143 HISTORY OF THE [BOOK n. 



Sir Hans Sloane, therefore, in asserting that a duke 

 de Veragua enjoyed a yearly revenue from Jamaica, 

 at the time the island surrendered to the English in 



1655, must Lave been misinformed: as he clearlv is 



* j 



in supposing, that the family of Columbus were at that 

 time proprietors of the island, and had so continued 

 from the days of Ferdinand and Isabella. 



But there is a circumstance recorded by Blome, 

 and confirmed by the state papers of Thurloe, for 

 which the relation I have given sufficiently accounts. 

 I mean the establishment in Jamaica of many Portu- 

 guese families. The transfer of Isabella's inheritance 

 to the house of Braganza, might have encouraged 

 many of the Portuguese to fix their fortunes in the 

 newly-acquired colony, and it is equally probable, that 

 the same event would excite jealousy in the old Spa- 

 nish settlers towards their new visiters. Blome adds, 

 that the Portuguese were abhorred. 



To such mutual distrust, and irreconcileable aver- 

 sion of the inhabitants towards each other, must be 

 ascribed the reason, that Sir Anthony Shirley met with 

 so little resistance when he invaded the island in 1596, 

 and plundered the capital. About forty years after- 

 wards it was again invaded by a force from the Wind- 

 ward islands under colonel Jackson. It is said, how- 

 ever, that on this occasion the inhabitants behaved 

 w r ith great gallantry in a pitched battle at Passage- 

 fort. They were, however, defeated, and Jackson, 

 after losing forty of his men, entered St. Jago de la 

 Vega sword in hand, and having pillaged the town of 



