A. D. 1731' i6i 



The Englifli Leeward iflands *, are Antigua, Nevis, St. Chriftophers, 

 and Montferrat. Thefe four, together with Barbuda, Anguilla,Tortola, 

 and Spanifhtown, all fettled on by the Englifli, may be modeflly confi- 

 dered altogether, as at leaft equal in confequence to us with Barbados, and 

 are capable of vaft improvements, which Barbados is not, but is rather 

 declining and wearing out. 



Euftatia is poffefled by the Dutch, and is about three leagues from 

 St. Chriflophers ; and, though very inconfiderable in extent and pro- 

 duce, yet it drives a great fmuggling trade with our iflands by their 

 fliips from Africa underfelling our own people with their negroes. Saba, 

 a little to the leeward, is alfo poflefl^ed by the Dutch, but is very incon- 

 fiderable. 



A' little more northward lie St. Martin and St. Bartholomew ; both 

 inconfiderable iflands, and both partly inhabited by French, and partly 

 by Dutch. 



Santa Croce has been twice pofl"efl*ed by the Englifli, who have as of- 

 ten been beat out by the French. It is not much lefs than Barbados, 

 and inferior to none in point of healthfulnefs, fertility, good roads, and 

 bays. Yet at prefent it is not fettled. 



Northward lies the ifland of St. Thomas, pofl^efl^ed by the Danes; re- 

 markable only for its harbour, which is a free port, and for fmuggling. 



Due wefl: from St. Thomas lies St. John de Porto Rico, inhabited by 

 very few Spaniards, chiefly a lawlefs fort of people. This ifland, though 

 inferior to none in point of fertility, has neverthelefs been much negled- 

 ed by Spain. 



Hifpaniola is divided between the French and Spaniards. The for- 

 mer greatly thriving and multiplying, the Spaniards dayly decreafing, 

 many of their fine old houfes and plantations being left defolate ; info- 

 much, that the French are reckoned to be double the number of the 

 Spaniards in that large ifland, including the flaves of both, and to be al- 

 ready pofl'efl"ed of the greatefl: part of it. The few Spaniards remaining 

 there look upon the whole ifland as gone, upon the firfl rupture between 

 the two crowns. The almoft amazing improvements of the French 

 here, fince the reign of our King William, {hew what. great things may 

 be done by able minifters, even under an arbitrary prince. This ifland 

 alone is of more value than all our pofleflions in thofe parts, has excel- 

 lent harbours, bays, and rivers ; and, if we except Cubaf, far exceeds all 

 the refl: of the Wefl-India iflands. 



• So called with rcfpcft to Barbados, wliich is called Il'iiul-u.'iinl i/lamls by us, as well as tlie 



to the eaflward, or to tvind'ward, of all the Weft- French, they biiiig in truth to windward of all the 



India iflands. yl. rell, except Barbados. M. 



Tliia appellation of LtttvarJ i/l<iri<ls, which f The Abbe Raynal's tables flicw the produce 



might be proper, when Barbados was the only of the French poition of Hifpaniola to be above 



Englilh colony in the Well-Indies, is now bccom- eighteen times the value of the produce of Cub.i. 



iiig obfoletf, and they are now more generally M. 



Vol. III. X 



