THE FIRST BARBADIANS. 
By Rev. Fatuer C. Cooksey, 8. J. 
It is generally agreed that when the English made their first settlements in 
Barbados, they found the island absolutely devoid of human inhabitants, but 
on the other hand recognised traces of former settlers, moreover that Planta- 
tion Three Houses takes its names from three uninhabited dwellings which 
were found there. 
That the first English settlers had to get instruction in tropical farming from 
Arawak Indians, obtained from the Dutch of Essequebo, is a sufficient proof 
that the Barbadian Indians had either died out or been carried off as slaves by 
the previous Portuguese expeditions, which made Barbados a place of call 
on the way to Brazil. Or the first inhabitants may have consisted of members 
of hostile tribes and their well-known ferocity may have led to mutual exter- 
mination. 
But the fact that a considerable colony or colonies of Indians simultaneously 
or successively inhabited the Western or ‘“‘ Loo’ard”’ coast is established by the 
numerous implements and less frequent pottery found between Oistins Bay 
and Six Men’s Bay and especially in the beds of the little torrents which form 
at their mouths suitable landing places along this coast for boats and canoes. 
These finds may be divided into three classes: Stone Implements, Shell Imple- 
ments and Pottery with a few personal ornaments of insufficient quantity to 
generalize upon. It is to be regretted that the largest collection 
(and one consisting mostly of pottery) made on the island has 
been sold to a museum inthe United States, but by the courtesy of Mr. 
Sinckler, of Speightstown, and Dr. John Hutson, of Harmony Hall, 
I was able from a short study of their collections to institute a few 
comparisons with those from the other West Indian Islanas and British 
Guiana in our museum—for we havea fine collection stowed away in 
drawers and comparatively unknown. Hence I am able to formulate a 
theory with regard to the first Barbadians, which if it fails to prove anything 
will at all events form a basis for discussion from which truth may finally 
appeal. 
The stone iraplements are very rare, very small, and consist of less than half- 
a-dozen miniature axes or celts, none exceeding three inches in length; Mr. 
Sinckler’s green stone axe, hard and highly polished, now more resembles a 
trinket than a weapon, but hafted as it undoubtedly used to be in one of the 
short square letterwood clubs, still made by the Guiana Indians, it could be used 
with deadly effect on the stoutest cranium. The stone is not of Barbadian 
origin. 
The shell implements are peculiar to Barbados and one or two of the lesser 
West Indian Islands and are in two forms, a gouge or scraper form made from 
