BOOK II. CHAP. VII. 33 



rnble cloths, which are well-adapted to the frozen zone, will not 

 aiifwer here ; and the atmofphere corrodes every kind of iron or 

 ftecl ware very quickly. The demand therefore for numberlefa 

 produfts of the home induftry is (from a train of invariable caufes) 

 likely to continue as long as thefe colonies continue to exifl:. Here 

 are none of the fubftantial inhabitants who do not keep their coacli. 

 or chariot with four or fix horfes. The fliop-keepers have theic 

 two-wheel chaifes, or kitereens[/] ; and they who cannot afford a 

 carriage, even to the poorefl free Negroe, will not be without a 

 faddle-horfe or two. As this is an inland-town, it derives its 

 chief fupport from the refidence of the governor and publick 

 officers; the gentlemen of the law; the affembly and council-; 

 and the conflux of people who refort hither from the country parts 

 on bufinefs, particularly during the fittings of the fupreme or grand 

 court of law near four months in the year; and the feffion of the 

 aflembly, which generally lafts from the beginning of Odtober 

 till the Chriftmas holidays. At thefe times univerfal gaiety pre- 

 vails ; balls, concerts, and routs, alternately hold their reign. 

 The governor, according to antient cuftom, gives a ball and en- 

 tertainment once a year at the king's houfe, in honour of his ma- 

 jefly's birth-day. The appearance of company on this occafion 

 is generally brilliant, the ladies vying with one another in the 

 richnefs of their dreiies ; every one makes a point of exhibiting 

 anew fuit of finery j and this regulation is fo lavifhly indulged, 

 that fuch a ball is feldom attended with lefs than three or four 

 thoufand pounds expence to the guefts, which however is ib far ex- 

 cufable, as it is laid out in Britifli manufa£lures [w]. When the 

 toivn is full of company, here is a very good market ; at other 

 times of the year, it is but indifferently fupplied. In general, 

 the mutton is much better, and the beef much worfe, than in 

 Kingfton ; the latter town being furnilhed with beeves from the 

 rich paftures of Pedro's Cockpits, where the fattened cattle are 

 inferior to none in America. The mutton confumed in Spanifh 

 Town is chiefly brought from the adjacent falt-pan paftures, arid 



[/] So called trom the firll-importetl, which cnme from Kettering, in Northatiiptonfiiire. 



[m] Daring one halt of the year, the inhabitants enjoy all the llillnefs and tranquillity of a 

 countiy-villagi ; ami, in the other, the Icene is totally changed, and they revel in the plcafurej of 

 a town. 



Vol. II. F the 



