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HISTORY

O F

J A M A I C yi,

O K,

GENERAL SURVEY OF THE ANTIENT AND MODERN STATE

or

THAT ISLAND:

RedeSions on its Situation, Settlements, Inhabitants, Climate, Produds, Commerce, Laws, and Government.

IN THREE VOLUMES. ILLUSTRATED WITH COPPEK PLATES.

VOL. II.

— mea Aiit temper hie in re Toluntu et fententia, qucmTu ut hoc vellem de iii, qui efleni tdonn fufiipere, quim me ;— huC) ut nullen), ^luUn nemineiDi

Cic. Orat. inCjeciLtVH.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR T. LOWNDES, IN FLEET-STREET. MDCCLXXIV.

( do I )

C O R R I G E N D A.

V O L. IL

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PLAYS, 8vo. IS. (Jd.te*:h^ Prlntcclfor T. Lowndes.

ACHILLES, by Mr. Gay Alzira, by A. Hill - \ Alzuma, by A. Murphy, t(q; Art- and Nature, by the Rev.

Mr Miller Athclwold,byA.Hill BaibarofTa, by Dr. Brown Beggar's Opera, withmufic Brothers, by Mr. Camberland Coelia, or Perjured Lover ' Cymbelihe, by Hawkins Double Deceit Doable Falihood; or Djf^

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»

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Cataline

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altered by Mr. Garrick

T ^ I

» *

TOPOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION

o F

THE

ISLAND.

CHAP. VII.

SECT. I,

Hamlets. PafTageFort* Market.

JAMAICA is divided into three counties, Middlefex, Surry, and Cornwall. The county of Middlefex contains about 1305235 acres, and has eight parilhes, and fourteen towns and, hamlets; viz^ . '

Parilhes. . Towns.

St Catharine, St. Jago de la Vega,

St. Dorothy, Old Harbour,

St, John,

St. Thomas in the Vale.

; ; IChapeK . Carlifle Bay*

{Rio Nuevo,' ■ Port Maria,. Saltgut. .. jLaughlands, 1 Runaway 'Bay.

1 (hall begin with an account of .St. Catharine ; which, having been the firft-inhabitdd by the Engliih, is entitled to precedence, *' more efpecially as it contains the antient metropolis of St.' Jago djs I la Vega, or, as it is commonly caUed, Span i(h Town:, the.origip*!, , name, being chiefly ufcd in afts of aflembly/ proclamatjans; ^fertJ** other public dbcuments. It is iituated in*'aboat' i^"" V N'ortK'' ti-; VOL. II. B titudc.

Clareodon,

t

Vere,

St. Mary,

St. Ani?e,

• « • « •

.St. Anne,

2 JAMAICA.

tirade, and in 76° 45' longitude, Weft from London. It ftands about ten miles Weftward of Port Royal ; eleven from Kingfton, by the way of Pafliige Fort ; and about eighteen by the road of Halfway -Tree, in St. Andrew's. It is faid by fome authors to have been founded by Chriftopher Columbus, whofe family took the ducal title of la Vega from it. Other accounts, with more ap- pearance of probubiHty, aflerc^ that it was biiiltrby Diego, the fon of Chriftopher, about the year 1520. The accounts given us of its magnitude and opulence are ftrongly fufpefted of exaggeration. Some writers inform us, that it contained above two thoufand Iioufes, fixtcen churches and chapels, and one abbey, before the' invafion under Penn and Venables; and that the Englifh foldiers exercifed their provvefs agalnft 'thefe edifices with fo furious a zeal, as to leave only two churches and about five hundred boufes uu- dettlc^liflied [^]. Other authors, witti more appearance of cre- dibility, relate, that it contained one thoufand feven hundred houfes, tWo churches, iwo chapels, and one abhey : "but feven th-is ao- count allows pretty largely for the Spanifli or white inhabitants; who^ according to the moft certain information of the Englifh oflSkfef s who went over "with the army, and afterwards fettled here, did not exceed fifteen hundred": To that, if thefe writers are to be believed, the houfes out-numbered the inhabitants. The £nglifh. army eftabliflied their head-quarters here; and, as they had oc- cafion for'moiik'df the houfes that were habitable, we mui3: fuj^ofe that they only pulled down thofc of an inferior clafs, together with the religious 'edifices, which, as far as their ruins and tradition can afford evidence, confiftcd of an abbey and two churches, the one called the Red, dad the other the White Crofs. There is reafon to. believe, that, after the feat of government was ti-ansfcrred to Portr Roj^al, the town* of St. Jago became thSimcd of inhabitaiit^,, who.

»

letj fhh U Hkkeriogeirs account. Hfe-wis the eariieft writer on tlic-aflkirs of this ifland, and htmfeif in the anny at the tiine of the conqitelV under Vdnabks ; but it is poffibte, thathe might h%v« efti^iatcd the number of houfes by conjedure onlyy^r* been niifinlbnned. According to the beft tefBrnoiries, the whole EngliHi army, at the time of their entering the town, did not confill. o( mbte than dboMt nine thouiiind,' including a regiment of maHnes. AUotving therefore ten fo cai;hiK>ufej|*when.they were -in q^iirters (w^ichi'Cqnfniknnig th^ ^naUoefs of thefe ediikesy nuay. be reckofved RiH ftifficient)^ the number they /pared from deflruftion may be fuppofed about nikie "^undredy Sor tfie aito)mmodation of the. officers and men.

gradually

BQOt; III., CHAP. VII. 3

gradually left k, either to re^de at the new metropolis^ or to fpread themfelves in the countxy: in confequence of which, a great many of the Spaniflj houfes were fufFered to decay; and others were pulled down, to enlarge areas ; while feme were converted into ware- boufb$ and ft^bles ;: fy that at prefent it does not contain more than between four and five hundred inhabited by white pcrfons ; but, when thofe inhabited by free Negroes, Mulattoes, and flaves, are taken ioto account, the whole number may be eftimated at about twelve hundred. The prefent church was eredled where the SpanifliRed Grofs Church forpjerly ftpOd, at the Eaftern end of the town ; the WWtejQroft ftpod at the Nqrthern extremity, at a fmall difkucc from the river, on a very agreeable (pot, which is now occupied with a bandfi>nie modern-built houfe* On digging the foundation for this houfe, (everal large pieces of wrought ftone were turned up. They appeared to be of the white lime-ftone, or fpecies of (hell- marble, to common in the neighbouring hills, and to have been the lintels of doors or wiadstws belonging to the old church [6]. The abbey was fituated on the South fide of the parade, where the guard-room and chapel now ftand, and extended back to the go- vernor's faoufe. The bafes of two columns, which once fupported a large arch-way leading into the abbey, were viiible but a few yeftrs .?go : they ftood near the South end of the public offices, were about eight feet Iquare, compofcd of brick-work, cemented with io fine, a mortar, that in removing them the bricks were all (hivered in . pieces. I have {^tn in this town a great many large ilone-mouldings, for the bafes and other parts of columns ; which, as well as the fculptures dug out of the ruins of Sevilla Nueva, in St. Anne's« appeared to have been executed by no mean artifts. The Spaniih ecclefiaftics (however blameable in other relpeds) mu(| be allowed ibme merit in having cultivated the elegances of archi- tei^are in thefe remote parts of the world. Some of their public

[^] In blocks of this ftone, or marble, I have feen very perfe<f^ Hiells of the Janaaica mufcle and poStina. In Come parts of the country, where it overfpr^ds the furface, and has fuffered a torrefa^oa frmti the accidental firing of the woods in dry weather, it appears pitted all over ; and the ]i(tle cavities, pnly -^vided finom each other by ihai^ points, thefe have been occafioned by violent ihowers filing upon the rock when its face was foftened by iiie. A gentleman^s hopfe built of this material, being unfortunately burnt^ the walls continued landing till a ieaibn of heavy fai» came qp; whon theyfair]y dijKiU^d into a fubArate of Uow.

B 2 ftrudures

4 JAMAICA-

ftruilures at St. Domingo, the Havannah, La Vera Cruz, Cartha- gena, Panama, &c. would make a noble figure even in European cities. The fanatic rage, or hecdlefs indifference, of the English who firft fettled in Jamaica, occafioned the ruin of the Spanifh buildings dedicated to religious ufes here ; fb that pofterity Can only form an opinion of their magnificence from fuch fragments as here and there are to be found in a negledled ftate, as being of too large dimcnfionstobe employed in any building of modern ftyle# In the fituation of the town, the Spanifli founder (hewed a good deal of judgement, but not much regularity in the diipofition of the ftreets; yet it is better laid out than mofi: of thofe m England. That a Weft-India town (hould be irregularly planned is^ indeed; almoft inexcufable, not only on account of health, which ought to be principally regarded, but becaufe it is formed as it were at once. Thofe in England had not the fame advantage; they grew for the moft part from two or three folitary cottages, planted by the fide of fome road, or at the interfedlion of crefs-roads, which having been traverfed at firft without any exafttiefs, the fam^ meandring lines continued after the fides of thefe highways were^ built upon and converted into ftreets; which name is derived with more propriety from the word^r^/, or narrow, than from Jiraight or not crooked, when it is applied to the towns of England. St* Jago ftands on a rocky flope, gradually afcending from the river Cobre to an extcnfive plain, called the Town Savannah ; fo that th^ rain-water, which fometimes falls heavily, efpecially in the feafons, pafles away with a free current into the river ; by which means the town is guarded from many inconveuiencies. From Port Royal harbour it is diftant about fix railes^N. W. 5 a;nd, the land having aa eafy fall from it to the water-fide, without any intervening morafs. It receives the fea-breeze with little diminution of fiorce or purity. Towards the North it is about two miles from the hillsy which fink fb much in that diredion, in compliance with the courfe of the river, as to give a fine opening from the extenfive vale of Sixteen- jBaile-walk,. and admit the land-wind.. Thetown is about a mile in length, and fomewhat nwre than a (quarter in breadth, lying longitudinally North and South ; and contains about twenty ftreets and lanes, a fquase^ a church, a chapel, and other public build*

ings„

BOOK' II. CHAP." VII. 5

ings, which I Ihall particularly (peak of. The church is fituated in the South-Eaft quarter of the town, near the entrance c6ming from Paflage Fort. It is an elegant building of brick, in form of a crofs, confifting of four ailes, of which the main aile meafures <me hundred and tweiity-nine feet in length, and twenty-nine in bi^eadth. As it is without a tower/ the congregation is fummoned by a fmall bell hung in a wooden frame, which is erefted in the church-yard; the pulpit, pews, and wainfcotting, are of cedar and mahogany ; and the ailes for the moft part paved with marble. The altai^-piece is handfome, and adorned with^ciVved wbrkt and the decalogue in gilt letters: fronting it, at the 'Weft end of the 'main aile, is a gallery fupported on columns, and furhifhed with an exceeding fine organ, which coft 440/. fterling, and was fet up in the year 1755. The organift has a falary of 1 20 L per annum currency, paid by the pari(hioners, and receives other emoluments, his aiiiftance being generally required atthe funeral obfequies ^ven of thisvfree Negroes and Mulattoes buried in thU pariih. The cieling is neatly coved, and graced With two magnificent chandelier? ofgiltbrafs; and the walls are hung with feveral monuments of marble, plain, but well-executed. The governors- pew is diftin- guiihed from the reft by being raifed higher, and crowned with ^ panopy. i. The two chandeliers were the gift of private perfons ; and p^rt; erf. the communion plate, I have been told, was plundered from a Roman catholic church fome years ago, at the attack of Port Louis, in Hifpaniola : it has more of grandeur than elegance in its fafhion. The building was crefted in two years, at the parochial expence, on the foundation of the former one, which wSs irreparably damaged by the hurricane of Auguft, 171 2* About the year 1762 it received a thorough repair, and ae pre^nt yields to ixone in the ifland for a becoming neatnefs* The provifion made for the reftor confifls of a very convenient dwelling-houfe in the town; fixty acres of rich paftu re-land, within a fmall diftance of it, the donation of Mr. Edwards Morgan in 1674; and upwards of five hundred acres in , the neighbour- hood, patented in the fame year ** for thq ufe of the parifh of Sc^ <« Catharine, towards the maintenance of the minifter:'^ but this latter parcel has not as yet been appropriated to the original defign ^

the

6 JAMAICA,

the differ^ut incumbents having been either unwilling or unable* by reafbn of the expence, to difturb the pofleffioii of thofe perfons who have occupied it ; -though it will fcarcely adcnit of a doubt, but that, it wd^ meant as a glebe; to be annexed to the rc^oxy in perpetuum^ there being no other affigned tO; the putpofe. The prev lent redlor i« Do^or Lindfey ; the ftipend is 300/. currency /er annum: but the whole profit of the living has been eftimated doubli that fuoi at lead ; for, as the duty is great, tiie occafional fcts are conliderable«

ft

The chapel (lands on the South, tide of the Square, near the.go- vernor*s houfe. It is built much in tl>e ftyle of the common-halls belonging to the ioas of court in London : the walls ar^ crowned with battlements ; and on the centre of the roof is a cupola and clock* It was founded juft after the earthquake of 1692, in a re* ligious pauic, during the adminiftration of Sir William Beefton* How loi>g it remaned coniecrated to pious uies is ^uncertain ; but the founder, as if cotifctous that a wicked race of people would fuc* ceed, who, fbigetful of that calamity, miglit incline to pro&ne it, cauied an inlcriptioo, cut in marble, to be fixed up on one end of the building ; which denounces a mofi terrible imprecation againft any perian or perfons who (hould dare to put it to any other ufe than that tor which it was originally intended. Notwithfkmding diis, it was a&erwards converted into an arfenal of finall-arms, chiefly ItOT the tree N^roes and Molattoes. In the year 1760, it con* tained two thoufand fix hundred and (eventy-two ftand of firelocks^ and three hundred and three brace of piAols : it generally has a iland of about three thooland; for keeping of which in good order, the alicinbly pay an annual iaiary to an armourer. Adjoinii^ to this ftruiSture is the guard-houle ; where a party of regulars are every day on duty to attend the governor. The governor's, or, as it is more ufually called, the kii^*s houle occupies the whole Weft fide of die fquare. The plan of this pile was defigned and ap-^ proved of under the admintflratioo of lieutenant-^govemor Moore ; but the building was not comj4eted till the arrival of his ex* cellency governor Lyttelton in 1 762. ft was ereded, at the Ible charge of the ifland, under the infpedion of Mr. CndkeB, then cngiMer of Jamaica, and defigned for the ufual place of refidence

of

BOOK III. CHAP. VII. 7

of tho commander in chief. The expence of building and fur- niOiing it amounted to near 30,000/, currency; and it is now thought to be the nobleft and beft edifice of the kind, either ia North -America, or any of the Britifli colonies in the Weft-Indies. The firft floor is raifed about four feet above the ground ; the fe- cond is an Attic ftory ; tlie length of the facade is about two hun- dxed feet; .and of the whole <ange, including the yard and offices^ about two hundred and fixty. The cornices, key^ftones, pediments, copings, and quoins, are of a beautiful free-ftone, dugout of the. Hope river courfe, in St. Andrew*s pariflh. The entrance is by a lofty portico, proje6ling from the middle of the front about fifteen feet, fupported by twelve columns of Portland-ftpne, of the Ionic order. The pediment which rifes above the .Attic ftory is ibperb,^ and very properly ornamented with the imperial arms^ of Great- Britain, in carved work weli-exccuted. The pavement of the por- tico is of white marble, the afcent to which is by a flight of fteps of the feme material. This ^portico gives an air of grandeur to the whole. t(uilding, and very happ.il|r breaks the . length of the front. Two principal entrances lead through it inta the body of the houie ; the one opcn3 inta a lobby, or ante»^hamber ; the other, into the great faloon, or hall of audience:, which is well-propor- tioneil,. t-he dkneniions behig about feventy^three by thirty feet, and the height about thirty-two : from the cieling, which i$ coved,, haqg two brafs gilt luftres*. A fcreen, of feven large Doric pillars^, divides the faloon from an* upper and lower gallery of communica- tion, which range the whole length on the Weft fide ;. and the upper one is fecured with an elegant entrelas of figured iron work.. The Eaft or oppofite fide of the faJoon is finiflied with Doric pi-- lafters ; upon each of which are brafs girandoles double-gilt ; andi betweeaeach pilafter, . under the windows of the Attic ftory, are placed, 00 gilt brackets, the bufts of Icveral ancient and modern: philofophers and poets, large as life ; which being in bronze, the darknefsof their complexbn naturally fuggefts the idea of fo many Negroe Caboceros, exalted to this honourable dlfti nation foe fome peculiar lervices rcixdered tp the country. At the North end, over a door which opens into the lobby, is a fmall moveable orcheftra, piade to hold a band of mufic on feftive occafions. The furniture jf below-

8 JAMAICA.

below confifts of a great number of mahogany chairs and fettees, fufficient to accommodate a large company ; this room being chiefly \ ufed for public audiences, entertainments, balls, and the hearings of chancery and ordinary. At the South end are three folding- doors, opening into a fpacious apartment, in which, by the gover- nor's permiflion, die council ufually meet ; whence it has received the name of the council-chamber. At this end it was defigned to place full-length portraits of their prefeht maj.efties, and likewife of the prince of Wales and his late majefty, between the pilafters ; but I am informed they have not yet been obtained. Above the coun- cil-chamber is a banqueting-room, or drawing-room, of the fame, fize, hung with paper, and neatly furnilhed. This room commu- nicates with the upper gallery and a back ftair-cafe, and enjoys a view of the faloou through fome windows ranging with thofe of the Attic ftory : it is feldom ufed, except on public days, and is per- feftly well-calculated for the purpofe. Thefe different apartments take up about one-half of the whole building. The room over the lobby, being (bmewhat darkened hy the pediment of the por- tico, was converted by governor Lyttelton into a chapel, for pri- vate devotions. It is neatly fitted up, and with great propriety adapted to this ufe. The Northern divifion of the hbufc confifts of three large rooms below, communicating with each other, and with a long gallery; all of which are handfomely furnifhed and well-lighted: this gallery has commonly been ufed either for public fuppers, when balls were give'i\ in thfe'hall,' or as a flieltered and re- tired walk in wet weather. The upper ftory is dii^oied in a fuite of chambers, divided by a long narrow gallery from a range of fmaller apartments or clofets, intended fdr lodging the governor and part of his houfhold. * The tw6 NoYtliernmoit rooms above and below are provided with a chim'ney, and ali thre heceflary ap- paratus for a good fire ; which in the rainy feafbiis is healthy and not difagVeeable. In this new building ard three ftair-cafes, all of which are private ; a circumftance, perhaps, overlooked when the plan was drawn, and not more attended to when it came to be ex* ecuted : yet there is fufficient Ipace in the lobby for carrying up a very magnificent central one, anfwerjibk to the other parts of fo capital aflru£ture; and this no doubt will, fotoe tirtaie. or other, be'

added

B O Q,K . II. CHAP. VII.

intermixed: biitit is not To well cuttrvite'd as to ixierit a further* ilelcription. Ad^oiiiiiig to^'yj are two littl^ iqWiire'courts, furrouiidcd with* the old buildiqgg, 'which' Wrtijprehend fevei^il lodging- rooms i the private fecretar/s office, *a large fdryants hail, kitchen^ and other convenient 6^ce^. ;* ^utH'of the \vhole 'is a {picimas area, cnviroiwd v^ith the ftpbl.es, coach- houfe', granary, &c: and this area communicates vvlth, t|;ie pafade, or great fquare, by a large gate- way. All the apart'naents' and oflkes belonging "to the ho\ife afe ^tremely^c^mmdaious 'aild atry. ^ lii mort, 1 believe "Vhere is: no one of all thb colonics 'where thecommanSer in chief is* lodged in a inanner mora' fuitafcJe tq ^is torivftnienc^, and thb dignity of his rj^nk. Ox\ fi}t^ oppofite fid^ of tHe parade, direftly fronting'the go- ybrnor*s houfe/ is a cbioflal building, erected likewilc by the inha«- bii^nts or tHje/iflaha at a' very great expehcc : it was begun about jfeyepteen or eighteen years '^ago^ but is not yet completed, nor pro- bably ever will be. It putVus'ih mind' of 'the gentleman's beard, defcrib^dty Martial, ihat grew un^er the operation of a bungling barber; the half firft-fhaved called again for the razor bfefore the pther half was finiflijed. This huge pile of brick and mortar is rudely raif^d imto two ftorieg. Below is an. arcade of large extent, of ^xteen. circular arches, and ohe elliptical in the centre, of ruftic work^ upon the top of which is a lofty pediment raifed upon four Ppric .columns. The body of the building li retired, to afford an jQpen gallery, fecured by a balluftrade, and floored with pitch pinc- ^ards^ y^ry badly adapted to the climate, where the rain and fun arc .to fjieftru^ive to wood- work thus expbfed. ' The upper ftory is afc^ded by a largie ftair-cafe, which divides ffom the firft landing In^o two bratiches^ both terminating at the two ends of a fpacioiis lobby ; the South end opens into tHb aflembly-chamber and fpedk^r^s rpom ; the other cikI, into the xr^urt- houfe and jury-room ; and the

^ " the feveral offices of the

■

chancery, and clerks 6f

^^he crojvp ^b4 9pufJ;. for the ufe of. which, as they coft fomewhat

.^cu^Y^Ujr in, repair?, thefe officers pay to the jpublic a certain mo-

7VoL;IL '"' '■ ■•' C^ ' • tJerate

lo JAMAICA.

derate rent, amounting to much lefs than they would pay, if ihcy were obliged to hire houfes, which formerly was the cuftom. The offices being thus fo compa<flIy difpofed, and fo contiguous to the courts of juftice, a very fignal convenience refults to all perfbns haviijg bufinefs to tranfaft in them. The aflembly-chambcr, or comnions-houfe, is about eighty feet in length by about forty; At one end of it a fore of amphitheatre is railed, with mahogany,, fome little elevation above the floor^ and lined with feats for the members : the fpeaker*s chair is exalted ftill higher. On the floor is a long table, at which the clerk fits; ?nd thereon are regularly* heaped, during the feffioo, leveral manufcript folios of laws, * mi- nutes, and votes, the Euglifh ftatutes at large, votes of the Britifli houfe of commons, with penSf, ink, and paper, for the in(lru(5fiba ^ad accommodation of the fenators. The fpeaker*s foom is fur- fiifhed with proper conveniences for the private committeeSap* pointed to meet in it. The cieling of the commons-houfe is loiffy^ and vaulted, except the part of it immediately over the feats ; this. IS boarded and flat, in. order to render the debates mpre diftinftand^ audible. The court- houfe is well-defignedx apd extremely eony- modious for the judges, jury, barrifters, and other part-ies rtlat at- tend it.. The doors of the two houfes/ arc diredly fronting each other ; (b.that,. wbeu the fupreme court is l)eld durine the feil^o^i of the aflfembly, the fpeaker and chief-juftice are feated vis ayis^ Thus, thp JAidges feem tacitly- admoniihed to a juflrVdifpenfanon of the law and their duty ;, their .coiidujft being aolenable to thelhquL- .fition and. impeachment- pf the commons iu aflenabry. The. two. bodies t^us.circumftauced,, the one m^t rorframii)g, amending, or ^fcpealiug, the, other lior|ciiforging,. expounding^ x)r ^eci^iijg iipbri,, ^thc laws, afford to the fpe^ators a ftrTking piiSlure of the'lekitfafive and. executive departments,. a5 moulded ^by obr happy cpnftitutioii ^thougfab here exhibite<i f only i.ivi,npini^ture), each Jiarmoifizing'the otlier; euer aAing and re-acting ;^ vacious, y^t concurreijt, THis building, which. Kntt one entire fide drtHe parade or. ^uait, had: originally a. cupola on the middfe of the roof, which ^gaV^ ^^' ?!?• pearance of lightnefs and variety fto the view ^ biftj having aftfer-- wards^ been foundtpo cumbeffome^ and prodbftive of fqih* . ihcbn- teuiences, it was taken down i by which mLsans^ ttie!fjrotat feems.

too.

^/„„., v< /. y/K::.. y

V «

•

, . V

BOOK II. CHAI^. VII. II

too mu^h extended^ atid has top heavy an a(pe£): to pleafe the eye. The brick columns 6( thd arcaide iaare' much too maflire and clumfy, appearing as if they were intended to luftain fome eoomious' weight, but hitherto fupporting only a flight floor, which is fo leaky as riot to attfwer the pwi^pofe of ferecciing the offices and paf-- ieiigers underneath from a franfienl fliower. The pediment in the • centre, and the projediou of the/fpeaker^s aiid jury room^ a( each, end, are fome littte relief. But; taking the whole 'ftra^re to- gether, and refleding on the, vaft fums of money that have been thrown away upon it, we may juflly queflion, whether confum- mate diihonefty or ignorance Was the chief architeft [€].

On

[r] From the gran^ or fupreine la«(f-court whick i$ held here (If tffe chaft in efHdn be Ibr a fum above 500 iL fterling), kn appeal lies' to the court of erroh ; or, if febtence of death |)e paifed for felony, the appeal is to the governor alone, who for all fuch crimes^ except tnuTxler and treafon^ can ratify or annul rhe judgement of the tourt as he pleafes ; but, ^n the two laft-nientioned caCes^ may either refpite the offt:nder till the rpyal pleafure thereupon *beknQ,wn, or order immediate ex^uGbn* 'the grand court is held fouf times a year, eacli feflion continuing three weeks. Til the year 1758, aH caiifes of more ih^n forty (hillings' throughout the ifiand were tried irt thiitf town ; when an a6k was palTed for dividing the ifland into three circuits, in each of which aHizin are held the like number of times in the year. ' From the courts that are held in Suny and Obiti-' wall, a njeaire Hes in ^me cafes to that in Spanifh tTown. All iilfbrmations upon iBAimi /or biieacti of the laws of tr^de and navigation, duties, cuftoms, imports and exports, c^uit-rents, and efcbeats^ are triable in the fupreme court only. And, in all anions for the property in itaves or their free- dom, or in eje&ment, dower, panition, tides affeding lands or tenemetits arifing in the countiet of Cornwall or Surry, the judges of ^e'fupttme court may direct the ifhe'.to be tried af St. Jago de la Vega by a Middlefex jur}% From the grand court the appeal goes on, as before related, to the court of errors ; and, after judgement given in the court of errors, the party cafi may travel with hif caufe before the king in council at home ; he muf^ indeed, ai'ber the decifion in the couit of errors, if it affirms the fentence of the grand court, pay into the complainant's hands the amount of the a<5tion, he giving iecurity to the defendant for re-pnyment of it in caie the (en*' tcnce ihould be reveried at home.

«

It is true, that hy thefeappeal^ it has been fuppofed that juftice is more likely to be admi- niftered; but they are nevertheleis highly prejudicial with regard to the immoderate delay which neceflarily ienfues : for, let the evidence be ever fo clear and cohclufive, ah acHon of debt upon d limple bond may l)e brought by the defendant (after judgement has been obtained upon it in th^ girand court j before tne governor^ and council in the court of errors; where itmaypofflbly (lumber a whole year, or more, before it can be heard and deqided, and before the plain^ff can receive anyjulllce or redrelsj for, how defirous foever the governor himfelf may be to hafbn judgtiticnt, it is not sdways in his power to do if. He may advertife the holding fiich a court 60m time to time, but to very little purpofe, unlefs a quorum of his' council are pleafed alio to attend ami afBil him \ who are fb^netimes interefied in the matter in difpute, either as principals or coUaterak, and confequently fo far difqualified to prefide upon it as judges. I have before ob*> fepred on tjbe incoav(Siiiences which attend this appeal-courr; and (hall therefore only add, that it bat long bedl^ie fm^ere >Yifh of all the inhabitants (except the partizans of knavcr>' and htiga*

. * C 2 ' tion)^

II .TiV .lAIID .11 y.OO'c:

U r JAMAICA...

On the- North ^de of , the parade is... a,.lmfm byilduig,. c?ille<J th* old cpurf -houfe, wlwrc th^rupr^fpej/jQiu-t... was formerly, hcld^ an3

i. •* 'i . ^' 1 - r ■ ,!

tiob). to 55w it pntMay^b»Jfftcd5-iT*^i«4geJj5^r^p^ 4y>fift are,,vtilfa,with.5^ci>rivile|e.of pfcfiding either ijj the Surry ^ or Cornwall courts, as well as that in Miiddlefex ; whereas none of the puime judge's, who" are Specially ap^iritedTor elthe/oF the foriiier, are periViIfted to' fit in the Utter. Tlie feimber of aJTidps,' VirHich iii'tlwdlifqill i^^ihnilaity ^w Wery }(car hrii^kt l?cftTC te graod coiy-ri .^iU>pp^ar ili^oil ihcredibte : ycttlpc 1k>oks'of ' eutr)' id thq clerk of the courts of- fice, which are an undoubted authority in this lefpeft, (hew, that there are near four thoufand new onesinfTituteff/iT /?;/»i!^/ iipdn dh' a\^di*dg;e: lflei(cc'tf tottceptiotiftiay bcfdrmed o^ Vhe vaft qMAtixy of ^ufihefs tninl%cl«d hi ibii eousr, ^id^of the ciiiblumcnto derirpci from it co the tpcni' bers of tire law. JfV^nofig *|V |thf /cawfcs. >yhicb laid, to ;J^?^??^'pUcatjofi gf.tKis evil, none arc mom conducive than the following : ift, the fraudulent condu6iE of Sixecutors ; adiy, the transfer of property from hand to hand by exchange of papers ; jdly, the fallacious fixtures of plats by i9gailh;!t^ignqr?mt land-fuiKCyors ;, AX^iVy, theyca^ djday o/ juftic;^. by a rauliiplicity of ^ppeal- c<»)frts ; .5thly, cxpcij(ive ai^d diflipated hal?jt^,,Qf }fyi|;ig^: of th^e, tl^e,laft- mentioned may he reckoned the principal. Property here is oftencr rather nominal than real. A man, in pblleflion of an efbte yielding zooo /^ fer oftnumy fpends as muc^, and. lives as though he a(5):ually had a ught to a clear income of that arapunt^ nopvithitandin^ it may, be grcady encumbered. The con- jfectuence of this muft be» that^.if. he foendg.tjit; whole; incofne at the very time wheii he owes at leail one half. 9(J5l*^ value of his property, in a vqry.fe^' vears he is obfigcd to part with both' the cflat^ aatl incotnetpo;. clpccially if any p^ the ufual cafualties^ Nuchas tHe death of Negroes and cs^xlci djrow4h„or iloojis, Ibould happea^to irt)pairrit. . iV;^vi>^ planter,. th<^re!bre, flipuld never ipend abpvq.ionp Uaixd ,of .his income, i^pr yaluj^ hi^ property a^t a Wo^her.proportipi).. , iBut how prcca- rioiu foever fortunes are in this part of the world, apd Hable, from various and innumerable caufes, to fuddcn changes^, and however frequent fuch inftances ; yet few here tak<j warniqg by the fate o(; others, or. fecm awake^.to tjicir, own.dapgcr,. till aujiappjly thpy experience the famc^them- Idvesijifethai- wC'inay,^pl^j5W^tjMvenal'%^d 0^^^^^^ his dajs : .',,,-.-(.. r. ) : »

Pauper tate. Sat. ili. r. 170, ttfenueni.

•* — Here atiir d beyoild our piirfe v\?e go^

** For ufcleis otnament and Haunting diew : , ,

" We take on truft, in filken robes to Ihine, .

"Though poor, knd yet ambhious to be fineJ' .* ' Dryd. , And this is literally true of us j for we are To ambitious to live up to, or rather beyond,' tKc no- minal income of our eftates, that fometmies a j>crfbn, whofe produce amounts in groft to,atleaft fix or feven thoufand pounds a year, is greatly diilrerted to pay hii taxes, or even toraife'tlic fum of fifty pounds. "' . ."

In ihort, To numerous are the law-fuits in the ifland Wn different caufes, and the Tees'paid to council fo large, that the gentlemen of the l>ar make feveral thoufand pounds^r ant^m by thcii pradnce ; and, in regard to attornies, there are. not lb few sft one hundred \ ibrae. o'f \<rho(n, 4ri'Ji few years, acquire very confulerable fortunes. The etil praclTces of fome imoug thr^n '.diftlefl for a reguliition by law. Accordingly, an aC^ oraflembly, jttffed in. \ 753, bfdarhs,^*thatiidne Ih'afl be admitted to pradife as folicitor or proiSlor ih any court of law oVe<!juity in this ifl*inrf,'*\i^ithout producing his admiflion as fuch in Wclhnlnfter^hall ; or court ofchjlncery, klng*s-bendi, tdmnfon- pleas, or exchequer in Ireland ; or unlefs he rfiall have been an articled cl^k ftveyfeW atiealFto 'a fworn-attoruey or folicitor in Jamaica, and certified upon examination before two barrlftera to

BO«0If> 11. r.cUAP. 711. 15^

of'th^re iJoult^ iiitd mote'COnveuielW places, .it fe of^no furthcir ufe than for every corfimander in chief, on:hisfirft arrival in the toorn^ to go into and hvke the ufi>al oaths ; 'and at other firties for holding feleeHohs-'bf- the prffdchml rept^fej^tSttves-or ciRqers j: .andj Barinff tmithVh^, as'a giVardi-roona for thd militia. Adjoming to this ftltiOnire *s a rafnge-'of building, which fills -up:this fide of the iija2irCy and compi'^eiiei^dsa tavWn, a lodgingJioafe, and a barber's fiiop; all of which; are well fitu^ated for good bufinefs in their way* ^tltefe houfeB make art -{^ppearanoe that is rather difgraceful to the Kfihet environs- of 4h'4 %ua*^e.- ' Ttie tavern is an old Spaniih JjiuiW* ifig, -whtehV traHi+fOn fayg, Hvas iantriently aitable' foirithe/mule^ ahd -horfrt feidlbnging to theSpanifli governor. TheTqiJare ha^ Within-it ^ta dftagoftal inclofure^ furrounded with a parapet-.wdll aUd raik, ^ifetjuped at proper diftances by brick quadrangular co- liHUBS, croMied with frce-Aont; ithis was intended as an prna- nettt, 'fctet 4t -lanfortufliately feas^ too ^naucht the rcfeinblance of > wittet^fj^ : » *<!Ma' t vVb of rtic fktes a^e idcauble jgates for ;thfi CQUveijiienc^ df paflage jfitofiA 'the pflblidfc 4^ais to tbeigoveirnor's hpufe. T,he originarhoufe of refidence fdr 6ur governoraiconfiffed partly of tht old Spanish edifice, and- partly - of -irregular additions jioad^ from titne to*tfin6 by Sir \^illiam Bsefton aad'.other Engliih cotTi?nander» in chitff. 'TheSpanifli hallof airdieoce was compleatly teft ,tili the year 1761, when it was entirely pulleA down to.make.Toom.for the prtfent building: nothing df ait (or elegatiae graced -tbje iniide of niis halL: it was lined throvSgh^lit with- boards, or rather. plaaks^ uttcquallT hewn with an adzis^j <none^of theto appealing, to ha?« iindet^oi^^the embetlifliment of the plane ;'thefe were rudej.y. nailed

be £t|y ^iiiliBcd ifoir^chj profcffiou, So pPtfonv who have-beca writers ;p. tJi^ fignet in Scotlaiul lor ihree^ycars, , m^y, upon producing certificate of ftich (ervic^, ^n4 going thro ugn one year's furtKcr clerlcfliip in'Jdmaica, and b<?ing npprdverf of upon fimilar trxitni nation,' <3e admitted \ii* llfec iniBlUr. .iMdptd^«ttet odllufivfe Oo^pailttteffllipSy nlbpartnerfhipsKVX^iicHk^ed i^tweeu attorniis MKVfeliekorS}.Ji<ii(^b(^l'£fiu(j^d^to writu^g^ dujy fi^Bed, foaled, a^d'executed, m £D^cn, and recorded in rbe fecrefar^^s office ; and the name&of all the partners ijidorfed on all writs, and other pVckrefs and proceedings, *whi^fein' they m^y be cbncertied. ' And, ' in older t6 put a ftop to fri voloua iiiltf , ftisi^Diftidls^iaildtlftr kw^, that, If^theidebo nod damagie^ tc^l^e rocQT^ed/jppf> any perfonal ac* tm '(i]f4f^ Alrf-fnafterB afijp^tkkg.titles or intrred'of land, flaives, or -their freehold or inheritance) appear not to amount to forty (hillings, or upwards, no greater cods (hall be allowed to the plaintitt* tkitf ySat fdm of fufch ' jMSt or damages ; but teis may be awarded at difer«tipD of the court. '

to

n JAMA J' C A.

to upright pofts, which ; fupported the I'oof, The pofts were fgi^ the moft pane crooked, not even ^uar^d, and many of them bad fome remnant of their bark; but they retained for the mod par^ their primitive folidity. The whole of the wood- work, indeed, feemed to have pafled through no other hands than thofe of a clumfy (hip-^carpenter. The Sp^nifli tafte for the elegancies of archite£hire feems to have been reftrifted to their religious ftruc^ tures. They are^ however, to be- commended for providiiig all their American towns with a fquare. The fquare in this tovvii is not only a decoration, but the means of rendering the governor's houfe, and the courts of juftice, more airy, pleafant, and health^ ful. In the. Weft-quarter of the town ftand thq gaol.fpr the county of iM iddlefex^ a free-(chool, a poor<-houfe, and the ihzm^ bles. The gaol is a fquare of eighty-five feet, and contains an opc^i area within of about fifty-two : it is under the dire^H^ion and ma- nagement of the provoft-marfhal, or his deputy, who iometj^nes is net fo careful as besought to be in, ordering the apartments to be kept clean and wholefome: on the contrary, the rgom: appointed for the reception of felons, which runs along one .fide of the court, is fo Idaded with filth in general^ as to be perfeftly peftilential, not only to the mifcrable wretches who are there confined, but to the poor debtors, who now and then jare indulged with liberty of accefs into the court by way of enjoying a (hort walk in the open air : add to this, that on the outfide of the wall there is fufifered a conftant accumulation of putrid mvd and water, fufiicient to poilbn all the neighbouring atmofphere. In this delightful place of cuftody debtors ahd maicfaOcorp of all forts^ all fexes^ and com^ plexions, are promiicUoufly crowded; a circumftance highly dilj- graceful to the publick humanity, more eipecially in a country where it is thought politically expedient to maintain ^ diftin£tion between Whites and Negroes. It is therefore not a little aftonllh- ing, that the debtor and the criminal (hould be huddled together ; and that White perfons, who have committed no other ofience than that of iniblvency, ihould be allbciated with the moft beftiat and profligate wretches of the Negroe race, as if it was intended to ihew that incarceration, like death, is a levelcr of all dMlindions. The number of perlons geacrally in . confinement fi^niifts of about

twelve

BOOK If. CHAP. Vn. fs

twelve Whites and oiie htindrcd Negroes. Upon enquiry m lyOtf it was found that the whole allowance, given to the debtors for their fuftenance, was one pickled-herring and fire plantains each pr diem (value feven-pence halfpenny)^ or two cakes of caflada^ bread in lieu of plantains : this was barely enough to keep life and foul together. From this fpecimen^ Ibme judgement may be formed of the hardfliips which a malicious creditor may in thi^ country infiia upon his debtor j and it is therefore not in the leafll furprizing^ that, to avoid fuch company, fuchfare^ and abominable Ibd^'ilgi k debtor (houM run all hazards, atid defefid himfelf by force attd atn^V rather thaar enter into this hole of Calcutta. The IaW«, however, are rather more favourable here than in England r for a rfebtoK delivering an- account upon oath of all his effe^^s^ end having nothing to maintain him, mray be^ let to hire ra ojpen court; which Is now a mere form, and'amodeof his deliverance;. itK^^i^y creditor, dtifenting and Infiftmg on his continuance h1'geiel> muft'pay the debtor a weekly fubfiftance of three (hillings and ftft* pence for fo long as ^. remains in durefle-, which by feme* meii. of no feeling or princFpIe has often been done*. Attempts have been made at different times to^ enlarge this pfifort, and build' ar diftinfV place of confihement for debtors r but this beneficent puni pofe leems to have beeii defeated by a'li)irirof jealoufy fubiiftii^ among the feading'gentlemen of thie' ilfand r fome having indulged a principle of wantonly bppofihg every fcheme iand projeft bfl^Ferf for the advantage of this dfevoted town ;• others ef^eufing an opi^ nion, that the county of Micfdlefex alone ought to bear Inch bixt* theiis, ill which itis pretetjded that the otl^ptwcH comities ai^e- not at all intere(fed^[i/j ^ while thofe who are of tfie^ ififbunty tfre^ iin^ willing that the whole expence (hould be afeflfeii upon* them, 'Hn- 0ead of a general- ecjual taxation-; alledging thatV this town, being the feat of government, pubJic officeis, and the chief courts of; juftice to which civiP and criminal matters are often removed from the othercounty-courts, the buildings neccf&ry to be ereiJted' herc^,.

r {«/], SjiKC Jtho aboTe wa» wrlttej^ tlie aifemUy Have fhown a. due bymantty ta the iijfferln^ ot ji^it unfertuaAte perfons^. b^ purcha&ng a. piece of land,' adjoining to theSouth port of 'the gnc^l, oC^ne hundM aaA'Qfcy by oae hundred wkl twdnty feor,. and gttoting zodo/. i^v inciofmg'»9d Citing ffef>ef buUdings upoA k» Tbey have^alfif etiUrgesl the. debtor's allowaxKC from i^J, to J/. t</. /rr day.

•■'"' or.-

i6 ' J' h H A. l;:CrA

Q^ :fuftained fox the publick conreineuce, Wgl^f in reafon to be aredcd.and fuftauied at thepublick charge; and undfoubtedly, if the whole ifland is intereftcd in what concerns the feat of gqvern-- u)cnt, re-cords, apd jifftice, wbiqhit.certaiuljr.ig, tbece is . full a§ C>upb reafon for a general tax to rebuild or repair the gaol ;^s ^to* rebuild or repair a houfe of refidence for the goverupr,. Npt far from the gaol Hands the free^lchopl, built and partljjr eo^pv^^ed at the -expence of Peter Beckford^ efq; .foriwrly lieuteji^Ht-^ovcrnor ^f the ifland, who left by will loooA currenc;]^; wjiich fuoj was borrowed by the pub^c,,and ro/. pcrjcept interptt. ,a|lpwe4 ev?r fijiqe for the purppfe of ;better fuppprtipg it: augpeAtati^flS have al^ been made by other legacies ; fo .that. the whole jncpme ;il; prefent \%i^ol'f$rAnmnix of w^hich the naafter aiiquaJIy rec^iyeti ;4o/. and .the &<plus is lodged. in theljaqds of. t^ treasurer, fub-?, y&. j(o ,faph ufes as the governors (conjGiling . xjtf th^ whole ic- giflative . t>p4y.. of. fhe- jflan^ .the J^dgef;1pf jthe .fupreme poijirt,. apd tbfe^.rectpf of tbi^.pariih fpr the .tipje being) inay think fit. t(^ .d|ireft. T|iis foundation tvas in9qrpa.ra ted by an a£t o^ aiTenjtbly^ and designed :for tlie.iuftcu^ipn of a certain uumber pf boys^^thp offgpf ing of poor pi)reiitsi, in re,adli>g^ wrltiixg, granamar, arith- rn^ic, and Other mechanical, and pra^t^cal kxiqw^le(^ge« It has gci- iiprajiyffonajtweaty-fivj? to thirty poor boys;, aiid,, i(^ was well regulatj^d, it might prove air u/efui./enq^oairy; fqqh ,aii educatioa beiuig fufficient to qu^}ffy t^erboys for ,a.yariety/jqf.p^fit;abJle ej?if ployraefits in the ifland ; but it miay be propounqed of this, as of many other charities pf the like kind^ that as yet it has ilUanfwered the intent of its fopodcr^ Near the fchopl is the ihfiimbles or mar^ ket-houfe, whpre tha butchers meat fla,uglitered in tshis town is hy law appoinjied to jl^e fold. }t is under the dkc^ion of an officer^ who ireceives , a yearly {lipend as clerk of the market. His bu^ ^pefs is^ firfl^ to fee that the me^t e^pofed 4;o fale is foqnd and fit forufe; and, if he, findS; it ptherwife, he i^ to caufe it to be in^': mediately burat. j^e is ijke wife to prove all the fcales and weighty ufed here and in thp different fhops within the town ; and^ on diC- covering ^vy fraud .pr deficiency, he mjy levy the penalty impofcd hy law. He. has a pow£r;too .ofacbitraiioa in ail difput^ that ma/i Jiappen between buyer and feller relative to Weighing of meats and

3 othet

B^OOK IL CHAP. VII. 17

other goods. There is a further power likewife vcfted in him of more importance than all the reft ; which is, to fee that no butcher exa^s more for his meat than the prices fettled by law ; but thi^ part of his duty has never of late years been complied with. The common prices of moft kinds of meat fold here are now generally double what the law has allowed; and little notice is taken of it. The market for butchers meat begins at day-break, and is ufually over by eight o'clock in the morning. The Jews have a butcher of their own, who flaughters and difle^ts in the Mofaic manner; the fecret of which feems chiefly to confifl: in his choice of the fatteft, fined fubjeds. The hofpital is a fmall diftance from the market-place. It was founded by the charitable legacies and do* nations of well-dilpofed perfons, and calculated for the reception of tranfient poor perfons; who are lodged, cloathed, fed, and properly taken care of : and a gentleman of the faculty is paid an annual falary by the public, for attending their fick, and furniihing them with fuitable medicines. The barracks for the regular troops are lituated in the Southern quarter of the town, on an airy, healthful fpot. The front is a lofty brick-building, of two (lories. Behind 4t is a fpacious (quare court, furrounded with (hed-rooms: they are capable of holding three hundred men ; but, the accom* modations designed for the officers having proved extremely im* proper for the purpofe, the men are too much left without a due contFOul, moft of their principal officers having lodgings provided for them at feme diftance in the town ; fo that, for want of their reiidence in the barracks, the privates have often committed riots, and other mifdemeanors at night, in the neighbourhood. Yet there is a very commodious unoccupied {pace adjoining, where pro- per apartments might be built for the officers ; in confeqiience of which, the difcipline of theie troops would be much better kept np, and a final ftop put to fucb enormities. Their hofpital ftands on the Eaft fide of the town, near the river, in a very ill-judged fituation ; for the fupport of which building, and nccefl'aries for their fick, the affembly makes every year an ample provifion. Near it is the powder magazine belonging to the town ; built of brick, and capable of holding fifty barrels ; this is conftantly guarded by a centinel. Juft acrofs the river, a fmall diftance from Vol. II. D this

i8^T J A' MA I C A.

this place, is i lodc-out, called Beacon hill, which Bad ibrmerly a ftaff and colours raifcd upon it, for the purpofe of giting alarm. As there is a very extcrifive view from the fummit, commanding the harbour of Port Royal, and the Eaftern (hip-channel, in the offing, this appears the moft proper fcite for erefting a fortrefs, if one fhould ever be thought neccfiary for better defending the town. At prefent, here is neither fort nor battery; all its defence confifts in fourteen' or fifteen foxall brafs ficld-picces, honey-combed with age, and committed to the care of a captain, a lieutenant, and a * company of matrofles, all of the militia ; who flafli a little powder ' from this train of artillery, to announce the royal birth-day, and a few other joyous' occafions [e], Befides thefe, are two or three eotapanies pf regulars, and five or fix of horfe and foot militia, a mifdley of Chriftians> Jews, Pagans, Negroes, and Miilattoes. The Jews, who are numerous here, have a convenient burial- gr^Qund walled in, at fbme diftance out of the town ; and a fyna* gogiie idthe Eaftern quarter, not far from the river: this place of woHhqp has feveral well-adapted ornaments. Here they ailemble, and read a portion of the Law and the Prophets every fdbbath*day. The5^ dbferve rabft of their antierit featts and fafts ; and marry^ circumcife, and' bury, according to the iuftom of their fore-fathers* Some of them are good men, and do many benevolent a£lions to * GMtlles as well as their owm fraternity ; but much the greater part of* them (I 'ftar) are very felfifh and tricking, fraudulent in their trdde, and rigid in their tranfaAions, not only with Chriftians, but with one another. Of the houfes ereded by the Spaniards before the Engliib conqueft, upwards of fifty are ftill remaining, verjr little the worfe for time or weather. We are not informed of^he particular time when they were built. The town was twice taken; firft, by Sir Anthony Shirley in 1592; and afterwards by ' coloneljackfbn, about the year 1638; but hiftory does not men-

[<] It defenrcs the attention of die legiflature, whether their procuring a new train ofiidd- pieces, of moderate fize, and a company of ikilful European matroiTesi would not be of the uxmoik importance to the defence of theiflaad. Whoever hat read the progrefi made in Hindoftan, by a handful of European troops, cannot but be ailoniihed at the vidories they gained agaiaft fuch unequal number^ and fbldy by the right management of their artillery. A imali body of men, I with fochabiflWarkyroay refill all the efRnts of fifty times their number, who have no actiUery : •ad it it no kit leraocable in an open utmnf dun in defending a pafi.

tioD

BO.pK IT. CHAP. VII. 19

rion that they dcftroyed the JiOufcs. It is prepty certain they ought to be regarded as antienti as it is how near one hundred and twenty years fince the invafion under Vc^ablcs. Their duratioa for {p long a time in defiance of earithquakes and hurricanes, fbme of which, fince the Englifh fettled here, have been fo violent as to demoliih fey^ral more modern buildings^ is a demonftratlvc proof of the Spanifh fagacity, and affords ahufeful leiibn to the EngHfli inhabitants; for although thefe houfes are inconveniently fmall, yet this can be no objedtion to the method of ftrufture, fince it would be eafy to enlarge the plan, by lengthening the front, or by building three fides of a fcjuare after the Eaftern manner, which allows fufficient range for a great variety of apartments. 'The Spaniards had to guard againft the fudden concuffion of earthquakest the impctuofity of hurricanes, the drift of the heavy periodical rains, and the heat of the fun. We find their houfes excellently well contrived to anfvirer thefe. different purpofes; with the further n^erit, that the materials of which they are built were cautioufly prepared in fuch a manner as to become extremely durable. A cer- tain number of pofts of the hardeft timber, generally lignum vita^ brazilletto, or fuftick, of about eighteen feet in length, and fix to eight inches diameter, being firfl: well-feafoned and hardened in fmoak, were fixed at proper diftances to the depth of. two or three feet in the ground; then a wall of brick, inclofing thefe pofts, was carried up with very ftrong ootortar to the plate, which was pinned with wooden fpikes to the tops of the pofts. The main rafters were fmall, but, being of the like hard wood, and perfeflly weU-feafoned, were fufficiently ftrong : thefe were like- wife pinned upon each other, and at their angle of interfe£tion at top formed a crutch, to receive the ridge-pole. The fmaller raf- ters were of the lefler ebony trees, ftript of their bark, hardened in fmoak, notched at bottom, and being placed at the diftance 'of about eighteen inches from each other, were pinned to the plate* .Athwart thefe fmall rafters, a ftratum of the wild cane (arundo IniikaBambufpeaesJ^pTevioxiilyimQSLk^dj was tied on by w^y of wattling, with ftraps made of the bark of the mohoe or man- grove trees. Upon thefe . wattles, ferae mortar was laid, to the thicknefs of about four inches ; and the .whole cqfVM'ed with large

D 2 . pantiles.

20 JAMAICA.

pantiles, well bedded in. The tbicknefs of thcfe roofs, from the outward (hell or tile-covering, to the ceiling within, was about eight or ten inches. A canopy of fb fblid a texture was certainly well contrived to ihelter the inhabitants from the difagreeable efFedts of a vertical fun ; and accordingly it is found by experience, that theie old Spauifli houfes are much cooler than our modern ones, covered with (hingles (or flips of wood half an inch thick, formed like flates), which are not only very fubje£t to be fplit in nailing, and fo create leaks, but are not (olid enough to exclude the fun*s impreffion, nor lie fo compaft as to prevent a Ipray from being driven in by the wind in heavy (bowers, which occa(ions a moift and unwholefome atmofphere within doors. Befides, the(e fhingled tenements are very hot in the day-time, and cool at night ; whereas the Spani(h houfes preferve a more equal tem- perament of air by day and by night. Their materials preferve them greatly from accidents by fire ; and, coniidering their fla- . bility, they feem to be the cheapeft and heft* contrived kind of buildings for this ifland. It is plain, therefore, that the £ngli(h, in negleding thefe ufeful models, and eftablilhing no manufaffture of tiles, but erecting lofty houfes after the models in the mother- country, and importing an immenfe quantity of North-American Ihingles every year for covering new roofs, and repairing old ones, confult neither their perfonal (ecurity, their convenience, their health, nor thefaving of a mod uunecelTary expence[y*].

The chief error the Spaniards committed in their buildings was the placing their ground-floors too low : thefe were nearly on a level with the furface of the earth out of doors, or at mofl raifed only a few inches higher. Some of their houfes in the town have, indeed, acquired a railed foundation in the courfe of time ; for, the torrents of rain having gradually wafhed and hollowed the flreets

[/] It k leniaiked by UUoa, that the walls of Caxamaixn (an Indian town in Peru), and o£ feveral hou&s in the neigfabouxing Tallies, althou^ built on the very fuperficies of the earth with* out any foundation, have withfbod thofe violent earthquakes which overthrew the more folid buildings of Lima, and other large towns, eredied by the Spaniatds* Es^perience intruded the { aadvesy ihas^ in paits (b liable to earthquakes, it was ijnproper to dig a foundation in order to AECngtben the waQs* He mentions it as a tradition, that, when the ncwiy-conquered Indians dam the Spaniards fink foundations for their lofty buildings, they hughed, and told-them, ^^they were ^ digging their own graves i'* intimating, that earthquakes would bory them ondcr ihe ruin» of Aek houfes ; « prophecy which has been moll 6iaUy verified in the fequeL

in

5

•^

BOOK II. CHAR Vn. zi

in fome parts lower and lower, the fucceffive inhabitants of thefe hdufes were obliged to add a foundation where the water had un» dermined the walls, and from time to dme, as the earth happened to be fwept away ; fo that the foundatioiis oif inah^of thefe an- ticnt piles have in fa£t been laid long fince the fuperftrufture. Their houfes had no piazzas originally : the Englifh made thefe additions, in order to render them more cool and pleafant. But they have been attended with fome inconvenience in another refpe<S ; for, the ftreets being laid out, fome of thirty, and others not exceeding forty, feet in breadth, thefe iheds mcroach fo far on each fide, that the midway is too narrow, and liable to obftru£t carriages. The Englifh in general have copied the ichnography of the Spanifti honfes with great uniformity [g-]. They are, for the moft part,

» difpofed in three divifions: the centre rooai is a h^ll, comcnuni- cating at each end with a bed-chamber; the back part, ufpally a fhed, is divided in the fame manner, and cbnoLmunicates with the front, or principal hall^ by an arch, which in (bme houfes is wain- (cotted with mahogany, in others covered only with plaiften'Th'ey

• are fmall, and rather inconvenient foi* a family, efpecially' when it confifls of fix or feven perfons^. Great alterations have, however, been made by the Engl ifli inhabitants ; and feveral of thefe pld houies have received very confiderable additions, which maki ihtm more roomy and commodiotiSi In th^ piazzas many . fatriiKe^ may be faid to live the greater part of theii* time i the (hade |arf(i"te- frefliing breeze inviting them to employ moft hours there, that ire not devoted to eatipg, drinking, andfleeping: nor can there be a more agreeable indulgence enjoyed by the mafter of the houfe, than to fit in an elbow-chair, with his feet ' refting agaiftft' p'nd of the piazza- columM ; in this attitude he converfes, fmtoaks his' pipe, ' or quaffs his tea,* in all the luxury of indoIeAce. Alnroft 'evifry dweliing^houfe throughout -the ifland is detached from the kitchen

- and other offices; which, though different froAi the praftice 'in England, is a very judicious arrangement for this" climate, whdre the fumes and fmoak of the kitchen; iand the ffench of other ifc- ceflary offices^ would be iritolefablc-m'too liear a neighbburhodd. But few of the inhabitants are curious in the decorations of their

[£] Sec Plate IV.

apartments;

.42 X A. M A I C .A.

apartments ; the halls ?^rc feUom adorned with any thing bcj^tcr .than a large picrrglafe or two, a few prints, or maps: the grcateft • expence is bcftowcd upon the arch of the principal hall, which is , generally oif ^mahogany, and in fprne houfes well-executed. They have for the mpft part fluted pilafters, fupporting a regular enxa^ iblature, oriiajnented with modillons» dentils, &c. But it is more , frequent to, behold all the orders of architefture confuledly jumbled together. The windows of the Spanifh houfes were generally made with little turned pillars, placed upright, and (butters on the l" infide. .However 'Convenient thefe might have been for the conftant .aimiffion of air, they are at prefent almoft tptally exploded, and . iafhejs more.^enetraliy in ufe ; to which are added jcaloufy-fliuttcrs, V or Venetian blinds, which admit the air freely, and exclude ^he ' fun-fhine. It is but. of late^ that the planters have paid much at- tention to elegance in their habitations : their general rule was,. to build what they called a maJie-fbift ; fo that it was not unufual » to lee a plantation adorned with a very expenuve let of works, ^ of _ ibrick. or Itone, w^ll-^xecuted y^ and the owner rending in a miferat^le^ /^thatched hovel, hjiftily put together with wattles and plaifteri daf9p» •unwholefome, and infefled with every fpecies of vermin. But the , lioufes. in general, as well in the country-parts as. the towns, h^ve *'beeii greatly improved within theifc laft twenty years. Thefur- \^ culture of ibme of' thenx is exJtreipely coftly ; aiid others cooftru«£^ed in lb magni^cent a flyle, and of fuch durable naaterials, as to ihew that they were not intended for a mere temp9rary refidence.

it might not be foreign to the fubjeA here to remark, that, jby

the general u(e of. ihingle coverings, throughout the Northern aad

,,WeftJndia colonies; and the utter negle<Sfc of planting young tx^es

in, the room, of what are cut dpwn for this m,anufaft^re, it is yery^

certain^ tlwt they ^ will every year grow dearer to the.fugar iftaR^^i

\^nd that. the price rnay increafc, til} . the people of Janaaica \yiHbe

forced cither to employ their own growth of timber for this ufe,

^ or fell upon t^le-making. The builders, therefore, pf^new houfes,

or works, fhould confider this, and make their walls of a.^ue

jthtckjids to. iuftaiu iiich an additipn^ weight; hereafter.

... - ' ' •

SECT.

BOOK IF. CHAP. VII. x^

SECT, u.;

THE river Cobre, which waflies the foot of the town on the ^ Eaft, takes its fbarce near Luidas, and" about twenty-two miles North- weft from the town, rifing in a cave, called River-head, . and fuppofed by many to have a fubterraneous communication with^^ Pedro's river, which is diftant from it about fix miles Weft. The

» I

Cobre likewife buries great part of its waters, and does not form any confiderable ftream till; it has run fome diftance from the cave. It is afterwards joined by the Rio Magno, Rio d'Oro, and Rio Pe- dro, with ibme fmaller ftreams; fo thatj on reaching the town. It ' is from fixty to eighty feet in breadth, and in feveral places very deep, but. in others generally fordable, unlefs fwelled with the h6avy rains which fometimes fall in the mountains above. Its ' bed, where, it ranges near the town, h depfefled and lowly, the i?irater being in general not ' difcernible beyond the verge of its banks. The current here is rapid|,- thpughalmoft filent. It is of ' UEifpeakable fervice to this neighbourhood, not cMily in its <:onftaiil: ^ fupply of water, for the ufe of the town, but in promoting clcaii- - linefs and health; for every day throughout the year Ibme liuhdred ^' Negroes and Mulattoes of both fexes ^refort ta it from thfc' town, i ' to wafh their peribns and linen,.

It. has been imagined, that the Spaniards gave it the name of the Copper river, from its paffing through a vein of that metaL " But ' it is more probable, that they chriftened it after a fimilar name of ' fome river ia Old Spain, as they .ate known to. have done in regard * to many others, and in particular the Rib MinHb,.in the parrfti off Clarendon. Befides, although its water appears to have a fine blueifli^ tinge, efpecially where it runs between the two ranges of hillis pro- ceeding from^ Sixteen-mile- walk,, which has confirmed many in ? their opinion of its being tindured with copper ; yet this appear-^ ance is nothing niore than a common deception, caufed by the azure' of the Iky refleded from the furface of the water, and re- . markable chiefly where it is deepeft, the current moft gentle, and ' confcquently the furface extremely fmootb, and therefore in the /' 4 fitttft r

i.i

24 JAMAICA.

fittfeft ftate to refleia images ; and to this efFeft the grejtt height and vicinity of the inclofing ridges very much contribute [A]. It is ftrange, indeed, that the exf«eriment, tried upon it fo long ago by Sir William Beefton, has not cotrefted this popular error; for he found, that with an infufion of galls the water acquired a deep green inclining to black [/]. But the moft certain teft of an in- termixture of copper is made with the cauftic volatiie alkali, as fpirit of fal ammon.. combined with quick lime-water; thefc, if the fmalleft particles of copper be diflblved, would caufe the whole to affume a beautiful blue colour. This experiment was tried fome years fince by Doftor Browne, without producing any fuch effed. Now, as the teft of an iron impregnatioti is the black or dulky co- lour it ftrikes with the vegetable aftringents, fuch astinfbure of galls, and as thejo^le alkali will give a greenifh caft, it feems pro- bable that this river is impregnated with no other metal than iron, and with a copious admixture of a calcareous earth, or lime. The purgative quality of the water, when drunk immediately from ithe river, is very properly conjeflured by Doftor Browne to proceed from the clay With which.it is in general copioufly charged; be- caufe it lofes this quality when fettled in jars and cleared of its load ; which would not be the cafe if it proceeded from falts, or a folution of metals'^ and hecaufe many other waters, of limilar ap- pearance, poflcfs the like qualities in their turbid ftate, though known to be not impregnated with metallic fubftances. Agreeably to this opinion, it is found by the inhabitants of the town," who keep this water in large jars, that, after ftanding for fbme time till the fteculencies have fubfided, it entirely lofes the effeft juft men- tioned, and becomes as clear, loft, and pleafant, in its depurated ftate, as any water in the world. In this ftate it was tried by an hy- droftatical apparatus, and found equal in lightnefs to Briftol Hot- well water. We may therefore fafely conclude, that it has been very unjuftly ftigpxatized ; and that, if the Spaniards fuppofed it impregnated with copper, they adopted this miftaken notion

[i] So Virgil calls th^ ri7.cr Tyber reemleUSy azure, or iky-coloured. Mn. viii. ▼• 64.— — ^roc vliave conjectured, that the original name was Rio Cobra, from the Portugucfc cohra^ which fignitics a friake, and might with great propriety allude to the ferpentine courfe of this river.

[i] An infuiion of galli m watCTy impregnated with copper and quick limei (buck an orange colour incUmng to red(Uih» ' , ,

through

book: il chap. vii. 25

through ignbrance oF the xxieans by which its col)tents might be difcovered. In Old Spain the water is remarkably light, pure, and wholefomc: to this,^and the ferenityof the air, it is attributed that the Sfianiards are r free :Gsom .the . ic^tvy^ uotwithftanding theitL indulgence in pork, L the /ileaft pirfpirable of all animal: food. Th^ Spaniards, in Am^riq^ are < therefore (from' a national prejudice) particularly nice ill the choice of their water, * which forms the cl^ief of their daily beverage. ; It is not improbable, what I have heard ibme. of the oldefl:. inhabitants ;of St.. Jago relate,, that the Spaniards fobrhieJiy:: here ufed to . be at the trouble; of procuring water^ for; their common drmk^./rom the. Bridge river^ fix miles Weftward fronvthe town;, and that all of than kept their drinking* water in large Jars, ib many in autnber as to have always one fuf« ficientily . clear for ufk^ while others were in . the courfe of depura* tiott. . The river Cohre, having a free curtent from the town to the harbour of Kingiton, uniiltcrcupt*4: i^y . ?Qpks or ^f^^s, and flowing thr6ugh a. pretty lievfel, openjrolmtQ^ mghn ink}ftub$e4ly, be made navigable up to it .by.ipfA»$ o^Jccl|^&:; but the expence. of fuchaa undertiakingt and the ihort .didaiice.of! landrcarriage, are. objections that may; probably, reftrain. {he ^iqbabitaots from ever attempting it. Tbe^.rivej abounds vyjltb. expclleftt fquUets^ mud«: fifli, eels, calapevwi jewrfiferiiraw-:ftih^ ^Ojj prawii?.( j it has only wchri^igic^ whkh :hQ rqff^rijJMv^: tpwgrds Siixte^n-:

miierwalktr: ,^ThiaiMdg%i^ Qafeic^^flvi^^ oa a.

frame of timber-WiOrksriVvhichrr^s i)pqn.t;woi fexangular piers, and two buttrefies projeding frofspi the bonks, conftru6led with piles, 9nd tiraces JoX^rbc^d witl\ jx^afgnrj;.. Ifi great floods, the river has beenrknowA liQjrifi^ fewfftl $5pt ab9ve th^ floor without injury, pot- with{landii% the vaft preiliire of fb large a column of water,* This i« iifcdbed tjo ^tbe ri^fta^cf. of the water below or upder the flooriogf ; wt^ich , enables it to fuftaiii this weight above. In the year 1^99^ an fiirclied bridge of brick-was qonftruded fome miles below thj^j .to;M{n9 Jf^ > pr4er { tO) keep ppea , tl)e communication by land with Kingfton ; but, for want of a proper foundation, it was fooniwcpt iwtty^ bv a flood, and never' fince re-built. Attempts. bave,j(|Uteiy; j^pjeij v^^^ tp, gel; an ^d pafled for 'building one at the . publick expencci and more conveniently fituatea; but, through ;VoL. II E the

26 J A M A 1 1 C a;

fame fplrit of jealoufy which I have before noticed^ and' the dHm- dination of many to confider it as a matter of ^neral benefit to the ifland, the fcheme was laid ftfidc [*]. So thatpecfons^ traveUmgby land to and from Kingfton, or the £aftetii diviiioQ of the iflaiM!^ are obliged to ford or ferry over th? xamrj and, ver)^ frequently at the peril of their lives. Ridkulous as .the pre^iidkes .of faj^ioft: are in fo fmall a community^ yee thiey.'are capatdifil /of producing mifehievous t&€t$^ Publick fpirit^ and a liberal! wky of thinkiagf naturally tend to the ornament and improvement of ewrji codnttyi where they refide. The contrary, dr a perverie and ielfiih pfincipl^ excludes every thing that is great and generoua frbai^its narmw view, aiKl wages eterniail war Bgiiiuft the public .welfare.. I am fbrry to fay th^ latter i^ule of ooodud bas> been, top predominant in this ifland; but we will hope for a time ^ea good ieQlb and re^itude of heart* fball triumph :pv^v t^ig £kHa and groveling, po^ Key. 'the ftre^s of^ fh^ tbivn^ I have reniarhediyiKre rendered iti» conveniently mtf4m by piaazMts ^dedto 0OfA p6 the Iwufcs;: the worft-efl^ arifing fr66i^4hei^'want of .dUe br^ackh i^' a great in«^ creafe Qf heat during the fokry months of the year^ the. wind not having' ipace enougl^ to tircutate flhpely through them, and ^f^. perl^ the confined air^ which becomes very disagreeable ftotfi riie reflection of ib-many brick i^alb. >- They- are ropaire{l with pebbie$^ broug^ iromlfhe r:I^Ter^<H^iii^; ^«Mch^ ptevenfisth^W ^iag, flogged ^itl^mtrd) asibihe o^hertoWh^'bf^a Wefti^liidie6^iai:e, and anfwer* the end of a regular^ pavenieiit', by not admitting' the rakv- water to ftagnate. They are kept toIer23>13r clean by a publidk: fcaYenger^' paid by an annual afTeffinent on the hotif^s ; an^ the BSsAi eoUofted from them is removed to certain placte kppoiAttdoci! Che ouiiide of the town.-' ■ - ^ - '" '• ''• . '"■• - ■-* ": •'' :- -^ •- '

The church -yardi being fiMirfted in tfce- Windward^ part <rf^ the town, is very injodicioufly -allotted for the comnaon burial^routid.' Dry weather occafions numberlefs cha(ms in it^ and the wet, whicll ufually fucceeds, infinuating through t^ie apertures into the gravely

* V. <

[kl It is true, af ad W3^ pa.fkd iix.iy6y,aai^tffi&ec^A^v^ But, as this ad only empowered them to receiyie coooL from anv Deffonsinclmeci io contribute

towards been ex

j! . rjtfiere

I

B O QKjlU ^ ,C H:A R. VIL 27.

there is reafon to believe, that noxiouf cxlialatioHs rauflrarife from them, which cannot fail.ctf r«i)d«ri0g the atmofpliere vnivholefome to fuch houfes as lie in a proper dirtdion to receive them. In the hot months^ parttcul^rl/ Junbi Another antiojauce happens froErt the duft; whicfh^ bythfi po\wi:bf the feft-breeze, generally violent • at thitt time of the year^ is blown, ihta the hdufes i« fuch at>uu«'. dance^ aa to bd. exceestiagl/: troidibU^pfm^, APd ocdaiipn fore ey^s;: the particke idc ib fujptliit that it ci9 v^ry cocnmon tp iee a diiiitig- table, which faaa been perfedly clean beforje the cloth was laid, appear entirely: c6vered trith a fine powdfcr lipoil removing it. The inhabitants, if they ihut their doors and windows, arc almoft fdfFdCtttM with heat; ind^ if they ftffFer them to con- tinue open,! |hey are iii datiget of being flifled with duft-; but, ne- ceflity obligffig theni to the lattef expedient, ^they fwalloW k co- pioufly with their food. Thefe annoyances might attrad compaf- fion, if they were not eafily remediable : the firft, by taking in a new burial-ground a little to leeward of the town ; the hext, by m^ng xtGt of water-carts, to iprinkle the ftreets, once oroftener in the day, during that time of the year when the duft has been found moft troublefome : fo fine a river gliding under the town fecms, in- deed, to point out this experiment to them fo obvioufly, that it is aftonifliing they have hitherto neglefted it. The ^ir of the town has always been efteemed Jiwealthy. But it is on the dccreafe with rcfpea to. inhabitants. Jtippears, from the regifter of marriages, birtht^ and burials, that,cfi;pm 1670 to 1700, the town and parifti contained above lour rimes nldre white perfons than at prefeut. They have cven-didiiniflied fioce the year 1746, as will appear by the following avdragc-tabkr oC bOrials from that year to 1756 :

Yfhyt6 ^ , .Wkye Paupcrg Free Blacks and

Re&u»a, andTr^niWats. * doIcTiers. Mufattoes. Total.

Average /^ri ,

annum of} 61 124. I5 ' 164 io4«

Deatlw, J ' According to the above table,, the whole number of Whites, ex- cTufi^e of ]eii9i;'vr9i profcably abom twcf thoofand, or near fix hun« dtid ttukt thin tftef pttiktit. f*ro«i the beff accounts it af)pears, that the average bf^ msirria^Sy i>apif}fm$, an j funerais,, (lands thus:

- - '•'^ !'c.' 'EiS Marriages,

f f

28 JAMAICA. ?

Marriages, — 14*^

Baptifms, — 8o>/^r annum.

Funerals, — looj Of the baptifhxs, not above one*third are Whites ; the marriages include all ranks and complexions ; but the ibldiers, paupers, traa^ fients, and free Blacks and Cafts, make up the greateft part of the burials. Hence it appMrs, that the marriages, and confequently the births, are In no proportion to the deaths ; and the decreafe c^^ people may from this caufe be very naturally accounted for. The number of the inhabitants in this parifh may be thus eftimated, viz. ■•'..'.*

Refiant Chriftian Whites Ditto in the Wlnte Paupeiv SoUien, iododing Jews. FreeBlacbr. intheTowo. ^ . Country. an4TnafientSf Wives andChildreii. and Calls.

700 308 176 ' , 240 3 j^o 900 *

Deaths ^ annually >i in 24 i in 22 x in 16 1 itl 26' i tn26

about J

Inhabitants. In Town. In th» Country. Total in the Parilh, of

Chriftian Whites, 700 308 ^^ Compicxi^w.

Paupers and Tranfients, 176 ^ 1

Soldiers, &c. ' 240

Jews, 300 50

Free Blacks and Cafts, 800 100

Slaves, i960 - 5348

^ 4176 * 5806 i . 998a

The regifters in this parifh have, like moft of the others in the ifland, been very incorreSly kept. They are, however, tolerably * perfeft from 1669 to 1702, and from 1746 to the prefent time. The want of due regularity prevents them in general from being ufeful for grounding calculations of this fort.* If the feveral reftors had been obliged to enter attefted copies of their regifters once a " year in the fecretary's office, we fhould have poiTelied very compe- tent information upon this fubjeA.

The Jews here are remarkably healthy and long-lived, notwith- flanding their diet js frequently falt«fi(h, and fuch kind pf a^irQent, not generally efteepied very wholefome; ^nd that^th^ greater num- ber of them deal m damaged ialt^butter, herrings, beef^ cheefe, '

and

BOOK U. CHAP. Vn. 99

aod ill train-oil; a congregation of ftinking commoditlds, which is enough to poifbn the air of their habitations. Their (hops may bo feented at a great diAance ; and, in what is called the Jew-market in this town, a whole flreet of their houfes reeks inceflantly with thefe abominable odours. But theie people are abftemious, and Co temperate, that a drunken Jew is rarely, feen. They are particu- larly nice in. drinking the, purefl: water, which mo^ of them ufe unmixed ; and others make qnly a very fmall ad^ion of rum% They are exceedingly fond of garlic, which generally has a place in airtheirrfauces, and is known to be a great antifeptic ; and they in- dulge in chocolate. The more luxurious among them gormondize chiefly on fi(h; and no doubt but their religious fads, of which they are very rigid obfervers, now and then interpofing, ailift in freeing them from noxious redundancies^ I think they may be- fuppofed to owe their good health smd longevity, as well as their fertility, to a very, fparing nfe of ftrong liquors^ their early rifing^ their* indulgence in garlic and 6{hp their adherence to the.Moi^ic Bitual In the choice of ibund and wholeibme animal food, their free u(e of fugar, chocolate, and. nouriihing. fruita, their religion^ purificaticms, and fafts. , The free Negroes and Mulattoes fare rather harder in refpe£t of eatings and are not fo ayerfe ;to fpirituous. liquors; for. both men and won>en. are ft^^cntly intoxicated:, but their way of life is more laborious; theya^e more abroad in the .open air, which renders them hardier; and their occupations. or amuiements give them fuch condant exer<;ife, as to keep them from fuffering by repletion : befides, their . diet confifts chiefly of iK)uri(hing broths, in. which pulfe and vegetables are principal in*, gredients. They too are very fond of good water and chocolate *^. they indulge in fmoaking tobacco, devour large quantities of p?pp^r: fuch as this. country produces, and feldom let a day pafs. without, bathing, and fcouring their {kins. Their bodies and conilitutions. feem peculiarly adapted to a hot climate ; yet, perhaps, they owe* their health not more to this adaptation, than to their mode of living ; fince it is certain, that the native Whites in this iljand, I mean iiich of them as are not addifted to drunkennefs, nor have- any ; hereditary difiemper, are equally healthy and long-lived.

The

s4

$• . /J .A M- A r C A

• The greater morralky, obfervable here amotig die ibldierd an* franliciit Europeans, muft be ^(cfibtd to their imf)arti Ag with them* fhc Engliih cuftoms of eating and drinking in excefsi but chiefly the latter; and their liberal indulgence in a vile fbphifticated com* |>ound of new rum, pepper, and other higredients; breWed here by the- Jew- retailers ; who> as rhey pay a t^ on their licences, aflfi a' duty on the- rum they retail, have recourfe io thia viltainpus practice, in o^r to enhance their profit upon the iuiierable <on*^ Aimers, who are chiefly the foldiers,, and meaner cla& of Whites/ That this ha$ been, and is fl'ilit the maiii cauie of bad health among the troop j i$ evident; for, when the^ ace in quarters not locally unwholefome, and where they canuot-get at. it, they are kiioWu' to be very healthy. If the fpirit was even* fold to them* withbut this adultefration^ it could uiot fail of producing fatal dffe£ls; %t the Jews cdukl not afford to keep it fo long on hand, as to become what is called old mm, and then retail it at their ufual Iov«r price. They W(>uld therefore fell itfrefli from the ftill ;* in which itate it i)5 fo flery, as to be no lefs unfit for human po- tation, than burning brimftone ; yet ibme of the foldiers have been known to drink oflTa bottle of it at one fitting. The officers have often attempted to check this evil, by punifhing the delinquents ; but a more certain method would be by prevention. The common foldiers, employed in the Weft-India fervice, or at leaft the re* cruits fent ovtVy have frequently been the very refufe of the BritMi army : thefe men cannot be broke of their ibttifh haUts;; but,lSnce they muft and will have fpirituous liquor, care might be taken to provide them with fuch as, while it gratifies their inclination, ^^naj be the leaft detrimental to their health. Ttie commanding officer (for example) in town might appropriate a certain part of their country pay, and lay in every year a ftock of the beft rum, free from all bad tafte and fmell, and permit it to be retailed by a fut*' ler to the men ; taking care, that none (hould be ifiued of lefs than a twetvemonih^s age, and limiting the price to what they now pay the Jew- retailers, which could very well be afibrded, as the (oldier*s rum is exempted from all duty* The (iitler chofen for this purpofe would no doubt be a man on vhofe (bbriety'and honefty they could fafely depend ; at leaft, fliould he be guilty of

breach

BOOK II CHAP, VII. 31

bc«ach of bis truft, he would be Itable to a regimental puoidiment. The terror of this would form a fecurity for his good behaviour; the men would be much better pleafed, and beyond any doubt mote

healtl^.

The town, is partly under a civil and partly military police j a kind of dk>yum in^erium^ which the civil power exercifes by day, and the milittty by night. The civil government confifts of a aats^ or chief magiftrate, and the inferior joftices of peace and conftables. The centinels here, after the day is ctofed, according to an antient ufage, which has fubfifted ever finoe the days of Cromwell, ch^dlenge all paflen^, as in a regular garriibn, and patrol the ftreets at certain hours, to apprdiend all ofibiders againft the p^ce, and prevent robberies. It is a certain proof of the more regular lives of the femUieshete, aa well as in Kiagftoo,than here- tofore, that at eleven o'clock at night it i$ very rare to fee a light in any houfc, «i«ept the taverns ; and even thefe are now very isldosn hilbfted with riots sind drunkca qliarrelsy which formerly were fo common* The town was antiently.a regular garrifon, the ditch im remaming which was thrown up by the Spaniards towards the favannah, and tetniinated at a baftion flanked with a fortified bttitding, called the Fort-houfe, the name of which is ftUl pre- ierved; The plain, of which the favaqnah is a part, extends, in: its whole length, not lefs than twenty-tvw) miles ; but its breadth is unequal, being to feme parts ten miles, in others five, and, to- war<b St. Dorothy's, grows more and more contrafted, till it does not exceed three. After leaving this end of ie, and paffing Co the N.W. among the Clarendon Hills,- we meet with feialler levblt here and there, as the $»almeto and Lime favaunahs, till we come to St. Jago^ favaniwh, where: the champaign again enlarges to the extent of about rett by fifteen miles. Thefe trafts were fbrmerty eiceedirtg beautiful, having only fome clumps of graceful trees irregularly fcattered over their' face, *hich gave but little Imerrup- tion to the profpe^ I have been inforrj^d by an elderly gentle- man, a native of the iflandi'that he could remember the time when they were- nfeariy in this • ftate f but at prefent they art ovcrfprcad a«d- disfigured in moft parte with the achaia, or American opo-

pinax, a dwarf prickly tree, whifeh U is found almoft impomWe to

eradicate.

3x J A Mi A :l C A. ;

eradicate. It iufefts thc.pafturc-laiitls^afwi incroaiches c*)fttinUaUy: 911 the roads, to the very great aunoyance of travelers, efpecially by night, when they cannot (b. well gvard their faces from being: fcratched ; fo that a man, who rides among them in the duik, is obliged to keep hi? whip and hands in conftant employ metit,. in qrder to parry the over-hanging branches. That part which' bounds on the Weft fide of the town, . and called the Towft fa-, vanuah, confifted formerly of one. tbtoufand two hund/ed acres,, allotted for exercife, and has a compaoa. of pafture.for the ufe of the inhabitants ; but, fcveral pcrfons having fpttlediupon and oc- cupied tlie ikirtsof it, the paxifhiooera obtained an a£t for enabling them to leafe out feven hundred acres, at 5 j. /^r acre, and fopt* land at 6i/. per. foot ; and referved thi$ remaining five hundred to be kept open and clear, at the expencQ ofthe .parilh^ and for ever to be held facred to the pcrrpofes only of exercife and health. The fpace'uninclofed is about two miles in curcumference. Here the j!aces are generally held every. year in the month of March. For encou* raging ^ breed of large horfes, one hundred piftoles are annually, granted by the aflembly, by way of king^s plate, to be run for by: any flone*hories or mares, carrying ten ftone each, of fourteeq pounds. to the (lone. There are generally two days fport, befides either by?- matches, or a fubfcription purfe. On thefe occafions the ^oncpurfe of people is very great ; fome thoufands are feen aifembled on (he favannah ; and the multitude of carriages and horfes, all in niotio;i, form a very pleafing part of the amufement* On this plain tlie re- gular troops, and ibmetimes the militia, are trained and reviewed. But its principal ufe is as a palefira, for the daily exercife qC the inhabitants of the town in the morning and afternoon. In manner of living, the Engliih here differ not much from their brethren at. home, except in a greater profufion of difhes, a larger retinue of. domeflics, and in wearing more expenfive deaths. The climate obliging them to ufe the finer ibrt of fabrics, thefe are of courfe the mofl coftly ; and hence appears the great advantage to the mother- country of fiirnifhing her Wefl-India colonies with their cloathiixg. The fuperior finencfs of manufadlure is all clear gain to her artifts ; ; and the confUnt wear, by the effects of perfpiration apd wafhing^ occafions aa immenfe coufumptioa. The thick, cheapi and du- rable

dO^K rf; JCHAR VII. v^,

rable' dothV/iVhich are wefi^cW|rt^ the fi^:^ irtitf, Will tidt 'anftver ' here; and the atrnofpKere corfodes ivtry iind bf irtiil ox fteel ware very quickly. The dcmatid thefefore for litimberlefs produfts of thd home induftry i^ (ftom a train of invariable ciufes) likely to continue as long as thelcx:olonies continue to exift; Here are none of the fubftantial" inhabitants who do hot keep their xoacli ot chariot with" foufor (ik horfcs.^ The iHop-. keeper 3 'have fhelc two-wheel chaifcs, or kitereens[/] ;' and they who Cannot afford a carriage, even to the pooreft free Negroe, will not be without a faddle-horfe or two. As this is an inland-town> it derives its chief fupport from the refidence of the governor and publick officers ; the gentlemen of the law ; the aflembly and council ; and the conflux of people who nefort hither from the country parts on bufinefs, particularly during the iittings of the fupreme or grand court of law near four months in the year; and the feffion of the aflembly, which generally lafts from the beginning of Odtobcr till the Chriftmas holidays. At thefe times univerfal gaiety pre- vails; balls,' concerts, and routs, alternately hold their reign.

' The governor, according to antient cuftom, gives a ball and en- tertainment once a year at the king's houfe, in honour of his ma- jefty's birth-day. The .appearance of company on this occafion

;*is generally brilliant, the ladies vying with one another in the f ichne(s of their drelfes ; every one inakes a point of Exhibiting

"a new fuit of finery; and thi^ tegulation is ib Iavi(hly indulged, that fuch a ball is feldom attended with Icfs than three or four thoufand pounds expence to the guefts, which however is fo far ex- cufable, as it is laid out in Britifh manufiftures [nt]. When the town is full of company, here is a very good market j at other times of the year, it is but indifferently fupplied. In general, the mutton is much better, and th6* beef mucTi worle, than in KIngfton ; the latter town 'benign furniftied with beeves' from • the rich paftures of Pedro*s Cockpits, where the fattened cattle are inferior to none in America. The mutton conflimed in Spanifh

Town is chiefly brought from thd adjacent f^t-pan pAftures, and

• ^ .Vl«.>« f , fat ••.'

i^ So calfcd from.tbe.firiViinDortcd, which came from Ketitring, jirNortl^j^^ptonfliire. ^, : .

[w] During one half'of thcycar^ the inhabitants enjoy all the ftiUners and tranquUrity 6t z •eetintry-villagc ; and, in the other, the fcene is tot«Hy changed, and they'tcvd ia the pleafures of a town.

Vol, IL F the

34 JAMAICA.

the jHmns of Vere ; it U finally but delicioufly fweet, fat^ and juicy. The market is likewife tolerably well-fupplicd with fca and river filh, black crabs, the Jamaica oyfler, poultry of all forts remarkably fine, milk, vegetables, and fruits. Weft -Indian and North-American* The flour comes for the moft part from New- York, inferior to none in the world ; and the bread is excellent* The butter is imported from Cork and North- America, which cannot be much commended: the inhabitants, recoiKiled to it by cuftom, (hew no diflike to it, although it is fometimes fo rancid, that repeated waCbings will not fweeten it. Some few in the lowlands make a fort of frelh butter, but in fmall quantities^ and commonly infipid. The vales of Pedro are capable of fup-. plying the town with this article, if the penn- keepers or graziers there were encouraged to manufafture it for fale. What is ma- nufaAured there for their own ufe is of a delicate flavour, and will keep good for feveral days, and even weeks. The cheapnefs of the imported butter, which is generally fold for fixpence fterling the pound, and the great plenty of it, together with a long continued habit of uiing no other, may be the reafon why the inhabitants are not very folicitous about making any change ; hut it would doubtlefs be attended with a confiderable faving to the ifland, and tend much more to health, if they were to promote and eftablifli fuch a manufadure among the inland penn-keepers. It is fome time before an European palate can accommodate itfelf to the rank ftuff ferved up at the tables here. On the other hand, I have known many perfons who, upon their firil arrival in Britain from Jamaica, could not endure the tafte of fre{h*butter ; and I have heard of a lady who, for fbme years after her coming over to England, ufed to order ibme firkins of the Irifh butter to be brought regularly to her from Jamaica : fo difficult it is to re- iinquiih what cuftom, altera natura^ has made agreeable to us«

As fbme readers may be defirous of knowing the market-prices

of provifions in this town, I (hall ofler the following table, formed

agreeably to the experience of fome years. It muft be underflood,

however, that here, as in other places, there can be no fuch

. thing as a ftandard and invariable rate for thefe neceflary articles ;

and

BOOK 11. CHAP. VIL 35

and that their rates moft vary according to the reigning plenty or fcarcity, and other predocainant caufes.

Beef»

IHito^ prime partSt

Tongue,

Mutton,

Lamb,

Ditto» Calf's Iiead,

VeaU

Ditto, ptime parts,

Pork.

Kid, ■ ■ -

Tunic Calipafti, — Ditto Calipee, — Fiih large, — ■

^poand, t I ditto, — each,

fer pound,

fer quarter.

Jamaica Cunency. s. J, q.to s» d* q. o

fer pound,

^ pound,

ditto,

Ditto fiikaller,/fr (Iring of four, fi?e, or upwards. Ducks tame, ■ ■ fer couple.

Ditto wild, ■ ___ ditto,

TteJ, — — — — ditto^

Capons, ■ — ^- ■■ ^tto.

Hens, — — ' ditto,

Geefefat^ _^_ _ each,

Torkjes ikt, according to (ize, •— — ditto, Cbickens, — «— — <titto. Pigeons, ■ — /ifrpair,

£ggi, ^— ■ ■ fix to twelve, variable.

o

X

3

1

I

4 6

o

T O

o o I o o

J

5

5

6

3

7 8

o

I

o

A roaiHng-pig,

Abof^ Rabbits &ty Salt-fifh, *-— Shads, — r- Flour, •^—

Ditto, fuperfiae,

Biicuit,

Salt,

Wax-candles, Spermaceti ditto, Plantanes,

■ about %i

— — each, 4.

fer pound, about o

fer barrel, about 20

fercwtm 17

fer ditto, jo

/rr ditto, 30

I

3

2

I

5 o

fer bufliel, fer pound, ditto,

fer dozen, about^ — fer hulhel.

6 o

3 o I a

o o

3 o

4 a 3 o

7 2 o o

7 *

7 *

7 *

3 o

6 o

7 « X a

o o

o o

3 o

9 o

6 o

9 o

7 «.

10 2

7 * o o

9 o

4 ^ 3 o o o

60

o o o o

10 t

9 o

6 o

3 o o o

7 *

X

3

o

5

o

o

I

o

o

o

I

o

o

3

6

6

xo

S o

id

o

2 O

o o o o o

22

35

3* o

o

o

o

5

o

7 * 10 2

9 o

3 • o o

7 « o o

o o

3 o o o

o o o o

60

7 *

o o

9 o

3 o

3^ o •

o o

o o

o o

o o

6 o

o o

o o

o o

o o

o o

o o

6 o

o o

6 o o o o o p o o o

7 « o o

Reduced to Sterling.

S» «9 ^* to S* d, q%

O 4 I O XO 3

223

082

o xo 3 3 « »

4 o

o

o o o o o o

2

3 3

4

2

5

6

o

x

?

3 16

3 o

12

2t

21

I

2

X

O

3 o

5 3

5 I 8 2

S «

5 I

S ' xo 3

4 I

S

2

6

8

4

X

3 3 3

3

I

t

3 o

5 »

4 o X o

63

»' 3

I. X

2 I

3 »

6 o

i «

5 I

4 o

8 I

9 * 10 3

63

5 «

o I

2 o o

4 o

o

o

o

o

o

I

o

o

2

4 4 7

3

o

5 t

4 «>

8 X

10 3 o o o o o o o o

xo $ o o o o o o

o 3

5 « o o

8 r

5 3 5 S

« 3

63 o o

X2 XO I

000 X

o o o

o o o

16 ^i

6 O

o o

4 o

9 * o o

o d

o o

o a o o o o X o o o

^ 3 o o

o o a o o o a o

Corn Maize,

Ditto, in the ears, — — — /rr three dozen,

Ojftcrs are fold in fmall baikets, and variable in price ; as are like- wife many of the articles above* nicntioned ; on which accounr^^ I have given their j verage . loweft and higbeft rates of ibveral year^^ The variation of price is caufed by the occafional plenty or fcircity

F 2 incident

• . . . ... *

3^ JAMAICA.

iheident to fSFrenh Th« vafl ibtindaftceof (ifh caoght here, aiid its: not being a provifion that ca» be k^pt Iwect for any long time, are the caufes of its^ cheapnefs at naoft of the fea-ports, Fi(h and turtle are. often ibid at lefs prices than are exprefled in the table; and they fomifh a coniiderable part of iUbHiUnce to the people inhabiting thofe places; The prices in Spanifli^Own are in ge- Boral higher than k> Kingfion, where the market is und^r a better fegulatioA, and both the demand and fupply more conflant and ample. The latter town is alfo far better accommodated with ve- getables of all kinds, produced in the Liguanea mountains.

By the above table, conypared with the fcrftowing, may be feen how much the prices of fome provjifion have rifen above what they formerly were. An aft of affembly, paffed in the year 1693, efta- bliihed the rates thus, viz-

Jam, Currency. Sreriingr.

i. d^ q, s* d. q.

i^cef and goat^ ■■ — — ^^r pound,. 040 030

Mbtton, • ■■■ ■ ■■ " ditto, 060 041

Veal, prime parts, — ^ — '' ditto, 690 063

Ditto, other parts, ■ ditto^ 072 053

Hog, lamb, and turtle, ditto, 072 o 5 3

Thefettlers in thofe days were fewer in number,, yet either found means to fupply a larger quantity, or be contented with fmaller gain^. lb the year 1672, Doctor Blome writes^ that horned cattle were fo numerous, that, although there had been every year fo many killed, yet their number £bemed not much to be leffened. Nogs too he mentions were in very great plenty, as well thpfe ivild in the mountains, as tame in the plantations. We may con- je&ure, therefore, that the greater part of the beef and pork, then brought to market^ were of the wild fort ; for thefe animals over- ran the woods and favannahs,. and were flaughtered by all pcrfons who choie ta go in quell of them. This probably made the fettlers fo very ihattentive to the breeding of cattle, tliat in procefe of time, as the wild ones became diminiflied, and the plantations in- ^rea^ed^ they begaii toJn|rrod6c6'*a fupply from the Spanifli Main, A dep<lndehce upop' theie* ^Importations, and the low price which they formerly coft, ftiU further dHcou raged the ifland-bree'd ; and at ^relent the fugar-eilates, fb vaftly incrcaied ia their number, con*

fume

BOOK ir. CHAP. VII. 37

fame a large proportion of what are bred here* There ieema no Tcaucdy for this, bat^ by aii a£t of legiflaturc, to encourage thd ifland-breed, and throw gradual rcftraints upon the importation ; bj which n^ans, beef might 'poffibly, in courfe of a few years, return to a taore moderate price ; which would be a very defireable event to the inhabitants, and even to the breeders themfelved ; to whom the certainty, of demand, and largenefs of confumption, would make amends for the diminution of price ; and thus might be faved many thoufand pounds now paid for foreign falted beef, which is neither fo whoiefome, nutritious, nor pieaiing to the white iervaots, foldiers, and others, as fre(h meat. The high prurc of fbwls^ and the other fmall articles, is to be lowered by the introduction of more fettlers, by encouraging a traffic in fuch articles, and particularly enlarging the annual plant of corn, the icarcity of which is the fole caufe why eggs are in general fo cheap, and poultry fo dear; for,, when com is fcarce, fowls will devour more of it in value than they yield at the market* The greater abundance there is provided of thefe foods, the more money will be faved to the ifland in various way s ; audit would confequently grow more populous and thriving, and better able to 'maintain ' families; a matter of the utmoft concern to all who wifli to fee it flourifh ; marriages, the beft fource of well-peopling it, and from which fome men pretend they are at prefent deterred, from the expeniiveuefs of houfekeeping, would be greatly promoted ; ■ nor would many ufeful perfons emigrate from the colony, if they could live in it at a& cheap a rate in general as in Europe. To live ' otherwife in an ifland, fo fertile and fo capable of affording not only the comforts, but the luxuries of fuftenance, in the greatefl profuHon, is a reproach to iiiduflry and policy; but to adminifler fit and prafticable remedies will redound equally to the honour of legiflature, and to the public welfare. Spanifh Town covers a large extent of ground, many of the houfes having great areas, and feveral lots bein^ vacant or unbuilt. Thefe circumftances render it the more healthy andpleafaut; and a variety of trees in conftant verdure, being fcattered among the buildings^ more ef^ pecially in the &irt8, . it has the rural appearance of a village. The town feems, however,* to be rather oa the decline, not having

yet

38 J A M A I C A.

yet recovered the blow which it received daring the adminiftratiou of governor Kn ■ "S ; who^ in order to carry a favourite poifit againft the country, and in furtherance of this defign to gain a majority in the two other branches of the legiflature> very artfully cajoled into his intereft feveral opulent merchants and principal inhabitants of Kingfton, by hinting to them a plan of removing the feat of government, the courts of juftice^ and public records, to their town. The lucrative confequences of this proje€t were defcribed in fuch captivating terms, that they joined heart and hand with him to efFeft it ; and at length, after a violent ilruggle which threw the whole country into commotions, they fucceeded by gaining a corrupt majority in the houfe of affembly, garbled by very iniquitous and illegal practices. I'he deprivation of thefe main fupports, and the uncertainty of property in a town liable to fuch mutations at the arbitrary will of a governor, reduced its inhabitants to the utmoft diftrefs : fome quitted it ; and many per* fons were deterred from purcha(ing land, or occupying houfes in St ; while all tho(e, who fublifted in its neighbourhood by fup- plying the market were agitated with the dread of inevitable ruin*. Upon a full difcuflion of this matter before the board of trade, and a jufl: reprefentation fubmitted to the king in council, the fcheme appeared fo wicked and injurious to private rights, as well as pub- lic welfare, that the projedor of it was recalled, and exprefs in- ftru^ions given his fucceiibr to fummon a new and legitimate af- fcmbly of reprefentatives : which being complied with, they palled a law, reinftating the feat of government, offices of record, &c. in Spanifli Town, and eftabliftiing them there immutably: and this law was afterwards confirmed by the crown.

But the town has not yet recovered its former population and opulence. The proprietors of houfes and lands in and near it are fcarcely yet free from apprehenfions of another removal ; and their terrors have fince been awakened, more than once, by attempts from the Kingfton quarter to repeat the blow, by purfuing the former mode of acquiring an undue majority in the houfe of af- fembly, for the purpofe of repealing that law. Hence has arifen a confirmed party in that branch of legiilature; and the great flrugglc at every eled:ion is, to regulate the balance of power in the new

houfe.

BOOK If. CHAP. VII. 39

houfc. Each fide, through a (ecret jealoufy, ts too apt, by an uni- form iyftem of oppofition, to rejed various meafures of public uti- lity, which are greatly wanted, for the improvement and general benefit of the iflaud. It is much to be regretted, that fuch ani- mofittes fliould dill prevail ; and more fo, that caufe (hould be given for keeping them alive. An artful and malevolent governor alone could wifli to foment the Ipirit of difcord, with a view of turning it to hh own advantage, by fiding with the ftronger party, and thus acquiring a fet of advocates ready to promote or vindicate his rapa- cious and unjud proceedings, A wife and good governor will think he befi: ferves the king and his fubjecfls by fleadily difcouraging every attempt towards re-kindling this deftrudtive flame.

The fituation of this town, fo centrical with refpedl to the whole ifland, renders it extremely convenient for holding the chief courts of juftice ; and to this end it is flill further adapted, as being un-* difturbed by the noife and tumult ufual in places of great trade. The records are fafer here ; becaufe, upon the invafion of an enemy, it is too diflant from the fea-coafl to be firft attacked, and there would be ample time for removing them into Sixteen-mile-walk ; or, flill further, to the inmoft recedes and fortreifes of the ifland, for their fecure prefervation. Thus, although the town might be afterwards taken and plundered, the records would be fafe ; nor could an enemy follow them expeditioufly, if they may be fup« pofed an obje£l worth acquiring ; the road leading to Sixteen-mile* walk being full of places proper for ambufcading, or eafily ren« dered impaflable by felling of trees, and throwing down fome of thofe huge rocky maflcs which over-hang it. The town ferves be- ; fides as a grand ftore-houfe, or magazine, for fupplying great part of the county of Middlcfeic with articles of cloathing, hufbandry^ ialt-provifion, and other neceflaries, moft of which are broughc from Kingfton, which therefore is very much benefited by this ex* tei^fion of its inland commerce ; an advantage it would not, in all likelihood, enjoy without the afliftance of Spanifli Town ; for, in this cafe, not only the confumption of fuch articles muft be greatly diminiflied, but many of the planters would probably rather import what they wanted, or eflablifh a new mart at Fafiage Fort, as being far more convenient for their bufinefs than Kingfton. Gonfidered 4 alfo

40 JAMAICA-

alfo as a garrifon, it will appear to form a great additional ftrength to the midland-part of the ifland, and has fo proved in feveral in- ternal difturbances that have occurred from Negroe mal-contents ; particularly in 1761, when the detachments of horfe-militia and regular troops, ordered from hence, to quell a dangerous infurrec- tion, which had broke out in St. Mary's pari(h, arrived there fo ex- peditioufly, as to give almoft immediate protedlion to the ihbabi- tants. A colony of fuch extent woyid unqueftionably become

.much fecurer, if more towns were formed in convenient parts of

- it, Inftead therefore of labouring to ruin a town fo antient aiid beneficial, the men of fenfe and fortune in the ifland (hould rather endeavour, by fuitable encouragements and provifions, to found neW

,ones in thofe uncultivated diftrlfts where congregations of people are much wanted, to add more links to the chain of communica- tion, which ought to pervade every part of fo fruitful and delightful

.a country.

The conteft about removing- the feat of government, before-men- tioned, became the caufe of fetting up a printing- houfo iii this town ; for, before that «ra, the votes of affembly were printed at Kingfton. But the partizans of Spanifli Town formed an aflbciation to fupport a new prefs in their town. From this ifliies a vveekly paper of intelligence, compiled moftly from the London and North- American prints; but it is chiefly convenient to the'inha-

. bitants as a vehicle for advertifements of different forts. Some oc- cafional pamphlets have likcwife received their birth from it ; and

41 new edition of the laws was lately preparing. The votes of af- fembly and the annual bills are printed here ; the journals of the

■council are printed in Kingfton, where two preflcs are eftablifh^d, and two weekly papers. Thus each of thefe branches of legiflatlire having its feparate prtfs, I need not remark, that, when pollticai' dif- ferences arife^ an extraordinary employment is given to thefe iia^a- chines, by appeals to the public, and theargumentsoneither (ide pro

, .andcon: butit isdoubtful,whetherthefe difputationsjcarriedonasthey

^nerally are with great vehemeixce and acrimony, do not tcncimore

to cxafpcrate than to conciliate. The prefs of Spauifli Town was

devoted to a far better ufe, vvhen the allbciation of gentlemen be-

ifore-mentioned made it fubfervient to the intereileof morality, and

the

BOOK 11. CHAP. YII. 41

the improvement of the iOand, by piublifliing a weekly effay under the title of The Planter, which was fupported for a confiderable time in a lively, entertaining manner. In a garden belgnging to

Mrs. T s, in this town, are two trees called baobab, or the

great-cotton, defcribed by Adanfon^ in his account of .Guiney, from whence the feeds were brought and plamed here. Some qalJL this likewife the capot tree ; of which fpecies Bofman relates, that he has feen fome capable, with their fpreading boughs, of (hading twenty thoufand men, if ranged clofe ; and fo tall, that a mujfquct fliot could hardly reach the top. At Axim, tlaere is ^aid to be one which ten men could not grafp ; and, , in Prince's iijiaiK], another, the trunk of which could not be furrqunded by four an^ twenty men, their arms at full flretch: not that the body itfelf is io enormous ; but the fprouts adhere ia fuch a manner as to feen;i to form one uniform trunk. The wood is light and pQr;ous^ fcarcely fit for any other ufe than making canoes. The tree bears a fpecies of cotton, ufed in Guiney by the European fadtors for fluffing beds, inflead of feathers. Thefe in Spauifli Town are as yet of only a moderate bulk ; but, if they (hould Iprcad in time into the diameter reported by thefc authors, they will require much more room than has been allotted to thqm.. The barjk and 4ea,ves ^e faid-fo.ppfleifs fome virtues in the cure of fevers. And they deferve to be propagated ; but the heft fcite would be the rich bank of fome river.

Faflage Fort, formerly called The Parage, from its being the place of embarkation for Port-tRoyal, is fituated on the Weft fide of the harbour, about three quarters of a mile from the piouth of the Cobre, and fix from Spaniih Tpwn. It was once defended by a fmall fort, of ten or twel/e guns, which has long fince been demoliflied. It is at prefent a fniall village, confifting of about fifteen houfes, chiefly inhabited by wharfingers, warehoufe-keepers, and the mafters of wherries and hackney- chaifes^ which conftantly ply here with paflengers to and from the towns. Thefe wherries ' generally put oflF from Paffage Fort from fix to feven o'clock in the morning, before the fea-breeze fets in^ and are favoured with- a gentle land-wind. On their return, they go direftly before the breeze, which fometimes blows up the harbour with great violence. VoL.II. G Thej

42 JAMAICA-

They arc accommodated with tilts or awnings, and- navigated en- tirely by Negroes. This is a barquadier for Spanifli Town, and moft of the plantations in St. Catharine, St. Thomas in the Vale^ and St. John. The merchant- (hips which load from hence ufually lye off the hofpital of Greenwich, where they receive their cargo out of large boats, or lighters, there not being depth of water fuf- £cient for veflels of burthen to come nearer the wharfs. The {T- tuation is low, and fubjeft to inundations from the harbour in florms. This place is famous in the annals of Jamaica for the landing of colonel Jackfbn in 1638, and of Venables in 1655. The firft-built town was wholly deftroyed by the great earthquake of 1692, and never thoroughly rebuilt ; nor is it probable that it- will ever grow again into a town. The want of fufficient depth of water, perhaps, firft induced Mr. Hcndcrfon, an en- terprizing and fpirited gentleman, to form a new anymore con- venient (hipping-place on the North-Eaft fide of Salt-pond hilt,.. under cover of the Twelve-apoftle battery ; this he has efFeded at : a very large expence, and with much judgement. The depth of. water admits fliips of burthen very near to the wharf, and already there appears the dawning of a new town ; which, by attradting^ the mofl confiderable part of the buirnefs, feems to forebode the fpeedy decline of Paflhge Fort. This new barquadier is called' at prefent by the name of Port-Henderfbn ; and, befides its ufe for Ihipping off fugars, and other produce, with the utmoft difpatchf, . it has opened a ready communication on that fide of the harbour - with the fquadron and Port-Royal Town-; which cannot fail of proving extremely convenient, more partrcuiarly in time of war. . At the back of Salt-pond' hill is a remarkable cave. The ad?t : leading into it is narrow and low ; but the cave itfelf is" from twen- ty-five to thirty fee^ diameterj and of good height. The floor of it is ftrewed with human bones; and there runs a tradition among the NegrocSy that a white perfon many years ago collefted a vaft pile and confiimed it to afhes : a large quantity ftilL remains; and, from the conformation of the ikulls', they are thought to have been . Indian. Some have, imagined that the Indians made ufe of thefe recefles as a fort of catacombs, or ofRiaries, for their dead."' The »tient Mexicans laid their dead bodies without burial on the fur-

face

BOOK IL CHAR VII. 43

face of the earth, and environed them with ftones or bricks* Thefe rocky chafms and cavities, frequent in many parts of Jamaica, na- turally offered as convenient and durable fepulchres. But this con- jecture, though ingenious, is not fupportcd by any proof, that the Indians of this ifland were f^overned by the (lime cuftom. There are better grounds for (uppofing, that they interred their dead ; and that the bones, found in thefe places, are no other than the relicks of the laft remnant of that unfortunate people, who periftied here beneath the infupportable tyranny of their conquerors, as I (hall hereafter take occafion to relate. ^

Spanifh Town is defended on the South by a range of hill, called Healthfliire, corruptly Hellftiire, about nine miles in length, and fix in breadth ; which fpacc contains about thirty-four thoufand acres, for the mod part fo rocky and barren, as not to be worth inha- biting. Its chief produce is lime ; which is made here in large quantities, and fent by water to Kingfton. The air on thefe hills is extremely healthy : the rocks are concealed from view by innu- merable aromatic herbs, (hrubs, and trees, polieffed of great medi- cinal virtues, though hitherto explored only by a few curious per- fons. This whole diftrift is filled with the larger fpecies of mock- bird, whofe lively notes ferve to chear its dreary vales. The cu- ratoe and aloes grow here very luxuriantly ; and fome experiments have been made, by a gentleman who lived here, with the filk-grafs and grape-vines, which were found to thrive extremely well. The foil is alfo produftive of potatoes, yams, and other Weft-India roots, and all the melon tribe, in great pcrfeftion* There is an exceeding good fifticry on the coaft ; but the want of water-lprings, there being only one, that I have heard of, in the whole traft, and the few articles of profit to be gained from fuch a foil, will probably be the means* of its remaining for the moft part in a ftate of na- ture. The ridge of high land, part of this tra£l, which faces Port- Royal harbour, is called Salt-pond Hill, from a large piece of falt- water on the South Weft fide of it, covering near feven hundred acres. This was formerly a falt-work ; which, with two more in the parifh of St. David, was conduced by a captain^ Jofeph Noye^ who made from them in one year ten thoufand bufliels, and af- firmed, that he could have made as many ton^, if there had been

G 2 a vent

44 JAMAICA.

a vent for fo miich at the market But the great manufaftory of fait at Tortuga caufed this .article to fall fo cheap, that it has for many years paft been difcontinued in Jamaica. This fait- pond is about four feet in depth, and moft plentifully flocked with good fifli ; which are a more profitable article of traffic to the prefent ^ owner, who fends them daily for fale to Spauifli Town, little more, than fix miles diftant.

The parifhioners of St. Catharine, St. Thomas in the Vale, and St. Dorothy, formerly exercifed a fort of right in common of making fait here, for the ufe of their families : but, during the go- vernment of Sir Thomas Lynch, they agreed with Sir Thomas- Modiford, who had patented the circumjacent lands, that he fhould- deliver them annually at the rate of half a bufhel of fait per head,, including Blacks and Whites, only not to exceed five thoufand bufliels in the whole; for which they were to pay is. pet- bufheh This agreement was confirmed by an ad of aflfembly, but has been for many years difufed.

About four miles North and North«.weft from the town is another range of hills ; over which is fcattered a great number of polinks, or places applied entirely to the cultivation of garden-ftufF, fruits, and fuch fort of provifion, for the town-market. The range, diflin- guiflied by the name of the Red Hills, from their reddifh foil, is thought to produce the feveral Weft-India fruits, of a better flavour than almoft any other pdft of the ifland. Many of the town-^in- habitants have little fettlements here, with good houfes, to which they occafionally retire. No part of the world can enjoy a more agreeable or healthy air. The Spaniards formerly efteemed it a Montpellier ; and numbers ufed to pafs over from Cuba, in order to refide here for the re-eftabli(hment of their healths From many parts of thefe hills the profpedt is rich and extenfive, commanding a view of the town, the paftures adjacent, the harbour and (hipping at Port Royal, and of the veflels coming in or going out. Thefe hills are deftitute of fprings ; but the inhabitants eafily fupply that want by preferving rain-water in cifterns or jars, which they find extremely pure and falubrious.

The foil of St. Catharine's parifh is various. The hills abound

with lime-ftone rock; the champaign confifts chiefly of favannah

I land.

B O OK IL CHAP. VIl: 45

£ind, or sr rkh brick mould ; the pafture laotU id th& ueighbour'^ hood, and what Ik adjacent to the river,, are of the latter kind^ the rainy feafons have b©8n. for maay years too uncertain in this part of the country for the cultivation of the fugar-cane, to which the nature of the foil is< excellently adapted : but the richnefs of their grafs- makes amends; and the owners draw confiderable profit by breeding cattle and fheep, and fattening for the town-markets. Indigo once flouriflied in all this diftridt. Attempts have, withit*. thefe few years, been made by one or two gentlemen to revive it;, but dry weather baffled their project, and ^ convinced them of its. impracticability. The well-water in thefe parts is in general bracki(h, or containing an admixture of fait ; which feems to in- dicate the exi{?ence of fait mines here; but none have yet bcen^ difcovered ; and probably they lie at too great a depth to be of fer- vice if they are ever known. There are other wells of a very pure water, fupplied probably by fprings or fubterraneous currents,, which do not pafs through any ftrata of this foffil: That fait is plentifully intermixed with the foil here in fome places is evident from the licks to which cattle and Iheep greedily refort. I have feen fcveral of them in the neighbourhood of the town. Thefe animals are known to be extremely fond of fait; and inftin(9:, dire<3:s them where to find it. They experience its good efFcdbs in cor- reSing the deleterious quality of the crude grafs, produced here, fromfudden heavy rains fucceeding a drowth. On thefe occafions, they are fubje£l to violent diarrhoeas, which are frequently mortal. The penn-keepers ufe no other remedy than mafhed, pickled her- rings, given them by way of a drench, which, if the dilorder has. not continued too long, performs a. certain cure. There is no doubt but the fait, and not the fubftance of the fifh, is the remedy to which their cure is to be afcribed ; and this is further confirmed by the common obfervat ion, that (heep, paflured on the falinas, or lands contiguous to the fea, are not afflidted with the rot ; and that the cattle, watered from a brackifli well, are much lefs apt to be fcoured with the crude grafs than others.

The air of the flat country comprehended within this parifli is cfteemed in general very healthy, except after the fall of the au- tumnal rains; when, the water, ftaguating for fome time on the low

grounds.

46 J A M A I C A.

grounds, 19 thought with good reaibii to be produftivc of aguifh . complaints, intermittent and remittent fevers ; from all which, 5 the adjacent hills offer a certain . afylum to fuch of the mhabitants

whofe circumftances.admit of their removal.

The foUowingcomparative table may give fbme^dea of the mo*

dern ftate of this patifli :

		Quantity of Sugar in one Yetr.
		Hogdicads.
	Negroes.	'Cattle. Sugar-plantations. 4 1 Other Settlements.
■1734,	5502	'8002
1740,	6203	8581
.1745,	(>599	«Q43
.1761,	7016	5 1 3P 1 95
1768,	7308	; 1 0402 :s E C T. III.

St. Dorothy, in thePrecin£l of St. Catharine.

THIS parifh is bounded on the Eaft by St. Catharine; Weft, * by Clarendon ; North, by St. John; and South, by Old Harbour and the fea.

The town of Old Harbour contains about thirty houfes, inha- bited chiefly by wharfingers and faftors; this being the principal .barquadler for this parifh, St. John, a part of St. Thomas in the Vale, and a part of Clarendon. It had formerly a fmall fort, or rather batteiy , which has not been thought of confequence enough to fupport in repair; for the harbour, or bay, lying only about leven leagues Weft from Port Royal, and about ten miles from Spanifh Town, notice might be difpatclied to either of thofe places in a very fliort time upon any alarm; and as the fame breeze, which would ferve to carry a fliip of war from Port Royal to their afliftance, would prevent an enemy's ve{fel from getting out of ^he bay, no privateer will dare to venture fo far in as to give the town any annoyance : befides, the entrance into the bay is fortified with io many cayes and (hoals, as to make the navigation very ha- zardous to ftrangers ; and even thofe beft-acquainted with it require

day4ight

BOOK III CHAR VIL 47

day-Iightand a favourable land-wind to carry them out. I'he inner OP Eaft harbour is an inlet, or cul de fac^ turning near fix miles wkhln land, and fo flieltered on all fides, that fliips have rode here with perfect fafety in tl^ moft furious hurricanes. -On this account, the Spaniar-ds^^ moored their galleons here during the ftorray feafon ; but the channel-leading to it is now^ for' choaked with mud^ that loaded (hips- cannot get in or out; -for which reafon, the merchant- vcfleh, which come to take in cargoes at this port, lie further out in the bay, where vefiels of almolt any burthen may have fufficient depth of water and a fine anchoring-ground.

In the offitig of the bay is a very good^ firtiery, chiefly for fnap- pers, which form a principal part of fubfiftence for the inhabitants at Old Harbour, At certain times^of the year there is alfo great plenty of turtle caught upoti the coaft. A company. of foldiers is- quarteredhere in barracks,' built at the expence of theparifh. As * this place c<!)ntains nothing further of note, I fliaU pafs on to the ' market^ . whidi; is diftant about two miles inland, and is fo called from the Negroe market, held here regularly every Sunday fore-^ noon,- for poultry,^ corni eggs, and other^fmall articles of provifion. It is an infignifieant hamlet of about twelve houfes, confifling of taverns and (hops, and diftant about one mile from the parochial church, ..a tfmalJ building, dole by which is the rcdor*s houfe, iituated on a xocky eminence, which commands an agreeable pro^ fpe£t of the fea and. adjacent country. From the piazza of this hauie the eye takes in^a view of great part of St> Catharine and Li- guarea,: and the fea from St, Thomas in the Eaft to Portland Point in- the Weft.- But the flat part of St. Catharine, St. Dorothy, and Clarendon^ appears to be in a manner a continued wood,' from the multitude of opopinax trees- which are fuffered to grow in the hedge-rows and middle of the »paftures; and this detracts greatly from the beauty of the landfchape.* The ftipend annexed to this re^Slory is. 200 /• per annum \ and,- the pariih not being very po^ pulous, the whole income of the living is probably under 400/.

The only tiver inthis parifli is the Black or Bridge river, -which takes its rife in a fmall morafs about feven miles from the harbour* . The excellence of its water has already been mentioned. It 'croffes ilie great Weftcrn road which^ leads from Spanifh Town to the

leeward *

4« JAMAICA-

leeward parts of the ifland, over afunken bridge of large timber- .V90Yk and (tones. It is here but a fmall ftreaiu ; but it widens oil approaching the harbour, and becomes deep enough to admit the fliips long-boats wiiich come here for water. Near the mouth of it are caught exceeding fine jew-fifti and calipever, for the Spanifli Town market. Th« foil adjacent to it is extrepiely rich ; and large t rafts are capable of being watered by channels drawn fron> the river, and cultivated with the fugar-cane; but hitherto no fuch advantage has been made of either. The foil of this parifli in ge- neral rel'embles that of St. Catharine, and lies under th^ like mif- fortune of uncertain feafons ; for which reafo», it has nev^r oaade any conftderabk figure as a fugar-parifli.

The hilly parts of it tpwards the North abound in pimento- trees; which flaews their foil well-adapted to this produdiont though it is not extenfively attended to here, for want of inhabi- tants. The air of the coaft is b«t indiflirent : the interior parts are cfteemcd more healthy ; and particularly the hills, where it is perfeftly clear and temperate.

In the naomitains near St. John's is an exceedingly fine chalybeate^ fpring, which has performed many furpriiiug cures iu dropfical ha- bits ; and in cafes where, by lingering and ill -managed intermiti- tents, the patient was too relaxed and emaciated, the blood impo^ verilhed, and the tone of the flomach much impaired. Some have been known to recover from a dropfy by the ufe of it, after being ieveral times tapped. The edate in which it rifes having been, a few years ago, fold by Mr. Harris, the former proprietor, the pur- chafer, either through ignorance, or for fome other reafon, cauied a bank to be dug down, at the foot of which it had ufed to be taken up. It now lies covered by a load of foil and rubbiih feveral feet in depth ; fo that the public are at prefent unhappily deprived of this providential remedy. It is much to be lamented, that the many excellent mineral and medicinal waters in this ifland, diflri^ buted here by the benevolent Father of mankind, on purpofe as it were to adminifter an eafy relief under fome of the moft excru- ciating ailments, ihould have fallen fo little under the public care^ that, excepting the bath in St. Tbdmas, I do not know of one that has been thought worthy of the legiflative attention.

The

BOOK ir. CHAP. VII. '49

"The aftroites, or ftar-ftones ajid brontI«, hedge-hcg and echiirt ftohes, are found in great abundance oh the'coaft. Tlie'firft*men- tioned, as well as the coral rocks, which extend from Salf-pond hill to Old Harbour, near the (hore, when calcined, make an excellent lime for building.

It feems now to be the efl:abli{hed^ opinioQ, foundedrupon ana- tomical obfervations, that the black complexion of Negroe^- pro- ceeds entirely from a reticulum mucofum, or dark-coloured net-work, fpread immediately beneath the cuticle of their bodies. It is like- wife prefumed, upon reafbnable grounds, that the different cafts of complexion, obfervable among the different fpecies of men, ^deriv^e their various tints principally, if not entirelx* from the colour of their reiicula. The offspring of two Negrpe-parents, if born with a^white or light-colourejd reticulum^ is called an Albinoe. A male child of this fpecies was born, a few years fince, at a polinck,, in the hills between St. Catharine and this parifli, and is probably ftill living. The complexion of k wa&a dead, dull white, refembling that of a corpfe ; its hair, or rather wool, a light-flaxen colour, ftrong, coarfe, and curling, like th^t of a Negroe ; the features were truly of the Negroe caft ; the noftrils wide, and lips thick and prominent ; the eyes were alight-grey, large and full, and, when brought into a flrong light, were in a continual, rolling mo- tion, which gave the child the foolifh look of an idiot. If he (hould attain to manhood, and beget children, the attention of the cu- rious will be excited to remark the colour of his progeny. A na- tion of thefe Albinoes are faid to inhabit fomewhere in the central parts of Africa; who are weak and of low ftature, and do not mix with the Blacks. They are called Dondos, or Mokiffes, by the natives; and art faid to have fcarcely any fight, except by moon or owl-light, and to be at continual war with the Blacks, who at*, taek them iti the day-time, when their fight is at tlie worft ; and they take their revenge in the night<> when it is bed. They are likewife faid to be educated in the fcience of prieflcraft, or witch- , craft, and to fill the chief offices at Loango in all religious affairs and fuperflitious ceremonies. Some of the Negroes in Guiney arc of opinion,' that, although they have their males and females,, like «the refl of mankind, they are incapable of procreating, if not of Vol, II. H coition.

50 J A M A I C A.

coition. Biit this wants prooft Several of the fame fpecies ace- affirmed to have been feen in other parts of Africa, in Borneo, iu India) and New Guiney.

I fhall conclude the account of this parifh with a table, as Wore :

Annual Produce of Sugar. Sugar-plantAtioDS, | Hogiheads. | Other Setcleineots..

	l^cpoui'	Catde.
»734.	2298	534»
1740,	^s^s	5468
»745»	2423	4540
1758,	3229	4232
1761,	3210
^7^3*	307s	3899
1766,	37»3	4236
1768,	.3665	4661

12 j 700 I 56

Taking the lifts of 1768 and 1740 into comparifon, the decreafe of cattle appears to be 807, although no new fugar-plantations- ^ere formed within that time. And this falling-ofi; I am afraid,. tnuft be referred chiefly to the introdu<^ion of foreign cattle, for fupplying the markets and fquadron : this proved a difcouragement to many penn*-keepers in the pariih, and occafioned their deferting^ it ; fo that feveral penns, which formerly were capital breeding- penns, are at prefent in wafte»

SECT. IV. St- J O H N.

Thisparifti has for its boundaries^ on the North, St. Anne? on the South, St. Dorothy ; on the Eaft, St. Thomas in the Vale j: and on the W^eft, Clarendon. The whole of this parifti is oc- cupied with hills, mcMintains, and vallics. It is watered with four rivers, of which the Rio Montando, or Mountain river,, is the principal; and with the feveral fprings and ramificatioiis which contribute to form them. The foil in general is> fertile^ even on thehigheft ridges. It abounds with fine timber ; and the

vales

BOOK II. CHAR VIL 51

iralcs are particularly prolific ; of thcfe the Vale of Luidas, diftant about twenty-one miles N* W. from Spanifh Town, is the beft- fettled. Before fugar- works were formed here, it contained only breeding- penns, whofe paftures were fo rich, that the cattle were remarkably fat, and their flefh of an exquifitd flavour* Thefe penn4ceepers ufed to fupply the market of Spani{h Town with veal, which Sir Hans Sloane, I think, extols very highly. The climate of this pari(h is cool and temperate. Exceeding good butter has been made here by one or two families ; and I have feen moft kinds of European garden fluff, produced in the Vale of Luidas, in as great perfeftion as any that is brought to Coven t-garden -market. The cherry, apple, quince, and peach tree, thrive and bear fruit in this vale ; a fure indicaition of the cool temperature of the climate^ and that the furrounding mountains would be found on experiment to produce them in ftill higher pcrfedion. The air of this pari(h is confequently very healthful, and has proved entirely agreeable to European conftitutlons. But it is far from being well-inhabited, the roads leading from it requiring a great deal of improvement* After eroding the Red Hills, we enter a tolerably cultivated vale at Lloyd*s eftate, interfperfed with a few well-built houles, which, for want of the refidcnce of their proprietors, are haflening very faft to decay. From this vale we afcend Cudjve Hill; from part of which there is a South-eaft profpeft over the Red Hills to Kingfton, and Weftward to Old Harbour and Goat Ifland, with a near view of fuch plantations as lie inimediately below. Some miles further inland is Bolt's Hill, which rifes ftill higher ; the fides of it are finely cloathcd with fugar-canes ; and from the fummit the Southern hills appear depreiled, and the eye takes in aboundlefs profpeft over the fca, beyond Port-Royal* About tho diftancc of two miles further North are the barracks, which ar<J built of ftone, and command a narrow pafs of communication be-* tween the North and South fides of the ifland. This pofl: is ca-» pable of being made exceedingly ftrong ; and even now a garrifon of fifty men might hold it againft five hundred: but hitherto (a^ I am informed) no detachment has been* cantoned in iu The bar«» racks are no fooner pafled, than we diiicover, at the difl:ance of four or five miles along a vifto between two continued chains of hills,

H 2 at

52 J A M A: I C A.

at the footof which ruDS a brokep gully, called Juan de Bolas (oc John of the Vale), the delightful valley of Luidas, before-fpoken- of, encircled with the lofty mounds of four pariflies, St. John,. Clarendon, St. Anne, and St. Thomas in the Vale. Some of thefe highlands near Juan de Bolas are fai^ to have rich veins of the precious ores ; but noexpence* is fufficient to explore the profound

regions in which they lie concealed. The late Sir S n CI^: — -ke

(who was defcended from an ancient family in Warwickfliire, and bore fome of the higheft offices in this ifland), amongft other branches of fcience, attained to confiderable knowledge in . me- tallurgy; and, had his fucc(ifs been at ^\ proportioned to his (kill, might have beftowed his application to a very profitable end : but„ xinhappily, after an immenfe expence and trouble in fearc^ing foe the hidden treafure, he found (topjate) that his favourite purfuit bad only contributed to the redu<3:ion of bis fortune. The church, if not lately repaired, is in a ruinous, dilapidated ftate. The redlor, however, has a good hoijfe and fome. glebe land. His ftipend is 200/. and the annual value pf the living fuppofed not to exceed 32c/. per annum. f

State of the Parifli : .

Annual Produce Sugar-plantations. | Itogfheads. | Other Settlements*.

	Negroes.	Cattle.
J734.	5242-	2561
1740,	S^7S ■■	2837 »
I745» ■	51^^ '	2250
1761,	5888 •
1768,	5455	2726

21 I 2200 I 50^

The decreafe of Negroes fliews that this parilh is not getting for- ^ wards. Let me here remark (oncb for all) on the great utility of Comparing the prefent and part ftate of the parilhcs together. It is the true teft by which the legiflaturcTOay judge of the ftate of the whole ifland, and where the lyniptoms of a decline are ma- nifeft ; as in the example of this parifhj^ which is bleft with every natural advantage of a good air, a fruitful foil, and regular leafons. It may juftly be fufpefted, that 'kiretrogradation: under thefe very favourable circuniftances can hdppcfarno otherwife than from fome defeat in the policy of internal goveniment; perhaps notliing .fo

much

► » » »

BOOK 11. CHAP. Vrr. 5:3:

mud:^ as a want of good roads, and the impoveriihed condition of thofe wlj.o have failed in their fettlements, principally from this caule. But, whatever the caufe, may have been, it is the duty. of a patriotic legiflature, when convinced of the fadt, to fearch for the fource of evil by the naoft probable rules of enquiry; and,, when they have difcovered it, to apply the befl remedies in their power*.

I SECT. V.

St. Thomas in the Vale.

THIS parifti is bounded towards the North by St. Anne, and St. Mary ; towards the South, by St. Catharine; on the Eaft, by St. Andrew;, and on the Weft, by St. John^ It is watered by the Cobre; the D*Oro; the Rio Magno, formed by the conflux of the Tilboa and Indian rivers; and by fcverai fmall rivulets which fell into thencL The greater part of this parifti is comprized within the vale called Sixteen-mile-walk. This vale is about eleven miles in length by eight in width, and contains between fifty andfixty thoufand fquare acres. It is- fituated Southerly, be- neath the main ridge or chain of high mountains which traverfe the ifland from Eaft to Weft. It is alfo inclofed on all oth^r fides with a circumvallation of high hills and mountainsl It h neither flat nor fwampy, but diverfified throughout with gentle rifi'ngs ai>d flopes. The foil is fertile, for the moft part a red coarfe earth mixed with clay, or. a dark mould uppn a whitlfti marie. ' It. i$ full of fprings and rivuleta, which unite with the larger /^reaniSjj and thefe, meeting together near the chafm^ or opening betwi^ the mountains on the South fide of the yalo, augment that noble river the Cob re, which contiijues its courfe irregularly between rocky mountains and precipices, alternately a calcade or fmooth water, as it happens to be naore or lefs impeded, exhibiting for fome miles a very romantic fcene till it reaches the plain belov^. At that part of the vale wher/e it f^rft.ihapes its ,cQurfe towards Spa** nifh Town, it enters between two yawning, rocky hilJs, whiciij; ap-

pear.

54 JAMAICA.

pear as if they . had been rifted on purpofe to give it a pafllige* The vale is almoft daily throughout the year overcafl with a thick fog, which begins to rife llowly on the approach of evening, grows 4Jeiyfer as the night advances, becomes gradual'y difFufed into all the contiguous vales or inlets among the furrounding mountains, is heavieft about the dawn of day, and remains fettled until the fun has warmed and agitated the air ; then it rifes higher, expand- ing in the atmofphere; and between the hours of eight and nine in the forenoon it begins to flow away in two principal ftreams, the one Weftward among the mountains on that fide, the other South- ward, following the courfe of the river* Early in the morning it is extremely thick; and, if viewed at this time from the fummit of the mountains, it affords the moft lively reprefen ration poflible of a large lake, or little (ea : the feveral vales and collateral inlets appear to be arms, harbours, bays, and creeks 5 the elevated fpots, idifperfed through it, and covered with trees, buildings, or cane- pieces, refemble fmall iflands, which here and there uplift their diminutive heads above water, combining into view the moft pic- turefque and delightful variety. This fog has been remarked as a fingular phs&nomenon almoft from thefirft fettlement of the ifland. I (hall not pretend definitively to explain the phyfieal caufes of it; the fubje£l has puzzled much abler heads : but as every one has a ri^ht to offer his conjcftures ; {o I may be allowed to fubmit mine, without affecting to controul the opinions of others.

The great abundance of rain that falls on the encircling moun- tains, their prodigious furface and fudden fteep rife from the vale on all fides, may probably occafion a vaft quantity of water to dc- fcend inceiTantly, through fubterraneous chafms, into fo low a fitu- fttion, as it were into a huge fink. The foil of the vale, which in ge- neral (as has been obferved) is a clay, may poffibly obftrudl the free emergency of this water to the furface, except in particular places, where, the ftratum being thinner, the refiftance is lefs ; or where gravel, fand, or mould of a loofe texture, predominate. Accord- ingly, we obierve it copioufly watered with feveral fprings and ri- vulets, which have their fource among the adjacent high lands. But although thefe currents do iK>t burft forth in all parts, yet th^ fmaller globules of water may gradually be rarefied and evaporate,

affifted

Boox n. CHAP. vn. 55

iflifted by the native warmth of the marie below, and the aftiott of the iblar heat above ;. which enable thofe globules to penetrate ^ the fijrface- ia form of vapour^ In a vale encompafled with fucb prodigious mounds^ the folar cay^ muft ftrike with confiderable imprefiion, and fupply the earth to a certain dfeptli with a large Aock of heat, which doth not wholly leave it for many hours after fun-fet* The ingenious Dr^ Haies remarks,, that fo great a heat as the fun occaiions, at two feet depth under the earth's fur^ face, mud needs have ftrong iiifluenee iii« Eaiiing the moiilure at that acid greater depths ; whereby a continual reek mufl: always be a/cending, during a hot feafon, by night as well as by day ; for the heat at two feet depth is nearly the fame night and day. The im^ pulfe of the fun-beams giving^ the moifture in the eartlx a brilk undulating ixu)tion» thefe aq.ueous particles^ when feparated and ra* reiied by heat, afcend inta the atmofphere. In the day-time, the rarefa£tIoa of thefe particles is fo gi«eat, that they pais from the earth imperceptibfy :. after fon-fet, the cool air, ruftiing dowa- wards from the mountains, condenfes,. and renders them vifible^^ In this ftate the fog refls^ brooding over the vale, for want of heat to raife it higher, or of wind to. difpel it;: for the land-wind does^ not ul'ually blow here with an impetuofity fufficient to drive it over thefe lofty barriers that hem In the vale : but it is^ obferved, that ftrong Norths in the winter-months force it vehemently through. the opening of the Southern chain^ through which the Cobre flowsj^ and difperfe it for fcveral miles, even to. Spanifh Tawn, and fbme-^ times beyond iti but, whenever this happens, no fog is to be ieeD' in that quarter of the vale bordering on the Northern isange of mountains from which the wind then fets* Another Angularity is^ that, on the approach of a rainy day, this fog does not appear the antecedent evening ; the reafon of which may be, that &ch even- ings being always clofe and fultiy, it is probable the rarefadioca continues as well by night as by day^ and, the ufijal condenfatioDH not taking place, the particles are liot rendered obvious to the fight, although perhaps the reek at fuch times is rather more coi- pious than at others. So in the low hnds, on the evening pre- ceding rain, the atmofphere feels unufually eiofe and oaoift*. the thermometer does not fink after fun-fct^ no perceptible vapours- mfer

Aoticed^,

-56 JAMAICA.

moticed, and no dew appears on the grafs. The unaltered ftatloa \of the thermometer is alone an evident proof, that the heat of the .atmofphere is not diminiflied, and confequently, that the vapours remain uncondenfed.

Fogs are generally fuppafed detrimental to health ; but the fog of Sixteen-mile-vvalk by no means deferves this imputation. The inhabitants do not (cruple to expofe themfelv.es to it freely ; nor is it known to produce any effeds injurious to them. The principal 'Caufe of its inoffenfive quality may be, that it is not mixed with ^ny fulphureous or noxious exhalations; at lea ft, it is vvithoiit any .fenlible fmell ; which would moft certainly not be the cafe, if it was much impregnated with any fuch effluvia. Its goodefFeds con- fift in the copious, dew which it Iheds upon the trees and herbage, and which fupports them in the drieft weather in a -flourishing ftate. Thofe long drowths therefore-, which fometimes happen in this ifland, fo fatal to the eftates iii general, afFed the plantations in -this vale but very Jittlc; the fog fupplying, in a great meafure, tlip want of rains, or at leaft fo far as to fave the canes from periftiing in the manner they do in other parts of the ifland.

The North^weft part of this vale is called The Maggoti, a tradl of favannah lying near the foot of Monte Diablo. The name of this favannah gave rife to a ftory, that, whenever it rains here^ the drops which fall upon any pcrfon's cloaths become maggots in half an hour. This wonderful metamorphofis, reported probably at firft -by way of joke to fome credulous inquirer, has with all its ab- furdity been fwallowed, and retailed by feveral authors, copying one from the other, and gravely recorded by them among the nota- bilia of this iQand, Thefe maggots, however, never exifted, ex- cept in the brains of the inventor. The name, perhaps, was of Spaui(h extraftion, compounded of Maga (an enchantrefs), and Oteo (watching on a high place); alluding probably to the pin- nacle of Monte Diablo^ over which the thunder-clouds fo fre- quently break, as, together with its horrid afpe<St, to makeitfeem a -proper rcfidcnce for a, witch, under patronage of the Devil, to •whom the mountain was dedicated. The road leading from Six- : teen ^miie* walk to St. Anne crofles this mountain, traverfing the ':fece of it, Vvjiich h fo fteep, that few travelers venture to de-

Icend

BOOK IL CHAR VH. yy

fcend on horfe*back« Some tradition » perhaps, remained coocarn^ ing tlie origin of the Magotti^ when a fmall hou(e of refre(hment was kept on the higheft part of the road, many years ago, known by the fign of Mother Red-^cap ; which name that part fttU retains^ The cavern at River-head in the North- Weft part of the vale extends near a quarter of a mile under a mountain, or perhaps more, it being impoffihle to explore the whole length, on account of the river Cobre, which occupies the inmofl part of ft, and, run* ning for a coniiderable way, fuddenly (hoots through a hole in the rock on one iide, and continues its current under ground for a^ conr iiderable diftauce from the cave. Tliat this river draws its origin from Ibme large (Iream in the mountains, far beyond the cave, feems evident, by its riling or falling in eicad proportion as the rains are heavy or otherwiie in the mountains. After very heavy r^us, the river is fo fwelled, that» unable to vent itfelf at the hole, the fuperfluous water difembogues through the mouth of the cavern. An ingenious man attempted, a few years fince, by Hx« ing a flood-gate acrofs the hole, to force the current of the river into a regular channel by the mouth of the cavern, and conduft it from thence to turn water-mills on the neighbouring cfiatea, The undertaking had all the appearance of being practicable, but was laid afide after the death of the prqje£tor. Near the foot of die Northern ridge, at no great diftance from the road which leads over AfyMt€ Diablo^ is a cocoa-nut tree of very fingular growth* About thirty feet or more above the bafe, it divides into two di- fUnd ftems, which, continuing their afcent for ieveral feet, at an angle thus V 9 ^^^^ ^^ pretty equal elevation above the main ftem or body of the tree, are crowned with tops of beautiful fo- liage, and nearly of the fame magnitude ; but whether both are produdive of fruit or not I could ik)C learn. As no other of the like figure has been obferved in the ifland, it may be regarded as Q hijut natura^ of a very unufual kind. The pafs which admits a communication between Spanifh Town and this vale ought not here to be unmentioned. After traveling about three miles from the town on a pretty level road, we come to a fugar-plantation, for- meriy calk^ by the ^aniards Los Angetos,. and now The Atigels. Juft beyond this begins the entrance of the pafs. From hence to VoL.IL I the

58 JAMAICA.

the opening into Sixteen-mile-walk, for the fpace of four miles and a half, is a continuation of precipice on both fides, divided only by the river, except a fmall elbow at the end of four miles, where a few acres of level grouild at the foot of thcfe ridges has admitted of a little fugar-work. The road cut into the fide of the moun- tain, falls by an eafy defcent to the bridge, and crofSng the river is conducted along the remainder of the way not many feet above the furface of the water : it is therefore fubjeft to be broken away in many places by the violence of floods ; but this inconvenience is fubmitted to from the imprafticability there appeared of car- rying it higher through fuch immenfe mafles of rock as form im- pediments the whole way. For a confiderable length, the road is walled up ; and, as it is fo liable to damage, not only from inundations of the river, but the falling of large trees, rocks, and earth, from the impending crags and precipices under which it runs, the cxpence of repairing it is very great, and requires a Handing body of worki-nen, who are employed the whole year to Iceep it in order. The height of the mountains on each fide over- shadowing it morning and afternoon, the paflage is extremely cool and agreeable ; every turn of the road prefenting the eye with new appearances of the river, the rocks, and woods ; whilfl the water, fometimes roaring and foaming in its current, where it is confined to a narrow and rugged channel ; at other times gliding fmoothly tind filontly along, delights the traveler with an alternate variety. At the end of four miles, the mountain called Gibraltar opens. to view a vaf^ folid wall of rock of prodigious height, whofe furface, ap- parently perpendicular, is neverthelefs cloathed with trees and ihrubs from the bafe to the fummit; the tops of one row termi- nating where the roots of the next row begin, fo as almofl to feem growing one upon the other. After heavy rains a cataraiS): fpouts from the pinnacle of this flupendous mafs, rendering it ftill more awful and romantic. The defile continues not far beyond this majeftic objeft, though not widening till we enter at once the extenfive and beautiful vale of Sixteen-mile- walk. The air of this vale was fufpeded formerly of producing the Wefl-India colic or belly-aeh ; but, as that diforder does not feem at prefeut to be particularly attached to the fpot,. fome other caufe miifl haw madfe

it

B O O K ; IL C HA P. VII. 59;

itendemial: perhaps the inhabitants at this time are lefs addicted to drinking new rum, and therefore lefs affli£led with it. The air of this parifli is in general reputed healthy ; and the habitations throughout the vale being for the moft part built on rifing ground, they are not fubjefl to damps. This traft was among the firft fet- tled with fugar-plantations, and what it produces now of this com- modity is of an excellent quality ; but the land is thought to be much worn. The truth is, that fome of the plantations here were formed upon a gritty, red, and naturally fterile foil, which, for want of regular manure, and having loft by degrees its luperficial coat of vegetable mould, became lefs and lefs produftive, till the proprietors threw them up as unfit for the fugar-cane. But others, who have purfued a better hufbandry, ftill reap advantage from it in reafonably good crops. The air of the mountains .is perfedlly fine and healthful. Upon one of them, near the confines of* Su Catharine*s, is the governor's polinck or provifion ground, which' has a fmall but neat villa upon it, and was purchafed by the af- fembly, as an occafional retreat, during the hot months, for the commander in chief. The foil of thefe mountains is fertile;, and they are chiefly appropriated to fupply the eftates in the vale with' the difl^erent kinds of vegetable provifion, and lime and timber for repairing their works. This parifli contained,

Annual produce. Negroes. Cattle. Sugar-works. ( Hoglheads. | Other Settlements.

lo i734» 7568 4441 1740, 8475 4813

^745» 8239 4797 1761, 9057

1768, 8382 5782 41 I 35^^ I 37

It appears from hence to have made little or no progrefs fince the year 1740 ; and the increafed number of cattle, amounting to 969, are probably the flock brought upon thofe runs, which, after being in canes, have been converted into paflure.

1 2 SECT.

ae JAMAICA.

S fe C T. VI. CLARENPON

IS 006 of the largeft) healthieft^ and bcft-fettled pariihes in th^ whc^ ifland. It is bounded on the Eaft by the pariflies of St. Do* rothy and St. John ; on the Weft, by St. Elizabeth ; on the North, by St. Anile ; and on the South, by Vere, and a part of Old Har^ bour Bay. It is watered with no lefs than fifteen rivers, befides iamimerable rivulets and iprtngs. The names of theie rivers are^

GreeaRiver, Ballard^s^ Rock, and

Thomas, Pindar's, Craal ;

Tick» Juan de Bolas,

whoTe feveral ftrea^ais fall into the Minha There are likewiie.

The Cave, Milk,

Pedito, Baldwins, and

Croft's^ J^wcr^s.

The capital of diefe is the Minho, which takes its fource about twenty •fix miles, in a dire£fc line, from the iea on the South fide, but with its various meanders makes a courfe of fifty and upwards* I do not know if the (hort river (hould be added to the lift. It lies exaOly xyi\ the boundaty Jwhich divides this parifh from St. Anne. It is a large body of water, which appears in a hollow, or dell ; and, after running with great violence a little way, fuddenly difappears, probably to give birth to another river below ; but its fubterraneous direftion has not as yet been difcovered. The Cav^, Pedro, and Croft^s rivers, are alio remarkable for hiding themielves under ground, after a courfe of fbme miles above* The river Minho was probably fo called after one of the fame name in Portugal j for it is to be obferved, that the firft fettlers from Europe were a mixture of Spanifh and Portuguefe. It is from this rea^ that we find in the ifland mountains and rivers named in both thefe Ian* guages. But the name was applied with great propriety to this river, as there are many circumftances to induce a belief, that the S^iards opened and worked a gold mine fbmewhere near its

banks»

BOOK n- CHAP. VH. 6i

banks. Of this I ihall hereafter fpeak more parttcularly trader the head of minesy as I am willing to bring the whole on that head into one vlew^ and ihall therefore add nothing further upon it for the prefent. It may be imagined, that a didriA, watered fb plen« tifully as this is, muft be well calculated for fettlements : but it was not much cultivated in the time of the Spaniards ; they pof^ ieiied a few cacao* walks near the Minho, but chiefly reported hither to hunt the wild hogs, which were always very numerous^ in it, and are not yet extirpated. The water in general of all the rivers and iprings is tolerably pure and wholefbme, except when di(h]rbed by land- floods. The lower part of the pariih towards th^ bay coniifts chiefly of iavannah land for about fix mile^ in length, here atid there interfperfed with rocky hills of no great heights * The hills rife gradually in height the further we advance into the heart of the parifh ; yet here are few or none fb fleep or barren, as^ not to be fit for culture of fomt fort or other. The vales betweea the hitls and mountains are in general fpacious, watered by fbme river, and enriched with fine cane- land. The conveniency of having, water-mills, and the firmuefs of the roads in general, has encou-^ r^d the inhabitants to carry their fugar-plantations much farther inland than in any other diflri£l: of the iflaud ; and there are fome at no lefs difknce than twenty-two miles from tlie barkadier- Thele eflates form their carriage into two ftages, fixing the termi- nation of the firfl at about midway, where they have convenient pafhires and ftere-houfes, for refrefhment of their cattle, and lodge- ment of their goods. The foil within the mountains is inferior lo^ none, either for the production of canes or providotis ; and the woods are full of excellent timber.. The rivers abound with the mullet, fb much admired for its delicious flavour, hi fhort, the in- habitants have all the means of plenty in their hands from thele fburces, and the regularity of their feafons; and of courlc they are, at leafl the greater part, opulent and: flourifliing. The hack-- parts of the parifli, bordering on St. Anne and St. Elizabeth, are the worft-peopled : yet here is a great field; of encouragement to» invite fcttlers; for the remoteft eftates hitherto formed are known to produce fugars of the beft quality. The foil of the high lands is in general either rocky ^ intermixed witli a black (hell -mould, or

5 a. fine

6* J A M A I C A.

a fine vegetable dark mould on a clay^ The lower grounds are chiefly clay, intermixed here and there with rich veins of vegetable mould, or the brick mould; the latter, moftly abounds near the banks of the rivers, confifting of the ftdiment they have depofited, or of the finer particles vvaflied.down from the hills. The planta- tion called Carvers is one of the moft celebrated for its fertility : it is a finall dale, furrounded with rocky hills, and (o rich, that it produces almoft invariably three hundred hogflieads of'fugar^J^r annum, with fo little labour to the Negroes employed upon it, that they multiply fufficiently to keep up their (lock, without having recourfe to African recruits. Near Juau de Bolas river, about fix- teen miles from the coaft, the road continues towards St. Ann's, paffing by eafy traverfes up the fide of a fteep mountain, on the fummit of which we enter a favannah, or plain, of about four miles in length, called Old Woman's Savannah, from an elderly Spanifli lady, who took up her abode here after the ifland was fur- rendered to the Engli(h, and refided here many years in a hut* This lavannah is watered with feveral fine fprixigs ; and the foiU though apparently not fertile, produces very good fugar. The air is fo pure and delightful, that many fmall fettlements have been formed here > and the inhabitants attain, for the moft part, to a good old age« The late Mn James Dawkius made choice of this fpot for founding an academy for the inftru^ion of boys, na- tives of the ifland ; and, had he lived, the projed: would no doubt have been brought to matiirity : but of this plan I ihall hereafter give a further detail. The hamlet, or village of the Crofs, is fi- tuated about fix miles from Old Harbour Bay, on the great rpads leading, one to leeward, the other to Old Woman's Savannah. It confifts of about ten houfes, near the parifli-church, which is an handfome brick-building, of four ailes. Hard-by, likewife, ftandsthe Ikeleton of the parfonage-houfe, which at prefent is con- verted into a cooper's ftiop ; a metamorphofis that is not at all won- derful ; for the inhabitants of this hamlet, being moftly Jews and Mulattoes, afford no very agreeable neighbourhood to a Proteftant divine. Ttee lowlands of thisparifh were the firft fettled; but the inhabitants in procefs of time having found .the climate of the mountains more cool, the fealbns more regular, and the foil more

fertile^

BOOK 11/ CHAR VII. 63^

fertile, removed to them, and have carried their improvements to very great perfedtion. The reftor^s ftipend is 250/. ; but this being an extenfive and populous parifli, the living is reputed worth 600/. per annum at leaft, and includes about twelve Negroe flaves, who are appropriated to the ufe of the reftor for the time being. The chapel is diftant about twelve miles further inland, a fmall but neat building, and furnifhed with a good organ. Divine fer- vice, far the convenience of the parifhioncrs, is alternately per- formed here, and at the Crofs Church : the quarter^feffion is ge- nerally held at the Chapel ; and the eleftion of reprefentatives at the Crofs. The hamlet of the Chapel confifts of only feven or eight fcattered houfes. Here arc the parifli-barracks ; in which a company of regulars is quartered, and a fmall market is held occafionally by the Negroes of the neighbourhoodv

About three miles from the Crofs, the Weftern road paflcs the* channel of Rio Minho, which hereabouts changesr its name to Dry River, becaufe it is fometimes quite dry, and at other times very broad and rapid. Weftward from this paflage, the road continues nearly the fame diftance, till it approaches Lime Savannah, where*- a branch diverges from it Northwards to the Chapel ; but the main road continues on to St. Jago Savannah. In the middle of this- open {pace is a gentle riiing, which commands a diftant view of the whole ; and here is very properly lituated a ftarting-chair, for feeing, the races, which are fometimes held, for the Vere fubfcription- purfe. Upon this favannah, which is well-ftocked with cattle of all kinds, are feveral large ponds, befide^ many fmall (prings and rivulets, which never lofe their water, except in times of moft un- ufual anrd long- continued drowth. The road which branches off to the Chapel, after leaving the flat country, afcenda among rocky hills, till it reaches Tick Savannah. A great part of this road is- truly romantic; and the whole, from top to bottom, for the extent of two miles, is hung on either fide with the deep gloom of lofty trees, ever verdant, and riling in wild gradation out of ftupendous- rocks and chafms. The favannah receives its name from the river Tick, which runs through part of the vale ju(t below it. On the top of the favannah is a large piece of water, of confiderable depth, the refort of various wild- fowl. Not far from hence i& the feat of

Mr. F n,.

64 JAMAICA.

Mr. F ^n, formerly chief-jufticc of the ifland ; a native, and one

whofe talents are (b extraordinary^ that it is almofl: impoifible for the moft impartial pen to do ju (lice to them. In this ifland alone, he has attained, by obfervation, reading, converfation, and the na- tural acumen of his genius, a more comprehendve and accurate knowledge of places, perfons, and things, in Great-Britain, Europe, and even throughout the known world, than moft other gentlemen, who have had opportunities of being perfonally acquainted with them, or of obtaining the moft intelligent accounts of them* Though he never trod any other earth but this little fpot Jamaica, yet he is intelligent in the manners, arts, fciences, and people (fa far as have been hitherto difcovered), of the whole terreftrial globe* Nature, it is true, endued him with a retentive memory, and fa- culties uncommonly fagacious ; but ftill it is fignally to his merit, that he has improved every advantage which ihe gave him ; no one has ftudied more, nor better underftands what he has ftudied, than this gentleman, whom with the ftri£teft propriety, and without the leaft particle of adulation, I may aver to be worthy of being efteemed among the firft ornaments of this country.

His houfe is delightfully placed upon a fmall riling, in the centre of a little vale : at no great diftance from it are two craggy rocks, which peep over the fummits of two hills, and reiemble the ruins of antique caftles. Immediately below it lies a little garden, filled with orange, cacao, and other trees, for ufe and pleafure. Beyond ' this are fcveral hills, clumps of tufted wood, and natural avenues into the adjacent country.

At about one hundred paces diftance from this manfion is another of more modern and elegant conftru£lion. It coniifts of one very large and fpacious room, upwards of fifty feet in length, about twenty wide, and twelve high. This is entered by a door- way at the North end, under a portico of about twelve or fifteen feet iquare, fupported by columns of the Tuican order ; and at the South end is a gallery, out of which the eye, over-looking a fmall garden, is carried along an avenue between two gently-rifing woods, that have a iblemn, filent grandeur* Adjoining to tht principal room are finaller apartments, one of which is a library furniihed with a colledion of the beft authors. The old habitation,

though

BOOK ir. CHAP.: VII. 45.

though lefs elevated, iieverthelefs commands a richer and more ex- tenfive profpcft, comprehending the fineft part of Clarendon, and of the neighbouring pariihes. The beauties of nature that arc difplayed here are innumerable. In one place is feen a long, wavy furface, adorned with the lively verdure of canes, interfperfed with wind-mills and other buildings. In another are heheld feveral charming lawns of pafture-larid, dotted with cattle and (heep, and watered with rivulets. In a third are Negroe villages, where (far from poverty and difcontent) peace and plenty hold their reign ; a crefted ridge of fertile hills, which feparates this pari(h from thofe contiguous on the North and £ail, diflantly terminates thf landfchape.

The produce of this pari(h is ihipped for the mofl part at Old Harbour Bay; on which there are two principal barquadiers, the- one at Old Harbour Town, the other at Bower'sHiver^

In a rocky hill, on the Northern fide of Old Woman's Sa- vannah, is a cavern which runs a great depth under the earths Upon examination, a few years fince, it was found to contain a great many human bones, which were probably either Indians, or the relicks of fome of the wild or rebellious Negroes^ who formerly infefted this part of the country, and made it their place of con-^ cealment. Near this favannah is likewife a chalybeate- fpring^ which has performed fome cures, but is not much attended to» The hills adjacent to it furniih evident proofs of their- abounding with copper ore, which one day or other may poffibly excite ^ ftrifter invefligation. The hard, (hining pyrites are frequently found iu thefe mountains; and magnetic ftones have been picked up on this favannah, which feem to indicate the prefence of iron ore. Many of the fprings in this, as well as in St. Anne\s and fome other pari flies, are remarkable for their iiicru (ling and petre- faftive qualities; forming in fome places a layer or thin cruft; in others, penetrating into wood, and other fubftances, without altering their fhape. I have feen pieces of hard wood metamor^ phofed, by their procefs, into ftone, fo as to anfwcr the purpofe of hones for (harpening knives. In moft of the gullies bordering upon the coaft, are large quantities of agate,, chiefly of the flefli- Goloured, blood- ccfloured, and yellow kinds. • But there are Vol* II. K ^ others

«^ JAMAICA.

others more variegated* Thefe natural prodadions are fb little en- tjuired aftet here, that, I believe, they are even unknown to many : yet the pains of collefting thofe mod in efteem might be rewarded by the profit of vending them to Great-Britain. The moft va- luable fpecies are the white-veined, the flefh-coloured, the red, the pale-yellow, the dark-brown with black veins, and the green- i(h-brown variegated. A few, which an ingenious gentleman of thiis ifland brought with him to London, were greatly admired. Ship-loads might be procured here at no other charge than that of gathering them ; and by breaking a few, the bcft fort might beeafily difcovered. The temperature of the air in this extenfivc parifli is various. In the lowlands it is for the moft part warm and dry; and, among the mountains, cool, healthy, and invi- gorating. Some of the low grounds adjoining the rich banks of the Minho are unwholefome, and were fo reputed by the Spa-- niards; for, in times of drowth, this river, about ten miles diftance from the coaft, begins firft to bury its waters, leaving the channel tlry for a confiderable length ; then rifes again ; and ib co&tinues linking and emerging alternately until it difembogues. The mud and weeds, thus left to ferment and turn putrid with the heat of the fun, are fuppofed with good reafon to breed very noxious exhala- tions ; and the known unhealthinefs of one or two eftates, which border upon this part of it, cannot otherwife be accounted fon The itvhite inhabitants, or rather the proprietors of thefe eftates, ini^t fJrobably be relieved from 'this annoyance, , by removing tlic dwelling hotlfes to fome convenient eminence; for it can never be conflftent with health to fleep in a putrid atmofphere. The flourifhing ftate of this pariih may be conceived from the following table :

Annual Produce* Sugar-works. | Hogdieads. | Other Settlements.

	Negroes.	Cattle.
'734.	10769	1 1027
1740,	^^S7S	J 2299
1 745»	^^ns	1 1969
1761,	13772
1768,	^SS^l	14276

70 ( 8000 I 180

By which it appears that, in the number of Negroes and cattle, it is much improved ; and, by the great quantity of produce, that.it is

in

BOOK il. CHAP. VIT. 67

in a flourifliing fta?c. The large extent of it hitherto unpeopled will alfo fuggeft this obvious remark, that it requires many more fettlers, to bring it to a more ample ftate of culture, and render it ftill more beneficiaL Its advantages, in point of water are ob- ferveable from the number of it? water-mills, there being no fewer than fifty. Befides fugar, ginger, and cacao, tlie article of coffee is lai^cly cultivated here ; and the annual crops of corn are fb greaL that none of the parifhes are better flocked with hogs and poultry* Its low lands alfo abound with horles, cattle, and (heep.

S E G T. VIL

Vere, in the Precinft of Clarendon.

THIS parifh, with Clarendon, forms one precind. It is bounded Eaft and North byClarendon ; Weft, by St. Elizabeth ; and South, by the fea. The town of Carlifle, fo called in honour of the eaid of that name, formerly governor of the ifland, wa« intended near the mouth of Rio Minho ; but it is at prefent only an inconfi* derable hamlet, of ten or twelve houfes. This place is remark* able for having been the fcenc of action between the French and Englifli in the year 1694, when Monfieur ©ucafle, the governor of Hifpaniola, with a (quadron of three men of war, and twenty- three tranfpocts, having onboard 1500 men,jnvaded the ifland J and, after fome inefFeftual attempts at Port Morant, Cow Bay, and Blue6elds, where he met with a repulfe, anchored in Carlifle Bay on the 1 8th of June, The governor. Sir William Beefton, who had carefully watched their motions, and conjeftured their inten- tion of making a defcent on this part of ^ the coaft, immediately or- dered thither two troops of horfe, the St. Catharine regiment, and part of the Clarendon and St. Elizabeth regiments of foot-militia* On the 19th in the morning, the French landed between fourteen •and fifteen hundred men, who proceeded to the attack of a breaft- work, which had been haftily thrown up, near the fliore. This was gallantly defended for a confiderable time by two hundred of the militia; who, finding at length that they could nOt maintain

Kz ths

^8 JAMAICA.

the poft, rcpaffed the river Minho, after killing feveral of the enemy, and the lofs of fome of their own officers. In the mean time the militia, difpatehed by the governor^ having arrived^ ad- vanced againft the French; and, not with (landing the fatigue of their long march from Spanifli Town, they charged the enemy with fuch fury, as obliged them to retreat. The two following days a few (light (kirmi(hes happened ; and on the 22d, the French attacked a brick houfe, then occupied by a Mr. Hubbard, which was bravely defended by tweuty^five men, who killed and wounded feveral of the French, among whom were fome officers of di- ilin£lion. The French retired for a while, threatening to renew the a(rault ; and, in the mean time, a detachment from the £ngli(h troops, of fifty picked men, was thrown into the houfe, and an ambufcade prepaitd with the reft. But the enemy, intimidated with their lofs of men and officers, feeing no probability of being able to efTed any further advance into the country, fuddenly re- treated to the.fhore, re*embarked with the utmoft expedition on board their (hips, and on the 24th, their whole fleet got under fail for Hifpaniola. The whole lofs fuftained by the French in this fhort time, by their different engagements and (icknefs, amounted to near feven hundred men. Oq the part of the Englifh, one hundred were killed and wQunded. Captain Elliot, who had been la.prifoner at Petit-Guava, and made his efcape from thence in a fmall canoe, brought the firft intelligence to Sir William Beefton of the intended invafion ; for which he was afterwards recompenfed by king William III. witl> a gold chain and medal, of one hundred pounds value, and five hundred pounds in money.

The government of Jamaica immediately fet about framing fe* yeral adts for better guarding the coafts ; and, among others, one for enabling the inhabitants of Vere to ereft a fortification for their defence ; in confequence of which, Carlifle Fort was built the fol- lowing year. This fortrefs, for want of repair, has been under- mined by the (ea, and for many years in a ruinous condition, the guns being all difmounted, and fome of them buried in the fand 1 nor will it probably be reftored to a proper ftate for defence till after fome future invafion ; the general rule of oeconomy, purfued in this ifland, having been to let the preparations for defence always

follow,

BOOK H. CHAP. VII. 69

Mklw^ tfiftead of preceding, the attack. The parifh^church ftands at the diilance of about two miles and a half from the fort. It is extremely well-fini(hed on the infide, has an organ, and a tower. It$ ftrufture is low, and, being furrounded with large cotton-trees, it cannot well 'be leen till on a clofe approach. There is a decent rcftory near it, with about feven acres of glebe, befides twelve acres more, in another part of the pariih, of very fine land The flipend granted by law is 200/. suid the whole value of the living about 3*50/^ per annum. About half a mile from the church, on the oppofite fide of the. river Minho, is the free-fchool, founded about the year 1 74 1, with fundry private benefactions, and calcu* lated for inilru<fting the poor children of the pariih in. readings writing, arithmetic, Latin, Greek, and the mathematics, under the management of truftees appointed' by an a£t of aliembly. This pariih is watered with five rivers, the Minho, Milk River, Baldwin*^, . Hiliiard^s, and Salt River ; two of which, the Milk and Salt Rivers, . are navigable by boats for a oond^erilble way up. Baldwin's and MilliardV are only fmall branches which fair into the Milk River; whieh^ as welt as the Minho^ difcharge themfelves into the fea;. Long Bay, and the mouth of Milk Rivtfr, are only anchoring-places for floops :: the principal dipping- places are at Oarlifle Bay, and near the mouth of Salt River ; which lattef" His its- fourceaboutt a mle from an inI6t on the Weft fide of Old Harbour Bay, under the foot* of a rocky hill ; the faltnefs ef its water, frdm whence it takes- its name, leems to indicate, that'it pafl'es through a large bed of thatfofltL The entrance- into the bay of Old 'Harbour from Cape Boncato, or Cabarito, on the Eaft; to the Pitch of Portland, Weft,, is about twelve milfes and ahalfih the width, and the bay about: twdve in depth. It is defended by fix fmall cayes, or little fandy iflands, wlrich are l6vv, and covered with ftirubs. The bafe of thcle iflands feems to be compofed of coral roct ; over which the fea has accumulated heaps of fend and broken (hells. The recfsj , extending from them very far into tho bay, render the channels very darigferdus to ftrmiger^. But the anchoring-grounds are very good in' the interior 'part^, and capacious enough for five hundred \ laiL (^ihtps. 'The largeft of thefo cayes is • called Pigeon Ifland, from the flocks of pigeons, chiefly the bald-pate, which ufed-to '

frequent

ifo J A M A I C • A. I

frequent it formerly. On the Weft part of* the bay are. Weft Harbour, Peake Bay, and Salt River ; which arc all of them com- itiodious for (hipping, and well-covered, either by the Ridge of Portland, or fmall caye&; {o\ that the water, where the (kips lye to receive their loading, is geiaerally fmooth, and. utoaffe6ted either by the wnd or fea.

The Promontory of Portland is about ten miles in length , and about two in breadth. The whole of it is extremely rocky, and contains only one fmali fprit^. Nature has^ in fome degree, com- penfated for this deficiency, by fupplying in the.^hadier parts a great number of little bafons, or re&rvoirs, formed in the cavities of rocks, and repleni(hed with rain-water ; which prove of great fervice to run-away Negroes harbouring in the woods^ It has oialy four or five fmalL fetdements upon it; and thefe are chiefly fup- ^ported by the (ale of braiiletto, and fome other valuable trees, that are ibtmd here in abuii4ance« ./pyrii:^ (he laft war, a French pri- vateer made a defcent at Ca)i;li(l6 Bay^. furprized two gentlemen of .the pari(h» and carried tbcdji^.voff to (ea» After having detained them for (bme time, the cr«w af length put them a(hore at Port- land Point, with no other .fu(l;eQance than two or three bifcu its an^l B bottle of brandy. From this Point there is no road acrofs to tl^ main land ; ib that they were obliged, to keep along (hore, for. fear ,of lo(ing thetofelveB in the woo^s : but the fatigue of clanfiberiiig over rocks, added to theheat and tMrft, was fo extreme, that only one of thetn furvived this toilfome march, and returned to his family and friends ; the other dropped by the way, and peri(hed before any af- iiftance could be given hirn. Such are too often the barbarous. ex- ploits of thefe licenfed rovers ; which ferve to aggravate th^ mi- series of war, by committing aits of inhumanity, from which no advantage can refult, either to themfelves, or the (hte that emj* ploys them ! The range of hill which forms this promontory ip divided, by a fmall morafs near the head of Salt Rivfer, from another range, called the Braiiletto Mountain, which extendi^ Northerly into Clarendon. Thefe ridges, confining fhe paf;(t pa the South-eaft, intercept the regular current of tl^e fea-breeze, and contribute to render the fettlements Weftward of thena very

-hon

" The

BOOK' II. CHAP. VII. 71

•

, The land on both fides the Minho in this parifh \yas once famous for the number of indigo works fettled upon it; all of which are now extinft. It is chiefly cultivated in canes : the almoft-level , traft, which continues from the fea to the mountains of Clarendon, about fixtecn miles in length, by about fourteen in width in the broadeft part (exclu five of the fugar- works), is chiefly employed in cattle and (heep paftures. The Weftern quarter of theparifli in- cludes a range of high land called Carpenter's Mountains; on the Eaftern fide of which are fome few fettlements, but the greater part remains uninhabited: acrofs one of the higheft pitches, named May-day Hill, runs the Leeward road, by which, after pafling fe- veral miles of wood,, we come to a good tavern, built here for th** accommodation of travelers ; this being the principal communi- cation on the Sbbth fide between the windward and leeward pa- riflies. The ait of thefe mountains is exceedingly cool and' healthy ; and their foil in general very fertile ; which may be judged from the ftately trees that grace each fide of the road* In fome part of t;liefe mountains (I do not vouch for the truth of the.flory) is laid to be a perpendicular chafm, the diameter of whofe .mouth is only a few feet, and .the depth of it unfathomabk. - The following fingular phaenomenon is reported of it: that, al- ternately in the fpace of every twenty- four hours, it emit3 and inhales > a ftrong body of air or vapour ; and that If, at the time of the in- draught, a fmall bird, or other light' body, fhould be thrown^ ' within the vortex, it would be irrefiftibly drawn in, and never more make its appearance above ground. On the South of thefe moun-- tainjf, the old road to Leeward pafles near the coafl: fmmthi^* parifli to Blaqk lliver in St. Elizabeth; but it has been feldom u fed - fiace the tr,ack vvas formed acrofs May-ddy Hill, which is a mucb^ fafer and better, way .

The low lands of Vere are, for the moft part, hot arid parched ; ; .but the air is reckoned not unwholefome, extept near the morafles, . which border on Peake Bay and Weft Harbour. Vere has long , -been famous for producing the fineft mutton, turkeys and other jpoultry.^ in. the ifland ; and with thefe it trafficks largely in the towns, it produces vaft annual crops of .Guitiey corn, and pulfe'^ -of various kinds, which form the chief part of fubfiftence for the

Negroes, ,

72 JAMAICA..

Negroes, and fmall ftock belonging to it. Near the Milk River is a hot falt-fpring, the waters of which, fome writers have not fcrupUd to affirm, will coagulate the white of an egg: but this is extremely fabulous. The fpring, upon examination, was found very pellucid, but felt only milk-warm, and contained feveral littl© ftriped fi(h of a fpecies fimilar to what are obferved in Salt River ; which is an inconteftable proof, that the water is never in a ftate of ebullition. The principles of this water have not as yet been afcer- tained by any analyfis ; but it is pretty evident, that the predomi* nant fait is marine. It ha« proved very efficacious in cleanfing and healing foul ulcers, and removing cachedic fwellings of the legs and feet, externally applied.

This ifland contains the three different kinds of heights, diftiii- guiflied in Ireland by the words. Knocks %i^ify*Pg an irifulated hill, or one unconnedted with any range; Slieve^ a craggy mountain, gradually afcending, and continued in feverat ridges ; and Bemn^ a pinnacle, or mountain of the firft magnitude, rifing in the midil of a chain of high lands, and ending in a (harp, abrupt precipice. Of the firft fpecies, which fome authors have com- pared to eggs fet in fait, is the Round Hill in this parifli, formerly called by the Spaniards Pan de Botillo^ about nine miles Weft from Carlifle, and two North from the fea. One of the like kind, re- fembling a fugar-loaf in its (hape, ftands near the (hore in St* Pavid's, There are likewife feveral in Clarendon, and other parifties.

Off the coaft there is a good fifliery ; and fome marine animals, extremely curious and remarkable, have been hauled aftiore here by the Negroes in their feines. Among the reft, a few years ago, a ^krra Marina^ or fea-unicorn, was caught entangled in a net at the mouth of Swift River, and required fix ftout Negroes to drag it out of the water. It meafured, from the point of the fword to the tip of the tail, upwards of fourteen feet, and weighed near fourteen hundred pounds. Seventeen eggs, about the fize of a roan's fift, were taken out of the belly; and, foon after it was brought upon the land, it difgorged fix young ones, of two feet length each, one of which, being put into the fea, fwam imme- diately away. From the liver were extra;6led about tivclve gallons

" ■ • • ■ • ■ •' "of

BOOK II. CHAP. VII. 73

of oil; and much more might have been obtained. The flefli was cut up into laj^e pieces, and afforded a delicious repaft to the Ne- groes that were employed in the capture.

The lower diflrift of this parifh, called Withywood, took its name from its having been formerly overfpread with wood and withes when the Englifli firft fettled upon it, and which grew lb thick, that it was impofliblc to walk among them without a cut- lafsto clear the way. This is the part, which, on account of its rich foil, was afterwards filled with indigo and fugar-works, the opulence of whofe owners is fpoken of by feveral writers ; and though it has been called in queftion by feme, yet it is very certain, that more carriages of pleafure were at one time kept here, than in all the reft of the illand, Spanifti Town only excepted. It is, indeed, almoft incredible to think what vaft fortunes were made here by cultivation of this fingle commodity. When the a£t of par- liament was pafled with an intent to recover this branch of trade, the very art of making it was loft ; few or no perfons were then living in this part who were able to give inftrudioixs, and ftill fewer left to receive and follow them if any could have been given. The modern fettlers had converted their lands into pafture, or the railing of cotton and corn; and could not be perfuaded to give up a little certainty for a much greater probable advantage, where the inftability of flate-maxims threatened fuch a rifque to the ex- perimentors. The new law, which was merely temporary, in- ftcad of impofing a heavy tax, as the former law had done, al- lowed a fmall debenture in favour of every pound weight of in- digo, the growth and manufafture of the Britifti iflands imported into England ; yet it availed here but very little. None in this parifh attempted to revive the culture of it. Three or four took it up in other parts of the ifland; and probably, if the law had been renewed after its expiration, with fome additional bounty, it might have encouraged many more to try the effedts of it.

For cattle and ftock of all forts, particularly horfes and fheep, no parifti in the ifland excels this, either in number or quality. The foil, except Main Savannah, which is a gravelly traft, and rather fterilc in dry years, is of a fine brick-mould, and. were it not for the want of regular fliowers, it would be one of the moft Vol. IL L j)rodu6live

^4 JAMAICA.

produftive fpots in the Weft-Indies. From the fummits and (ides of the hill3, which almoft furround and overlook it, the appear- ance of it is inexpreffibly delightful, and refenahling, much fbme of the richeft plains of England. The Round Hill before-noticed adds greatly to the elegance of the profpeft ; and h is enlivened every where with herds^ flocks, fijgar-mills,. and other pleafiug objedls*

State of this Pariffi :

Annaal Produce of Sugar. Negroes* Cktilcb Sugar-woik*. | Hogfheads. [ 0(ha:. Settlements^

»734> 35^^ 7194

^74o> 537^ 858Q

1745^ 5423 887a

1761, 5663

1768,. 5940 7462 19 I 2100 I 131

This parifh appears to be on the decline in the article of cattle, of

which it contains fourteen hundred lefs than in the year 1745 t

which has been owing to the laying wafte fome capital breeding

penns, aaid the convcrfion of others into, fugar-plantations,.

SECT, vnr.

St. MAR Y.

THIS pariih is bounded on theEaft by St. George; Weft, by St^ Anne ; South, by St. Thomas^ in the Vale, and part of St* Andrew f and North, by that frith of the fea which feparates Cuba from this ifland. It is watered with twenty-four rivers, befides fmaller ftrcams ; the principal of which are the Sambre, the Nuevo, Bag- nal's Waters, and Port Maria,. Eafteramoft and Wefternmoft, Nearly the whole of this pari(h is compofcd of hill, mountain^ dale, and valley. The coaft differs greatly from that of the South fide, being for the moft part iron-bound, or protecSed againft the fury of tlie North winds and furges of the fea with a wall of rocksi The foil too is different, being in general a ftiff clay on the higher j grounds, and a conHderable depth of rich, black, vegetable mould in the lower. The foil is univerfally fertile ; the hills and moun- tains

BOOK n. cFiAP^ vn. ys

tains cloathed with noble woods, full of the fineft and largeft tim- ber-trees ; and every fpot adapted to cultivation of almoft every kind, except that the fummits of Ibme are thought too bleak and chilly for the fugar-cane : this is therefore chiefly confined to the Tallies, and warmer flopes of the hills. The water is equal to any in the world for purity and wholefomenefs ; and the air is in general extremely healthful, and agreeable to European conftitu* tions. About Orange River, and fome other parts of this parifli, the quarry-ftones lie in layers, and are dug out in regular fquares, of pretty even thicknefs, fo as to anfwer the mafon's purpofe with very little trouble. They are of a light-brown, and yield to the acid* The chief ports are Anotto Bay, Port Maria, Auracabeffa, Saltgut, and Rio Nuevoj which are good anchoring*places, though no fecurity to (hips in time of a hurricane, as they are all expofed to the North.

Port Maria is famous for having given, as it is fuppofed, an afylum to Columbus, when his (hip was near foundering with a leak ; and Ibmewhere hereabouts authors have placed the town of Melilla, the firft which the Spaniards founded. Rio Nuevo is likewife remarkable for the decifive victory gained there by general D'Oyley over the Spaniards; which confirmed the Engli(h in pofieflion of this ifland. The weather in this pari(h is extremely wet during great part of the year, and fo cold, that few if any of the houfes are unfurniflied with a chimney. Its chief productions are fugar and rum, a little indigo, coffee, tobacco, and corn. The land in general from its richnefs bears too luxuriant a cane : 1 have feen fome here of enormous fize and length ; but fuch are nnfit for making fugar, and arc only ground for the ftill-hou(e. The great plenty of water and provifions are extremely favourable to the breeding of hogs, of which there is great abundance; but (heep and poultry do not thrive here fo well, owing to the rank- nefs of the pafturage, and moifture of the atmofphere. This pari(h, having been frequently difturbed with infurredions of the Negroc flaves belonging to it, has four barracks, at two of which there is ufually a fmall cantonment of foldiers.

Fort Haldane, at Port Maria, ftands on an eminence command- ing the entrance of the harbour, and is capable of making a good

L 2 defeace«

76 J A M A I C A.

defence. The barracks are large enough to receive fixty njen. The quarters here have not proved healthy to the troops ; but the reafon, as I have been informed, is, that the men were fed too conftantly on fait provifioivs, which fometimes were of bad quality.

Auracabefla has a battery, and barracks likewife for fixty men. The other barracks are, one on the Weft fide of Anotto Bay, at a place called Jack*s Bay ; and one at Bagnals, near the Decoy.

The hamlets at RioNucvo, Port-Maria, and Saltgut, have from eight to twelve houfes each, inhabited principally by wharfingers, ftore and (hop-keepers. One of the greateft curiofities in this pa- rifli is the Decoy, the feat of Sir Charles Price, bait. It is li^. tuated on part of the range of mountains which border on St. Tho- mas in the Vale. The houfe is of wood, but well finiflied, and has in front a very fine piece of water, which in winter is com- monly ftocked with wild-duck and teal. Behind it is a very ele- gant garden difpofed in walks, which are (haded with the cocoa- nut, cabbage, and fand-box trees. The flower and kitchen-garden are filled with the moft beautiful and ufeful variety which Kurope, or this climate, produces. It is decorated, befides, with f6me pretty buildings ; of which the principal is an octagonal faloon, richly ornamented on the infide with luftres^ and mirrors empati- neled. At the termination of another walk is a grand triumphal arch, from which the profpefl extends over the fine cultivated vale of Bgnals quite to the Northfide Sea. Clumps of graceful cab- bage-trees are difperfed in difl^erent parts, to enliven the fcene; and thoufands of plantane and other fruit-trees occupy a vaft tra£l, that environs this agreeable retreat, not many years ago a gloomy wildernefs.

The late Sir Charles [n] was extremely attached to this place, and fpent much of his time here, making it the abode of chcar*

fulnefs

'[«] This gentleman was a native of Jamaica, and endued wkh uncommon natural talents, wliieh were improved by education, and jwliihed by travel in the early part of his life* On his return to thif ifland, his opulent fortune only ferved to make his abilities more confpicuous, and more ufeful to the community. Thefe eventually gave him the lead in public affairs. With an honeft loyalty to his (bvereign, which none could furpafs, he poHefled a truly patriotic attachment (or his country ; and* though ever rea^dy to aflifl and facilitate adminiAration, while condu(5ted on th<; great principle of public good, he was always the fleady, perfevering, and intrepid opponent to illegal and pernicious meafures of governors. If it were at ail neceflkry to produce tefbimonials

in

N.

fiOOK II. CHAP. VII. ^^

fulQefs and hofpitality: to thefe, the delightful air breathed here, and the amiable qualities of the owner of this paradife, mutually contributed. This, which I may juftly call the temple of focial enjoy roeuts, was couftantly open to the reception of worthy men, whether of the ifland, or ftrangers : and few gentlemen of rank, whether af the army or navy, on fervice here, quitted the ifland without having pafled feme of their time at the Decoy. Among thefe was the unfortunate Mr. B — ^fc--n, a young officer in the £}uadron, of the moft 'promifing abilities, and liberal accomplifh- ments; who, being on a vifit in the year 1769, went early one morning to bathe in the canal, and perilhed before affiftance could be given him. This fad accident was incxpreffibly affliding to Sir Charles, and left fo ftrong an impreffion upon his mind^ that, be^ fort his own deCeafe, he gave particular direftions to inter his body clofe by his friend Mr* B — ^fc — n. The mountain on which the Decoy is iituated is a great height above the level of the Tea, by ibme fuppofed" at leaft half a mile perpendicular. Upon diggvng- into fi mark pit h^re, was difcovered a vaft quantity of petrifac- tions, rcfembling the large conchites or cotkles, or- rather perhaps the efcallop kind, the edges being denticulated, but the outfide without any vifible remains of furrows, if they ever had any. I examined feveral, but could not perceive the fmalleft veftige of a teftaceous covering. They were pei^fedtly folid raafles, hard as ftone, and compofed of very minute particles cemented together. It would be difficult to prove, that mere inert matter (hould fpon- taneoufly'afl'ume thefe regular forms, and apt imitations of marine

in juilificatloii of this chara6ler, I might refer to the very honourable marks of approbation which were fo dcfenredly conferred upon him, both by the crcnrn, and the different afferablies in w'hich he ppefidcd^ for fo many yease, as fpealber, wkh an imf^rity; candour, and dignity, that were aimoft UASsaBipled. In private life, bis complacency of nranneis^ accompli ilved knowledge of books an4 men, and delicacy of humour, rendered him the polite, inftru(^ive, and entertaining companion: here he (hone the iuftexiblc lover of truth, the firm friend, and the generous patron. His mind waa amply flored wUb die treafiiceB. of liberal ^rpdigpn. B.^t theology fcemed his favourite fci- ence; and the Great Author of nature, the chief obje£t of his iludy. Though qualified in all rdpe^b to have made a refpe^lable figure on a more cxtenfive theatre, he preferred a i*cfidence hi tins iQztA; whidb as he enriched and embellrihcd by ihediffufioti if his incofne, and tafte- for iq(ifniv«|9cnt8». f<» he benei>(sd\by aa ickeflant attrnnon to its wolf^ret Jamaic!| loll: one of it^ beil focodSf when he breathed his lait^ which happened in Jiw^,. ITJZy after he had attained to a good old age. I. (hall only add, that few men in any couhiry have .attrai^ed more general veneration while living, or more gcntnal regret wten-dead, '

2 fliells.

7« JAMAICA.

(hells. But It is almoft as difficult to ^ifcovcr, by what means they were brought into a fituation at that height above the fca, and at fuch a diftance from it. Nature is faid to have done nothing iu vain ; but an original creation of fuch whimfical refemblances could anfwer no wife purpole. This globe carries every prefumptive evidence of having undergone very extraordinary changes, and par- ticularly by earthquakes ; and, as we cannot tell by what imper- ceptible paflages the water of the ocean inay permeate even below the bafe of iflands ; fo we cannot pofitively deny, but it may force its way to a very confiderable elevation, in confequence of violent eruptions, which attend tbefe commotions of the earth ; carrying with it ftiells and fand, and perhaps leaving mafles of fait depofited as it recedes, which may afterwards impregnate rivers, as we find in fome parts of xhc South fide of Jamaica. Dodlor Brookes fpeaks rationally oh tWs fubjeft : *< We cannot," fays he, «* determine «* whether there has ever been an univerfal earthquake or not, ** which has changed the primitive form of our world. However, -«< this is certain, that a great many fubftances, which feem to have " been proper only to the fea, are now found in the bowels of the ^* earth ; and which have perhaps been petrified by degrees, by the ^' infinuation of water, falts, and exceeding imall cryftalline or " ftony particles, proper to fill up their pores, without alteration « of their fliape. To this all the produ<Sions which fbme have « looked upon as iujhs nature ^ or fports of nature, are evidently ** owing. Befides the bones of crocodiles, the ikeletons of fea- ^' horfcs, the entire bodies of petrified fifli, there are almoft every ^' where found fea- (hells of all kinds, and all forts of the parts of " fea-animals, converted into ftone; fbme very wonderful, with ^^ regard to their fituation ; and others, with regard to the oddnefs « of their (hapes.^' The petrifadions found at the Decoy feem to xrome neareft in fimilitude to Sir Hans Sloane^s PeSten yamacienfis ftriis kvibus, Vol. 11. foL 256. N*' L which is frequent on the Ihores of the ifland.

As the fettlement ^f this parifli was not entered upon heartily until about the year 1736, it may ftill be deemed in its infancy, and will no doubt invite new planters by degrees, as its wood-Iand comes to be cleared ; for atpreient not one* fourth of it is brought

into

BOOK ir. CHAR VH. 79

Into cultivation. In the South^eaft angle of it is a Negroc town, called Scot's Hall, inhabited by a party of the Maroons, who came ia up6n terms.

On the road pafling from Guy's Hill to the Decoy ifr a quarry of black marble^ with white veins. The rock appears confiderably above the level of the road in large maffes. It has never yet been. worked, as it would probably anfwer little other purpofe in this^ country, except for making lime, or flabs for dining-apartments. The diftance from the fea renders the carriage difficult and too ex- penfive at prefent ; but in time perhaps, when the roads are more improved, and this part of the ifland more populous, it may anfwer for exportation,, either ta Europe or North- America..

The State of St. Mary :.

Annual Produce. Negroes^ Catde.. Sugar-works.. (Hog^eads. | Other. Settlementt..

'734> ^938 ^'8^ 1740, 4484 297^

1745* 5^31 3304 1761, 9318

1768, 1 2159 7996 49 I SS^o I 56

This' parifli is evidently improving faft* And wc may venture to foretetl, that the North fide, though labouring under the misfor- tune of being the laft-fettled, wiH in. time become the moft po* pulous, as it is naturally the healthieft divifioa of the illand. The foil, by reafoii of its exceeding richnefs, does not make immediate gcfod returns in fugar; but the proportion of rum is far greater than on the South fide; and the excellence of the land afliires a permanent,, and perhaps inexhauilible, fertility.

SECT. IX..

St. ANN E.

THE parifh of St. Anne is bounded on the Eaft by St. Mary ;• * on the Weft, by St* James; South, by Clarendon and St. Thomas m the Vale j and North,, by the fea. It is watered with twelve

rivers.

8o JAMAICA.

rivrers, the principal of which are Rio Rueno, St. Anne's Great- River, Roaring and White Rivers. Its ports are St. Anne's Bay, Dry Harbour [o], Rio Bueno, Ocho Rios, and Runaway Bay. At the former of thefe was the town of Se villa Nueva. The bay of St. Anne is defended by a reef of rocks, which ftretches alntoft acrofs its entrance, leaving only one fmalF channel for the (hips to go in or out. This barrier fo effeftually breaks 'the furge of the fea, that the bafon in which the (hips lie at anchor is at all times per- fcGdy fmooth : it is likewife flieltered by two points of land, pro- je<Sling on each fide the bay like the horns of a crefcent. The drift of the Waves being towards the Weftward, they forol a cur- rent over the breakers which are lowefl: on that fide of the bay. This current fweeps through the harbiour with a direftion towards the (hip-channel, which is on the Eaftcrn fide; whence it happens,