BOOK II. CHAP. VIII. 137 



itfald, and with truth, that many of the Negroes are well ac- 

 quainted with the healing virtues of feveral herbs and plants, which 

 a regular phyfician tramples under foot, with no other idea of 

 them, than that they arc no part of his materia medica, nor any 

 fetter than ufelefs weeds? It will be no fmall affiflance to any per- 

 fon who may hereafter botanize in Jamaica, that Sloane and 

 Brown have already paved the way ;• but, indeed, a thorough dif- 

 covery of the virtues and ufes of what have been already defcribed, 

 feems to be more wanted at prefent than a further fcrutiny after 

 non-defcribed plants. Superadded to this will be the endeavours 

 ■of gentlemen of the illand to introduce exotic plants and trees from 

 the Eaft-lndian and American continents, of fuch kinds as have 

 been moft celebrated for their medicinal, or fome other valuable 

 qualities. No part of the ifland feems better adapted for fuch nur- 

 feries than the Liguanea or Midland Mountains. They would re- 

 quire fome care till their feeding time ; after which, the different 

 ipecies might eafily be propagated in other didrids. 



I return from this digreflion to clofe my account of St. Andrew's. 

 The lower, or more level part of the parilh, comprehended under 

 the name of Liguanea, is the quarter mofl: appropriated to 

 fugar-plantations. The foil here has been chiefly formed by the 

 fine mould waflied down from the hills, and produces a good cane. 

 In fome parts, the foil is mixed with a coarfe rubble, fwept by 

 heavy torrents from the gullies. This foil requires plentiful rains 

 (without which it is apt to burn the canes), and conflant manure. 

 'One of the Oliverian regiments firfl fettled here, under the com- 

 mand of colonel Archbould and major Hope, who, with Sir 

 William Beefton, poffefled the beft and largeft fhare of this whole 

 tradl. Few of the lugar-plantations are remoter from the harbour 

 than fix Or feven miles ; the interior or hilly part being chiefly em- 

 ployed in the cultivation of coffee and provifions. The roads here 

 are in general firm ; the fugar of excellent quality ; and the car- 

 riage to and from the town fo eafy, that the eflates are juftly 

 efleemed very valuable. The Long Mountain, which runs ob- 

 liquely from Rock Fort for about four miles inland, is for the mod: 

 part compofed of lime-ftone. The end of it, which advances 

 tieareft to the -harbour, I'upplies large quantities of ballaft for the 

 Vol. II. T Ihips, 



