BOOK n. CHAP. TX. 213 



being near twenty-four miles, it contains of" courfe a lar.ie run of 

 unfettled lands. The iettlements reach between, thirteen and four- 

 teen miles back from the Tea : but there is a (pace ftill behind them 

 of one hundred thoufand acres, or upwards, yet uninhabited, ex- 

 cept by the Maroon Negroes, of Furry's and Trelavvny Towns ; 

 who polleiring a grant of fifteen hundred acres, there remain al^out 

 ninety- eight thoufand for cultivation. This land is- mountainous,. 

 but laid to be inferior to none in fertility; and, as St. James is now 

 become the moft thriving dillrid in tlie ifland, fome extenfion will, 

 probably be made every year. One great fource of this flourilhing 

 Hate has been the rapid increafe of the town and its trade from 

 very fmall beginnings. It contains at prefent, by computation, 

 about four hundred houfes, moftly built of brick, and fome of 

 them inhabited by opulent merchants ; one of whom carried on 

 the Guiney branch with fo much fuccefs, as to remit bills, in the 

 year 1771, to Great-Britain, for near 50,000/. fterling, on account 

 of new Negroes alone ; and, as only two of thefe bills (which 

 were both under 300/.) were protefted, we have, in this inftance, 

 the ftrongeft indication poffible of the happy circumftances en- 

 joyed by the planters in this part of the country. The town, fi- 

 tuated in about 18° 3,0' North latitude, flands on the North-ea{\ 

 fide of a fpacious bay, along the feet of a range of moderately hilly 

 land, which fomewhat incommodes it by intercepting the breeze. 

 The flreets are laid out with tolerable exaftnefs. In the bay, the 

 water is from four to thirty fathom: the channel leading into it is 

 guarded, on the Eafl and Wed:, by a reef and funken rocks ; but 

 far in there is excellent anchorage, and room for a large fleet of 

 fhips. On the South-well part of the bay is a clufler of little 

 iflands, covered with mangroves, and other maritime trees. Be- 

 yond thefe iflands is another fpacious harbour, but of no ufe at pre- 

 fent; fince it us impoflible for any veffel of burthen to fail into it, 

 on account of the fhoal-water on one fide, and the iflands on the 

 other ; though it is affirmed, that a pafliige between them might 

 be opened at no very great expence. It is likewife fuppofed to be 

 defe»ded by the fort (fituated about half a mile from the town to 

 the iV)rth-caft, on a fmall point of land), which mounts fome 

 guns, a^d may he occafionally garrifoned by a party of regulars, 



for 



