XV111 PREFACE TO 



To furnish a more comprehensive account than has hitherto 

 appeared of the agriculture of the Sugar Islands in general, 

 and of their rich and valuable staple commodities, sugar, indi- 

 go, coffee, and cotton in particular ; finally, 



To display the various and widely extended branches of 

 their commerce; pointing out the relations of each towards 

 the other, and towards the several great interests, the manu- 

 factures, navigation, revenues, and lands of Great Britain ; 



These, together with several collstera'l disquisitions, are the 

 topics on which I have endeavoured to collect, and convey to 

 the public, useful and acceptable information. Their import- 

 ance will not be disputed, and I have only to lament that my 

 abilities are not more equal to the task I have undertaken. 



But, before I proceed to investigations merely political and 

 commercial, I have ventured on a retrospective survey of the 

 state and condition of the West Indian islands when first dis- 

 covered by Columbus ; and I have endeavoured to delineate the 

 most prominent features in the chara-cter and genius of their 

 ancient inhabitants. I was led to a research of this nature, 

 not merely for the purpose of giving uniformity to my work, 

 but because, having resided many years in the countries of 

 which I write, I presume to think, that I am somewhat better 

 qualified to judge of the influence of climate and situation, on 

 the. disposition, temper, and intellects of their inhabitants, than 

 many of those writers, who, without the same advantage, 

 have tmdertaken to compile systems, and establish conclusions, 

 on this subject. I conceive that, unless an author has had the 

 benefit of actual experience and personal observation, neither 

 genius aor industry can at all times enable him to guard against 

 the mistakes and misrepresentations of prejudiced, ignorant, or 

 interested men; to whose authority he submits, merely from the 

 want of advantages whkh those who have possessed them have 

 perverted. He is liable even to be misled by preceding authors, 

 who have undertaken, on no better foundation than himself, 

 to compile histories and form systems on the same subject: for 

 when plausible theories are deduced, with ingenuity and elo- 



