the South-West part of the Island near its Center, and is a good
Road, where five hundred Ships of any Burthen may Ride safely from
all but South and Westerly Winds, which seldom in these Parts
happen, they generally blowing Easterly, whence it is that we call
the East parts_ Windward, _and the West parts_ Leeward. _Here lies
also the chief Town for Trade, call’d formerly the_ Bridge-Town,
_but now_ St. Michaels, _and having two Forts, answering each other,
and a Platform between, which Commands the Road, and Defends the
Town; the first and chiefest Fort is call’d_ Charles Fort, _standing
on_ Nedhams Point, _lying out in the Sea to Windward of the Bay and
Town, so that an Enemy keeping out of Command of this Fort, cannot
(probably) come to do the Ships or the Town injury, for that they
must come full in or against the Wind. This Fort is built strong
with Stone and Lime; the Platform joyns to the Windward part of the
Town; also the other Fort joyns to the Leeward part of the Town, all
which are well fortifi’d and stor’d with great Guns. The Town
consists of several Streets and Lanes, being about thirty Chain in
length, and fifteen in breadth, and hath many fair and large
Buildings, whereof the most are of Stone and Lime._
_The second Road and Town is lately call’d_ Charles-Town, _situate
on_ Oysters-Bay, _and lies about two Leagues to Windward of_ St.
Michaels, _having also two Forts and one Platform; the two Forts
stand the one to Windward, and the other to Leeward of the Town and
Road, and the Platform in the middle, all well furnish’d with great
Guns. And although this Town be not a Place of much Resort for
Shipping, yet here are many considerable Store-houses for Trade,
wherein Monethly are kept the Court of_ Common-Pleas _for that
Precinct, and Weekly Markets_.
_The third Road and Town is lately call’d_ St. James’s, _formerly
the_ Hall, _and is about two Leagues to the Leeward of_ St.
Michaels, _hath one very large Platform, and is otherwise well
fortifi’d with Breast-works; and although few Ships come to Ride
here, yet in this Town is maintain’d a great Trade with the
Inhabitants adjacent; here also is kept Monethly the Court of_
Common-Pleas _for this Precinct_.
_The fourth Road and Town is lately call’d_ Little Bristol, _but
formerly_ Sprights-Bay, _which lieth about four Leagues to Leeward
of_ St. Michaels, _and hath two Forts well built, and strongly
fortifi’d. To this Place come many Ships, especially from the City
of_ Bristol, _the which here Ride, unload and re-load, it being the
next greatest Place of Repute to_ St. Michaels _in the whole
Island_.
_This Island is divided into eleven Parishes, and hath in it
fourteen Churches and Chappels, and being subdivided into divers
Plantations, small and great, hath Sugar-works accordingly, with
fair and large Buildings made of Stone and Brick, the which
generally are pleasant Habitations, and delightfully situated, most
having pleasant Prospects to the Sea and Land._
_The Inhabitants of this Island are_ English, Scotch, _and_ Irish,
_and some, but very few of the_ Dutch _and_ French _Nation, who
formerly liv’d here a time of Servitude, and now dwell as Free-men,
some by their Trades, and others on Plantations; also some few_ Jews
_live here and Trade as Merchants, they having obtain’d Licence from
His Majesty so to do; besides_ Mulatto’s _and_ Negro’s _which are
here kept, and accounted for Slaves, the number of which some years
since, upon search, were found to be sixty thousand Persons_, viz.
_forty thousand_ Whites, _and twenty thousand_ Blacks.
_The standing_ Militia _of this Island that are in readiness to meet
together on all occasions, and which at other times are often and
well Disciplin’d, consist of two Regiments of Horse, and five
Regiments of Foot, wherein several Companies have near two hundred
in a Company, and in some Troops more than a hundred Horse in a
Troop; by all which you may easily apprehend how little of truth
there is in that Saying_, That we hold this Island at the Courtesie
of the Spaniards, _when those few_ English _in_ Jamaica _give the_
Spaniards _such work to defend themselves_.
_The Growth and Manufacture of this Island and parts adjacent, is
Sugars of all sorts_, viz. Muscovado, _Clay’d, and Refin’d_; (_I
suppose I have seen here as good Sugar made as any is in the World_)
_Gingers_, _Indico_, _and Cotton-wool_; _also Tobacco_, _Logwood_,
Fustick, _green and yellow, and_ Lignum-vitæ: _Of these four last
heretofore much, but now no quantities to be had in this Island,
onely to the Leeward great store. The first four mention’d
Commodities receive prejudice to their Product by abundance of Rains
or Droughts not happening their proper Seasons: also violent Winds
lodge the Sugar-Canes, whereby the quantity and goodness is lessned.
The chief time for Expectation is from_ January _to_ September,
_when comes in the wet Season, that makes the Roads not Cartable,
and usually puts an end to Making and Transportation of them. We
have two Crops of Corn in a year, Planted usually when the Rains
first come in, in_ May _and_ November, _which is gather’d in about_
October, _and in_ March _and_ April _following. Wines of all sorts
are here Imported, but of_ Portuguese _and_ French _the greatest
quantities_, viz. _of_ Madera, _upwards of fifteen hundred Tun
yearly; of_ Spanish, _upward of two hundred Tun; of_ French-_Wines,
upward of seven hundred Tun; besides Brandy and_ English _Spirits;
but of these latter now no great quantities Imported or spent, by
reason of the general use of the Spirit of Sugar-Cane, call’d_ Rum,
_which the meaner sort, as Servants and Slaves, do not onely drink
in great abundance, but much also is hence Transported into_
Virginia, Bermudas, _and_ New-England. _Here is also Imported great
store of Provisions of all sorts_, viz. _Beef_, _Pork_, _Fish_, &c.
_from_ Ireland, New-England, Virginia, Bermudas, New-found Land,
_&c._ _also Pease_, _Flour_, _Butter_, _Cheese_, _and Bisquet_;
_likewise Timber_, _Boards_, _Pipe and Hogshead_, _Staves_, &c.
_also_ Negro-_Slaves from_ Guinee, _and live Cattel, as Bulls_,
_Cows_, Asinego’s, _and Horses, from the_ Cape de Verd _Island_,
New-England; _and from_ England, _Servants, and all other
Commodities for Plantations, and for Apparel_; _of all which great
quantities are hither brought and sold_.
_The Shipping that comes to Trade to this Island belongs generally
to_ England; _some few Vessels are here built, and pass to and fro
to the Leeward Islands; and some belong to_ New-England, Bermudas,
_&c._ _The number of Vessels which come hither to Trade in one year
is found upon search to be about two hundred of all sorts, (some
years more, some less) as Ketches, Sloops, Barques, &c. containing
in Burthen fifteen thousand and five hundred and five Tun, according
as they were here Entred, which is at the least a third part less
than their true Burthen, by reason every Ship pays one pound of
Powder_ per _Tun, the means ordain’d by this Country for storing the
Magazine; the greatest part of which Ships re-load with Sugars for_
England, _and many go for_ New-England, Bermudas, Virginia, Tangier,
_&c._ _not always full loaden with this Countreys Growth. The usual
Rate for Tunnage from hence to_ London, _is from_ 4 l. _to_ 5 l. per
_Tun_; _sometime when Ships are very plentiful, it is at_ 3 l. _and
less, and at other times when scarce, from_ 6 l. _to_ 7 l. _in the
late War with the_ Dutch, _it was at_ 10. 11. _and_ 12 l. per _Tun_.
_The Government is Constituted by the Laws of_ England, _and Laws
not repugnant to them, onely some particular Laws are here made,
proper for this Place, by the Governor (or Deputy) and his Council,
(which usually are from seven to twelve in number) and an Assembly
that consists of twenty two Persons, chosen by the Free-holders, two
out of every Parish_.
SECT. XXIV.
St. Vincent.
[Sidenote: Situation of _St. Vincent_.]
The Island of _St. Vincent_, South-West from _St. Lucia_, and having
sixteen Degrees of North-Latitude, was so call’d by the _Spaniards_, as
having discover’d it on that Saint’s Day, being the fifth of _April_: It
is accounted eight Leagues long and six broad, and rises round about
with high Grounds and several Mountains, which are seen at a great
distance.
This Island hath a very fruitful Soil, and for the bigness of it hath
been long since well peopled with _Caribbeeans_ before the arrival of
the _Spaniards_, possessing here several Villages, to whom they are
still sworn Enemies, but Truck’d with the _Hollanders_ for Provisions,
Horns, Axes, Knives, and other Trifles. At the West and South sides are
convenient Bays to lie at Anchor and take Water in.
[Sidenote: The Fruit _Momen_.]
The Inhabitants highly esteem the _Momen_, growing to the bigness of an
Apple-Tree; the Fruit which it bears resembles a green Cucumber, and is
of a pleasant Juice, the Skin always green and prickly; the Seed which
is in the same about the bigness of a _French_ Bean, is generally black,
and streak’d with Golden-colour’d Veins.
[Sidenote: The _Granadilla_.]
Here is also that Plant mention’d elsewhere, by the _Spaniard_ call’d
_Granadilla_, by the _Dutch Rhang-Apple_, and _La Fleur de la Passion_
by the _French_; and it is so call’d, as being fancied to represent the
thorny Crown of our _Saviour_, together with the Cross, Nails, Hammer
and Pillar; the Plant runs along the Ground, unless it meet with a Pole
by which it runs up.
SECT. XXV.
Bekia.
[Sidenote: Situation of _Bekia_.]
Not far from _St. Vincent_ lies the Island _Bekia_, which reckons
twelves Leagues in circumference, and lies at twelve Degrees and twelve
Scruples of Northern Latitude: It hath a secure Harbor against all
Winds; but because it is without fresh Water, it is onely frequented by
the _Caribbeeans_ that dwell on _St. Vincent_, who come hither to Fish,
and visit certain little Gardens which they have there for their
pleasure.
The Soil produces store of Water-melons, whose red juicy Pulp yields,
when squeez’d, a great quantity of sweet Liquor, which is very
refreshing, and good to create an Appetite; their white Flowers, notch’d
at the end of the leaves, afford a delightful smell.
_Anno 1633._ Captain _John Johnson Van Hoorn_ putting in to _Bekia_ to
catch Tortoises, found a fine Inlet on the West, and Eastward a Ridge of
Rocks, Cotton growing wild in the Fields, and upon the Shore a kind of
Snails call’d _Burgun_, under whose first Shell appear’d another of a
Silver colour with black Specks.
SECT. XXVI.
Granada.
[Sidenote: Situation of _Granada_.]
_Granada_, lying at twelve Degrees and sixteen Scruples, like a
Half-moon, from the North to the South, is full of Woods. Towards the
South-West runs a fresh River into the Sea. The Shore very low affords
good Anchorage at twelve Leagues distance. The Current grows exceeding
strong here, and the Water also ebbs and flows in a few hours. _Dirick
Simonszoon Witgeest_ Sailing from _Tabago_, was amaz’d to see with what
force the Current drove him to _Granada_.
[Sidenote: The _French_ possess it.]
Hither _Du Parquet_ at his own Charge sent three hundred Men from
_Martinico_, who scuffled with the Inhabitants six Moneths before they
could possess the same in Peace; and scarce had they obtain’d it at
last, but by telling them that the _French_ Assistance would be very
advantageous unto them against the _Arovages_.
The Duke _Seryllac_ in _Paris_ inform’d of the Fertility of this Island,
bought it of _Du Parquet_ for a considerable Sum of Money: And indeed
_Granada_ is none of the meanest of the _Caribbees_, the Soil producing
very good both Fruit and Timber-Trees, amongst which is the
_Latine_-Tree, of a tall Body, but ordinary thickness, and in stead of
Boughs, hang Leaves like Fans in long Stalks, which being ty’d together,
serve for Roofs of Houses.
There is also the Tree _Cocoa_, which yet grows not so high here as in
other parts of the _West-Indies_.
SECT. XXVII.
Tabago.
[Sidenote: Situation of _Tabago_.]
The next which comes in view is _Tabago_, (so call’d, as some think,
from the quantity of that Drug there Planted) eight Leagues long and
four broad, lying in the eleventh Degree and sixteen Minutes of Northern
Latitude, and hath many high Mountains full of Wood, out of which glide
eighteen Streams, which watering the Plains fall into the Sea.
Captain _Vitgeest_ coming to an Anchor here, found a convenient Inlet on
the East, and fresh Water to fill his Casks. Half a League from the
Shore rise five Rocks, through which he Sail’d with his Ships. Within
the Cliff opens a Bay, into which runs a River well stor’d with Fish.
More Westerly lies a larger Inlet, which receives two delightful
Streams. From the Western Promontory runs also a Cliff Northward into
the Sea.
This Island is easily known by high Coasts which rise on the East side,
and so grows lower by degrees. It is likewise made pleasant by many
Walks of Trees.
The Sea produces abundance of those sorts of Fish which are common
amongst us, besides Tortoises, that lay their Eggs in the Sand.
[Sidenote: Cra-fish.]
The Cra-fish thereabouts are not much unlike Lobsters, have white and
well tasted Flesh, but hard to digest; they catch them in the Night on
sandy Shelves with lighted Torches.
[Sidenote: Crabs.]
The Crabs get their Food very wonderfully here; for when they observe
the Mussles or Oysters to Gape for fresh Air, they put Stones between
their Shells, so that they not being able to shut them, they pull out
the Fish with their Claws.
The Woods feed an innumerable company of Beasts somewhat resembling
Hogs, (whose Navels are on their Backs) _Opassums_, _Javaris_’s, and
_Tatows_, as also the _Agoutys_’s and _Musk-Rats_.
[Sidenote: _Agoutys._]
The _Agoutys_’s are of a dark brown colour, and have little Tails, two
Teeth in their upper, and as many in their lower Jaw; they make a noise
as if they spoke, crying _Couye_; if hunted by Dogs, they run into
hollow Trees, out of which they are routed by Smoak.
[Sidenote: Musk-Rats.]
The great _Musk-Rats_ are as big as a Rabbet, and like them live in
Holes made in the Ground, but resemble an _European_ Rat, onely their
Skins are black, except one part of their Bellies which are white; they
smell so strong of Musk, that it overcomes those that carry them.
[Sidenote: Serpents.]
Amongst the Brambles breed also Serpents of a green colour, two yards
long, and an Inch thick, feeding on Locusts and Birds, which they take
in their Nests, but do no hurt to Mankind.
[Sidenote: The _Sassafras_ Tree.]
But _Tobago_ boasts chiefly of the _Sassafras_-Tree, which resembles the
Pine-Tree, hath a firm and streight Body, and on the top Boughs spread
like a Crown, the Bark of a dark colour and smooth, and smelling very
sweet; the Leaves thin, notch’d, and of a deep Green, have also a
delicate smell; the thinnest Roots appear above the Ground, and are
exceeding good to cure green Wounds, stoppings and shortness of Breath
occasion’d by Colds.
[Illustration]
The Tobacco, by the _Caribbeeans_ call’d _Y-ouli_, Planted among the
Fruit-Trees, grows very plentifully here; it shoots up from a stringy
Root, bitter of taste, with a thick Stalk, which shoots out Boughs with
great Leaves, woolly underneath, and bears a kind of Violet Flower,
which when dry’d, are succeeded by little Cods full of black Seed; and
to prevent the over-growing of it, they cut off the top of the main
Stalk.
[Sidenote: The Bird _Colibry_.]
The Bird _Colibry_, which is exceeding beautiful, makes his Nest under
the Tobacco-Leaves.
A company of Townsmen of _Walcheren_, having a Grant from the _States_
of the _United Provinces_, sent a Colony to _Tabago_; but they being
scarce two hundred in all, were for the most part destroy’d by the
_Caribbeeans_; the rest weak or sickly, fearing the same Entertainment,
sought to save themselves; so that the Island has not formerly been
frequented but by the _French_ from _Martinico_, and _Guadalupe_, who
for some time came over onely to catch Turtles and _Lamantins_ there.
The _Caribbeeans_ also either in their March against, or Return from the
_Arovages_, Landed here for necessary Provisions; But of late the Lord
_Lampsen_ hath Setled a Plantation in this desolate Island.
SECT. XXVIII.
St. Christophers.
[Sidenote: Situation of _St. Christophers_ Island.]
_St. Christophers_, a pretty distance from _Tobago_, receiv’d its
Denomination from _Christopher Columbus_, invited thereto by the shape
of a great Mountain, having as it were another lesser on one of its
Shoulders, being fancy’d to represent the Figure of the suppos’d Giant
_Christopher_, who is reported to have carry’d our _Saviour_ in the
appearance of a little Child on his Shoulders through a deep Sea.
This Island lying seventeen Degrees and twenty five Minutes Northward of
the _Equinoctial Line_, hath twenty five Leagues in circumference.
The Soil light and sandy, refuses not the production of divers sorts of
Fruits common amongst us.
In the middle of the Island rises a high Mountain, out of which run
fresh Streams, that sometimes swell so high with sudden Rains, that they
drown all the Countrey near them.
[Sidenote: The Division of the Island into several Wards.]
This Island being jointly the Plantation of both _English_ and _French_,
was divided into four Wards, two whereof have been long since in
possession of the _French_, and the other two in possession of the
_English_, strangely divided one from another; for the _English_ in one
Ward cannot go to the other without troubling the _French_; and so on
the contrary: the _English_ have more Rivers and People, the _French_
more plain Land, fitter for Cultivation, and Forts furnish’d with Guns
and Soldiers. At the Entrances of the Paths which lead into the several
Wards stand Watch-houses, where Sentinels, or Watch-men stand daily in
their turns.
In a Bay of the Sea they found a brave Salt-pit, from whence a sandy
Cliff runs so far into the Ocean, a that some have swum from the end
thereof over to the Island _Nevis_.
A Silver Mine hath been long since discover’d on this Island, in which
the _English_ and _French_ claim equal Interest, but neither Party make
any benefit of it for want of Miners.
The high Mountains, the Springs of boyling sulphurous Water, and brambly
Woods, hinder all passage through the middle of the Island: The Ground
runs more and more sloaping to the Sea-side, and is divided into several
High-ways, along which stand convenient Houses, cover’d with red or
glaz’d Slate, shaded with Trees, and environ’d with pleasant Gardens, to
which there is a delightful Prospect from the Fields, of the green
Tobacco-Leaves, the yellow Sugar-Canes, Ginger, and Potato’s.
[Sidenote: _Basse-Terre_ the chief Town belonging to the _French_.]
Besides the scatter’d Buildings, the _French_ have built a compleat Town
near the convenientest Harbor of their Quarter, call’d _Basse-Terre_,
where the Merchants dwell in fair Houses built of Brick and Free-stone;
whither all sorts of People bring their Commodities, and Truck their
_European_ Goods for such as _St. Christophers_ produceth. All manner of
Trades and Handicrafts live also in this Town, and a Court of Judicature
is kept every Week. The Church built of Free-stone, is cover’d with the
aforesaid red Slate, and was formerly Govern’d by the _Capuchins_; but
they being dismiss’d _Anno 1646._ the Government was given to the
_Jesuits_ and _Carmelites_; who also built themselves other stately
Edifices: but the Jesuit _Henrick du Vivier_ was the first who bore the
chiefest Command over all.
The Sick that have not sufficient Means to maintain them, have an
Hospital appointed, where all Necessaries are provided for them; and to
which is added a School for the bringing up of poor Children.
[Sidenote: Description of the Castle.]
But the chiefest Structure is the Castle, on the building whereof the
Lord _Poincy_ spar’d no Cost; it is built half a _French_ Mile from the
Sea at the Foot of a high Mountain, shadowed with great Trees. In the
Way thither stand the Houses of the prime Officers; and a long Walk of
Orange and Lemmon-Trees leads to a large Court before the Front of the
Castle it self, which is built square with Bricks and Free-stone three
Stories high; and the Entrance into it is ascended by a large pair of
Stairs; near the Gate which opens to the West, stand great Stone
Cisterns, into which they receive the Water through Pipes laid under
Ground; the Chambers and Halls are very lightsom and high, and the Walls
of them adorn’d with Cedar; a flat Terrace on the top yields a pleasant
Prospect all over the Countrey; the Windows in the Front look open not
onely upon the Orange Walk, but also upon several delightful Plantations
of Sugar-Canes and Ginger.
Westward appear several Mountains, whose high Heads are invested with
ever-flourishing Trees; and between the Palace and those Mountains a
very large and stately Garden, full of all manner of Flowers and other
delightful Plants, as well those commonly known amongst us, as those
peculiar to that part of the World; in the middle thereof stands a
Fountain, deriving its Source from the Foot of a neighboring Hill.
The Winds which blow from the Hills, and especially those cool Blasts
daily coming out of the East, so tempers the hot Climate, that it
becomes very tolerable.
When any News arrives here of the _French_ Conquests in _Europe_, they
sound the Trumpets on the top of the Castle, and the Standards and
Ensigns formerly taken by the Governor in the Field, are hung out of the
Windows.
On one side of the Castle stands a Chappel, and somewhat farther on a
rising Plain, a row of Houses, inhabited by certain Retainers to the
Governor, and is call’d _Angola_. The Offices and Lodgings for the
Governor’s Servants are built of Brick, about the Castle, which is
fortifi’d with five Sconces, whereon are planted several Guns.
The Governor keeps nine hundred Slaves, and a hundred _French_-men, to
work in his three Sugar-Mills, to till his Ground, and for his
Houshold-Service.
Several _French_ Gentlemen have also built many fair Houses here;
amongst which the chiefest are those on which _Poucy_, _Treval_,
_Benevent_, _Girand_, _Auber_, _de la Roziere_, _de St. Andant_, _de l’
Esperance_, and _de la Loche_ spent great sums of Money.
The _English_ also are not much inferior to them in their Counties.
[Sidenote: The _English_ Plantations in this Island.]
Their Churches are five in all; first on the Point of the _Palm-Tree_
stands a fair Church; a second near the great Road, below the _English_
Governor’s House; a third at the _Sandy Point_; which are all well
built, and large enough for a considerable Congregation; the other two
at the Inlet _Cayoune_ are short of the three first. The Ministers
thereof receiv’d formerly their Benefices from the Bishop of
_Canterbury_, in _Cromwell_’s time from the _Tryers_, as they were
call’d; but of late, since the King’s Restauration, from the Bishop of
_Canterbury_ again.
The best Houses belonging to the _English_ were built by Mr. _Warner_,
Mr. _Rich_, Mr. _Evrard_, and Col. _Geffreyson_ all successively
Governors of the Place.
[Sidenote: Their success at their first Landing.]