Chap. Iir. of the E N G L I S 
we find two on the Eaft-fide, to which they haVe given 
the Names of Scotland River ^ and Jofephf River : They 
have good Water in their Wells almoft all over the 
Iflandf and do not dig very deep for it : They have alfo 
larae Ponds and Refervoirsj where they preferve Rain- 
water. They have generally fine ferene Weather ^ their 
Rains fall as in other Parts of the forrid Zone, chiefly 
when the Sun is vertical j and after the Rains are the 
proper Seafons for planting ; their Heats are not fo ex- 
cefiive as in the fame Latitude on the Continent, being 
conftantly refrelhed by the Sea Breezes in the Day-time, 
which increafes as the Sun advances, and abates as the 
Sun declines. And they have this further Satisfadtion, 
that their Days feldom exceed twelve Hours *, but there 
being no Mountains on the Illand, there are no Land- 
winds in the Night as in Jamaica. 
The only Town of any Confequence in the Hand, is 
that of Bridge-fown or St. Michael'^, fituate in Carlijle- 
Bay : It was formerly encompaffed with a Morafs which 
rendered it unhealthy, but this has been drained in a 
great Meafure ; however, the low Situation makes the 
Town ftill fubjedt to Inundations : It is faid to contain 
a thoufand or twelve hundred Houfes tolerably well 
built of brick or Stone. They have commodious Wharfs 
and Keys for loading and unloading of Goods, and three 
Forts or Caftles of Defence, which, if kept in repair, 
would render them no eafy Conqueft. The chief Pro- 
duce and Manufadlure of the Hand, as has been inti- 
mated already, is Sugar ; of the Moloffes, or Drofs, 
whereof they make great Quantities of Rum. They 
have alfo fome Cotton, Indico, Ginger, and Pimento, and 
formerly Tobacco was planted here in good Quantities, 
but very little at prefent, Foreft Trees they have fcarce 
any left. Their Fruits are Oranges, Limes, Citrons, 
Pomegranates, Pine-apples, Guavas, Plantains, Cocoa- 
Nutts, Indian-Figs, Prickle-Pears, Melons, and almofl: 
all manner of Roots and Garden-ftufF, but very few 
Flowers. 
Their Horfes they import from New England, &c. 
and have a flight Breed of their own. They have alfo 
fome AflTes, Cows, and Sheep, but the lafl: do not thrive 
here. They have a good Number of Hogs, the Flefh 
whereof is the befl; Meat that is eaten in thofe hot Cli- 
mates. Here are alfo good Sea Fifli and Poultry, but 
no Frefh-water Fifli •, and, in general, all manner of Pro- 
vifion is very dear. There is no dining at an Ordinary 
under a Crown a-head *, frefli Meat is a Rarity, and 
chiefly the Food of People of Condition •, the reft are 
glad of Salt-Beef, Pork, and Fifh, imported from the 
northern Colonies •, from whence alfo comes their Wheat, 
Flower, Indian-Corn, Peafe, Beans, iRc. They make 
Bread alfo of the CaflTavi Root, and the Negroes feed 
on Yams, Potatoes, and other Roots and Fruits. The 
Liquor drank by the Gentry here, is chiefly Madeira 
Wine, or Wine and Water, and great Quantities of 
Punch are drank by the Vulgar. They have alfo ftrong 
Beer imported from Old and New-England, and Liquors 
made of their Maize and Fruits as in Jamaica. The Go- 
vernment here alfo refembles that of Jamaica, and the reft 
of our American Hands, having the Governor and Coun- 
cil appointed by the Crown, which, with the Houfe of 
Reprefentatives, are vefted with a legiflative Power, and 
make Laws for the Government of the Hand. 
The Numbers of white People are faid to have been 
once forty thoufand and upwards, and are computed to 
be near thirty thoufand at prefent. The Negroes, Mulot- 
toes, and MeJHve Slaves, about an hundred thoufand. 
Their Militia confifts of fifteen hundred Horfe, and three 
thoufand Foot, or thereabouts. 
After this general Reprefentation of the prefent State of 
the Hand, it is requifite that we fliould proceed to a 
more clofe Enquiry into the ftaple Commodity of this 
Hand. We are to obferve, that before the Year 1626, 
the Portugueze fupplied all Europe with Sugar from their 
Colonies in Brazil, to their immenfe Profit ; But the firft 
Settlers finding the Soil to be fertile, and the producing 
of Sugar advantageous, they encouraged more People to 
come over and plant the lame Commodity. This in- 
duced the Merchants, at home, to fend over Ships with 
H in A M ERICA. 
Provifions and other Neceffaiies for thofe new Planters'., 
which their Agents and Fadors exchanged with them for 
the Produce of the Country, and from thence a recipro- 
cal Trade and Correfpondence was eftabliflied between 
Greats^Britain and this jjland. 
The growing Succefs of this new Sugar Colony pro- 
moted the Settlement of the others-, and as the Sugar 
Plantations encreafed, more Hands were required to 
carry on the Works, than could, at that Time, be fpared 
from home. This gave birth to the Guinea Trade, for 
fupplying thofe Colonies with Negroe Slaves ; and as 
the Planters flouriflied and encreafed, fo did their De- 
mands for all Sorts of Britijh Manufaftures, and fuch 
Neceflaries of Life as they could not produce in thofe 
Climates which opened another Scene of Trade to the 
BritiJIo Merchants, to furnifh thefe new Colonies with 
Wine from Madeira. Thefe Branches of Trade were of 
the utmoft Advantage to Great Britain^ forafmuch as 
they took no Money out of the Kingdom, but yearly 
brought in large Sums for Britijh Manufadures carried 
out. The Trade to this Hand was commonly open and 
free; for we find, that before the civil War in England, 
the Dutch Ships came hither to purchafe Sugars, as well 
as the Englijh. This Freedom in Trade made the Coun- 
try flourifli, and made Money plenty among the Inhabit- 
ants. But fince the Reftoration, feveral Ads of Parli- 
ament have been made to confine the Trade of the Sugar 
Colonies to Great Britain, and Britijh Ships only ; which 
Reftraints foon made London the chiefeft Mart in 
Europe for Sugar ; and as there was yearly more import- 
ed than was neceflary for Home Confumption, the Mer- 
chants exported the Surplus to foreign Markets, and by 
imderfelling the Portugueze, they in Time beat them al- 
moft out of all their Sugar Trade to the Northward of 
Cape Finijierre. 
This Trade of re-exporting Sugars was carried on for 
many Years with great Succefs. Mr. Jojhua Gee fays 
that by this Trade only fuch an Increafe of Treafure 
and Wealth was brought into this Kingdom, as yearly 
added three or four hundred thoufand Pounds to the 
Stock of the Nation, which in thirty Years Time amount- 
ed to upwards of ten Millions Sterling. And a late 
Author computes the clear Profits, accruing to Great 
Britain from the Sugar Trade, and thofe other Branches 
which chiefly depend upon thofe Hands, to amount ta 
more than one Million a Year. He tells us farther, that it 
appears by the Cuftom-houfe in London, that the Value of 
the Exports from Great Britain to the Sugar ColonieSa 
were a few Years ago upwards of five hundred thoufand 
Pounds Sterling every Year ; and their Importations from 
thofe Hands more than twelve hundred thoufand Pounds 
per Annum. In thefe Computations the Author has taken, 
no Notice of the vaft Quantities of Britijh Manufadtures 
yearly exported to Guinea and Madeira : But if they were 
to be added to the Exportations of the Sugar CoIonieSa 
where the greateft Part of their Produce is taken off with 
an Advantage to the Britijh Merchant, it would greatly 
augment the Sum, and confequently enlarge the Profits 
which our Mother Country receives from the Sugar Co- 
lonies, and the feveral Branches of Trade depending on 
them. I fhall not take upon me to determine whether 
this, Gentleman’s Calculations are exadt or not ; but it is 
evident beyond Difpute, that while the Sugar Trade 
flouriflied, both Planters and Merchants grew immenfeiy 
rich, and the Trade and Navigation of Great Britain was 
carried on to a much greater Height than it ever was 
before. And this great Source of Wealth and Treafure tq 
their Mother Country, arofe from fo fmall a Beginning 
as a few Families feeking Shelter in a defolate Hand. 
This fhews what may be done by Induftry and Trade 
rightly applied. Now if the Trade and Navigation of 
Great Britain have received fuch an Addition from the 
Sugar Colonies, as added greatly to the Riches and 
Strength of the Kingdom *, and if Barhadoes has the Ho- 
nour to ftand foremoft in the Sugar Trade (as the firft 
Founder of it) how well has flie deferved of her Mother 
Country ! When the Sugar Trade was at the Height 
which we deferibed above, the flourifhing State of Great 
Britain alarmed her Neighbours, and put them upon 
