J 



3 



JAMAICA, 



eradicate. It infcfts the paftiire-lands, and incroachcs continually 

 on the roads, to the very great annoyance of travelers, efpecially 

 by night, when tliey cannot fo well guard their fiices from being 

 f>.:ratchcd ; fo tliat a man, who rides among them in the duik, is 

 oblii^ed to keep his whip and hands in conftant employment, in 

 order to parry the over-hanging branches. That part which 

 bounds on the Weft fide of the town, and called the Town fa- 

 vannah, confifted formerly of one thoufknd two hundred acres, 

 allotted for exercife, and has a common of pafturc for the ufe of 

 the inhabitants; but, feveral perfons having fettled upon and oc- 

 cupied the ficirtsof it, the parilhioners obtained an aft for enabling 

 them to leaie out feven hundred acres, at 55. /^r acre, and foot- 

 land at 6ci. per foot ; and referved the remaining five hundred to be 

 kept open and clear, at the expence of the parilh, and for ever to 

 be held facred to the j^urpofes only of exercife and health. The 

 fpace uninclofed is about two miles in circumference. Here the races 

 are generally held every year in the month of March. For encou- 

 raging a breed of large horfcs, one hundred piftolcs are annually 

 granted by the aflembly, by way of king's plate, to be run for by any 

 flone-horfes or mares, carrying ten ftone each, of fourteen pounds to 

 the ftone. There are generally two days fport, befides either bye- 

 matches, or a fublcription purfe. On thefe occafions the concourfe 

 of people is very great ; foaie thoufands are feen allembled on the 

 favannah ; and the multitude of carriages and horfes, all in motion, 

 form a very pleafing part of the amufement. On this plain the re- 

 gular troops, and fometimes the militia, are trained and reviewed. 

 But its principal ufe is as a paleftra, for the daily exercife of the 

 inhabitants of the town in the morning and afternoon. In manner 

 of living, the Englifh here differ not much from their brethren at 

 home, except in a greater profufion of diflies, a larger retinue of 

 domeftics, and in wearing more expenfive cloaths- The climate 

 obliging them to ufe the finer fort of fabrics, thefe are of courfe the 

 moft coftly ; and hence appears the great advantage to the mother- 

 country of furnilhing her Weft-India colonies with their cloathing. 

 The fuperior nnenefs of manufadure is all clear gain to her artifts ; 

 and the conflant wear, by the effects of perfpiration and waftiing, 

 occafions an immenfe coufumption. The thick, cheap, and du-. 



rable 



