THE BAHAMA ISLANDS 519 



In the autumn of 1838, all Africans landed from slaving vessels were freed 

 from the obligations of their indentures. 487 The children from a brig that was 

 brought to Nassau were placed in care of the African establishment at Car- 

 michael. 488 



The settlements made for these Africans were not successful. That at 

 Highburn Cay made by Sir James Smyth failed, because of a drouth. Those 

 at Carmichael and Adelaide were declining during the administration of 

 Colebrooke. Another was formed at Headquarters, near the city of Nassau. 

 Tin's was the most successful of any of these experiments. The site of Head- 

 quarters, now called Grants Town, was a swamp. The negroes entered 

 it under the supervision of the government, drained it, enclosed their allot- 

 ments, planted gardens, erected dwellings, and laid out streets and other im- 

 provements for the public good. 439 On this site was formed a permanent settle- 

 ment, the lots being sold to those who occupied them. Preparations were 

 made for a large scheme of settlement wherever the vacant lands of the Colony 

 would admit it. Township sites were selected on the Out-islands. Among the 

 first of these was that at Stirrups Cay, one of the Berry Islands, fifty miles 

 north of Nassau. This place was called Williamstown, in honor of the King; 

 another was called Victoria for the princess. There was much competition for 

 building sites in these places. Colebrooke hoped to persuade the negroes to 

 settle in these places and to establish permanent homes as soon as they were set 

 free. 440 Some of these settlements flourished for a time, but none of them 

 with the exception of Grants Town has had any considerable permanent im- 

 portance in the Colony. They generally declined after a few years. Some of 

 them have, however, become the sites of the small towns on the Out-islands. 

 There has been no continuous prosperity in the Colony that would warrant the 

 building of towns. Bennetts Harbor at San Salvador, the Harbors at Rum 

 Cay and Ragged Island, at the Bight and Great Harbor at Long Island were 

 among these town sites that were selected at this time. 441 



437 Cockburn to Glenelg, No. 119. 



428 Loc. cit., No. 134. Cockburn received an instruction to the effect that he 

 should use all means in his power to secure the cancellation of these agreements, 

 but did not understand it as applying to the captives. A little later he received 

 more definite instructions and proceeded to give the order for the cancellation of 

 these indentures. Loc. cit. 



439 Colebrooke to Glenelg, No. 72. 



440 Colebrooke to Glenelg, No. 125. 



441 Sess. P., 1836, 49, pp. 543-5. 



