220 JAMAICA. 



the rights of feiiioiity prevailed. But it is probable, that as the bu- 

 finefs of the court mufl: be in proportion to the number and opu- 

 lence of the inhabitants, To this claim of feniority will yield in 

 the end to the conveniency of the people of Montego and Tre- 

 lawny ; at leaft fo far as to eftablifh an alternate court, as firfl: pro- 

 pofed : by which means, the eafe of trade may be confulted in the 

 leaft partial manner, and the new eftablifhment be reafonably fa^ 

 voured, without ruining the older one. 



It is ajuft remark of Dr. Browne, that thofe towns, which,, 

 fince the decay of the Spanifh trade, have been fupported chiefly by 

 {landing courts and the calamities of the people, are rather a pre- 

 judice than an emolument to the community; while they harbour 

 fo many dependents in idlenefs at the expence of the induftrious, 

 who might have proved very fervlceable members, had they been 

 diftributed about the ifland, and their thoughts turned more upon, 

 the advancement than the diftrefling of fettlements. 



S E C T. V. 



T R E L A W N Y.. 



PROCEEDING from St. James to Trelawny, the road lies, 

 for the moft part, along the coaft, without having any objedl more 

 pleafing to the eye than, on one fide,, a profped of the fea, and on 

 the other a chain of (haggy mountains, which run along the North 

 fide of the ifland in one almoft uninterrupted range, except where 

 they are indented by creeks and bays, and cleft as it were by rivers. 

 In fome other parts are alfo recefles, affording room for plantations 

 and pafture-grounds J but, in general, their foil is good; and fuch 

 of them as are cultivated, produce here, as on the South fide, great 

 plenty of corn, plantains, coft'ee, pimento, yams, caflada, and 

 moft other forts of Weft-India provihons, as well as- many kinds 

 of European vegetables. But although, towards the Eaft, the hills 

 feem retired further from the fea than in the Weftern parts of St* 

 James, there are few diftrids of Jamaica of a more wild and bar- 

 barous afpeft than the tradl which lies to the Eaftward of Long- 

 Bay, till the cultivated parts of Trelawny open to view. This 

 newly- baptized parifti is divided from St. James on the Weft by a 



North 



