WEST INDIES. - SPANISH ISLANDS. 



427 



fevers, which often rag.^ in the towns and shipping. The Creoles give the tone to the West 

 Indian character. Hospitahty, generosity, and pride, are quahties of the planters. They are 

 frank and very social. There is but one class among them, for all are equals. The poorest 

 white feels himself on a level with his employer, and salutes iiim by grasping his hands. The 

 Creoles are quick and intelligent, but indolent. They have a great warmth of imagination and 

 flow of spirits. Their faults are not those of meanness, but of the unfortunate system undei 

 which they live. In Cuba the planters carry hospitality to its utmost extent. The monteros 

 in this island are a hardy and honest race of yeomanry, often engaged as managers, carters, 

 &c. They are very numerous. The negroes form in the West Indies by far the most nume- 

 rous class. The climate is well adapted to them, but they too generally pass a hfe of unremit- 

 ted hardship and toil. They are often overtasked, and without a sufficient time for rest. In 

 Cuba, Doctor Abbot supposes, that they are made to perform a third more than in Carolina. 

 Here, however, manumission is much favored by law, and the authorities. A slave may buy 

 his freedom, by paying his first cost, and if he pay but a part, his master must relinquish a pro 

 portionate part of his lime. The Haytiens, who have achieved their independence, have much 

 improved in their manners and comforts ; but generally the African race is in the West Indies 

 much degraded and debased by hapless and intolerable servitude. 



The population is diminishing ; the rate of decrease being about 8 per cent annually in Cuba, 

 and 5 or 6 per cent in some of the English islands. Although therefore, 2,130,000 slaves 

 were imported into the English islands between 1680 and 1786, the whole colored population, 

 including the mixed breeds, does not at present exceed 763,000 souls ; from 1521 to 1825, 

 413,500 slaves had been introduced into Cuba, yet in 1827 the whole number of persons of 

 color was less than 400,000. The United States present a very different state of things ; the 

 300,000 blacks brought into that country between 1620 and 1808, having increased to 

 2,328,642, in 1830. 



The most common amusements of the whites are dancing and gaming. Cock-fighting is - 

 very common, and in Cuba there is no village without a pit, which the Rev. Dr. Abbot re- 

 marks, is a fit emblem of that which is bottomless. The means of education are limited. In 

 Hayti there is a school in almost every village, and a college at Cape Haytien ; and in Cuba 

 the means of instruction are improving ; but generally, these are so low, that many young 

 men are sent to Europe for education. The religion is various in the difl'erent islands. In 

 Cuba and Hayti it is generally Catholic. In Cuba the slaves are baptized, and for this the 

 owner generally pays a certain sum to the ecclesiastic, for the year. In many islands the 

 missionaries have had much success, especially among the slaves, though they have too 

 often been opposed by the planters. Generally the Creoles must be described as somewhat 

 licentious, and little conversant with religious sentiments. The government of Cuba is that 

 of a captain-general, appointed by the crown of Spain. The islanders, however, are much 

 favored, from the fear, that the mother-country entertains, of a revolt. Hayti is a republic, in 

 which the President is chosen by the Senate for life. The representatives are chosen once in 

 5 years by the people ; and the senators, who hold their offices 9 years, are chosen by the 

 representatives. Jamaica has a Governor, a council of 12 members, and a House of Assem- 

 bly, chosen by the freeholders. The governments of the other islands are various, but generally 

 somewhat similar. 



SPANISH ISLANDS. 



1. Cuba. Cuba is situated opposite the entrance of the Gulf of Mexico, and stretches from 

 S. E. to N. W., through a space of nearly 700 miles, but varies in breadth from about 70 to 130. 

 It hes between 19^ and 23 °]S. lat., and 74° and 85° W. long., and has an area of about 56,000 

 square miles. Cuba has some resemblance in shape to an alligator, and a ridge of mountains runs 

 through its whole length, dividing it into 2 parts. From this ridge, numerous rivers descend, 

 and more than 150 are said to pour their crystal waters over its plains. At the foot of the moun- 

 tains, the country opens into extensive meadows, that afford pasturage for numerous herds 

 of catde both tame and wild, many thousands of which are annually killed for their hides. The 

 soil is extremely fertile, particularly in the valleys, and produces the sugar-cane, cofiee, cotton, 

 tobacco, and all the fruits and aromatic plants of the tropics. The climate in the interior is 

 healthy. In the seaports, in summer, it is unhealthy, especially for strangers ; and as the rays 

 of the sun fall almost perpendicularly, the temperature is hot. In the mountainous parts tlie 



