Ch.ÍX. SOUTH AMERICA. 40t 



force; for in 1583, ííiimphrj' Girber an Engliíhman 

 fettled tiiere; thoi^h he was afterwards obliged to 

 evacuate it, and fail for England in the following 

 year; but did not reach it, perüliing in a ftorm. 



In the year 1622, the Engliih again returned to 

 fettle in this ifland, under the conducft of Mr. George 

 Calvert, who, with rPiOre forefight than his prede- 

 ceiTor, brought with him all kinds of feeds grain, 

 and pulfe, and immediately fee his followers to 

 work in clearing thofe parts which feemed bcft adapted 

 to culture; and accordingly the produce of his Iccds 

 contributed gready to the comfortable fubfiftence of 

 thefe new adventurers, befides affording a fiock for 

 the enfuing years. 



The French had for a long time been in pof- 

 feíTion of Placentia, and with it of the principal part 

 of this ifland, but without any moleftation to the fet- 

 tlements of the Engliih on the eaftern coails of it; 

 and the veifels of both nations quiedy fiihed together. 

 The Englifh, however, long entertained a defire of 

 making themfelves mailers of Placentia, as the only 

 fordfied town in the ifland, as alfo of the whole fouth- 

 ern part held by the French. They had tried force 

 and negociations to com pafs their ends; but all their 

 endeavours ended in difappointment, till the peace 

 of Utrecht, concluded betwixt that nadon and Lewis 

 XIV. of France; when they took advantage of the 

 low ihte to which that monarch was reduced, and 

 infirted on the cndre and abfolule ceiTion of New- 

 foundland ; and ever fmce that dme no other nation 

 has fettled there ; though with a referve of the right 

 of cod-ñíhing both to the French and Spaniards; to 

 the former by articles nine, ten, and twelve of that 

 ceifionj and to the Spaniards by the 15th árdele of 

 the fame treaty. 



The country of this ifland is very unequal, and 



covered with hills and mountains; and thefe at a 



diftance appear much higher than thofe near the fea. 



VoL.lL D d They 



