632 



A. D. 1688. 



Ker alio obferves, that Cologne is fo much depopulated by intoler- 

 ance and perfecution, that vines and corn now grow within its wall, and 

 that Strafburg has alfb fufFered in the fame manner and from the fame 

 caufe. 



The conquefls of Mexico and Peru, where fuch immenfe treafures 

 were more eafily to be had, induced the Spaniards to negled the noble 

 and extenfive ifland of Hifpaniola, although it is faid there are ftill 

 mines of gold and filver, as well as of copper, therein, which were for- 

 merly worked to very great profit ; but they are faid to have deftroyed 

 three millions of the natives of that ifland, who, while they were per- 

 mitted to enjoy their polTeflions, were very ferviceable in fifliing for 

 them, and in tilling their lands, &c. fo that they were then in greater 

 affluence, than they have been ever fince, the greateft part of the coun- 

 try being depopulated, whereby they have been rendered unable to 

 work their mines. This, it is faid, makes them carefully conceal their 

 having any fuch, left foreigners fliould be allured to invade them. 

 They have ftill, however, plenty of fugar, cocoa, cotton, ginger, in- 

 digo, coffee, tobacco, wax, honey, ambergris, fait, drugs, and dying 

 woods. In this feeble ftate, a company of pirates, ufually then called 

 buccaneers, fettled themfelves on the north-wefl part of Hifpaniola, till 

 then folely pofTefled by Spain, and occupied the port and town of Petit- 

 Guaves * : after fonie years, they applied to King William for his pro- 

 tedion, promifing fubmiflion and allegiance to the crown of England : 

 but that king being in alliance with Spain againll France, difregarded 

 their application. Whereupon thofe buccaneers applied to the French 

 court, who readily took them under their protedion, and fupplied them 

 with proper alTiftance. From this obfcure and fingular beginning has 

 gradually grown up the prefent powerful French colony in our days, 

 poffefTed of the beil part of the great ifland of Hifpaniola, where they 

 have excellent fugar-works, coffee, ginger, cotton, indigo, and all the 

 other produdions of the Weft-hidies ; while the Spaniards, on the other 

 part of that ifland, proved rather ufeful than huitful to them, by fup- 

 plying them with cattle, &c. in return for the French Eafl-India mer- 

 chandize, and their own manufadures and produd, with which 

 alfo the French there fupply fhips from the continent of Terra Firma 

 and New-Spain, 8cc. coming to St. Domingo, where is fixed the lafl ap- 



* A fcttlement was made in the year 1630 by taken by the Spaniards, and after feveral quarrels 



fome Enghfli and French refugees who had been between the French and Engh'fh inhabitants, was 



driven from St. Chriftophers, firft on the north wholely given up in the year 1659 to the French, 



fide of Hilpaniola, and afterwards on the adjacent who foon after removed to more ample poffeffions 



fmall idand of Tortuga or Tortue. Mod of the on the greater ifland of Hifpaniola (or St. Do- 



firll fettlcrs were maffacred by the Spaniards ; but mingo). In 1665 the firft governor arrived from 



the remainder of them, under the direftion of France, who by his prudence and virtue brought 



Willis, an Englifli adventurer or buccaneer, re- the rude and diforderly colonifts to be ufeful to 



fumed the pofTcffion of Tortuga in 1633, and for- themfelves and their mother countiy. \_Rayna!, 



tified it. The ifland, after being feveral times H'ljl. philof. et politique, F.\i\, p. g<),ed. l-]'i2.'} M. 



2 



