432 



WEST INDIES. — BRITISH ISLANDS. 



stands at the head of an inlet of the sea, in the southeast part ; and the bay admits the largest 

 vessels to anchor safely in all weathers. The streets of the city are straight and spacious, but 

 rendered hot and disagreeable by being covered with a deep, loose sand. Kingston contains 

 many handsome houses, and has 2 churches, a free school, a public hospital, and a theatre. 

 The city is well supplied with all kinds of provisions, particularly the finest fruits and vegetables 

 Population, 33,000. 



Port Royal stands a fevv miles southwest of Kingston. It contained 2,000 handsome houses, 

 when, in 1692, a tremendous earthquake buried the greatest part of it eight fathoms under water. 

 Its advantages as a commercial port caused it to be rebuilt ; but ten years afterwards a fire re- 

 duced most of it to ashes. A second time it rose from its ruins, and in 1772, a dreadful hur- 

 ricane reduced it once more to a heap of rubbish. It now consists only of three streets, with 

 about 15,000 inhabitants. Besides these towns, there are three other ports towards the western 

 extremity of the island, which participate in its commerce. Savanna-la-mar stands on the 

 south coast, and JMontego Bay and Falmouth are on the north. 



The population of Jamaica is 348,000, of whom 36,000 arc of European oiigin. It has a 

 Governor, and a Council of 12 members, appointed by the king, and a House of Assembly of 

 43 members, elected by the freeholders. Tlie principal exports are sugar, rum, and coffee. 



Jamaica was discovered by Columbus, during his second voyage, in 1494. In 1509, a 

 Spanish colony was established ; but, when the fleet which Cromwell had sent to seize Hispa- 

 niola, in 1655, were unable to effect their object, they found but little difficulty in taking Ja- 

 maica. It was soon afterwards colonized by 3,000 soldiers disbanded from the parliamentary 

 army, who were followed by about 1,500 royalists. When it was captured by the English, 

 many of the slaves belonging to the Spanish settlers fled to the mountains, where they long lived 

 in a kind of savage independence, and frequently annoyed the British colonists. They were 

 called Maroons ; the last of their incursions was in 1795, when they were obliged to surrender, 

 and about 600 of them were sent to Nova Scotia, and had lands assigned them. Since that 

 period, the internal peace of the island has been preserved, with the exception of a fevv speedily- 

 subdued insurrections of the slaves. 



2. Trinidad. Trinidad is about 80 miles from E. to W., and 50 from N. to S. It is 

 unhealthy hut fruitful, producing cotton, sugar, fine tobacco, indigo, ginger, various fruits, and 

 maize. The asphaltum lake in this island is considered a remarkable curiosity. It is about 3 miles 

 in circumference. The substance which is here found has the consistence and aspect of pit-coal ; it 

 breaks into glossy fragments of a cellular appearance ; a gentle heat renders it ductile, and, 

 mixed with grease or common pitch, it is used for smearing the bottoms of ships. Trinidad 

 has several good harbors, particularly on the west coast. Port Spain is the chief place of the 

 island. Population, 10,000. This island was taken by Sir Walter Raleigh, in 1595, and by 

 the French in 1676 ; captured from the Spaniards in 1797, and ceded to England by the treaty 

 of Amiens. 



3. Tobago. Tobago, situated a fevv leagues north of Trinidad, is about 24 miles long and 

 12 broad. The eastern part of the island is elevated, and the western consists of beautiful sa- 

 vannas. The soil is rich, and the figs and grapes are of the best quality. Scarborough is the 

 chief town. 



4. Grenada. Grenada is about 80 miles W. of Tobago, and is 24 miles long, and 12 at 

 its greatest breadth. The face of the country is rugged and mountainous ; and there are nume 

 rous springs and rivulets. St. George is the capital, and has a commodious harbor, with con- 

 siderable trade, and 8,000 inhabitants. 



5. Barbadoes. This is the most eastern of the British West India Islands. It is 21 

 miles in length, and 14 in breadth. The climate is very hot, but the air is pure, and moderated 

 by the constant trade winds, which render it more salubrious than that of any of these sultry 

 islands. The soil in the low lands is black, and towards the sea sandy. The exports are sugar, 

 rum, ginger, cotton, aloes, &c. Barbadoes contains 4 towns, viz. Bridgetoion, the capital, 

 Speighth Town, Austin^s Totcn, and Janiestotm. Barbadoes is supposed to have been discov- 

 ered by the Portuguese, but was settled by the English, in 1605. It has suffered much by 

 tempests, fires, and the plague. In 1790, a hurricane occasioned great devastation ; and in 

 1831, another still more violent, destroyed nearly 3,000 lives. 



6. St. Vincent. St. Vincent, about 70 miles west of Barbadoes, is a rugged and elevated 

 island, 17 or 18 miles long, and 10 broad. It is extremely fertile, and well adapted to the 

 raising of sugar and indigo. It was obtained by the British at the peace of 1763, and though 



