times in the Weft Indies, by perfons, who I am fure never knew what has been publifhed on the fubjeft by any author whatever. "' Thefe animals" (fays Du Tertre) " live not only in a kind of orderly *< fociety in their retreats in the mountains, but " regularly once a year marcH down to the fea- ** fide in a body of fome millions at a time. As ** they multiply in great numbers, they chufe ** the months of April or May to begin their " expedition; and then fally out from the «* ftunips of hollow trees, from the clefts of «* rocks, and from the holes which they di^; for ** themfelves under the furface of the earth. At " that time the whole ground is covered with *« this band of adventurers ; there is no fetting " down one's foot without treading upon them. ** The fea is their place of deftination, and to " that they direft their march with right-lined " preciiion. !No geometrician could fend them "to " the negro perceivingr, dexteroufly flipt the noofe over his " head, and with a jerk brought him to the ground : and good " fij)ort it afibrded" (continues the reverend hiilorian) " to " fee the creature fwell like a turkey cock, at finding himfelt' '* entrapped. We caught others in the fame way, and kept " one of them alive feven or eight days, but it erieved me to *' the heart to find that he thereby loft much delicious fat." Thefe animals are likewife known in the Eaft Indies. Sir Tofeph Banks ihot one of them at Batavia, and found it good rood. ^ ;i i ■yi '■'i-: > (C cc (( « « {{ « « <( (( HISTORYOF THE to their deftined flation by a ihorter courfe ; they neither turn to the right nor to the left whatever obftacles intervene ; and if they meet with a houfe, they will attempt to fcale the walls to keep the unbroken tenor of their way. But though this he the general order of their route, they upon other occafions are compell- ** ed to conform to the face of the country, and " if it be interfered by rivers, they are feen to " wind along the courfe of the ftream. The " procefilon fcts forward from the mountains «« with the regularity of an army under the gui- " dance of an experienced commander. . They <« are commonly divided into battalions, of « which the firft confifts of the firongefl and *« boldeft males, that, like pioneers, m^rch for- " ward to clear the route and face the greatef^ d^gers. The night is their chief time of proceeding, byitif-it rauis Byday they do not fail to profit by the occafion, and they conti- nue to move forward in their flow uniform manner. When the fun fhines and is hot up- on the furfacc of the ground, they nciake an univerfal halt, and wait till the .cool of the evening. When they are teriiiied, they march back in a confufed difordvly manner, holding up their nippers, with which they fometimes tear off a piece of the (kin, and leave the weapon wjjere they iuflidled the wound. " When after a fatiguing march, and efcaping a thoufand dangers, for they are fometimes three months in getting to the fhore, they hare arrived at their deftined port, they pre- . pare to caft their fpawn. For this purpofe the crab has no fooner reached the {hore, than it eagerly goes to the edge of the water, and lets the V. aves wafh over its body two or three " times cc HISTORY OF THE ■^ i. .1 \ BOOK which well defervcs the notice of the hiftorian, and the contemplation of the philofopher. But it is now time to quit general defcription for particular hiftory. Many objefls indeed are hereafter to be coniidered, which, being com- mon to all our Weft Indian pofieffions, will be comprehenfively difcufled;*^ — ^but in previoufljr treating of the origin and progrefs of our nati* onal eftablifhments in them, it feems proper to difcourfe of each Iftand feparately ; — and, as the moft important, I be^n with Jamaica. appe: *;s %* HAVI^ this book, and other i lives of Ar that they a] beg the rea the evidenc teni, whici fome late pi So many written, anc on the fubje I doubt the an inveftiga to as great ftion (fbme ed) that ev( kind. It may be mean to ap Nation on/y; rafteriftic fea ferent anceft the American It is not Nufatlamic De or WEST INDIES. Wl f' APPENDIX TO BOOK I. Containing feme additional ohfervations concern' ing the origin of the Charaibes, XlAVING ventured, in the fecond chapter of APPEN this book, to adopt the opinion of Hornius * ^ and other writers, who affign to fome of the na- tives of America an oriental origin, and fuppofe that they anciently croffed the Atlantic Ocean, I beg the reader's indulgence while I briefly ftate ^ the evidence whereon I attempt to rebuild a fyf- tem, which it has become fjUhionable, among fome late philofophers, to rejed and deride. So many volumes have indeed already been I written, and fo much ufelefs learning exhaufted, on the fubjeA of the firft peopling America, that I doubt the reader will flirink with'difguft from an inveftigation, which perhaps has given rife to as great a number of idle books, as any que- ftion (fome difputed points in divinity except- ed) that ever diftra6led the attention of man* I kind. It may be neceffary therefore to premife, that I imean to apply my argument to the Charaibe ligation only ; a people whofe manners and cha- Irafteriftic features denote, as I conceive, a dif- Iferent anceftry from that of the generality of Ithe American nations. It is not wonderful that the notion of their liranfatlantic origin ftiould have been treated with m ■\ ■■■'■■. ^ J)e originibus Americanis, lib. ii. e, \i. , r 193 HISTORY OF THE I "liii BOOK with derlfioD. — TL advocates for this opinion, I- like the framcrs of nioft other fyftems, by at- tempting to prove too much, have gained even lefs credit tnan they deferve. In contending that the New World was firft planted, by ad- venturers from the Old, they univerfally take for granted, that fomc of thofe adventurers re. turned, and gave accounts of their difcoverics; for they fuppofe that America was well known to the ancients; that not only the Phenicians made repeated voyages thither; but that the Egyptians and Carthaginians alfo, voluntarily croned the Atlantic, and planted Colonies, at diflerent periods, in various parts of the New Hemifphere. In lupport of thcfe opinions, quotations. have been made from poets, philofophers and hifto^ rians : But, if we refleft on the limited extent of navigation before the difcovery of the com. pafs ; the prevailing direftion of the winds be- tween the tropics; and virions other obftnic- tions, we mav I think very confidently deter- mine (notwithftanding the traditions prefervedB Pliny, f that the by Plato; the poetical reveries of Seneca theB ruins of great bu tragedian, and many other pafTages in ancieutia proof that the writers, which admit of various interpretation^ periods of which and therefore prove nothing) that no veffel ewM So far, we hi returned from any part of America before that mguide us in our Columbus. — This conclufion however does byP no means warrant us in pronouncing that no veflel ever failed thither from the ancient con- tinent, either by accident or defign, anterior to| that period. That fuch inftances did adluall; happen, and by \yhat means, I ihall now endea- vour briefly to point out. There is no circumftance in hiftory bettei attefted than that freC[uent voyages from the Me diterraneau along the African coaft, on the At lantii lantic Ocean, ans and £gyr the Chriftiaa accounts whic profane hiftor volved in obli dity and fable V^y to feparat< fal/hood; and ibme circumfta without founda bie authority, the Azores, ar before the Troj the Carthaginia for the fpirit of elude from the c who, about 250 Saviour, failed j rtme within fiv- ^t Carthaginiai^ Iflwds. and it Procopius, Secrets inian mentions in his then ftanding in Africa ^refted by the Chanan, un. Eufebius alfo w: iven out by the Ifraeli inca. CBochart in C ;l»e Weftern Ocean ntam (-cap, xiii.) See ntain. t Uh. vi. c. xxxii. d^ !||!i|, #^ WEST INDIES. 103 lantic Oceau, were made, both by the Phenici- APPEN- ans and Egyptians, many hundred years before ^^^• the Chriftian era. It is true, that aimoft all the accounts which have been tranlhiittcd to us, in profane hiftory, of thofe expeditions, arc in- volved in obfcurity, and intermixed with abfur- dity and fable ; — but it is the buiinefs of philo- phy to feparate, as much as poflible, truth from falmood; and not hadily to conclude, bccaufe Ibme circumftances are extravagant, that all are without foundation. We know from indifputa- ble authority, that the Phenicians difcovered the Azores, and viiited even our own Ifland before the Trojan war.* That their fucccfTors the Carthaginians, were not lefs diftinguifhed for the fpirit of naval enterprize, we may con- clude from the celebrated expedition of Hanno j who, about 250 years before the birth of our Siviour, failed along the African coad, until he ctme within five degrees of the line. It was the Carthaginians who difcovered the Canary Iflands, and it appears, from the teftimony of dl Pliny, t that they found iu thofe iflands, the ruins of great buildings, (vejiigia Mdifciorum) a proof that they had been, well inhabited in periods of which hiftor) is iilent. So far, we have clear hiftorical evidence to guide us in our refearches. Not lef» clear and certain le nt IS, ■UOl Procopius, Secretary to Belifarlus in the time of Jufti- inian, mentions in his Vandalica, book ii. that there were [then Itanding in Africa Tingitana, (Tangier) two columns erefted by the Chananiies that fled trom Joihua, the fon of Eufebius alfo writes that thofe Chananites which were " fays this author, " while « I was at the town of St. Jofeph, in Trinidad, " a fmall veffel, belonging to Teneriffe, with " fix feamen, was driven into that ifland, by " ftrefs of weather. She was laden with wine ; •' and being bound to one other of the Canary " Iflands, had provifions for a few days only, " which, with their utmoft care, had been ex- " pended a confiderable time ; fo that the crew " lived entirely on wine. They were reduced " to tht laft extremity, and expedled death eve- " ry moment, when they difcovered Trinidad, " and foon afterwards came to an anchor in " that ifland, to the great aftonifliment of the <* inhabitants ', who ran in crowds to behold the , " poor I mm zot HISTORY OF THE ' '■■■ ■*' (C ti BOOK « poor feamen ; whofe emaciated appearance, ^' " would have fufficiently confirmed the truth of their relation, even if the papers and docu- ments which they produced, had not put the matter out of all poflible doubt." To the preceding inftances, it may be added that Columbus himlelf, in his fecond- expedition to the Weft Indies, found the ftern-poft of a vt'U'el lying oii the Ihore at Guadaloupe ; — a cir- cumftance which affords a ftrong prefumption that a ihip had been in the New World before him. Under this head of fortuitous vifits to the American continent prior to that oi Columbus, may likewife be iiicluded the circumftance men- tioned by Martyr, that at a place called Q^are- qua, in the Gulph of Darien, Vafcho Nunez met with a colony of negroes*. The enquiry (if any was made) by what means they came into that region, or how long they had refidedin it, and the anfwers to fuch queflions, are not re- corded by the Spanifh hiftoxians; but from the fmallnefs of their number, it was fuppofed they had not been long arri\'«d upon that coaft. There can be no doubt but that fome acciden- tal caufe had condud^ed them thither from Afri- I ca, and in open canoes, of no ^ St ,S '♦^ 01 C< •- ei pD P^ 3 W > tj e a ci s To a o \i:a i o s 111 WEST INDIES. >>S To To the proofs arifing from language, I Ihall APPEN- a^d another. — We have feen from Herodotus, ^^^' that the Phenicians in their African voyages were accuftomed to land on the Arabian and Lybian coafts, and taking po{}einc\. of a fpot of ground fit for their purpole, they proceeded to plough up and fow it with corn, and waited until it came to maturity ;— thus providing themfelves with food for a long navigation. This pradtice muft doubtlefs have given rife to difputes*and con- fli£ls between the intruders and the inhabitants. Now it is remarkable that the word Charaihe, in the Arabic language, fignifies, as I am inform- ed, a robber or deftroyer, an appellation which we may believe was frequently beftowed by the natives on the invaders of their country*. The teftimony arifing from a fimilarity of man- ners, though far lefs conclufive than the evi- dence of language, is furely, in the prefent cafe, not without its force. That many of the cuf- [toms of the eaflem nations prevailed among the Vol. I. I Charaibes, : am informed (being myfelf unacquainted with the oriental [languages) that the Samaritan, and old Phenician, the Syriar, thaldee and Hebrew, are all dialect of one language; difFer- Ing but little from each other, except in their letters. The Hebrew agrees lefs w'th the other dialects than the reft, but is pow printed in the fame character with the Chaldee. The/ i\\ form a noun in the fame manner except the Hebrew, Khich prefixes M) (S) to form the genitive cafe, and nK (at) lo form the accufative ; all the others ufe ^ (D) and n^ (it); 1 * lieri, and fome others, fpeak of the Charalbes as 'priefts n prophets found in BrafiL Kochefort makes Charaihe a na* lonal name. Thefe words are oriental, founding alike, but elt differently *, and of a different meaning : The prieils may i called W^M lip as men who offer pip %t^»i an ofFeriiig, 4»S«s is the Greek word for a prieft of Cybele, unde Cory- iNTEs. mrr^b pip taan a*lp> >*? Leviticus i. 2. But if ke national name be derived from their warlike and predato- ' way of life, then we may derive it from ain the verb Chal- e. Syr. Arab, to lay wajie» The noun Agnifie; a fword or ear and nain Sam. War. ''iil!,.:'^ '(' I': .'• 114 £0 I '^■■.i HISTORY OF THE OK Charaibes, I have, I think, fafficiently deniou- ftrated, to thole at leaft who are acquainted with oriental hiftory, in the fecond chapter of this work. Of fome of thofe cuftonis, the refem- blance was probably fortuitous, and a fimilarity of climate and fituation, might have given rife to others; but when very fmgular pradiices pre- vail between didant nations, which are neither founded in nature nor climate, nor proceed froni fituation and rank in the fcale of reiinement, the coincidence can fcarcely be deemed acci- dental. Thus, among other cuftoms equally re- markable, it has been related that the Charaibes buried their dead in a cowering pofture, with the knees to the chin. That this was an anci- ent pradlice of fome of the eaflern nations ap- pears from the authorities of Herodotus and Ci- cero ; the former recording th'j exiftence of it among the Nafamones, a people who inhabited the countries between Egypt and Carthage; and the latter relating the fame circumftance of the ancient Perfians. I am inclined to believe that this praftice prevailed alfo in the country and age of the patriarchs; — for how otherwife are we to underftand the fcripture phrafe of gather- ing UP THE FEET OF THE DYING? " And whitt Jacob had made an end of commanding his fins, I HE GATHERED UP HIS FEET INTO THE B£D,| and yielded up the ghoft*". Equally prevalent among the Charaibes, and I many of the ancient nations of the Old He- mifphere, were the fuperftitious rites of (hor-l tening the hair and wounding the fielh, in re- ligious ceremonies and lamentations for thel dead. That thel'e practices were tifual among! the heathens, fo early as the days of MofesJ * Qen. c. xlix. v. J3. « « (( • Jevit. c. xi T Deut. c. xi 5 I Kings, c. 11 Decad. viii. •■'IHII ^iv p WEST INDIES. "IS is evident from the injundlion which the LprdAPPEN- laid on the children of Ifrael to avoid them. ^^* " Ye Jball not round the comers of your head, " neither Jbalt thou mar the corners of thy heard* " Ye Jball not make any cuttings in your fiejh " for the dead, nor print any marks upon youfJ** Again, — " Ye are the children of the Lord, your " God: Ye Jhall not cut your/elves, nor make " any haldnejs between your eyes for the dead f." Among the heathens however the fame cere- monies were ftill continued; for in Samaria, in the days of Ahab, King of Ifrael, it is record- ed of the prophets of Baal that, in worfhip- ping their idol, " they cried aloud and cut them- " felves after their manner with knives and lances " //'// the blood gufhed out upon them J." But perhaps the inilance the moft appoHte and illuftrative, was the habit among the Cha- raibes of chewing the betele, preparing it with calcined fht Ms precifely after the manner of the Indians in the Eaft; — a circumftance, which, though recorded by P. Martyr ||, had efcaped I my refearches, until it was pointed out to me by Mr. Long. Some other refemblances almoft equally ftriking, might be colle6led; but the reader will probably think that more than lenoueh has already been faid on a fubje£k, the linveftigation of which he may perhaps deem a Imere matter of idle curiofitv, neither contri* Ibuting to the improvement o fcience, nor the Icomfort of life. Here then I conclude : An atten^pt to trace Iback the Cbaraibes of the Weft Indies to their I 2 progenitors, * Levlt. c. xix. V. 27. t Deut. c. xlv. V. I. X I Kings, c. xviii. v. 28. I Decad. viii. c. vi, - • P', if"' ii6 HISTORY OF, &e. BOOK progenitors, the firft emigrants from the ancient ^ hemifphere, in order to point out, with any de- gree of precifion or probability, the era of their migration, were (like the voyases I have been defcribing) to venture on a vait and unknown ocean without a compafs ;— -and even without one friendly ftar to guide us through the night of conjedlure. y M ■1:1 if l:. :*',<:. '■■s THE •;-^l %¥■' ■ ?'■•■ C "7 2 TH X HISTORY, :irMIEf ' f ill.- CIFIL AND COMMERCIAL, or TH % i» .'.«'' Britilh Colonies in the Weft Indies. ;'? BOOK II. JAMAICA*. CHAP. I. Difcoviry of Jamaica by Cohmhus, — His return in i^o^.'-Spirited proceedings of his fin Diego, after Columbus* s death. — Takes pojeffion of Jamaica in 1509. — Humane conduct of Juan de Efyuivel, the frfi Governor. — Efiablijhment and defertion of the town of Sevilia Nueva,--^ Dejiruffion of the Indians. — St. Jago de la . Vega * It may be proper to obfervethat the governor of Jamaica is ftiled in his commiifion Captain general &c. of Jamaica Mi the territories thereon depending in America. By thefe ok- FSNOXNCIXS ■^ ■'■I ;^ m. i ''Wh 1x8 HIST O R T dF THE Vega founded.-— Gives the title of Marquis to Dtego^sfon Lewis, to whom the IJland is granted in perpetual foveretgnty. — Defcends to his ftjhr Ifahellay who conveys her rights by marriage to the houfe of Braganza. — Reverts to the crown of Spain, in iS/^t.'^Sir Anthony Shirley invades I the IJland in iSS^t o,^d Col. jackfon in 1638. BOOK Jamaica had the honour of being difco- II- vered by Chriftopher Columbus, in his fecond expedition to the New World. In his former Toyage he had ^xploted the north-eaftern piart of Cuba, proceeding from thence to Hifpaniola; but he had returned to Europe in doubt whether Cuba was an ifland only, or part of fome great continent, of which he had received obibure accounts from the natives. To fatisfy himfelf in this particular, he determined, foon after his arrival a fecond time at Hifpaniola, on another voyage to Cuba, by a fouth-wefterly courfe, and, in purfuance of this refolution, on the 24th of pzNDiMCiss were meant the Brltifh fettlements on the Muf- quito ihore, and in the bajr of Honduras: But his jurifdidti- on over thofe fettlements having been imperfedlly defined, •was feldom acknowledged^ by the fettlers ^ except when they wifhed to plead it in bar of the authority claimed by their re- fpeftive fuperintendants. On fuch occaftons they admitted a fuperior jurifdiAipn in the governor of Jamaica, and applied to him for commiflions civil and military. As both the fettlements were furrehdered to the crown of Spain by the Spanifh convention iigned at London on the 14th of Jul/ 1786, it comes not within the plan of my work to enter on a difplay of their pall or prefent ftate. \ formerly drew up a memorial concerning the fettlement on the Mufquito fhore, wherein an account was given of the country, its inhabitants and produAions. and the queftion between Oreat Britain and Spain, asto the territorial right, pretty fully diifcufred. This memorial having been laid before the Houfe of Commons in 1774 (by Governor Johnftone) was foon afferwardt piiblifhed Id Almon's Parliamentary Regiftef. \ of Ap Oflftt Tuefd of St. to Cub that * P. Mart) ans wrote the the language Columbus havi on, and fome < was the augmei i^ii- i xe Muf- iirifdifti- defir.ed, Ken they their re- [mitted a 1 applied loth the by the of July inter on •ew up I J fliore, labitants Britain led. This .mons in iubUlhed WEST INDIES. 119 of April, 145[4> Columbus failed from the Port CHAP, of Iftbclla, with one fhip and two ihallops. On ^• Tuefday the 29th, he anchored in the harbour of St. Nicholas. From thence he croffed over to Cuba, and coafted along the fouthern fide of that liland, furrounded by many thoufand canoes filled with Indians, whom curiofity and admiration had brought together. In this navi- gation, on Saturday the3dof May,hedifcovered, for the firft time, the high lands of Jamaica on the left, and probably learnt its name (the name which it ftill retains*) from fome of the Indians that followed him. As this was a new dif- covery, and many of the feamen were willing to believe that it was the place to which they had been formerly direded by the Indians of the Bahama lilands, as the country moil abounding in gold, Columbus was eafily perfuaded to turn his courfe towards it. He approached it the next day, and, after a flight conteft with the natives, which ended however in a cordial reconciliation, he took poflelfion of the country, with the ufual formalities. But it was not until the fourth and laft voy- age of Columbus, a voyage undertaken by this great navigator, after he had fuffered a feverer trial from the bafe ingratitude of the Country and Prince in whofe fervice he laboured, tlian from all his paft toils, dangers and inquietudes, that he learnt more of Jamaica ; which, as it had the honour of being firft difcovered by him, nine years before, had the ftill gteater honour of aifording * P. Martyr. F. Columbus. The early Spanifti hiftori- ans wrote the word Xaymaca. It is faid to have fignified, in the language of the natives, a country abounding in Springs. Columbus having at firft named the Ifland 5/. 'Ji^gOy Oldmix- on, and fome other writers, erroneouily fuppole that Jamaica was the augmentative of James. S 120 HISTORY OF THE i . I. BOOK affording him fhelter from ftiipwreck. For, on ^^' the 24th of June 1503, being on his return to Hifpaniola from Veragua, he met with fucli tempeftuous weather, as compelled him, after lofing tM'o of his Ihips, to bear away in the utmoft diftrefs for this Ifland. With great diffi- (pulty, he reached a little harbour on the north fide (which to this hour bears the name of Don Chrijiophers Cove) where he was forced to run aground the two veffels that were left him, to prevent their foundering. By this difafter, his fliips were damaged beyond the poflibility of re- pair, and he had now the melancholy refledlion that his miferies and his life would probably ter- minate together. During the i'pace of twelve months and four days, that he remained in this wretphed fituation, he had new dangers to fur- mount, and unaccuftomed trials for the exercife of his fortitude, his people revolted, the Indians deferted him, and ^he Governor of Hifpaniola not only refufed to relieve, but with monftrous and unexampled barbarity, aggravated his mif- fortunes by outrage and mockery. All thefe occurrences however, together with the dexteri- ty with which he availed himfelf of the fuper- itition of the Indians, by the circuniftance of an eclipfe, and the means wherebjr his deli- verance was at length effedled, having been re- counted by a thoufand different hiftorians, need not be repeated by me, The bardlhips he fuffered on this occafion, and his Sovereign's ingratitude together, proved too mighty for his generous fpirit : he funk under them, foon after I his return to Spain; leaving however a namel not to be extinguilhed, but with that world whofe boundaries he had extended *, , Afterl • There is preferved among the Journals of the Hon. Council in Jamaica, a very old .volume in MS. conftfting ofl diaries f After the tran WEST INDIES. , ! 121 After the death of its illuftrious difcoverer, CHAP, the tranfadions of the Spaniards, during a cen- ^* tury diaries and reports of Governors, which relate chiefly to the proceedings of the army and other tranfadions in the firlt lettlement of the Colony. In this book is to be found the tranflation of a letter to the King of Spain, iaid to be writ- ten by Columbus during his connnement on this Ifland. As it appears to me to bear rtiarks of authenticity, I ihall pre- fent it to my readers. It was written probably about eight months after the departure of his meffenger Diego Mendez, who had attempted to reach Hifpaftioia in an Indian canoe. Hearing nothing from him in that interval, Columbus feems to have relinquifhed every hope of relief, and to have writ- ten this letter in an hour of defpondency, not as having any gen re- , need .ps he reign's or his after ' name! world I After] ■he Hon. ]fiftingo{| probable means of fending it to Spain, It would be found after his death.— It is but on the idea that as follows. A letter from Chriftopher Columbus, in Jamaica, to King Ferdinand. "Jamaica, 1504. ^D'm I'endes, and the papers I lent by him, will (hew y«' ''• -hncfs what rich mines of gold I have dilcover- ed in V».i«gaa, and how I intended to have left my brother at the river Belin, if the judgments of Heaven arid the great- eft misfortunes in the world had not prevented it. However it is ftifficient that your Highnefs ar»d your fucceflbrs will have the glory and advantage of all, and that the full difco- very and lettlement are referved for happier perfons than the unfortunate Columbus. If God be fo merciful to me as to condu(ft Mendes to Spain, I doubt not but he will convince your Highnefs and my great miftrefs that this will not only be a CaJiU and £.««, but a difcovery of a world of fubjedts, lands and wct^lth, greater than man's unbounded fancy could ever comprehend, or avarice itfelf covet ; but neither he, this paper, nor the tongue of mortal man can exprefs the anguifh and aiBi(^ions of my body and mind; nor the mifery and dangers of my fon, brother and friends! Already have we been confined ten months in this place, lodged on the open decks of our fliips, that are run on ihove and lafhed together; thofe of my men that were in health have mutinied' under the Porras's of Seville, my friends that were faithful are moilly fick and dying, we have confumed the Indians' proviiions, fo that they abandon us ; ail therefore are like to periih by hun- ger, and thefc miferies are accompanied with lo many aggra- vating '1 '■!«'',, M -ir 122 HISTORY OF THE ^ .LJ BOOK turyand a half, in the fettlemeni of Jamaica, ^^* Lave fcarcely obtained the notice of hiftory. Happy vating circumftances, that render me the moil wretched ob- jeA of misfortune, this world Ihall ever fee •, as if the difplea- lure of Heaven feconded the envy of Spain, and Would punifli as criminal thofe undertakings and difcoveries which rbrmer ages would have acknowledged as great and meritorious ac- tions ! Good Heaven, and you ho^ faints that dwell in it, let the King Don Ferdinand and my illuftrious miftrefs Don- na Ifabella know, that my zeal for their fervice and intereft hath brought me thus low ; for it is impoflible to live and have aiHiaions equal to mine. I fee, and with horror ap- prehendj my own, and, for my fake, my unfortunate and deferving peoples' deftrudtion. Alas, piety and juflice have retired to their habitations above, and it is a crime to have undertaken and performed too much ! As my mifery makes my life a burthen to myfelf, fo I fear the empty titles of Vice- Koy and Admiral, render me obnoxious to the hatred of the Spanifh nation. It is vifible that all methods are adopted to cut the thread that is breaking ; for I am in my old age, op- preiTed with infupportable painft of the gout, and am now languifhing and expiring with that and other infirmities, among favages, where I have neither medicines nor provifi. ons for the body, prieft nor facrament for the foul. My men in a ftate of revolt ; my brother, my fon, and thofe that are faithful, fick, itarvin^ and dying; the Indians have aban- doned us, and the Governor of Saint Domingo has fent ra- ther to fee if I am dead, than to fuccour us, or carry me alive from hence ; for his boat neither delivered a letter, nor fpoke with, nor would receive any letter from us ; fo I con- clude your Highnefs's officers intend that here my voyages and life fhould terminate. O biefTed mother of God, that com- paffionates the miferable and opprefTed, why did not cruel fiovadilla kill me when he robbed me and my brother of our dearly-purchafed gold, and fent us to Spain in chains without trial, crime or fhadow of mifcondufl ? Thefe chains are ail the treafures I have, and, they fhall be buried with mc, if I chance to have a coffin or grave ; for I would have the re- membrance of fo unjufl an action perifh with me, and, for the glory of the Spanifh name, be eternally forgotten. Let it not bring a further infamy on the CaftilUan name, nor let ages to come know, there were wretches fo vile in this, that think to recommend themfelves to your majefly by deflroying the unfortunate and iniferable Chriflopher Columbus; not , , fori Happy : tionai c for his crim< Spain a nev i&d condu<5^( ihew pity .» I tice and mere God, that kr have merey f Wl*, furely tl thtbld that ran the hazarc littie or no ex four voyages, Ola to prince < ing chargefd w but his chain* Spaiip another ;age for himfel vin &m perfeci wbe^ ae if the ^^f old, and aj this miferable i cow the opprei wiftrefs. She JteVBwhatlhav Mfojuft and Inas brought to vaft and unkno /ubfiftonly on jmelty and ingr; [0 that the wea ft/rring up all n p>"h nation fuflFei ^un^atefulpeopl, life ^EST INDIES. Happy indeed it would have been for .1. • ^ ''^ tional characiter, if the record, nf theirna- CHAP, more extenfive enteiprif^s ^n • '"f^^^ °^^^eir I. riod, were veiled nequa'd^r"^ '^^ ^^^^ P^- ' fplcndour had been tror^r -^ . ""' ii the t ing chiefly to render vSblp,!; ^'"°"'' '■«^^- als. «S^I ' J ,' ; uwana mercy, weep for me ( a«/ — V " ^"^t ioves mf- God. that kno^n.y^lZoZ'J'fSl^ ^ g^o/fied Sainti of hycmtrtyl for though thisBrln. ' -^^^ buffering, here m. fureJy thofe that ^are to TotjS' " '"^^°"» «' o^duJ *fc told that Chriftopher CoE. -W '"^' ^hen they nn the hazard of his own and Si' T'^ ^^^ ^^'^ fortunT ktk or no etpence to the Crottf S°:.t '• '""' ^"^'^^^^ W voyages, rendered greater TervLfc '" ''" ^'"'' ^"^ aid to prince or kingdom, yet w,, ? f! ° *''^'" "™o«al man jng ch^r^ wiA the leaft crfmr „ ' '^ P'"*' ^«^o«t be^ but his cUitt being taken fi!S, u- ^''T'^' ^"^ »«iiery. Vu I Spain another worii had nehW r?' ^° ^'^^ ^e who ^ave -7/- Welt no/ hi, ^:?^^^^^ «. not yet a^! vin ftiU peHecute me, and .eem HJf i fc ^"*' ^o»W Hea- «|>fae, as if the difcovfery of 'u, ^^.^P^eafed with what I hive thedld a«d.,a puSS.^L^bS ^ T "^^^ '^ ^^*'"« Aif. miferable place, yet do you "^i^^^'^t *** * Period in COOT the oppreifed ahd in'oint ' bW T^^'"' ^^^^ *^« «^- «nftrefs. ^he knows how much ll^ ^' ^^P^ *° »^ gre« Mitve what I have fuffered fHer il .°'^ ""^ ^^» be- befojuft and piou, a» no^to 1-^7 V,^/''''^^^^ ^"^ ^" bs brought to Spain fuch mmeni • ?'^^'^" ^^ ^'''^ Aat vaft and unknown kingdom? and ,"'•''* ""^ ""^^"^ »« ''t rubfifl only on alms. Siie if A. f-^^J'^''"' want bread, or If^f/ ^"d ingratitude wmbrLd^i'"^''^ ^^'' ^^^«d^^ hat Ift mng up all mankiud to revenl' ^ ^^^} ^^ ^^^ '"eans of Inifti nation fuffer hereafter for S. ! ''P'""' ^"^ ^'^^ Spa- ungrateful people, do not* ^'' '"'^^"'' "^^^i^'ous a^ iiji:. If . lli' 1^4 HISTORY OF THE II'!' '^1 ■■ '« f. ^ BOOK als, I have been able to coUeft, I fhall now pre- II' fent to my readers. About feventeen years had elapfed after the Spaniards had firft fixed themfelves in Hifpani- ola, before they feem to have entertained any ferious defign of fending forth a colony to pof. lefs itfelf of Jamaica. As this ifland produced neither gold nor filvcr, it feems to have been negledled as unworthy further notice, and per- haps it might have continued a few years longer the peaceful feat of innocent iimplicity, but tor the bafe ingratitude of King Ferdinand, towards the family of Columbus. This great man, after his return to Spain in 1504, was compelled to employ the cloie of his days in fruitlefs and irk- 4 fome folicitation at the court of an unthankful and unfeeling monarch; who meanly fuflered him to be cruelly defrauded of thfe rights and privileges originally granted to him; and which he had fo cfearly and fo nobly earn- ed. His fon Diego^ the heir of his fortunes, fucceeded to the fame debaiing neceffity, till at length, wearied out with frivolous and unprincc* ly excufes, he inilituted a memorable proceii againft his fovereign before the council of the Indies at Seville; and this court, with a firm- nefs and virtue that cannot be fufHciently ap* plauded, decided in favour of his pretenfipns. After a minute and folemn invefligation of his claims, the council pronounced him hereditary, Viceroy and high admiral of all the countries and iflands difcovered by his father. They decreed,, that he was invefted with a jurifdiftion over them fimilar to that of the high admiral of Caf4 tile; that he was entitled to a tenth part of all the gold and filver that might thereafter be found in thofe territories; and they adjudged him various other privileges and immunities, of vaft extent and V ..<■ .<>'U -.«,'•*' ''■*' fecure his November i N, withabc Muiredthere pftill more the very few m WEST INDIES. ttS , per- onger utibi wards , after led to id irk. ankful uffered Its and ; and r earn* irtuncs, till at Lprincc' proced of the a firm- Ltly ap- lenfions. of his •editary ics and iccreed, >n over of Caf- If all the found in various extent and' and authority. But the king, notwithftanding CHAP, this diftinguifhed and competent recognition of I* his rights, confirmed to him only the title and authority of governor and admiral of Hifpaniola ; and even of this diminilhed command, it is pro- bable he would have been deprived, if he had not fortunately ftrengthened his intereft by an illuftrious marriage. The gallant youth, never- thelefs, ftill boldly perfifted in his claim to the full exercife of all the rights and am] > '*y, which had been fo recently decreed to beloiig to him; and fhortl]^ afterwards, accompanied by a numerous and fplendid retinue, embarked for his government, refolved to enforce his preten- fions. He arrived in Hifpaniola in the month of July 1508, but had very foon the mortification to dis- cover that the king had aftually invefted in two other perfons (Alonzo de Ojeda and Diego de Kicueua) not only two feparate and diflind go- wrnments, which comprehended all the conti- nent as far as it had been difcovered by Chrif- topher Columbus, but had alfo included the ifland of Jamaica, as a joint appendaige to, and place of refrefhment within, the jurifdi6lion of each. Thefe appointm^^ Diego Columbus con- fidered as a manifeft vioi .^n of his own rights, and ftrenuoufly contended for the exclufive pri- vilege of nominating, in particular, to the go- vernments of Veragua and Jamaica, the prior difcovery of both thole countries by his father |being a circutnflance of universal notoriety. To fecure his claim to Jamaica, in the month of iNovember 1509, he fent thither Juan de Efqui- vel, with about feventy men. Efquivel had ac- quired the reputation of a gallant foldier, and it |is ftill more to his honour, that he was one of the very few Caflillians, who, amidil all the hor- rors 1- V :•■■■» * / -.1 ia« HISTORY OF THE I- r i ?: -t ■;■. '."■*■ ■ 'I S' i^; ■ ^ It BOOK rors of bloodfhed and infedious rapine, were II' diftinguifhed for generofity and humanity. An eminent inilance of his greatuefs of mind is thus recorded by Herrera.- About the time that he failed from Hifpaniola to take pofTeifion of his new government of Jamaica, his competitor Ojeda was on his departure to the continent. Ojeda violently oppofed the intended expedition of Efquivel, and publiclj^ threatened that if he fhould find him at Jamaica, on his return from the continent, he would hang him up as a rebel. It Ijappened that Ojeda's voyage was unfortunate in the higheft degree; for afterfuftaining.a feries of calamities altogether without example, he was fhipwrecked on the Coafl of Cuba, and was m danger of miferably perifhing for want of food. In his diflrefshe called to mind that Efquivel was in Jamaica, and l^e was now reduced to the fad ex- tremity of imploring fuccoui; from the very man whofe deflru&ion he had meditated; but the magnanimous Efquivel was no fooner made ac* quainted with the fufferings of hi^ enemy, than he forgot all his refentment. IJe immediately fentover to Cuba, Pedro deNarve?, an officer of r»nk, to condud Ojeda to Jamaica. Efquivel received him with the tendereft fympathy, and treated him during his ftay with every poffible mark of diftinftion and refpe£t, and provided him "With the means of a fpeedy and fafe conveyance to Hifpaniola. It is pleafing to add, that Ojeda was not ungrateful to his benefaftor. Under fuch a man it is reaibnable to fuppofe that the ;^oke of fubjedion fat light anci eafy pn the natives of Jamaica, and that the ravages of conqueft were reftrained within the limits of I humanity. Accordingly, the Spanifh hiftorians| bear the moft honourable teftimony to his vir- tuous and gentle adminiftration. — " The affaire I of ■1 .-, -*! WEST INDIES. izf ti dea of ,he e„eM onhl "aX pve us of us profperity. The wlft^ "'^ '" »•>« days dral flood entire in ,/:S? ^*'« "f thecathe .he judgment o7 ^foa'f ^e^l'^ifi'VeS 't mannup ; but t was his n„-^ excellent wo't. '"? was never complertJ^P/TV''''' "»« build- veral arched ftonTtKuft ^ °'''"'='^«' fe- fjgned for it. whi.k ' "'"" have been rf» P« "P •• He Hkewifrd-r'''' ''»'' »e^ beta Mi'jo". ""^rials'^'for.'''^];!';^' ■■'I'hef^^ |ably intended for the n.i '^ "J """nfion, pro. N-n «hefe,circumftLees ,^°^*J?^ 8°^^«on m prevails in ,he X^j" 't^ tradition which ,l«to.nt, of Setnle'Si^f' ""^SpanilT heir wars with thi • ^^ ^^'ne period i« k cut oi is'p^orbZ%f '?'J 'Ad- Mne, indeed, relate7,3<- ""'"'«' « truth Ners, who had St Cut °*>^ ^P^™^" tfrerem reafons for the Z?}^ ''''8°ed very the country, aHedriL .u"'°» "^ this pa? f", Martin Ab An i • » il .1..^-' ^Fii I If Sloa NX. ?S0 HISTORY OF THE 1 ■I ■ \ BOOK commerce. Thefe reafons might poflibly have II. operated againft the re-eftablilhment of the place; but were not, I think, of fufficient efficacy to induce a whole body of people, the inhabitants of a growing capital, fuddenly to remove their families and effedls, and voluntarily fabniit to the labour of building an entire m|^j|^wn» in a very diflant and wholly unculuHU^art of the country. It is certam that tTOiCl(^p|i>f Se. TiUe was not fuffered to fall graduafty^no de- cay ; but wa4 depopulated while it was yet in an unfiniftied ftate, manv- years before the con. queft of the IflaAd by tne Englilh *. Neither (if this traditaoQ pf the cataftrophe were true) could a juft accoii^k be expelled from the de.] fcendants of ib£B/ who defetvedly iJroughtdi (lru£iion on tlii&miclveivt.^^ce the recital, their fate would agliii t^v^'^ought alfo of their ^nc^&^'Wt'Ptn^ they were^deeds of ilfjy^ifjfc/ 'too moil^ffi contemplate, too^tfa$iM:i£B$^|j^^ Both ancient uatimoiif^ #i^ recent difcovi ries give too much room tQ nblieve that the woi thofe ] aJterna iag ui ders * of the poSHbU ticat the; cxtiipatJ happily to the M lading di for reafoi ipit the t pie; who, Icrate m^^ Wi of deftrudlion proceeded not kfs rapidly '^^^^^tkveii I Ifland, after EfquivePs death, than in Hifpaiijj,j|.j^,^.*^^ ola; for to this day weaves are frequently dif( vered in the mountains, wherein the ground covered, almoft entirely, with human bonesj the niiferable refaains, without all doubt, of fo of the unfortunate aborigines, who, immured thi Barbow noi trophe whic ohave c^u K St. Jag; ^panifh To Of the ^ erhaps ufel P * See the account of Jamaica tranfmitted to Cromwell] general Venabies, preferved in Thurloe't ftate papers, vol. V' 545" ^^'^crein he fpeaks of Seville as a town thathad« illed in times pajl. And Sloane relates that when the Engl look the iiland, the ruins of this city were overgrown ui wood and turned black with age. He faw timber trees groj ing within the tvalls of the cathedral, upwards of fixt/ f| in height. Sloane Hift. Jamaica, vol. i. p. 66. ^ « li difcovj Npreffed, that , t There i, ft 'Ji'a. at tJii, da '^^/refideina f^^f, and have m^- WEST INDIES thofc recefles. wero nr^u u. I3i ing under the fword! of ,i?"°«"' OJ- of bleed- I * ders • ! When therefor. „ ^"^ ""«left inva of the Spanift in afc^oT '<"?}, "^ the ftt^ ?^.»^ feel any other emoHo;'"!' " » '•»- theHlpian, j^^^"" ■» mercy had permitted e«"T«t&l their oppreffor, I^T"' '» '»ve happily this faintSmerini T''"' ^^ >■«- to tlie wretched A«^« *^?^''^""H"ng)'Vht lafting darknef^ fi^ It «rj5*« '»« « ev«. for reafon. infcmaWe l*^^*^ *.""= Almighty P^; who. tothgnuX°drfi*''':*''^'''«l pV Itfcedi^^^^^P Spanwrd,, not, 'rU^iii- ^fy^fBn^tMM&^j. ■ ^5> nor, , TMofs of aiB(4TaKfP<**t- th»t of M^ai^^SgS?J^«»»b^foIlowed by i>»rbow now called^rfM^:: V*^! '"^ »« the Khe which attended°w!^'Sf>*"*^''<= «t,f. hhave cnfcdthe eftabHftS.en^*';^f 'I '^PP^^d «''ptfi;:r^i--f.»he^^^^^^^^^^^ S^e^butjfconjeaaremay . * ■m J34 HISTORY OF THE *:: I Ik 1'< It- A ^ ^ II ;> ■ B O O K be allowed, I Ihould fix on the year 1523, im- II. mediately after the departure of the force un. der Garay ; and if the new capital was really founded by Diego Columbus, as tradition re- ports, and which there feehis no good reafon todifpute, the conjedure is ftrongly confirmed ; for he embarked for Spain indil'content in 15 17, returned to his government with fuller pow- ers in 1520, and died in his native country in th6 latter end of 1525 or the beginning of 1526; and it was certainly after his arrival the laft time in Hifpaniola, that he laid, or caufed to be laid, the foundation of St. Jago de la Vega. The new city encreafed rapidly, and in 1545 (twenty years after the death of its founder) it had the honour of giving the title of Marquis to his fon and heir, who received at the fame time from the emperor Charles V. a grant of| the whole ifland in perpetual fovereignty, as an , hereditary fief of the crown of Caftile. As this is an important circumftance in the I hiftory of this ifland, and feems not to liavc[ been perfedlly underftood by any of the Eng- ^^ lifh hiftorians who have treated of the aifairsMjohn^^yT of Jamaica, I prefume that a more copious de-Bg^]^ ^ du6lion and explanation of it, will not be un-l Sir Han acceptable. IdukedeVei Diego Columbus left iffue three fons and twoBf^njaj^.^ daughters. His eldeft fon, Don Lewis, fucceededBje Endifli ' to his father*s honours and extenfive claims.B(J. ^g j^ I Of the daughters, the eldeft, Ifabella, afterwardsftf Columbus intermarried with the count de Gelvez, a PotMfiind and tuguele nobleman of the houfe of Braganza-fcrdinand Lewis Columbus was an infant of fix years oM fiyj jjjtl age on the death of his father ; but was gene-Bnd confir J rally confidered as hereditary vice-roy, and higWor which th admiral of the Weft Indies. The emperor how-lcounts T ^ ever, though he treated him with fingular dif-f tindionl iR-'^f- WEST INDIES. 133 tin£lion, and confiderably augmented his reve-CHAP. nues, as he grew to manhood, abfolutely refufed I- to admit his claim to fuch extenfive authority, and Lewis, as his minority expired, instituted, after his father's example, a legal procefs for the recovery of his birthright. It does not appear that his fuit ever came to a legal iflue ; for, in the year 1545, he found it prudent to accede to a conipromife with the emperor, whereby he transferred all his hereditary rights to the crown, for a grant of the province of Veragua and the ifland of Jamaica, with the title of duke de Vera, gua and marquis de la Vega. What might have been the precife extent and nature of this grant, we have not information fufficient to enable us to judge. Whatever it was, he left no iffue to enjoy it; and his brothers alfo dying without male iffue, his lifter Ifabella, wife of the count deGelvez, became fole heirefs of the Columbus family, and conveyed by her marriage all her rights to the houfe of Braganza, where they con^ rinJed, I believe, till the year 1640, and then reverted back by forfeiture to the crown of Spain, in confeque^C? of the revolution which placed e affairs (John duke of Braganza on the throne of Portu. (iousde- tbe un-B" Sir Hans Sloane therefore, in afferting that a iduke de Veragua enjoyed a yearly revenue from and twoBjamaica, at the time the iiland furrendered to cceededKhe Englilh in 1655, muft have been mifmform^ claimS'ftd ; as he clearly is in fuppoling that the family erwardsfcf Columbus were at that time proprietors of the aPor-Bjland, and had fo continued ^Tom the days of raganza. Verdinand and Ifabellap years ofl But there is a cir^umftance recorded by Blome, as gene-lnd confirmed by the ftate papers of Thurloe, nd higliBor which the relation I have given fufficiently ror how-ftccQunts, I mean the eftgbliihment in Jamaica lar difl of unftio^r eun- ■eally n re- eafon •med; pow- itry in 1526; ne laft fed to Vega. a 1545 ider) it /larquis le fame jrant of y, as an in the to have he Eng I?::' n 134 HISTORY OF THE BOOK of many Portuguefe families. The transfer of II- Ifabella's inheritance to the houfe of Braganza, might have encouraged many of the Porruguefe to fix their fortunes in the newly acquired colony, and it is equally probable that the fame event would excite jealoufy in the old Spanifti fettlers towards their new vifitors. Blome adds that the Portuguefe were abhorred. Such mutual diftruft of and irreconcileable averfion among the inhabitants towards each other, was perhaps the caufe that Sir Anthony Shirley met with fo little refiftance when he invaded the ifland in 1596, and plundered the capital. About forty years afterwards it was again invaded by a force from the Windward lilands undef colonel Jackfon. It is faid however that on this occafion the inhabitants behaved with great, gallantry in a pitched battle at Paflage Fort; but being overpowered. Jack- fon, after lofing forty men, entered St. Jago de la Vega fword in hand, and, having pillaged it of every thing valuable, received a confidera. ble ranfom for fparing the houfes. He then retreated to his fhips, and carried off his booty without interruption. From this period, until the capture of the ifland by the Englifh in 1655, during the ufur- pation of Cromwell, I know nothing of its con- cerns, nor perhaps were they prodndlive of any event deferving remembrance. I fhall therefore proceed in the next chapter, to the confideration of the Proteftor's motives for attacking the terri- tories of Spain at a time when treaties of peace lublifted between the two nations; which I conceive have hitherto been greatly mifuuder- flood, or wilfully mifreprefented, by hiltoriansl in general, CHAR HER] in the pen fite than th protedlor C which in cc of time, ha againft this tions, from funimit of induftrious that authoi exercifed wi It is not proceedings nation, in ji cenfure, or fical priiicip] |l>is condua ^emale repuh iiadcal," an ♦ Ml WEST INDIES. ns CHAP. II. CHAP. II. Cromwell vindicated for attacking the Spaniards in 1655. — Their cruelties in the Wejl Indies, in contravention of the treaty of 'i 630. — Pro- pofals offered by Modyford and Gage. — Forcible argutnents of the latter. — Secretary Thurloe's account of a conference with the Spanijh Jni- haffador. — CromwelPs demand of fatisfadion re- jeded. — State of Jamaica on its capture, l HERE is no portion of the Englilh annals, in the perufal of which greater caution is requi- fite than the hiftory of the adminiftration of the protedor Cromwell. The prejudices of party, which in common cafes are loll in the current of time, have floated down to us in full ftrength againft this profperous ufurper; and his ac- tions, from the period that he reached the lunimit of power, are ftill fcrutinized with induftrious malignity, as if it were impoffible that authority irregularly acquired, could be exercifed with juftice. It is not ftrange therefore that the vigorous proceedings of the proteftor againft the Spanilh nation, in 1655, Ihould have beeii obnoxious "to cenfure, or that writers of very oppolite poli» jtical priiiciples ihould concur in mifreprefcnting . Ihis condua on that occafion. The celebrated 'emale republican * terms it " difhonourable and iratical," and the courtly and elegant apologlft ' of *** Mrs. MacauIe/'9 Hiftory of Sftglandf JB-: 23^ HISTORy OF THE ! :y\- ( BOOK of the Stewart family*, pronounces it a moll unwarrantable violation of treaty. The publication of the ftate papers of Thur- loe (the Secretary) ought, however, to have mitigated this weight of cenfure. In truth, it will be found that nothing but a moft difingenu- ous ccicealment of the hoftile proceedings of the Spaniards, too grofs to be palliated, towards the •aliens of England, can give even the colour of plaufibility to the charge which has been brought againft Cromwell, of having com- menced an unjuil and ruinous war, againft a friend and ally, contrary to the intereft of the nation, and in violation of the faith of treaties. If the power which is vefted in the executive magiilrate, by whatever name he be diftinguilh- ed, be held for the prote6lion and fecurity of t Jie religion, liberties and properties of the peo- pie under his government, the meafures adopted by the protedor on that occalion were not mere- ly juftifiable; they v/ere highly necelfary, and even meritorious; for the cpndud of Spain, efpecially in America, was the declaration and exercife of war againft the whole human race. T ihall adduce a few remarkaDle fa6ls to fuppon this aflertion. The fubje^l is curious in itfelf, and, in lome refpeds,' will be new to the reader. 'I he lateft treaty which had been made be- tween England and Spain, previous to the alliiniption of the protedlorate by Cromwell, was B^eft indTea, ^^ concluded in the year 1630; by the firft article B^^ "^^^^ to a of which it was ftipulated, that there Ihould be i^/^/J^^S*"! peace, amity, and friendftiip between the two Bwards, in Tutu crowns and their refpe6live fubjedts in all parts m^^, that \he s of the world. Before this period, the Ibvereigns ■"vent/.fi.t Eng. • %f Jutting their th ^■noie uionth, a * Pavid Hume-Hiftory of Great Britain. w4Tgh',^WoTk o£ Spai avowed the fhif rope, tl of the to them ritories ^ there, bi privilege Pretcn the laws every ma the ifliie : already p * In the concluiion o iaved the Sp Charles Corj 1606, inform a Spani/h ai iaden with co and firit fet tl €d them into } as much to th f'cs, Luthera hang them ; ft." See Wi quent letters pi complaining to of Firardo's iome Engliih n an WEST INDIES. ni of Spain had not only encouraged, bat openly CHAP, avowed, the exercife of perpetual hoftility on II. the fhips and fubjedls of all the nations of Eu- rope, that were or might be found in any part of the new hemifphere; arrogantly afluming to themfelves a right not only to all the ter- ritories which their own fubje6^s had difcovered there, but claiming alfo the fole and exclufive privilege of navigating the American feas *. Pretcnfions fo exorbitant, which violated alike the laws of nature and nations, were refifted by every maritime ftate that felt itfelf concerned in the iffue : by the Englilh particularly, who had aheady planted colonies in Virginia, Bermudas, St. * In the reign of James I. within two years after tli2 concluiion of a peace between England and Spain, which ftved the Spaniih monarchy from abfolute deftruAion, Sir Charles Cornwallis, in a letter dated from IVJadrid in May 1606, informs the Earl of Salifbury that Don Lewis Firardo, a Spaniih admiral, having met with certain Engliih fhips laden with corn and bound to Seville, " took the mafters, and firft fet their necks in the (locks. He afterwards remov- ed them into his own fhip, and there with his own hands did as much to their legs ; reviling them, and calling them here- (ics, Lutheran dogs, and enemies of Chrift, threatening to j hang them ; and in concluiion robbed them of what he thought I iit." See Winwood, vol. ii. p. 143. I t appears by fubfe- Jquent letters preferved in the fame collection, that Cornwall's complaining to the Duke of Lerma, the minifter of Spain, [of Firardo's condu » (( From the fads ai>d riecital which I have thut ,iven, it is apparent that the Spaniards; not only vere the firft aggrefTors, but had proceeded to We hoftilities againft the fubje6ls of Engjand, pich are unjuftinable, even in a ftate of aclual rar; and, although the outrages complained of, pefuchas the inolliinfignificant (late in the [orld would not have tamely fubmitted to, from Be mofl powerful ; yet did Cromwell, in feeking rel's, difplay his regard to juUice by his mo* ration and temper. He demanded, it is true, bparation for paft injuries, and fecurity againft pre; but he did not order reprifals to be made, itil his demand was rejeded, and until he was iinly told, that the fame hoflile line of con- |i£l which the Spanijirds had hitherto purfued I Vol. I. L towards I hi I4« HISTORY OF THE Mm ■■'\ P {■; BOOK tdwatds the Engliih ih America Ihould be perfift. II* edih. NbW, as Blomc well obfervos, on this Occaiion, " war muji needs be juftijiahle' token peace is not allowable^ The courfe of my work would now bring me to an illuftration of the proteftor's meafures in i confequence of his appeal to force; the equip, fticnt of a powerftil armament, its mifcarriage at I Hifpaniola, and fuccefs at Jamaica; but of all thefe tranfaftions a very accurate ard circuin. ftantial narrative has already been given in the! fcttlers, more pre cxaggerai but fuffio few vears worihip, j the abbey, Of the appears to named by hiftory of Jamaica by Mr. Long; to whofe account B^^jjI™ ^*V! I cannot hope to aod perfpicuity or force. Re.B|g^ ^^ ? ..J ferring the reader, therefore, to that ^aluableB^g'^j.L ! work, for fatisfaftory information in thefe parti.BpQjjf • ^ culars, I fhall conclude this chapter with an ac-Bpgj.jf^ \\\ count of the ftate of Jamaica, its inhabitants andKopt^ ^ ^ produdlions, as it Ivas found by the EngliiiBj,gpg2 ' A^® forces on its capture in May 1655; obfervi-'* only, and I mention the circumiltnce with a gret in which I am furc the reader will partici- pate, that Gage, who planned the expeditioj embarked with and periftied in it! : The whole number of white inhabitants on tl ifland, including women and children, did ni exceed fifteen hundred. Penn, in his examini tion before the protedlor's council, on the Ktl of September 1665, f^atesthem at twelve or foui teen hundred only, of which he fays about fi hundred men were in arms when the Engli landed. It is remarkable however that Blo! who compiled a fhprt account of Jamaica fo eai as 1672, avers that the town of St. Jago de Vega confifted of two thoufand houfes, t churches, two chapels and an abbey. The| mufl therefore have happened at fbme period wonderful diminution ill the number of the w To the we iquivel (Pu ym^, in hoii "Wsport fee felted at the •paniards gi^ w'asftiUrel Aelter durj • The foJIowiJ M«. at Green- J inhabitants, and the expulfion of the Portuguii ,. ,.^ere lies the] Jwlife, at Port le was born at rjijreligion, .i '[lowed up in tl 'ijeprovi^nce, ,'/?. tnimirat .f^^k WEST INDIES. 14^ i/;'i!' :Tflft- when Qg me res in equip- iage at of all nrcum- , in tk iccount c. Re. iralu&blel jfe parti- I an ac- :ants and] ) Englii >bfervi atha II particiJ tpediiioi fettlers, as related by this author, appears the CHAP, more probable. Blome perhaps has given an H* exaggerated account of the number of the houfes j but fuffictent evidence remained, till within thefe few years, of the buildings confecrated to divine wormip, particularly, of the two churches and the abbey. Of the other principal fettlements, the chief appears to have been at Puerto de Caguaya, finc^ named by the Engliih Port Royal ; but though it was next in confeqaence to St. Jago, it was pro- |bably nothing more than an iiiconfiderable ham- let, eftabliihcd for the puipofe of fome fniall traf- fic with the ihips bound from Hifpaniola to the continent. Its fubfequent rife and cxtenfive prof- perity, its deplorable wickedncfs and fatal cataf- trophe, are circumftances too well known to be |repeated*. To the weftward of Caguaya was the port of Jiquivel (Puerta de Efquivella) fo called, I pre-- fm^y in honour of the governor of that name. 'his port feems indeed to have been almoft de- ferted at the time of the conqueft in 1655, the Spaniards giving the preference to Caguaya j but was ftill reforted to by the galleons, as a place 'filelier during the hurricane months, and, from' ■ L2 ■■■''^ ^ its * The following fiIq;^lf r infcnption appears on a tomb- one, at Green-Bay, adjoining the Apoiiles' Batter/. " DIEU SUR TOUT. Here lies the body of Lewu Galdy, Efq. who departed lis life, at Port Royal, the aid December 1736, aged eighty. le was born at MontpelUcr in France, but left that country rhis religion, aad came to fettle in thisiflaud, where he was. allowed up in the great earthquake, in the year 1692, and , pgfiodH the providence of God, was by anodier fhock thrown into the wh» ^'*» •"•* miraculoufly faved by fwimir.ing, until a boat iniM^ '*''" "P* ^* ^^^^ many years after, in great reputation, 'ortugum^veti by all who knew him, and much TamfentM at his leiikliik." ' ;iS ^ , ■ I This Moi plentiful J Ming of] tie and hoj mine, whi itlelf, by Antonio." Such is in general ^ dated 13th that no niei ifland; whi undoubtedl 448 HISTORY OF THE BOOK Its ancient reputation, the Englilh named it Old H. Harbour, From Old Harbour to Punto Negrillo, the wef. tern point of the ifland, the fea-coaft was chiefly in favanna, abounding in horned cattle ; but there does not appear to have been any lettle- ment in all that great extent of country, except a finall hamlet called Oriftan, of which however the accounts are obfcure and contradidlory. Returning eaftward, to the north of Port Ca. guaya was the Hato de Liguany ; prefenting to the harbour an eixtenfive plain or favanna, covered with jcedar apd other excellent timber. This part of the country was alfo abundantly ftored fcrt, from c with horned cattle and hori'es, which ran wild Buninhabittec in great numbers; and the firft employment of I Of the in the Englifh troops was hunting and flaughteringMhat Guanab the cattle, for the fake of the hides and tallo\^',lnd the low I which foon became an article of export. It wasK)bacco. fuppofed by Sedgewicke, that the foldiers had! Upon the ^ killed 20,000 in the courle of the firft four monthsBjo/Tefled the after their arrival ; and as to horfes, " they wereBundredth pj " in fuch plenty (lays Goodlbn) that we accountMivition whei " ed them the vermin of the country*** Eaftward of Liguany was the Hato, by fomi called Ayala, by others YaloSy and now wroti Yallahs ; a place, faith Venables " which hat' much commodity of planting or eredling of fugaBuftion of Jia engines of water, by reafon of two convenience number o rivers running through it fit for that purpofe. Next to Ayala was the Hato called Moranh -■ • . Thi [ersofit. Y tterminated, Mginal prop Vith their nei * " Colonel Barry's hoiife all galleried round (now ea Cavaliers) was foTnierl/, when the Spaniards poifefled the land, the only place in Liguany inhabited; a rich widow I here a fugar-work, and abundance of cattle ih the favanna] near 40,000." (Sloane, vol. i. Introd. p. 7^.)— The mouj tains of Liguany yrere fuppofed alfo to contain mines both/ gold and copper. .. .^ • _^_ ., If its capture, | is not eafy ke labour of t| id penury of I landed, bmniodities great abuni iiown, and «ed no morel i I 1 WEST INDIES. '49 Old I This Morante (faith Venablcs) "is a large and CHAP. plentiful Hato, being four leagues in length, con- II. lifting of many fmall favannas, and has wild cat- tle and hogs in very great plenty, and ends at the mine, which is at the Cape or Point of Morante itfelf, by which toward the north is the port Antonio." Such is the account of Jamaica as tranfmitted in general Venables's letter to fecretary Thurloe, dated 13th June 1655. The reader will perceive that no mention is made of the north lide of the illand; which gives room to conclude, as was undoubtedly the fa<5l, that it was one "ttatire de- fert, from caft to weft, totally uncultivated and m wild ■uninhabitted. ment of H Of the inland parts, it appears ifrom Sloane, hat Guanaboa was famous for its cacao trees, d the low lands of Clarendon for plantations of iobacco. Upon the whole, although the Spaniards had r monthsHpoffeffed the ifland a century and a half, not one ley wereRundredth part of tlie plantable land was in cul- ivation when the Englifh made themfelves maf- lers of it. Yet the Spanifh fettlcrs had no fooner terminated, in the manner v/e have feeu, the riginal proprietors, than they had recourfe, ith their neighbours of Hifpaniola, to the intr? - luftion of fiaves from Africa. We are told that enumberof negroes in the ifland, at the time urpofcW its capture, nearly equalled that of the whites. JVforflww is not eafy to difcover to what ufeful puipofe Thijie labour of thefe Blacks was applied. The floth d penury of the Spanifli planters, when theEng- lauded, were extreme. Ofthe many valuable mmodities which Jamaica has fince produced in great abundance, fome were altogether un- own, and of the reft the inhabitants culcl- ced no more than were fnfficient for their own expenditure. wef. [liefly , but fettle. cept a wever » irt Ca. to the overed This ftored Shtering . tallow, It mi iers had accomt-l by fom^ ►w wrold uch hatll offuga ►nvenieni (now call teffedthei widow 1 le favannal -The mouij ines both ( 15» HlStOHY OF THE 'I i BOOK expenditure. Their principal eJcppn, befides II. cacao, confifted of hogs-lard and hides. The Tale of thcfe articles, and fupplying the few Ihips that touched at their ports with provifi. ons, in barter for European manufaftures, cou. ftituted the whole of their commerce ; a com. I merce which the favages of MadagafCar con, j dvL& with equal ability and fuccefs. They pof. fefled nothing of the elegancies of life, nor were| they acquainted even with many of thofe grati. fications which, in civilized ftates, sre confider.l ed as necefTary to the comfort and conveniency of it. They were neither polifhed by focial intercourfe, nor improved by education; but paffed their days in gloomy languor, enfeebled by floth and deprefled by poverty. Having at the fame time but little or no conneftion withl Europe, nor the means of fending their chilJ dren thither for education (a circuniilance thail might have introduced among them, from timel to time, fome portion of civility and fciencejl they had been for many years in a ftate off progreffive degeneracy, and would probably, ini a ihort time, have expiated the gi-ilt of their anj ceftors, by falling vidlims themfelves to the venJ geance of their flaves. Time indeed had! wrought a wonderful change in the manners andl difpontions of all the Spanifti Americans. la muft hov/ever be acknowledged, that if the/ pofleffed not the abilities of their forefathers, they were unftained with their crimes. If \si find among them no traces of that enterprifin|| genius; that unconquerable perfeverance, tha contempt of toil, danger, and death, which fJ w^onderfully diftinguifhed the great adventurersl who firft explored and added a new hemifpherj to the Spanilh dominion ; we miift own at thj fainl A*- ' ,4 fU ii -M WEST IKDI|:$. h »s» fame time that they were happily free from their CHAP. I guilty ambition j their remorlekls fanaticifm, aad ^ ' Ifrantic cnieky. But, whatever was their charac- Iter, it i& impofiil^^ to juflvfy the hard terms im. [pofed by the Engliih commanders on the poor ifettlers hi Ja.naica, in requiring them to deliver up their flaves and efieds, and quit the country altogether. They pleaded that they were bom ^theiiland, and had neither relations, friends, lor country elfewhere, and they declared that ihey were refolved to perilh in the woods, rather khan beg their bread in a foreiga foil. This was iheir final anfwer to the'propofiitionsof Vrnable:., [he Englifh General, nor could they be brought gain to enter into any treaty. The reiiftance bey afterwards made againll the efforts of our joops to expel them from the ifland, may fumifti [his important lelFoii to conquerors — that even ^6^ory has its limits, and that Injuftice and jrranny frequently defeat their own purpofes. ■»' ; '^■' -l-l^ Xi i s CHAP. »5« BOOK II. .1 -nil uw. HISTORY OF THE ' C;H A P. Hl!"'''-^-'' W Proceedings of the JEngliJh in Jamaica after its ' Cdpture.-^Col, D'Oyley declared prejident. — Vifcontents and mortaiity among the army,-^ * Vigorous exertions of the Profe^ar.'—Co/. Braytie appointed commander in chief — His death — * uOyley reajfumes the government. -^Defeats the ' Spanijb forces i which had invaded the ijland from Cuba.^^His wife and fteady admnijlration, •^-Biicanneers.-^Conciliating conduB of Charles II. on his reJloration.-^Firfl ejlahlijhment of a " regular government in famaica.'—Lord Wind- firs appointment. "-^Royal Froclamation.^-Ame- ' rican treaty in i6*) a. -^Change of meajidres on the part of the crown.^-—New conflittition devif- edfor Jamaica.'-^-Earl of Carlifle appointed \ chief governor for the purpofe of enforcing tk newfyftem.'-^Succefsfuloppofitionof the ajfem- biy»-^oubfequent difputes refpe8ing the confirma- tion of their laws, — Terminated by the revenml ad of 1728. XIlFJER the capture of the ifland, until the! reftoration of Charles II. the Englift. in Jamaical remained under military jurifdi6lion. Cromwelll had nominated Winflow, Serle and Butler to adl as coii miiiioners, with Penn and Venables, in-| tending, I prefume, '.o conftitute by this arrange- ment a council of ftate, 'whofe authority migh^ mitigate the rigour of the law-martial ; but the two generals, with commiflioner Butler, returning td to Engit the armj and of t thelefs it eilablifhe very libc the accoi tion decJi turn to E] over Maj ScdgewicJ Win/low falleii vi^ffyw 156 HISTORY OF THE ■^tc J!. BOOK confiderable time 140 men died weekly, and ^ ^^ Sedgewicke himfelf at length periihed in the ' general carnage. The proted^or, as foon as he had received information o fthe diftradled and calamitous ftate of the colony, exerted himfelf with his ufual vigour, to aftbrd it relief. Provifion^ and necef- faries of all kinds were ihipped wichout delay ; and Cromwell, diftruftful it is faid of D'Oyley's attachment, fuperfeded him, by granting a com. miflion of commander in chief of Jamaica, to Col. Brayne, governor of Lochabar in Scotland. This gentleman, with a fleet of tranfports, and a reinforcement of one thoafand recruits, failed from Port Patrick, the beginning of 06lober 1656, and arrived at Jamaica in December fol- lowing. Col. Humphreys with his regiment, confifting of 8.^0 men, had landed, feme time before, from England ; and Stokes, governor of Nevis, with 1500 perlbns collefted in the Wind- ward iflands, had reached Jamaica, and begun an eftablifliment near to the Port of Morant, where fome of Stokes's defcendants, of the fame xiarae, poflefs at this day confiderable property. Another regiment, commanded by Col. Moore, aj.Tived in the beginning of 1657 from Ireland, y.nd fome induftrious planters followed foon afterwards from New England and Bermudas. Brayne's firft accounts are very difcouraging. He complains that he found all things in the ntmoft confufion; that violent animofities fub- fifted among the troops ; and, above all, that there was a great want of men cordial to the hujinefe', fuch is his expreflion. He defires a remittance of £.5000, to enable him to ere6l fortifications, and a further fupply of provifions for fix months; ftrenuoufly recommending, at the fame time, a general liberty of trade be- tween peneti troops rpread Brayn< little c Hepra to Eng he wri weaken bIood-1 fatal to months death, f fent to authority fefled al was defi( relu^ant fuperfed< haps fuc which h< On the e himfelf highnefs; he told h. 'vithout I contents of your c the affea that ever my own Tonable di " I vvoulc cw :'-'■"'' , and n the WEST INDIES. ni i\feen the ifland and all nations in amity with CHAP. England ; an indulgence which he thinks would HI. ipeedily encourage planters enough to fettle in, and improve, the country. But Brayne, though a man of fagacity and penetration, wanted nrmnefs and fortitude. The troops ftill continued unhealthy, and, ficknefs fpreading rapidly amongft the new comers, Brayne, alarmed for his own fafety, became as little cordial to the bufmefs of fettling as the reft. He prayed moil earneftly for permiflion to return to England. In the mean while, b^ ^y (as he writes) of precaution againfl a r, he weakened himfelf to a great degree v pious blood-letting; a pradlice which probaoi) proved fatal to him; for he died at the end of ten months after his arrival. A few days before his death, finding himfelf in imminent danger, he fent to D*Oyley, and formally transferred his authority to that officer. D^Oyley happily pof- feffed all thofe qualifications in which Brayne was deficient ; yet he entered on his charge with reluilance; for, hj.ving already been roughly fuperfeded by the protedor, he expedled per- haps iuch another difmiflion. In the letters which he addrefTed to Cromwell and Fleetwood, on the event of Brayne's deceafe, he expreflfes himfelf with propriety and dignity. " Your highnefs," he obferves to Cromwell, " is not to be told how difficult it is to command an army without pay, and I tremble to think of the dif- contents I am to ftruggle withal, until the return of your commands ; though I blefs God I have the affeAion of the people here, beyond any that ever yet commanded them ; and a fpirit of my own not to fink under the weight of unrea- fonable difcontents." To Fleetwood he writes, I would have refufed to accept of this com- mand, IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 1.1 11.25 bi|2j8 |25 itt Uii 12.2 US u 14.0 u 1^ v. Hiotographic Sciences CorporatiQn 23 WBT MAM STMIT WIISm,N.Y. 14StO (71*)S73-4S03 »5» H I STO RT O r TH E 4' ^il |[4 V BOOK mand, if I could hav« quitted with hopour ^nd n. faithfulnefs to my country ; but I am ttQw refolved to go through, until I receive further orders from his highnefs^ or a difcharge from him, which I humbly defire your lordfliip to effe^ for me^ Ho- nours, and riches are not tne things I s^m . at. I blefs God I have a foul much above them. Pray, my lord, decline your greatnefs, and command your fecretary to give me an anfwer ; for if I were difrobed of all my titles of honour and great command, yetvou know that I am a gentleman, and a faithful ^iend to my country.". It was fortunate for his countify that his refig- nation was not accepted, and that the |>rote^or, fenfible at length of the ability and OHerili of this brave man, confirmed him in his ^{^mnnupid;. To the exertions of D'Oylej^, feeonded iod fup- portedbythe affe^ion which bi« folc^rs,: under aU their difhculties and diftr^Qs, mailifeftod on every occafion towards him, we owe at this day thepolfeffion of Jamaica ; the recapture whereof by the Spaniards, towards the end of the year 1657, became to them an obje^ of great national concern. Its defencelefs llate, theoifiatisfii^a of the l&ogliih troops, and the exertions making by CrofnweU to afford them relief, as w<^l as to augment their numbers, led the governor of Cuba to believe, that" the jun^une was thea arrived for retrieving the honour of his coun- try, by the reftoration of this ifland to its do* mmion. Having communicated to the vice-roy of Mexico, a fcheme built on this idea, and re- ceived the fandion and fupport of that oificer, he made preparations for a formidable invafion, and appouited Don Chriftopher Safi Arnoldo, who had been governor of Jamaiea at the time of its capture, to take the conduA and command of the enterprize. i ■ On I 5 •' V4/^_a ►Ived from Achl Ho- lt. I Pray, mand « if! I great ieraan, i refig- itefllor, of this d. To 4 fup- , vinder fted on ;b» day vhereoC h« year ttional making il as to tor oi las thea jia coun- ita do- /ice-roy and re- officer, ivaiioot, ynoldo, :b€ time WEST IKDIES. fj9 Oa On the eighth of Mav 1658; thirty companies CHAP. of Spaniih infantry lanaed at Rio Nuevo, a fmali m* harbour on the north fide of the ifland. They were provided with eight months provifion, ora- nance and ammunition of all kinds, and they brought engineers and artificers for ereding ex- tenfive fortifications. Twelve days had elapfed before D'Oyley knew of their landing, and fix weeks more interv^ied by the time that he was able to approach them by fea. During this in^ terval, the Spaniards had efiabliihed themfelves in great force ; but D'Ovley at length reaching Hio Nuevo, with feven hundred and fifty of his beft-^fciplined foldiers, attacked them in their entrenchments ; carried by aflault a flrong for- trefs which they had erected on an eminence over the harboot ; and con^Ued the late unfortunate governor to get back as he could to Cuba,, after thelols of all his^res, ordnance, ammunitioQ and colours, and of ono half the forces which he had brought with him. Few vidories have been more decifive; nor does hiftory fiimifh many inftances of greater military fkill and in* treptdity, than thofe which were difplayed by the £ngt^ 0% this occafion. After fo fignal a defeat, the Spaniards made to efifort of confequmce to reclaim ][amaica. A party of- the ancient Spaniih inhabitants, how-' ever, ftill kuked in the woods, and Safi, their governor, had returned to ihare their fortunes ; bat a body of their fiigitive negroes having fur- rendttred to D'Oyley on the promife of freedom^ thefe wretches informed him where their late mafters were iheltered ; and joined forae troops that were lent in purfuit of them : thus the poor Spaniards were entirely routed, and the few that furvived, by efcaping to Cuba, took their laft farewel of a country, their fond attachment to which, 3 ■'.ill: >■)]'«■ tdb HISTORY OF THE 1' ■'*? hmm , ■ ■ ■V,;M i:d ■■'■■. .id ;'iS BOOK which, it is not poflible to refledl on, without II* emotions of pity. By the wile, fteady and provident adminif. tration of D'Oyley, the affairs of the ifland began at length to wear a more promifmg afped. The army was now -become tolerably healthy. Some fuccefsful efforts in railing Inaian corn, caflavi, tobacco, ana elevated m pot meafure iwen them in we Earl of jC pointed deputy 'H proceedii Mwasreceivec M confer wdeed icieav/accul [aiiant commas Pttves, had n T Some of t , '^fle^I. are lo iave remainJ H Waite, eneral Harrifc ' f' 11* WEST INDIES. i6i I. ^ell-in- auchto in early led Bu. having le induf- nmercei it were tt could Iwitt them as jalplun- re cona- imenced i:]5nglift». ere fiir- repri- he king lourage- ievc Sir Lntob^ iel)j. It is is indeed related that he continued to exa£l and CHAP, receive a ftiare of the booty, even after he had IW. publicly iffued orders for the fuppreiHon of this fpecies of hoftility *. People of all profefllons, and from all parts of the Britifh empire, now reforted to Jamaica. The confuiions which overfpread England after the death of Cromwell, impelled many to feek for fafety and auiet in the Plantations. Some of thofe men wno had diftinguifhed themfelves by their a^^ivity in liringing their unhappy mo- narchto the fcaffold, coniidered this ifland as a fure place of refuge. Forefeeing, from the tem- per which began to prevail amongft all ranks of people in England, efpecially towards the be- gitining of the year 1660, that the nation was uaitied in i|ts wilhes for the re-eftabliihment of thjeandent frame of government, they hoped to fiiid that fafety in a cblony compofed of Crom- wefl's adherents, which they were apprehenfive wbuld fhortly be denied them at home f. Voii. I. M But * The favbiir iextended b> the King to Henrx Morgan, the I moft celebrated of. the EnffUfli Bueanier» (a man indeed of an devated mind and invincible courage) arofe doubtlefs, in a I great meafure, from me good tmdirfiMding that prevailed be* Itween them in the copartnerfhipthat I have mentioned. When Ithe Earl of Garlifle returned nom Jamaica, Morean ivas ap- Ipointed deputy -governor and lieutenant general in his abfence ; land, proceeding himfelf, at a fubfequent period, to England, Ike was received very gracioufly, and had the honour of knight- Ihood confe^d qn nim by his fovereign. I hope therefore, indeed have good reaibn to believe, that all or moft of he heavy acculations which have been brought againft this gallant commander, of outrageous cruelty towards his Spanifh iptives, had no foundation in truth.' t Some of thofe men who had fat as judges at the trial of Cluurlesl. are faid to have become peaceable fettlers here, and |o have remained after the Reftoration unnoticed and unmo- lefted. Waite and Blagrove are reckoned of the number, and icneral Harrifon was earneftly prelTed to follow their exam- i 1- ii i6i HISTORY OF THE ri^Sii mid. :'■■> -' i^i BOOK But altho' men of this ftamp were filently per- II. mitted to fix theiufelves in the ifland, the ge- neral body both of the army and people caught the reviving flame of loyalty, and uncerely parti- clpated in the national triumph on the king's re- turn. The reflored monarch, on bis part, not only overlooked their pad tranfgreffioins, but prudently forbore alfo to awaken their jealoufy, by enquiring after any of thofe obnoxious cha- rad^ers to whom they had afforded protedliori. To conciliate the affedlions of the colonifts, whofe valour had annexed fo important an appendage to his dominions, the king even con- firmed their favojiirite General in his cojnmand; appointing D'Oylcy, by a commiilion which bore date the thirteenth of February i6^i, chief go- vernor of the ifland. He was ordered, at the, fame tiipe, to releafe t|ie army ffoim military I fubordinition, to ere£l courts, of judicature, ana, with the advice of a council^ to be e/effed by th\ inhabitants, topafs laws fuitable to the ^xigcAciesj of the colony. This memorable appointment of General D'Oy< ley, with a council elefled by the people, may] be coniidered as the firft eftablifhment of a re-i gularl gulai Jifh J creat< of th( f^ry o readil; thelor dire£ie giaciot of cnc( allotme 3s Wert farther ioimunit quire. ' words fo " and d« ' tural-b ' Jamaic; FREE Have TENTS SUBJECT ' fons /ha to tranfi any of IJQn) fro ries to it u u pie •, but, fuitably to his char&fter, he gloried in the i^omi nious death that awaited him. After his execution, his chil' dren fixed their fortunes in this ifland, where fome of his fcendants, in the female line, are itill living^, in good credli in the pariih of St. Andrew. It is repoitM alfo that the mains of Prefident Bradfhaw were interred in Jamaica; a: I obferve in a iplendid book, entitled MtmtAn of Thomas B tist an epitaph which is faid to have been infcribed oh a ca: non that was placed on the Prefident's grave; but it is, to own knowledge, a modern compofition. Prefident Bradflia died in London, in November 1659, ^^^ ^^^ ^ majniifici funeral in Weftminfter abbey. A fon of Scott, theRegicii Hxed himfelf in this ifland, and fettled the plantation calli— Y S in St. Elizabeth. From a daughter of this man was dfl y^* being Ccended the late alderman Beckfoid. ■P'eafant and IT trade andc As the read at ^fa'ma Sept roll Sc WEST INDIES. i€3 gular civil government in Jamaica, after theEng- CHAP. lifh had become mafters of it ; but, in order to HI. create full confidence of fecurity in the minds of the inhabitants, further . meafures were necef- fary on the part of the fovereign ; and they were readily adopted. D'Oyley defiring to be recalled, the lord Windfor was nominated in his room, and direded to publifh, on his arrival, a royal and gracious proclamation, wherein, for the purpofe of encouraging the fettlement of the country, allotments of land were offered under fuch terms as were ufual in other plantations,, with fuch farther convenient and fuitable privileges and immunities, as the grantees fhQuld reafonably re- quire. The proclamation then proceeds in the words fallowing: — "" And we do further publilh " and declare, that all the children of ourna- « tural-bom fubjedls of England, to be born in " Jamaica, shali^ from their respective « BIRTHS, BE REPUTED TO BE, AND SHALL BE, " FREE DENIZENS OF ENGLAND, AND SHALL " HAVE THE SAME PRIVILEGES, TO ALL IN- I" TENTS AND PURPOSES, AS OUR FREE-BORN SUBJECTS OF ENGLAND; and that all free per* I" fens ftiall have liberty, without interruption, I" to tranfport themfelves and their families, and any of their goods (except only coin and bul- liqn) from anv of our dominions and territo- ries to the faid ifland of Jamaica, &c */'——, M2 Thefe As the reader may be defirous of feeing this proclamation at large, it is here inferted verbatim, Dtcima Septima Part Patent turn de Anno Regni Regis Ca- roU Secundi Tertio decimo. Car. 2di. lyio. PR C L A M A C O N, ^r /A* encouraging of Plant- \(rs in his Maje/fy*s ijknd of Jamaica in the Weft-Indies. Wxx being fully fatisfied that our ifland of Jamaica, being [pleafant and mod fertile foyle, and fcituate comodioull/ p trade and commerce, is likely, through God's blefling, to bee i !■ ill;' • 164 HISTORY OF THE ^i , '» i U^^i BOOK "^^^^^ important declarations have alwavs been II. juflly confidered, by the inhabitants of Jamaica, as bee a greate benefltt and advantage to this, and other our kingdomes and dominions, have thought fitt, for encourageing of ourfubjeAs as well fuch as are already upon thefaidi^ land, as all others that fhall tranfport themfelves thither, and refide and plant there, to declare and publiffa, and y/te doe hereby declare and publiih, that thirtie acres of improveable lands fhall bee granted and allotted, to every fuch peilon, male or female, being twelve years old, or upwards, who now re- fides, or within two years next enfuing, ftiall refide upon the faid illand, and that the fame fhall bee aifigned and fett out by the eovcmor and councell, within fix weekes, next after notice mall be given, in writing, fubfcribed by fuch planter or planters, or fome of them in behalfe of the refl, to the gover- nor or fuch officer as hee fhall appoint in that behalf, fignify. ing their refolutions to plant there, and when they intend to j bee on the place : and in cafe they doe not roe thither, within fix months then next enfuing, the faid allotment fhall bee j void, and free to bee affigned to any other planter* and that every perfon and perfons to whom fuch affignment fhall bee made, fhall hold and enjoy the faid lands, foe to bee afligncd, and all houfes, edifices, buildings and indofures thereupon to bee built or made, to them and their heirs for ever, by and under fuch tenures as is ufual in other plantations fubjeAto us. Neverth^leffe they are to be obliged to ferve in 9xm\ upon any infurre^Uon, mutiny, or forraine invafion, and thatf the faid afllgnments and allotments fhall be made and coo- firined under the publique feale of the faid ifland, with povet to create any mannor or mannors, and with fuch conveoienj and fuitable priveledges and imunities as the mntee fhiU reafonably defire and require, and a draught of fuch affign- ment fhall bee prepared by our learned councell in the law( and delivered to the governor to that purpofe, and that fifhing»flnd pifcharies, and all copper, lead, tin, iron, coal and all other mines (except gold and filver) whhin fuch fpeflive allotments fhall bee enjoyed by the grantees therei reicrving only a twentieth part of the produA of the faid mini to our ufe. And we doe further publifh and declare, that children of our natutall borne fubjeAs of England^ to borne in J^amaica, fhall from their refpeAive births, bee puted to bee, r,nd fhall bee, free Denizens of England; ai fhall have the fame priveledges, to all intents and pur] as our free-borne fubjeds of England^ and that all free C ^ P (« c s ^ , CO ^ Thit it a true l I * His maje « broad feal w Jwith five pine. Ipjum'd and cor |«on in the orb N< WEST INDIES. 165 as a folemn recognition and confirmation by the CHAP, crpwn, of thofc rights which are inherent in, m* and unalienable from, the perfon of a fubjedl oi England, and of which, folong as heipreferves his allegiance, emigration for the benent of the ftate cannot, and furelv ought not, to diveft him. Purfuant to, and in tnc fpirit of the proclama- tion, the governor was inftrudied to call an af- ferably, to be indifferently chofen by the people at large, that they might pafs laws for their own internal regulation and government ; a privilege, which being enjoyed by fuch of their fellow fub- jcAs as remained within the realm, it is prefum- ed they had an undoubted right to exercife, with this limitation only, that the laws which they fhould pafs, were not fubverfive of their depen- dance on the parent flate *. To* fons fhall have libertie without interruption, to tranlport themfelves, and their families and an^r their goods (except on- ley coyne and bullion) from any our doaiinious and territories to the faid ifland of Jamaica, And wee doe ftridtly char^ , and command all planters, foldiers and others, upon the faid ifland, to yield oDedience to the lawfull commands of our right trufty and welbeloved Thomas Lord IVindfor^ now our governor of our faid ifland, and to every other governor there- of for the tyme being, under paine of our difpleafui'c and fuch I pepahies as may be inflicted thereupon. Given at our courte at Whitehall, the fourteenth day of December. P\ iptn. Regem, 7hit it a true copy of the original recorJ remaining in the Chafple of the RoUs^ having bfe^ examined by me \VERA-COPIA/ Henry Rooke, Cf of thi Rolls, * His majefty was likewife pleafed to favour the ifland with li broad feal with the following arms, viz. a crofs gules charged Iwith five pine-apples in a field ardent ; fupporters^ two Indiana Iplunt'd and condaled ', crejl^ an alligator vivant. The infcrip- |tion in the orb, Ecce alium Ramos porrexit in prbem Nee fterilis eft crux. W'^'.. ■■m S66 BOOK II. HISTORY OF THE To thefe feveral teftimonies of royal juftice and favour towards the new colonifta, mav be added the additional fecurity obtained for them by the American treaty, concluded and figned at Ma- drid in the month of June 1670. Vox, after the reiloration, doubts were raifed by the partizan^ of royalty, whether, as the elevation of Crom- well was adjudged an ufurpation, the conquers which had been made under the fandlion of hi^ authority, could be rightfully mai^tained by s^ kingly government ? Although nothing could well be more futile than thefe fuggeftions, it was nevenhelefs thought neceifary to guard againft the conclufions which Spain might deduce from them. This precavtion partly gave' rife to the feventh article of the treaty above referred to, which is conceived in the words following, viz, " The king of Great Britain, his heirsi and fuc- " ceflbrs, fhall have, liold and poflefs, for ever, with full right of fovereign dominion, pror perty and poffeifion, all lands, countries, if- lands, colonies and dominions whatever, iitu- ated in the Weft Indies, or a?iy part of Ameri- ca, which the faid king of Great Britain an4 his fubje'iZ'. and fuc for ever, 3n, pror itries, it- er, fittt^ f Ameri- ^tain an4 and pot ipon any j mayor teftion or ime here- Ithe fove- defencc tcuringtoi its I Ity prevalent I lor fome of la, or claim ^ leded to tk itsdidant fubjedis the enjoyment of their f>ofIer- CHAP. fions ; but unhappily Charles II. was a monarch III. without fleadineis, and a man without integrity. His general condu£l was founded in motives of felfimnefs and deception. About the period of the American treaty, a fcheme having been formed* by him or his minidry for fubverting the liberties of the people at home, it is the lefs won- derful, that the privileges enjoyed by the colo- nids abroad, fhould have been regarded by the king with a jealoufy, which encreaiing with the encreafe of their numbers, broke out at length in- to a^ of open hoflility and violence towards them. , In the beginning of 1678, the ftorm fell on Ja- maica. A new l^item of legiflation was adopted for this ifland, founded nearly on the model of thelriOi conflitution under Poynings's ad; and the Earl of Carlifle was appointed chief governor for the pprpofe of enforcing it. A body of laws was prepared by the privy council of England, among the refl a bill for fettling a perpetual reve- nue on the crown, which his lordfhip was dired- ed to offer to the aflfembly; requiring them to adopt the whole code, without amendment or alteration. In future the heads of all bills (mo- ney bills excepted) were to be fuggefled in the firft instance bv the governor and council, and tranf- imitted to his msyefty to be approved or rejedled |at home; on obtaining the royal c;onfirmation, ;hey were to be returned under the great feal in he fhape of laws, and pafTed by the general af- jfembly ; which was to be convened for no other urpofe than that, and the bufinefs of voting the ifual fupplies ; unlefs in confequence of fpecial .rders from England. If we only refledl on the diflance of Jamaica from reat Britain, we may pronounce, without hefi- tation. ti }6I HISTORY OF THE '■ i'.W BOOK tation, that it was iniDofilblc for tlie coloiw to II. exill under fuch a conltitution and fyftem of go. vemment. W hat mifcondudt on the part of the inhabitants, or what i'ecret expectation on the part of the crown, originally gave birth to this projed, it is now difficult to determine. The moft probable opinion is this.— In the year 1663, the airembly of Barbadoes were prevailed on, by very unjuuifiable means, as will hereafter be {hewn, to grant an internal revenue to the crown, of 4^ per cent, on the grofs produce of that iiland for ever. It is not unlikely that the iteady refu- fal of the Jamaica planters to burthen themfelves and their poderity with a fimilar impoiition, ex. citingtherefentmentof the king, iirft fuggeAed the idea of depriving them of thofe conilitutional franchifes which alone could give fecurity and va- lue to their pofTeffions. Happily for the prefem inhabitants, neither fecret intrigue nor undif. guifed violenpe were fuccefsful. Their |allant anceflors tranfmitted to their po(%erity their ef- tates unincumbered with fuch 9. tax, and their political rights unimpaired ^y the fyftem of go. vemment attempted to be forped 01^ them. " 1 he afTembly (fays Mr. Lon^, rejected the new con- fiitution with indignation. No threats could frighten, no bribes could corrupt, nor arts nor arguments perfuade them to confent to laws thfit would enflave their pofterity." Let me add, as a tribute of juft acknowledgment to the noble ef. ibrts of this gentleman's great ancellor, Colonel Long, that it was to him, Jamaica was principally] indebted for its deliverance. As chief judge the ifland, and member of the council, he exert ed on this important occaiion, the powers wit which he was invefted, with fuch ability and for titude, in defence of the people,,' as to baffle an finally overpower every eflbrt to enflave them " Hiftorical late CJiief C particulars o Wgc — This time, and cai reader. WEST INDIES. 169 )xxyto of go- of the )D the to this . The r 1663, on, by ifier be ; crown, at ifland dy refu- emfelves :ion, ex- iiggefted itutional y and va- le prefent oy undif- ir gftUam [ their ef- and their ;m of go- m. "The new con- ;ats could arts nor laws thit ,add, as a noble ef. >, Colonel irincipallyj [f judge of heexeit jwers will ity and for- baffle am lave theml 111' The governor, after dirinifling him from the pods CHAP. which he had filled with fuch honour to himfelf, HI. and advantage to the public, conveyed him a (late prifoner to England. Thefe delpotic mea- lures were ultimately produAivc of good. Col, Loi)g, being heard before the king and privy council, pointed out with fuch force of argument, the evil tendency of the meafures which had been purfued, that the Englifh miniftry relu^lantly iiibmitted. The aflembly had their deliberative powers reftored to them, and SirThonjas Lynch, who had prefided in the ifland as lieutenant go- vernor from 1670 to 1674, very much to the i'a- tisfadlionofthe inhabitants, was appointed cap- tain general and chief governor in the room of LordCarlifle*. It might have been hoped that allpoflible caufe of future conteft with the crown, on thequeftion of political rights, was now happily obviated ; but the event proved that this expectation was fallacious. Although the aflembly had recover- ed the ineftimable privilege of framing fuch laws for their internal government as their exigencies might require, of which doubtlefs themfelves alone were competent to judge, and although it was not alledged that the laws which they had pafled, as well before, as after the re-eftablifh- ment of their rights, were repugnant to thofeof the mother country, yet the royal confirmation of a great part of them had been conflantly refiif- ed, and flill continued to be withheld. It waa indeed admitted, that the Englifh who captured the * I have fubjoined, as an appendix to this book, ** an " Hiftorical Account of the Conititution of Jamaica,*' by a late Chief Governor of diftinguiihed abilities, wherein the paracul'ars of Lord Carlifle's adminiftration are detailed at large.—- This hiilorical account is now publifhed for the firft time, and cannot fail of proving extremely acceptable to the I reader. * ' • 170 HISTORY OF THE ii '* k' ' ^'•'S. .' i i|l .' BOOK the illand, carried with them as their birth-right, II. thelaw of England as it then flood; but much of the Englifh law was inapplicable to the fituation and condition of the new colonifts; and it was contiended that they had no right to any ftatute. of the Britiih parliament, which had palTed fub- fcquent to their emigration, unlefs its provifions were fpecially extended to the colony ty name. The courts of judicature within the iiland, had however, from neceflity, admitted many fucb ilatutes to be pleaded, and grounded feveral judgments and important determinations upoo them ; and the affembly had pafled bills adopting feveral of the Engliih ilatutes which dia not otherwife bind the ifland ; but feveral of thole bills, when fent home for the royal confirmation, and thofe judgments and determinations of the courts of law, when brought by appeal before the king and council, though not dilallowed, re- mained unconfirmed ; and in this unfettled flate, the affairs of Jamaica were fuffered to remain for the fpace of nfty years. The true cauie of fuch inflexibility on the part of the crown, was no other than the old flory of revenue. For the purpofe, as it was pretenued, of defraying the expence of eredling and repair- ing fortifications, and for anfwering fome other public contingencies, the miniflers of Charles II. had procured, as hath been obferved, from the affembly of Barbadoes, and indeed from mofl of the other Britifh Wefl Indian colonies, the grant of a perpetual internal revenue. The refulal of Jamaica, to concur in a fimilar eflablifhment, the punifhment provided for her contumacy, and the means of her deliverance, have been already flat- ed ; but it was found that the lenity of the crown in relinquifhing the fyflem of compulfion, was expected to produce the effeft which oppreflion had I 'I } WEST INDIES. 171 the part ftory of tenued, repair- ne other larles II. •rGfm the moft of the grant reful'al of nent, the and the eady (lat- he crown ion, was ppreflion had I bad failed to accomplifti. The Englifti govern- CHAP, ment claimed a return from the people of Jamai- III. ca, for having dropt an oppreflive and pernicious project, as if it had adiually conferred upon them a pofitive and permanent benefit ; a claim which all the Britifh miniflers, from the refloration of King Charles to the reign of George II. very cor- dially juftified. The j^lTembly however remained unconvinced. Among other pbjeftions, they pleaded that the monev granted, by the Ifland of Barbadoes was notonoufly appropriated to purpofes widely dif- fereiit from thofe for which it was exprefsly giv- en; ^nd they demanded fome pledge or fecurity againft a iimilar mifapplication ; in cafe they jhould fubjedt their country to a permanent and irrevoeable tax. The miriifters refufed to give ^y fatisfadion in this particular; and finding the afTembly were equally refolute to pafs their jfupply bills from year to year only, as ufual, ad- jviled the fovereign, from a fpint of vindiftive policy, to wave the confirmation of the laws, and tofuffer the adminiftration of juftice in the ifland, to remain on the precarious footing that I have Idefcribed. Such was the a6lual fituation of Jamaica until I the year 1728, when a compromife was happily cfTedled. In that yeir the afTembly confented to fettle on the crown a flanding irrevocable revenue m£. 8,000 per annum, on certain conditions, to which the crown agreed, and of which the fol- I lowing are the principal : ift. That the quit-rents arifing within the if- lland (then eflimated at £. 1,460 per annum) llhould conftitute a part ofliich revenue. 2dly. [That the body of their laws fhould receive the Iroyal aflfent. And, 3dly. That " all fuch laws I" and ilatutes of England, as had been at any ** time »': ^ -A 172 HISTORY OF THE I Vi\ W ' r^ BOOK " time efteemed, introduced, ufed, accepted, or Jl. " received, as la\v6 in the ifland, Ihould be and continue laws of Jamaica for ever." The re- venue adl,' with this important declaration there, in, was accordingly paUed, and its confirmation by the king, put an end to a conteft no lefs dif, graceful to the government at home, thaA injuri, ous to the people within the ifland. I have thus endeavoured, with as muchbrevi, ty as the fubjeiSl would admit, to trace the poll- tic^l conftitution of Jamaica from infancy to ma^ turity ; but although its parentage and princi, pies areBritifh, its outward form has been modi- tied and regulated by various unforefeen events, and local circumftances. In its prefent appear- ance, and adual exercife, however, it fo nearly refembles the fyftem of government in the other Britifh Weft Indian iflands, that one general de> fcription (which I referve for a fubfequent part of my work) will comprehend the whole. A mi- nute detail of local occurrences and internal po- litics, would not, I prefume, be interefting to the general reader*. ^,: * In the year 1687 Chriftpphey Duke of Albermarle was appointed chief governor of Jamaica. This nobleman was the | only furviving fon and heir of general Monk, who had reftor- ed Charles II. and I mention him principally as exhibitin| 4 1 ftrikinsinllance of the inftahility of human greatnefs. The! father Had been gratified with the higheft rewards that a fove- reign could beftow on a fuhje(Et; a dukedom, the garter, and] a princely fortune ; and the fon, reduced to beggary by vice and extravagapce, was driven to the neceility of imploring bread I from James II. The king, to be freed from his importunil ties, gave him the government of Jamaica ; where, dyingl childlefs, a fhort time after his arnval, his honours were ex-[ tinguifhed with his life. The noble Duke lived long enough however to colleA a coniiderable fum of money for his credi-l tors; forentering into partnerfhip ^ith Sir William Phipps, I who had difcovered the wreck of a Spanifh Plate fhip, wmthl hadbe^n ftrandcd in 1659, on a fhoal to the north-eail ofl Hifpaniola.r among 01 —Having iy, becaui adage, fal^ member ii this offem Churchill, vert the ifl lution in IHichefs a( fpeaker of in a high : which the ( arrive at, c nu&snities A own beloved of the Cou In the n earthquake defcription Philofophic that the to> to a rock ix hy the wcig pliiheditsth defcription < tanuwere : theearthqui an intended manded by perfon. Ac three men i>5oo land