216 JAMAICA. 



Lucea has mride fo little progrefs ; the chief trade and bufinef;, for 

 the Northern leeward part of the ifland being engroffed and con- 

 centered at Montego. 



The eftabli{hment of a trading town neceffirily attradls artincers 

 in various branches, and other numerous dependents. Hence a 

 great convenience refults to the fettlers around in the country-parts, 

 from the eafy method by which they can accommodate themfelves 

 with what they want. But a far greater advantage accrues to them 

 from the yearly confumption of their produfts in fuch a town, 

 which gives birth and fiipport to a multitude of petty fettlements 

 for cultivating proviiions of different forts to anfwer that con- 

 fumption. Such a town muft therefore add confiderably to the 

 population of the country; and itfelf derive a reciprocal profit from 

 the fale of goods to, and tranfa<il:ion of bulinefs for, the more opu- 

 lent plantations, which furnifh ftaple or exportable commodities ; 

 and this profit will be large and durable in proportion to the fertility 

 of the neighbouring foil. Now, the lands in this parifii being very 

 productive, and fo many thoufiind acres ftill remaining to be here- 

 after gradually employed, here feems to be a morally certain pro- 

 fpe£l, that this town, being conftituted upon the mofl permanent 

 fupports, can never decline fo long as the flaple produdls of the 

 ifland are worth any thing at the home-market. 



I have eliewhere taken notice of the rapid augmentation of fet- 

 tlements in this part of the country of late years ; which is really 

 amazing, and will fo appear from the comparative table, that, like 

 the foregoing, is brought down no lower than the year 1768 : but 

 I am well informed, that at leafi: twenty or more fugar- works may 

 be added to the lift at the prefent time. 



Behind the town, to the Southward, is a long range of uncul- 

 tivated mountains, clad, like mofl others in this country, with 

 lofty trees. The road which croflles this to Montpelier is excellently 

 conftru£led, and opens an avenue into a vale behind, containing 

 many thoufand acres of rich foil, a fmall part of which only is at 

 prefent brougi)t into culture. But, as improvements are moving 

 on here at a furprizing rate, there is good reafon to believe, that 

 the whole of this fine tradl will, in a few years, be overfpread 



3 with 



