SSS A VOYAGE TO Book IX, 



the fanifbion of the laws. For as no regifter iliip goes 

 from Spain to St. Domingo, che ifland, for want of 

 a due culture of the lands, being incapable of making 

 any returns, the colony murt neceíTarily periíh, 

 unlefs fupplied with goods fr^v-n the neighbouring 

 plantations. 



There cannot be a more convincing proof of 

 the vaii commerce cirried on by France through the 

 channel of this colony, than the number of ihips 

 which come annually to its different ports: no. lefs 

 than one hundred and fixty fniall and great, that is, 

 from one hundred and fifty to four or five hundred 

 tons, come to Guarico ; and this rhay ferve to give . 

 fome idea of thofe deftined to Leogane and Petit 

 Guave, and others of lefs note: all thefe fiiips come- 

 loaded with goods and provifions, and every one re- 

 turns with at lead 30 or 40,000 dollars in filver, or 

 gold. Thofe only which go from Guarico, cxclu- 

 iive of the cargo which confifts of the produds of 

 the colony, carry to France every year half a million 

 of dollars-, and the fame computation, which is not in 

 the leaft improbable, being made for each of the other 

 two chief ports, and as much for all the other fmaller 

 ports, the total will be two millions of dollars per 

 annum : and this was preciftly the fum carried in tiie 

 fleet which the Lys had the good fortune to join v/ith 

 in her return. 



It is eafily conceived that not one fourth part of 

 the cargo of'fo many ihips can be consumed in this 

 colony and its dependencies ; and confcquently it muft 

 find a vent among the Spaniih fetclements, as the Ha- 

 vanna, Caraca's, Santa Martha., Carthagena,. Terra 

 Firma, Nicaragua and Honduras. Accordingly Spa- 

 niih barks put into the liüie bays and creeks near 

 Guarico, and carry on this clandeiline commerce, when 

 by rcgiiier they are authorized to go to the ports 

 permitted. 



• The 



