APPENDIX. 253 



dation was laid of the first permanent colony that, 

 through a train of disastrous circumstances, had 

 ever been permitted to flourish within its shores." 

 Of the several towns built at different times nothing 

 remains but a stone here and there. 



17JtS, — French undertake a colony, but abandon it. 



1757. — Solitary exile found there. A tale is current, ac- 

 cording to historian Southey, that smacks somewhat 

 of Robinson Crusoe, only the event transpired after 

 Crusoe was written. One day in 1757 a midshipman 

 landed here, from the ship Sterling Castle of the 

 royal navy, where the Europeans had no settlement. 

 Having wandered into the woods in search of wild 

 oranges, he was surprised at the discovery of a hut, 

 the occupant of which, a venerable man, addressed 

 him in French. He declared he had resided twenty- 

 one years in that solitary situation, having scarcely 

 any communication with human beings. The In- 

 dians, he said, would sometimes call at his hermit- 

 age when hunting,, give him part of their game, and 

 shave his beard off with their knives. He had been 

 a priest at Martinique, but advancing some tenet 

 which gave offense, he was seized in the night and 

 transported to Tobago. Offers were made to con- 

 vey him to Europe, which he declined, saying that 

 he was perfectly reconciled to his situation, and 

 happier than he could be in any other. 



We are told by the author from whom the above is quoted 

 (Southey) that in 1768 a human skeleton was dug 

 up on a plantation called Somerville, with gold brace- 

 lets on the arms, supposed to have been deposited 

 there before the island was known to Europeans. 



1762. — Tobago taken by the English, who were confiirmed 

 in their possession. 



1763, — The year in which JOSEPHINE was born, in the near 

 island of Martinique. 



